University Honors Program Course Offerings
Honors Courses Offered Fall 2025
ENG122-110 College Composition - Honors Section (Section 110 with Tara Wood)
Tara Wood
TR 1100--1215
LAC: LAW1
Honors Only Section
Extensive practice in writing clear and effective academic prose with special attention
to purpose, audience, organization, and style. Instruction in critical analysis and
revision. Honors Only Section.
HON100 Honors Connections I: Surviving to Thriving in the 21st Century
Chelsea Romulo & Mike Kimball
TR 0930 – 1045
The goal of this innovative, interdisciplinary class to help students navigate their own path to becoming a global citizen in a continuously interconnected world. This course blends perspectives from anthropology, geography, sustainability, and mindfulness practices to help students develop the cognitive, interpersonal, and intrapersonal skills needed to thrive in our increasingly complex world. Through engaging discussions on climate change, environmental justice, and sustainable practices, students will learn to analyze "wicked problems" - those with interconnected causes that require diverse approaches and collaborative solutions. The course emphasizes hands-on learning through case studies, storytelling, and real-world applications, preparing students to become effective global citizens who can both understand and help address 21st century challenges. These topics are universal and we expect to honor the authentic human experience of students in the course and are open to any major or discipline
HON180 Great Ideas in Context: Love, Death, & Destruction: Defining What is Best for Humanity in the Modern World
Nakeeza Wilson
MWF 1325 – 1415
LAC: LAA2, LAIS
Description: Explore the profound and enduring impact of the industrial revolution on the globe as we move from the Enlightenment to the aftermath of the World Wars. We will delve into the dark underbelly of progress by examining how advancements in industry and technology often brought about unforeseen consequences, including social upheavals, environmental degradation, modern warfare, the rise of authoritarianism, and the dangerous potential of scientific progress in a world driven by consumerism and instant gratification. Throughout the class, we will explore these topics through a variety of great works including poetry, short-stories, essays, and novels including the banned books of Erich Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front and Aldous Huxley's Brave New World to uncover commonalities within the human experience. We will discover how, in the face of great adversity and rapid change, all humans share common fears, hopes, and dreams for the future. By the end of the course, you will be able to present your own vision of humanity's future in a creative project to answer the enduring question: What is best for humanity?
HON185 Religions & Worldviews
Tom Smith
MWF 1430 -- 1520
LAC: LAA3
Description: Explores major religious and non-religious worldviews by examining the history, literature, rituals, and teachings of a selection of religious traditions and worldviews, as well as influential ancient and modern critiques of religion. We will also consider the ways in which people construct worldviews, as well as the possibilities for inter-religious dialogue.
HON395 Cultural Depictions of Middle Earth
Janice Dickensheets
TR 1400 – 1515
J.R.R. Tolkien's novels, particularly the Lord of the Rings, havecaptured the imaginations of multiple generations and sparked diverse artistic creations from graffiti to films. Explore this Middle Earth cultural phenomena through the study of music, film, visual art, and essays.
HON351 Honors Capstone Design
Corinne Wieben
HON351 - Must be taken Concurrent with LIB251:
LIB251 Research As Inquiry
Both Courses: M 1600 -- 1800 Michener L0074
These courses examine how to begin an honors capstone project including writing skills for the literature review and exploring various project designs. Emphasis is on developing an honors project proposal for research, applied or creative works project, and beginning work with a faculty mentor. This course further develops the student's scholarly writing skills. Sophomores or above
HON451 Honors Capstone
Corinne Wieben
Students will work independently in this course primarily with their Honors Thesis/Capstone Advisor and will meet at least once a month with other students as a full class meeting with the instructor. Prerequisite: HON351.
HON 492 - Honors Internship or Study Abroad
Consent of instructor is needed to take this class; please email loree.crow@Unco.edu to request this course. This course offers variable credit in an approved study abroad and/or internship for the Honors Program. The specifics of what is required for credit in HON 492 is worked out ahead of time with the Honors department- contact the office about internship/study abroad opportunities on an individual basis. Repeatable, maximum of 6 credit hours. Can be taken for credit for HIP, UHP or University Honors.
- 1 Credit Hour = 2.5 hours per week x 15 weeks (35 hours total)
- 2 Credit Hours = 5 hours per week x 15 weeks (70 hours total)
- 3 Credit Hours = 7.5 hours per week x 15 weeks (105 hours total)
Several internship options are available to Honors Students, or students can find their own internship and bring it to the class. The class meets virtually once a month.
