Honors Course Offerings

Honors Course Offerings Fall 2026

Achieve your potential with Motlow’s Honors Program! Our honors courses offer engaging topics, smaller class sizes, and opportunities to explore your passions in depth. Check out the full list of Honors Course Offerings below and find the perfect class to challenge and inspire you this semester! Learn more about Honors eligibility and benefits.

McMinnville Campus

ENGL 1010: English Composition I

Days: T/R
Time: 11:00 – 12:20
Prof. Nathan Sweeton
CRN: 85901

Ever dream of writing a heartfelt poem or a bestselling novel in a cozy café surrounded by steaming cups of coffee and your best friends? If so, then Honors Composition I is your dream course. All assignments will be writing-based. Topics will include romance, music, ancient myths, astrology, movies, and of course, coffee and cupcakes. Coming this fall to Motlow’s McMinnville campus.

ENGL 2235: Topics in British Literature

Days: T/R
Time: 12:30 – 1:50
Prof. Nathan Sweeton
CRN: 86063

Forbidden love. Epic quests. Murder. Magic. Mystery. Monsters. No, it’s not the latest Sarah J. Maas book release. It’s Honors British Literature with Professor Sweeton. All assignments will be writing-based. Literature covered will include Beowulf, King Arthur legends, medieval romance, Shakespeare, Jane Austen, and Harry Potter. Coming this fall to Motlow’s McMinnville campus.

COMM 2025: Fundementals of Mass Communication

Days: M/W
Time: 9:30 – 10:50
Prof. Christie Gilispie
CRN: 85792

Bonjour! Konnichiwa! Hola! Ni hao! This honors course is designed to cover the basics of public speaking and build confidence in speakers with an international twist. Throughout the semester, students will research various countries, customs, and international speakers. Orators will report their findings to classmates while gaining public speaking experience and a global competency through presentations. By giving opportunities to make several speeches in a smaller, controlled setting, the class fosters familiarity with speaking in front of others in an encouraging atmosphere. Upon completion, students should be able to prepare and deliver well-organized speeches and participate in group discussion with appropriate audiovisual support. This is an introductory communication course.

BIOL 1110: General Biology I

Days: T/R
Time: 9:30 – 10:50
Prof. Misty Griffith
CRN: 85792

In this hybrid course, students will examin in detail the physical and chemical basis of life with emphasis on cell processes, reproduction, and inheritance. A unit on eubacteria, archaebacteria, protista, and fungi introduces the student to four of the six kingdoms of living organisms. This course is ideal for students interested in pursuing careers in biological sciences.

Moore County Campus

BIOL 1110: General Bio I

Days: T & R
Time: TR 12:30 – 3:20
Prof. Janet Forde
CRN: 85875

Students will examine in detail the physical and chemical basis of life. Topics discussed will include cell biology, cell metabolism, photosynthesis, cell respiration, genetics, DNA, etc. Different groups of organisms will be explored to show how these structures and functions are uniquely utilized. Laboratory activities will focus on enhancing the comprehension of lecture topics and developing proficiency in the use of laboratory equipment. Laboratory exercises will cover topics such as biochemistry, cell metabolism, genetics, viruses, microbiology, protists, and fungi. Opportunities for open classroom discussion and laboratory extensions will be emphasized.

ENGL 1010: English Composition I

Days: T/R
Time: 9:30 – 10:50
Prof. Stuart Bloodworth
CRN: 85769

This course focuses on essay writing using a variety of expository patterns and emphasizes critical reading and discussion of selected essays, logical thinking, and an introduction to incorporation and documentation of material from sources. Once each month, honors students visit a local coffee shop and discuss a short story in small groups, then they research one story as the focus of their final essay.

ENGL 1010: English Composition I

Days: M/W
Time: 9:30 – 10:50
Prof. Donna Brewer
CRN: 81892

This course emphasizes expository and analytical writing, critical thinking, indepth extended research, and the incorporation and documentation of source material into student writing. Students write one long paper throughout the course, investigating a serious problem and possible solutions for it. Revision is emphasized with students editing and improving their work as they progress. Once each month, honors students visit a local coffee shop and discuss poetry in small groups.

