Honors

Check out the link at the bottom of the page to find the courses for Spring 2008

Honors Courses, Fall 2008

HONR 111 Critical Thinking & Writing

HONR 211 Issues in Humanities: Ideals of the King: The Hero in Arthurian Legend

HONR 211 Issues in Humanities: Latin America and Delmarva's Latin@ Community

HONR 311 Interdisciplinary Seminar: Gandhi (Crosslisted with History 490)

HONR 311 Interdisciplinary Seminar: Psychosomatics

HONR 311 Interdisciplinary Seminar: The Chemistry of Food and Cooking

HONR 311 Interdisciplinary Seminar: American Civil War Through Literature

HONR 311 Interdisciplinary Seminar: Mathematics and Baseball

HONR 312 Honors Research/Creative Project

HONR 490 Honors Thesis Preparation

HONR 495 Honors Thesis

HONR 496 Honors Thesis Consult

Outcomes Portfolio

 

Critical Thinking & Writing

  MWF 11:00 - 11:50 am with Dr. Charlotte England

MW 3:00-4:15 pm, TR 9:30-10:45 am with Dr. Richard England

HONR 111

Arguments bind us, divide us, batter us. Vying for approval on paper, in quiet conversation, on millions of televisions, or the battlegrounds of the web, arguments define the boundaries of common sense, set personal and global agendas, and control minds. Masters of persuasion make laws, reshape traditions, and wage wars. To understand and create arguments we must analyze their structure, language, and logic. In this class you will learn to think critically about any kind of claim through debate, research, and writing. This is not so much a composition class as an arena for wrestling with ideas and words. By December you will be a keener critic and better author of provocative texts and persuasive speeches.  Practice is the only true teacher. This seminar class will require you to take an active role in your own learning.  Debate and research are two foci of this class. In formal and informal debate on current controversies you should defend your own beliefs with a calm temper and a polite tongue. Respect the opinions of those with whom you disagree.

One required honors course for entering honors students that grants elective credit or general education credit for ENGL 103 ( cannot be substituted for with AP or IB English credit).

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Issues in Humanities:  

Ideals of the King:  The Hero in Arthurian Legend

     MWF 2:00 - 2:50 pm with Dr. Charlotte England

HONR 211.041

Few literary figures have left a mark on world literature to rival that of King Arthur. From his first shadowy appearances in Nennius’ eighth century Historia Brittonum Arthur emerged in the later Middle Ages as a complex figure with a court of heroes whose adventures and trials illustrated the finer points of chivalry and explored the moral consciences and religious ideals of several European courts. Even as historians continued to wrestle with the question of his historical reality, Elizabeth I reinvented herself as a descendant of this king, supported in her pretensions by some of the major poets of her day. What did “Gloriana,” as Spenser called her, stand to gain from the connection and how did the idea of Arthur survive still more centuries of cynical British wear and tear only to become a focus for the Pre-Raphaelites, Tennyson, and Swinburne in the Victorian period?  In the twentieth century Arthur has appeared with Aryan overtones in a film by Jean Cocteau and contributed to popular fantasy developments in the novels of Mary Stewart and Marion Zimmer Bradley; Camelot has resonated in the presidency of JFK, and the grail quest has occupied the center ring of Monty Python’s Flying Circus. Join us as we return to the origins of the legends of Arthur, Tristan, Lancelot, Guinevere and Percival, tracing developments in the stories right through their modern incarnations in film and stage productions. Together we will explore the heroic ideals which have captivated creative imaginations over centuries and produce our own pieces of Arthuriana as a final course project.  

Satisfies a Humanities General Education Requirement

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Issues in Humanities:  

Latin America and Delmarva's Latin@ Community

MWF 12:00 - 12:50 pm with Dr. Stephanie Moore

HONR 211.042

Hola!  Want to learn more about the changing face(s) of the community where you are going to college?  The purpose of this course is to connect the history of Latin America with the Latino/a communities in the Delmarva area.  Students will first be introduced to Latin America and the political, economic, and social events and trends that have produced migrants over the past fifty years. As we continue to deepen our knowledge of Latin America, students will begin work on projects which focus on gathering and understanding the personal and collective stories of our Latino/a community members as a window into their countries’ history and culture. The growing Latino/a community in Delmarva includes representatives from the majority of Latin America countries, providing students not only a unique perspective on Latin America but also an opportunity to better understand and appreciate the changing cultural landscape of the Delmarva region and the country as a whole.  Ideally, student projects would employ a variety of media (i.e. video, photography, etc.) coupled with written material (i.e. oral histories and interviews) and culminate in a public exhibit.

Satisfies a Humanities General Education Requirement

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HONORS INTERDISCIPLINARY SEMINAR

Gandhi

 MWF 10:00 - 10:50 am with Dr. Wayne Ackerson

HONR 311.041/HIST 490.041

A small man strides up the steps of Government House clad in a loin cloth.  Called a “seditious fakir” by some, how did this man, Gandhi, help end British rule in Britain's most important colony--India? How did he do this without using sword, spear, gun, or without hardly even using the pen?  Gandhi stands out as one of history’s great pacifists and as a great enigma as well.  While not ignoring Gandhi’s success at affecting change through non-violent means, this course will try and unearth who Gandhi REALLY was.  Was he truly the “Great Soul” as so many called him? What kind of person was he? What kind of husband and father?  How effective a national leader was Gandhi?  Was his image for independent India truly achievable, and was it realistic? How did Gandhi view tragic 20th century events, like the Nazi domination of Europe and World War Two?  What did his contemporaries think about him, and what is his real legacy for modern India? The answers to these and other intriguing--and difficult--questions lie at the root of this course.  The answers may surprise you.