LEAD100 Fundamentals of Leadership
Jarae Fulton
MWF 0905 – 955
Description: Fundamentals of Leadership introduces students to key leadership theories, styles, and skills essential for effective leadership in various settings. Through case studies, self-assessments, interactive discussions, guest speakers, and community and research projects, students develop critical thinking, communication, and decision-making abilities. The course emphasizes teamwork, communication, awareness, and adaptability as key skills for leadership success.
UNIV101 Foundations for Learning and Teaching
Angela Vaughan
Various Times and Days
LAC: LAB3
Any section allowed for Honors
Description: This course focuses on theoretical models and their application for intellectual, personal, and professional growth, focusing on reading, writing, critical thinking, and communication skills, fostering independent, strategic learning. University 101 students participate in Research Nights, a culmination of their semester's work and introduction to UNC's scholarly community. Around 500 freshmen present research posters, attracting support from UNC students, faculty, staff, student family, and the Greeley community.
Honors Courses Offered Spring 2025
Lower Division Coursework (counts as electives for HON, FYH and HIP):
HON 180: Great Ideas in Context: Endurance of Transitory Narrative: Spoken, Lived, and Printed
Stories (CRN: 24376)
Instructor = Andrew Meyer
Time = T,Th: 5:00 pm to 6:15 pm
LAC = GT, LAA2, LAIS, LC3b, LC7
An introduction to global intellectual and cultural traditions through reading and discussion of classic works of literature. The premise of this semester's course is to examine the fleeting nature of narrative within the contemporary era. As humanity is embedded in a post-digital era, we must recognize ritualistic traditions and long-form narrative are consistently competing with the short-term burst content of social media and large language model Artificial Intelligence content generation. Remaining human in the age of big-data and AI is becoming a more complex situation for humanity to navigate. For us to stride into a future of limitless information and potential AI consciousness, we must be willing to consider the necessity to preserve personal narrative in a multitude of forms. The premise of this course is to introduce the student to the importance of both communal and personal narrative and its fleeting nature. Given the fast-paced nature of the contemporary era, stories seem to slip into the cracks of fast paced scrolling and disappearing imagery through the virtual lens. This course will examine the importance of narrative within a structure of the greater community through storyteller listening sessions involving a multitude of local storytellers from various backgrounds, as well as investigations into public and private art pieces depicting and preserving narrative. Students will also have a hands-on experience with traditional paper making, bookbinding, and letter press printing to create upcycled handmade matrixes to document and share lived experience story telling.
HON 182: Confluence of Cultures: Costume & Identity (CRN: 24287)
Instructor = Thomas Endres
Time = T,Th: 2:00 to 3:15 pm
LAC = GT, LAA2, LAMS, LC3b, LC8
An exploration of African American, Asian American, Hispanic American, Native American or U.S. immigrant cultures from historical, literary, and artistic perspectives. This semester's course is an in depth examination of the role costume can play in representation and identity. Arenas covered include cosplay, historical reenactment, drag, busking, pin-up/burlesque, national culture, and fandom communities such as Ren Fairs and the Society for Creative Anachronism. Distinctions will be made between assigned costumes/uniforms (e.g., theatrical productions, theme park assignments) and those costumes that are personal and conscious choices about clothing, recognizable as outside the everyday norm, worn in public or select locales in order to communicate a message. Factors of identity examined include age, race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, levels of ability/disability (and intersections thereof).
HON 200: Honors Connections Seminar II: Cultures of Consciousness (CRN: 23758)
Instructor = Michael Kimball
Time = MW: 12:15 to 1:30 pm
A variable content seminar that will engage them in a concentrated analysis of values and ethics in the context of the times. This semester's course draws on an interdisciplinary array of readings and other information sources, to examine relations between culture (what different groups believe about and value in their world and how they engage with it) and consciousness (the spectrum of human subjective experience). Students will explore mindfulness based practices along the way on their journey of exploring various worldviews and ways of thinking about consciousness.
Upper Division Coursework
(Counts as elective for HON, UHP, HIP and FYH - if needed):
HON 395-001 (CRN: 22592) Navigating International Business in Greece
This seminar will examine the field of international business including the implications
of working with organizations involved in global operations. The course is interdisciplinary
in nature, looking at how all factors impact global business, focusing on Greece.