ENGL 2235: Topics in British Literature

Days: M/W
Time: 12:30 – 1:50
Prof. Stuart Bloodworth
CRN: 86062

This course is the study of representative works of British prose, poetry, and/or drama beginning with the Anglo-Saxon period through the early twentieth century.

HIST 2310: Early World History

Days: T/R
Time: 11:00 – 12:20
Prof. Charles Wexler
CRN: 85876

This honors world history section features the use of a reacting to the past game looking at Renaissance era Florence. This three-week game, building the Italian Renaissance, examines connections between history, art, architecture, and life within 1400s CE Florence.

MUS 1030: Introduction to Music

Days: M/W
Time: 11:00 – 12:20
Prof. David Bethea
CRN: 85765

Honors intro to music pursues a more active and interactive learning environment in which the students take greater responsibility for attaining a more creative and comprehensive understanding of basic musical concepts and perspectives essential for understanding musical expression. The honors course pursues deeper analytical interpretations of course concepts and their applications in an interdisciplinary context.

PSYC 1030: Introduction to Psychology

Days: M/W
Time: 8:00 – 9:20
Prof. Stephen Guerin
CRN: 81623

How do brain and behavior connect—and how do we know what’s true? This honors course explores psychology through a rigorous, critical-thinking, evidencebased lens, examining various topics such as neuroscience, consciousness, perception, cognition, learning, human sexuality, and psychological disorders. Students will complete a mentored research project based on a scholarly review of the literature and writing an APA-style paper on an approved topic while building academic skills essential for advanced study.

Online & Zoom

ENGL 1010: English Composition I

Days: N/A
Time: N/A
Prof. Nathan Sweeton
CRN: 85137

Imagine you are a staff writer for a Madison Avenue advertising firm or a Hollywood film reviewer. These are just some of the real-world careers that rely on the rhetorical skills covered in this course. Join us to learn effective strategies for engaging an audience, selling a product, persuading a crowd, and analyzing a work of art (like a book or a film). Then you'll be ready for your writing career, whether it be in New York, Hollywood, or closer to home.

ENGL 1010: English Composition I

Days: N/A
Time: N/A
Prof. Dawn Copeland
CRN: 85566

Movies, music, and meaning is an asynchronous online course with an emphasis on critical thinking and research-based writing that offers students a chance to learn more about films and the roles of the accompanying music. Students will have the opportunity to study and write about music that exists primarily for characters in the films, music that is only heard by audiences, and how music can create and define a film’s themes, narrative, characters, setting, and foreshadowing, among other elements. The professor will provide access to all course materials at no cost to students.

ENGL 1010: English Composition I

Days: N/A
Time: N/A
Prof. Dawn Copeland
CRN: 85556

A study in film noir is an asynchronous online course with an emphasis on critical thinking and research-based writing that offers students a chance to learn more about film noir, a genre or style of film that became popular post-World War II and remains popular today. Students enrolled in this course will have the opportunity to study and write about recurring themes depicted throughout the films, including the fragmentation of society and flawed characters with motivations that are sometimes quite surprising. The professor will provide access to all course materials at no cost to students.

ENGL 2230: Topics in World Literature

Days: N/A
Time: N/A
Prof. John Hart
CRN: 83826

Come and feast at a literary buffet. Sample the literary cuisine of classical Greece and India. Dine on Dante's Divine Comedy and sample the haiku of Japan and the sijo poetry of Korea. This semester we will delight inliterary dishes from around the globe and across the timeline.

ENGL 2860: Intro to Film: Disaster in Film & Literature

Days: N/A
Time: N/A
Prof. Dawn Copeland
CRN: 86064

The disaster genre-honors seminar is an asynchronous online course that offers students the opportunity to study contemporary disaster films and the film techniques that create meaning and encourage audiences to ask questions about the world. Students will explore the human experience, including the fear of death and the unknown, the hope for life, and some of the everyday heroes who fight for survival, as the world faces invasions from outer space, extreme forces of nature, plagues, and failures in technology. The professor will provide access to all course materials at no cost to students.