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HONORS INTERDISCIPLINARY SEMINAR

Psychosomatics

MWF 1:00 - 1:50 pm with Dr. Karl Maier

HONR 311.042

Ever been sick? Well, maybe it was just all in your head. What if this were true, or at least sometimes true? Throughout history we humans have pondered, and passionately debated, if the mind is separate or inextricably bound to the function and physical health of the body.  We will examine the “mind-body connection” and the field of psychosomatics from historical, philosophical, and scientific/psychological perspectives. Modern scientific evidence for various mind-body connections is mounting, but the idea is far from new. After a glimpse into some key historical and philosophical perspectives on the mind-body connection, we will explore and evaluate more contemporary evidence of the physical states and diseases associated with psychological factors such as personality, stress, and emotion, and we will consider the possible mechanisms that link these factors to health. The mysteries of such phenomena as placebo effects and faith healing will also be explored.  Mind and mystery illnesses—come and find out!

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HONORS INTERDISCIPLINARY SEMINAR

The Chemistry and Culture of Food and Cooking

TR 11:00 am - 12:15 pm with Dr. Miguel Mitchell

HONR 311.043

            How do you make bread?  Why does chocolate make some people happy?  Why does fish taste better with a little lemon juice? If you are curious about food, its origins and powerful influence over us, and you want to create wonderful flavors with the world’s pantry, join us in this seminar.  This course explores the history, social significance, and chemical composition of food and the chemical and physical changes that accompany various modes of cooking food.  We will explore the types of chemical compounds found in food and explain their biochemical activities; basic chemical concepts such as molecular structure, bonding, intermolecular forces, and acid-base chemistry will be covered.  In the kitchen we will investigate both the mundane and the exotic, challenging our mouths and our noses with a broad spectrum of aromas, textures, and tastes.  There will be food preparation, including proper food handling, baking pastries, experimenting with savory/sweet/acid flavor combinations, and making custards.  In addition, we will learn the remarkable stories about the discovery and invention of different foods and their transformative effects on human culture.

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HONORS INTERDISCIPLINARY SEMINAR

American Civil War Through Literature

TR 12:30 - 1:45 pm with Dr. Lucy Morrison

HONR 311.044

How do we fictionalize history?  In this class, we will investigate the ways in which history can be and is transformed through fiction, and we will thus explore the ways in which the past can be (re)created.  Reading novels ranging from Harriet Beecher Stowe’s classic Uncle Tom’s Cabin to Charles Frazier’s much more recent Cold Mountain, this literary class will investigate the ways in which writers (re-en)vision the past.  We will begin the semester by reviewing the ‘basic’ American Civil War, exploring the historical ‘facts’ so as to determine, as much as we can, the basis upon which the fiction relies.  Students will ‘adopt’ a historical person at the semester’s start and will investigate the individual biography to share with the class; we will, if possible, travel to the sites of major civil war battles (such as Antietam and Gettysburg) to roam the fields where the events took place (note: there may be a modest additional class fee to cover the costs of these excursions).  Come and explore the passion of the past through prose!

Satisfies a Gen Ed Literature Requirement

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HONORS INTERDISCIPLINARY SEMINAR

Mathematics and Baseball

TR 2:00 - 3:15 pm with Dr. Lee May

HONR 311.045

Just what is “mathematics”?  Most of us think of multiplication tables, theorems in geometry—or balancing the checkbook.  But could it also be deciding whether Brian Roberts is “due for a hit”?  Mathematics is part of all of our worlds; and this course will explore some exciting ways to use math in our everyday existence, particularly with regard to baseball and its statistics.  Simultaneously, we’ll be exploring ‘liberal arts’ and ‘culture’ and their ideologies too, particularly with regard to the ways in which baseball ties these three broad terms together.  So come and learn about the beautiful American game (we’ll get Ken Burns to take us through some of the finer points), and the beautiful ways of mathematics in the world.  This could be one of the most culturally-useful classes you’ll take at college!

Satisfies a Gen Ed Math Requirement

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HONORS RESEARCH/CREATIVE PROJECT

Dr. Richard England

Day and Time TBA

HONR 312.041

Honors students complete a research or creative project in a 300-400 level course of their choosing (this does not have to be an honors course) and will present their research or creative project at a public symposium or conference.
One credit, pass/fail.

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HONORS THESIS PREPARATION

Dr. Lucy Morrison

Day and Time TBA

HONR 490.041

In Honr 490, before students begin work on the thesis, students select a thesis committee comprised of a thesis director (mentor) and two readers.  The mentor and one reader are chosen from the student’s major department. The other reader is selected from faculty in one’s school.  Additionally, students do preliminary research on their topic and write a two-page prospectus (which must be approved by their committee) describing what they hope to accomplish in their thesis.   In addition to meeting as necessary with their mentor, students will meet together regularly with the Honors Program Associate Director to discuss progress and problems.
One credit, pass/fail.

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HONORS THESIS

Dr. Richard England

Day and Time TBA

HONR 495.041

The Honors thesis is a three or four credit, focused, in-depth project in one’s major field.  What distinguishes an Honors thesis from a research paper in a regular classroom is the willingness of the student to go beyond the classroom and to assume the responsibilities associated with commitment to scholarship.

Prerequisites: Completion of HONR 490
Corequisite: HONR 496.041

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HONORS THESIS CONSULT

Dr. Richard England

Day and Time TBA

HONR 496.041

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OUTCOMES PORTFOLIO

         Required of all students as of Fall 2007 (under the new curriculum), you need to locate your electronic portfolio on the K drive and start filling it with papers from your Honors classes.  In it, you can also reflect upon your growth as a campus citizen in three of the following areas (Athletics, Community Service and Outreach, Culture and Diversity, International Study, Language Proficiency, and Leadership).  Get busy and get doing!

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Spring 2008 Courses