Students will travel to Greece during Spring Break to see the historic sites as well
as meet with Greek businesses. Contact the education abroad office for more information
about applying for the program. Email loree.crow@unco.edu for the application for
the Barbara Heidger International Learning Awards whic are available to cover airfare
with a few additional scholarships to cover the full cost of the trip package.
Instructor = Sara Hendrick
Time = T,Th: 12:30 to 1:45 pm and includes Weeklong trip to Greece during Spring Break
HON 395-102 Honors Special Topics: Healthcare in the Holocaust (CRN: 24377)
Instructor = Darcy Copeland
Time = T,Th: 11:00 am to 12:15 pm
This course explores the intersection of medicine, ethics, and history. Through a combination of historical analysis, ethical inquiry, and critical thinking, students will examine the complex relationship between healthcare professionals, medical/scientific institutions, and the Nazi regime up to and during the Holocaust.
LEAD 200: Strategic Leadership (CRN: 24405)
(counts toward UHP or HIP as elective).
Instructor = Patricia Jolly
Time - Tu 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm
This course, which provides experiential learning opportunities, explores the core concepts of risk and change that inform the complex nature of engaged leadership in local, national, and international contexts.
Capstone Coursework:
Note = Looking to start project design credits? Register for 1 credit of HON 351 and 1 credit of LIB 251. These classes occur at the same time on alternating weeks.
LIB 251: Research as Inquiry (CRN: 21440)
Instructor = Annie Epperson
Time = M: 4:00 to 6:00 pm
Students will gain advanced skills in evaluating, organizing, and analyzing information while beginning to review the literature on a topic of their choice. The work completed in this course complements the development of the student's capstone project proposal, developed in the concurrent course of HON351.
HON 351: Junior Honors Seminar-Capstone Project Design (CRN: 22591)
Instructor = Corinne Wieben
Time = M: 4:00 to 6:00 pm (concurrent with LIB251; HON351 and LIB251 must be taken
together)
Required for completion of the Upper Division Honors, University Honors and Capstone Only Programs. This class supports students as they begin to develop their honors project in the student’s discipline(s) of choice. Students will select their own project approach: creative, applied or research, and will find a project advisor, and will then write their project proposal.
HON 492 - Honors Internship or Study Abroad
Consent of instructor is needed to take this class; please email loree.crow@Unco.edu to request this course. This course offers variable credit in an approved study abroad and/or internship for the Honors Program. The specifics of what is required for credit in HON 492 is worked out ahead of time with the Honors department- contact the office about internship/study abroad opportunities on an individual basis. Repeatable, maximum of 6 credit hours. Can be taken for credit for HIP, UHP or University Honors.
- 1 Credit Hour = 2.5 hours per week x 15 weeks (35 hours total)
- 2 Credit Hours = 5 hours per week x 15 weeks (70 hours total)
- 3 Credit Hours = 7.5 hours per week x 15 weeks (105 hours total)
Several internship options are available to Honors Students, or students can find their own internship and bring it to the class. The class meets virtually once a month.
Continuing your capstone project? Register for one of the following:
HON 451-001: Senior Honors Research Thesis (CRN: 22593)
Instructor = Corinne Wieben
Time = as arranged
This class supports students as they complete their Honors capstone project. Students will generally take one or two credits in a semester, depending on how much time they will be spending on their thesis, with approximately 3 hours outside of class per credit hour. Students should successfully complete the requirements of HON351 prior to enrolling in HON451.
HON 451-002 Senior Honors Research Thesis (CRN: 22593)
McNair Scholars Only Section
Instructor = Krista Caufman, Jordan Garcia
Time = F: 3:20 pm to 5:30 pm
McNair Scholars should enroll in 2 credits of HON451-002 to complete their Honors thesis.
Other Capstone Courses in the major
Courses in the discipline may also count toward Honors Capstone. See the catalog for a list of courses, and contact Dr. Corinne Wieben to verify if that path would work for you and your project.
Course Offerings - Fall 2024
UNIV101 Foundations for Learning and Development (LAC: LAB3)
HONORS SECTIONS:
- UNIV101-050 MWF 0905 - 0955
- UNIV101-112 TR 1400 - 1515
- UNIV101-106 TR 0800 - 0915
- UNIV101-110 TR 0930 - 1045
This course focuses on theoretical models and their application for intellectual, personal, and professional growth, focusing on reading, writing, critical thinking, and communication skills, fostering independent, strategic learning.
