Honors Course Descriptions

Honors

HNRS/THEO 3341 Readings in Christian Thought/Theology I (Classical Period)

3 Credit Hours

This course examines the foundations of the Christian tradition through the study and discussion of primary source texts from the early and medieval eras of Christian history. Selections are drawn from the early church fathers, such as Justin Martyr, Irenaeus of Lyons, and Augustine of Hippo, as well as medieval scholastics such as Anselm and Thomas Aquinas. As an Honors Program course, the format is intensely discussion-oriented, and content is integrated with Honors Program themes. Fulfills a Bible/Theology elective.

HNRS/THEO 3412 Reading in Christian Thought/Theology II (Modern Period)

3 Credit Hours

This course examines the development of the Christian tradition through the study and discussion of primary source texts from the Reformation and Modern eras of Christian history. Selections are drawn from Martin Luther, John Calvin, and representative Modern European and American thinkers. As an Honors Program course, the format is intensely discussion-oriented, and content is integrated with Honors Program themes. Fulfills a Bible/Theology elective.

HNRS/HIST 2301 History of Civilization

3 Credit Hours

This course surveys the historical foundations and transformations of Western Civilization, from its Ancient Near Eastern and Greco-Roman roots to its Christian and post-Christian phases, through the study and discussion of selected primary source texts. Special focus is placed on the interaction between faith and culture, and the development of key ideas and institutions such as law, government, marriage, family, the church, and society.  As an Honors Program course, the format is intensely discussion-oriented, and content is integrated with Honors Program themes. Fulfills a General Studies or History elective.

HNRS/THEO 3303 C. S. Lewis: Apostle to the Skeptic

3 Credit Hours

This course explores the life and writings of C. S. Lewis, as one of the most influential Christian apologists of the modern period. Through intensive reading and discussion of key works, such as Mere Christianity, Screwtape Letters, The Problem of Pain, Miracles, and others, it considers Lewis’s contributions to the intellectual defense of the faith and key insights regarding Christian life in the modern world. As an Honors Program course, the format is intensely discussion-oriented, and content is integrated with Honors Program themes. Fulfills a Bible/Theology elective.

HNRS 3211 Great Books Honors Seminar I

3 Credit Hours

This course surveys the classics of the Western literary tradition from its Greco-Roman foundations through the early church and medieval Christendom. Selections may include the writings of Homer, Virgil, Augustine, and Dante, among others. As an Honors Program course, the format is intensely discussion-oriented, and content is integrated with Honors Program themes. Fulfills a General Studies or Literature elective.

HNRS 3212 Great Books Honors Seminar II

3 Credit Hours

This course surveys the classics of the Western literary tradition from the Renaissance and the early modern period to the present. Selections may include the writings of William Shakespeare, John Milton, Fyodor Dostoevsky, T. S. Eliot, and Flannery O’Connor, among others. As an Honors Program course, the format is intensely discussion-oriented, and content is integrated with Honors Program themes. Fulfills a General Studies or Literature elective.

HNRS 1000 Honors Colloquium

This non-credit (pass/fail) course facilitates monthly meetings between the Honors Program Director and Honors students to build community and provide a context for discussion of program-related texts, themes, and ideas. Honors students must enroll in at least 4 offerings of the course to graduate with Honors.

HNRS 4313 Honors Capstone

3 Credit Hours

This course facilitates the research and writing of a major capstone project, normally to be completed in the final year of the student’s degree program. The project focuses on an aspect of the student’s major area of study and integrates it with themes and ideas discussed in Honors Program coursework. The project is supervised by the Honors Program Director and may be substituted for ENC 4313 Advanced Research Writing in programs that require that course.

HNRS 3501 Honors Study Trip

3 Credit Hours

This course accompanies an Honors Program study trip (either domestic or international) and involves related readings and assignments that promote critical reflection on key historical and cultural themes and developments. The course is interdisciplinary in nature and special focus is placed on the intersection of Christianity and Western culture. Travel destinations include Greece, Italy, the United Kingdom, Israel, Washington D. C., and Boston, among others. Fulfills a General Studies elective.

*indicates this course is included in the Statewide Course Numbering System.