ENGL 2900: Creative Writing I: For Future Healthcare

Professionals
Days: F
Time: 9:30–12:20
Location: Zoom/Online
Director Jenna Caviezel
CRN: 86065

In this honors seminar course, future healthcare professionals will study works of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Rather than a traditional textbook, all class readings will be drawn from recently-published literary journals that focus on health and healthcare. Students will also compose and workshop their own original poems, short stories, and personal essays and learn about the process of submitting their creative work for publication. This fulfills a humanities and fine arts general education core requirement and the honors seminar subrequirement.

HONS 1001/1002/1003: Service Learning I/II/III

Days: N/A
Time: N/A
Director Jenna Caviezel
CRN: 83188/83189/83204

In this one-credit service learning course, students will engage in semesterlong service projects that connect with their academic, professional, or personal goals. At the conclusion of the semester, students will reflect on the impact of those service experiences–both on the community and on themselves. This course fulfills the service learning requirement for honors completion.

HIST 2310: Early World History

Days: N/A
Time: N/A
Prof. Ramona Shelton
CRN: 85134

In this course, students cover material from the beginning of ancient civilizations to the Renaissance and early modern eras. The honors dimension is a focus on scholarly research, writing, and presentation skills as students complete two scholarly research projects, one of which is the basis for their presentation at the undergraduate research symposium. Upon successful completion of course requirements, students will earn several high impact practice (HIPS) badges on their digital transcript at graduation; these include honors, global cultural awareness, technology enhanced learning, and undergraduate research.

HONS 1020: Myth & Philosophy

Days: N/A
Time: N/A
Prof. John Hart
CRN: 86066

Honors myth & philosophy asks the biggest questions humans have posed: what is justice? what do we owe one another? what makes a hero? Through Michael J. Sandel’s Justice, Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey, the haunting world of Watership Down, and selected science fiction and fantasy work, students explore how ancient myths and modern stories shape our moral imagination—and how philosophy tests the truths those stories invite us to believe.

COMM 2025: Introduction to Communications

Days: W Only
Time: 9:30 – 10:50
Location: Zoom/Online
Prof. Phyllis Adams
CRN: 84551

In this three-hour course, honors scholars will be afforded an opportunity to study communication skills, including researching, preparing, organizing, practicing and delivering speeches to entertain, to introduce, to inform, to commemorate and to persuade. Classes will consist of lecture, roundtable discussions, presentations, delivery critiques and opportunities to enhance both one's written, verbal and non-verbal communication skills. Scholars will have opportunities to study, witness, analyze and critique student as well as professional speeches. There will be working sessions for students to research and prepare outlines, and opportunities to have outlines critiqued by the professor, during this draft process. Scholars will have opportunities to enhance their listening skills through the use of guest speakers, videos, listening activities and the like. As a means of global and diverse learning experience, a highlight for this class is to travel outside of the classroom to the world-at-large and engage in a professional environment, experiencing the total communication process utilized and demonstrated with inclusive excellence.

SOCI 1040: Social Problems

Days: TR
Time: 11:00 – 12:20
Location: Zoom
Prof. Dayron Deaton-Owens
CRNS: 85328

This introductory honors course examines social problems in American society, including but not limited to poverty, crime, social deviance, family issues, war, terrorism, health, education, and substance abuse. Students will explore the sociological perspectives on these topics and discuss potential solutions. Students in this course will discuss social problems through the use of films, documentaries, and docudramas. By examining the films, documentaries, and docudramas, the class can identify and discuss stereotypes and discrimination, crime and punishment, economics and government, drugs and alcohol, family dysfunction, and war. The professor will provide access to films at no additional cost to students.

PSYC 1030: Intro to Psychology (Harry Potter)

Days: N/A
Time: N/A
Prof. Dayron Deaton Owens
CRN: 84623

This is an introductory honors course focused on the scientific study of behavior and mental processes that will be discovered by connecting the world of psychology to the Harry Potter series. Topics include the history of psychology, critical thinking and research methods in psychology, the biological and biological bases of consciousness, sensation, perception, memory, learning, cognition, development across the lifespan, motivation, emotion, sexuality, stress and health, social psychology, personality, psychological disorders, and psychological therapies.