University 101 students participate in Research Nights, a culmination of their semester's work and introduction to UNC's scholarly community. Around 500 freshmen present research posters, attracting support from UNC students, faculty, staff, student family, and the Greeley community.
HON180 Great Ideas in Context: "Love, Death & Destruction: Legacies of Industrialization through Cold War" (LAC LAA2; LAIS)
- MWF 12:20 - 1:10
- Professor Nakeeza Wilson
- Open to all Honors Students. Counts toward any honors program curriculum (HIP, UHP, University Honors, First Year Honors)
Explore the profound impact of industrialization on society during the Cold War era. Students will delve into the dark underbelly of progress, examining how advancements in industry and technology often brought about unforeseen consequences, including social upheaval, environmental degradation, and the threat of nuclear warfare.
HON395 Honors Special Topics: Sultans, Eunuchs & Harems
- M/W/F 2:30-3:20 PM
- Professor George Junne
- Open to all Honors Students. Counts toward any honors program curriculum (HIP, UHP, University Honors)
This variable titled 3-credit course will examine some of the social, cultural, and political histories of the Ottoman Empire, from its origins in the 13th century as a Turcoman principality until its end following World War 1. Centered in Asia Minor, this sultanate became the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa. The geographical area it encompassed over time included North Africa from Egypt to Morocco, the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, southern Europe into Austria, and lands surrounding the Black Sea that comprise parts of current-day Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria and Greece. The Empire’s gradual decline saw the loss of Libya and Kuwait in the early 1900s and most of its European territories in 1912. The rise of the Young Turks and Mustafa Kemal Atatürksaw the start of the Republic of Turkeyon October 29, 1923.
In this course students will also examine some of the diverse populations that comprised thissultanate that included not only Muslims (primarily Sunnis as well as Shiites and Sufis) but also Jews, Catholics, Africans, Circassians, Greek Orthodox, Armenians, Arabs, Macedonians, Turks, Serbians, Bulgarian Orthodox, Kurds and a host of others. Sultans ruled the Empire from its capital at Constantinople and its House of Felicity, the Inner Palace of the Topkapı Palace. That isolated “inner sanctum,” guarded by African eunuchslaves who also amassed significant power, was the seat of government. From 1566 until 1723 was “The Sultanate of Women” era when the sultans’ wives and mothers ruled the Empire from their apartments in the Harem.
ENG123-011: Writing and Research - Honors Only Section
- TR 11:00 - 12:15
- Professor Tara Woods (Coordinator for UNC's writing program)
- Open to all HONORS Students. Counts toward HIP and University Honors.
- We will substitute this course for LIB151 for HIP students who need that requirement. Or this can count as a HIP Option A or B.
LIB 251 - Research as Inquiry: Exploration for Beginning Researchers
- Mondays 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.
- Professor Rachel Dineen
- Concurrent with HON 351 to develop the Honors project.
- You must email honors@unco.edu for a course override.
HON 351 - Junior Honors Seminar
- M 4:00-6:00 PM (HON351 and LIB251 are taught together at the same time)
- Professor Corinne Wieben
- For Sophomores or above to begin Honors Capstone Project Design
- Email honors@unco.edu for your course overrides to register.
HON 451 - Senior Honors Research Project
Consent of instructor is needed to take this class. Required for completion of UHP. This class keeps students on track to complete their Honors project. Students will generally take one credit per semester for three semesters (for a total of three credits). This class requires that students be highly self-motivated.
This course defaults to 1 credit. If you would like to enroll in 2 or 3 credits in one semester, the instructions for changing the number of credits are found on the Registrar's Registration Information webpage.
HON 492 - Honors Internship or Study Abroad
Consent of instructor is needed to take this class. This course offers variable credit in an approved study abroad and/or internship for the Honors Program. The specifics of what is required for credit in HON 492 is worked out ahead of time with the Honors department- contact the office about internship/study abroad opportunities on an individual basis. Repeatable, maximum of 6 credit hours. Can be taken for credit for HIP or UHP.
Internships WILL COUNT toward First Year Honors Experience completion for Spring 2024.
1 Credit Hour = 2.5 hours per week
2 Credit Hours = 5 hours per week
3 Credit Hours = 7.5 hours per week
Several internship options are available to Honors Students, or students can find their own internship and bring it to the class. The class meets virtually once a month.
Course Offerings – Spring 2024
HON100 Honors Connections I: The Quantum World to the Cosmic Expanse Instructor: Jan Chaloupka
Quantum mechanics is simultaneously the most confounding and magical, yet precise and useful, field of study in all of science. This branch of physics concerns itself with the nature of the very small, and exhibits behavior unlike anything that we experience in everyday life. Matter behaves like waves, particles exist everywhere at once, and merely observing something can change its reality. On the other hand, cosmology is the study of the unimaginably large, both in scales of time and space. From the birth of the universe with the Big Bang, to the formation of the elements that make up everything we know, to the evolution of billions of galaxies, the study of cosmology seeks to answer the biggest questions humankind has dared to ask. In this course we will study these seemingly disparate fields of science, finding connections between the incredibly small and the inconceivably large, and finding meaning behind the biggest discoveries in modern physics. We will also explore the connections between these areas of scientific study to interpretations and representations in philosophy, art, religion, and culture. While this course is very heavy on the science, it is light on the math, and is appropriate for any student that is curious about the biggest questions in science and is ready to be challenged to learn more.
HON185 Religions and Worldviews (LAA3-Arts&Hum-Ways of Thinking) Instructor: Thomas Smith
Explores major religious and non-religious worldviews by examining the history, literature, rituals, and teachings of a selection of religious traditions and worldviews, as well as influential ancient and modern critiques of religion. We will also consider the ways in which people construct worldviews, as well as the possibilities for inter-religious dialogue.
HON200 Honors Connection Seminar II Culture & Consciousness
Instructor: Michael Kimball
Drawing on an interdisciplinary array of readings and other information sources, this course will examine relations between culture (what different groups believe about and value in their world and how they engage with it) and consciousness (the spectrum of human subjective experience). Students will explore mindfulness based practices along the way on their journey of exploring various worldviews and ways of thinking about consciousness.
HON395: Sound Art and Sound Studies
Instructor: Joseph Chaves
(Note for Spring 2024 - This course WILL count toward completing the First Year Honors Experience).
This class examines several uses of sound that are crucially related but often considered separately: the burgeoning field of sound art and the various practices by which sound shapes our everyday lives, which have come into scholarly analytical focus via the emerging discipline of sound studies. While examining instances of sonic art, we’ll also explore how we use different kinds of sound, from earbud audition to the programming of ‘background music’ in public spaces, to various ways of understanding and managing ‘noise pollution.’ We’ll listen to and read about such cultural practices as sound ecology, gender and early telephone culture, radio listening communities in post-colonial Algeria and Latin America, the acoustic design of early-20th century concert houses and medieval churches, and the circulation of cassette sermons in the context of the Islamic revival in Cairo.
LIB 251 - Research as Inquiry: Exploration for Beginning Researchers
Prerequisite LIB 151. This course examines research methods from multiple disciplines. Emphasis is on evaluating and conducting original research. Often before or in conjunction with HON 351 to develop the Honors project.
HON 351 - Junior Honors Seminar
Consent of instructor is needed to take this class. Required for completion of the Upper Division Honors Program. This class helps students to develop an honors project in the student’s discipline(s) of choice in order to eventually complete the Upper Division Honors Program.
HON 451 - Senior Honors Research Project
Consent of instructor is needed to take this class. Required for completion of UHP. This class keeps students on track to complete their Honors project. Students will generally take one credit per semester for three semesters (for a total of three credits). This class requires that students be highly self-motivated.
This course defaults to 1 credit. If you would like to enroll in 2 or 3 credits in one semester, the instructions for changing the number of credits are found on the Registrar's Registration Information webpage.
HON 492 - Honors Internship or Study Abroad
Consent of instructor is needed to take this class. This course offers variable credit in an approved study abroad and/or internship for the Honors Program. The specifics of what is required for credit in HON 492 is worked out ahead of time with the Honors department- contact the office about internship/study abroad opportunities on an individual basis. Repeatable, maximum of 6 credit hours. Can be taken for credit for HIP or UHP.
Internships WILL COUNT toward First Year Honors Experience completion for Spring 2024.
1 Credit Hour = 2.5 hours per week
2 Credit Hours = 5 hours per week
3 Credit Hours = 7.5 hours per week
Several internship options are available to Honors Students, or students can find their own internship and bring it to the class. The class meets virtually once a month.