Smyrna Campus

BIOL 1110: General Biology I with Service Learning

Days: M/W
Time: 12:30 - 1:50 & 2:00 - 3:20
Prof. Stacy Dowd
CRN: 85449

Students will examine in detail the physical and chemical basis of life. Topics covered include: an introduction to science, basic chemistry, cell biology, metabolism, photosynthesis, cell respiration, genetics, DNA and more. Students are introduced to living organisms including prokaryotes, protists, and fungi. Laboratory activities will focus on developing proficiency in the use of laboratory equipment and enhancing the comprehension of lecture topics. Exercises will cover topics such as biochemistry, cell biology and metabolism, genetics, microbiology, protists, and fungi. Opportunities for open classroom discussion and laboratory extensions will be emphasized. This course fulfills the service learning requirement for honors completion.

ENGL 1010: English Composition I

Days: T/R
Time: 9:30 - 10:50
Prof. Capron Hedgepath
CRN: 85814

This course will explore the role of technology in our modern lives, examining the impact of technology on mental health, our basic psychological needs, how it influences our social lives, and impacts our cognitive functions.

ENGL 1010: English Composition I

Days: MW
Time: 12:30 - 1:50
Prof. James Stringfield
CRN: 85767

Students will explore the impact of technology on our society. We will consider benefits and challenges presented by artificial intelligence, augmented/virtual reality, and other developing technology systems. Class discussion will also present specific examples that students will practice synthesizing into support for argumentative stances about the current state of these issues and the possible directions they may lead.

ENGL 1010: English Composition I

Days: T/R
Time: 2:00 - 3:20
Prof. Tom Cruz
CRN: 85897

ENGL 1010: English Composition I

Days: T/R
Time: 11:00 - 12:20
Prof. Tom Cruz
CRN: 83784

This section of English 1010 focuses on writing as an on-going and collaborative process. This class will rely on both lecture and workshop lessons that will see students producing work in class that leads to the major writing assignments. Reflection and revision also play a major role with students having the opportunity to revise work multiple times before the end of the semester. Students will also have tremendous freedom in selecting their topics for each major writing assignment. Vincent van Gogh once said, ““I dream my painting and I paint my dream.”

ENGL 2045: Introduction to Literature

Days: T/R
Time: 9:30 - 10:50
Prof. James Stringfield
CRN: 86060

In this section, we will explore magical realism and the connection between the waking world and the surreal. Our sleepwalk journey is charted through examples including: sculpture, painting, song, mythology, poetry, short story, and film. We shall visit the works of Stephen King, Guillermo del Toro, David Lynch, Ambrose Bierce, Toni Morrison, Neil Gaiman, William Faulkner, Silvina Ocampo, William Gay, and others. So, let’s grab some coffee and stroll along the night shores with, in the words of Roy Orbison, “A candy-colored clown they call the sandman.”

ENGL 2130: Topics in American Literature

Days: M Only
Time: 11:00 - 12:20
Prof. Andrea Green
CRN: 85899

In this honors course, students will read works of prose, poetry, and drama. By examining American literature through a foodways lens, we will explore how writers use food to express the ideas and values that have shaped our world. Students will learn how literary representations of food play a prominent role in defining our understanding of American culture.

ENGL 2860: Intro to Film: Horror Films Honors Seminar

Days: T/R
Time: 2:00 - 3:20
Prof. Sam Reilly
CRN: 86061

Welcome to horror films class where we take classic horror monsters like vampires, werewolves, ghosts, and the Frankenstein monster and place them into modern society to see how those classic character archetypes best reflect societal trends as well as the human condition. As a class, the horror genre will give students a lens in which to explore different facets of the human psyche that are inherent to our existence.

ENGL 2900: Creative Writing

Days: T/R
Time: 11:00 - 12:20
Prof. Sam Reilly
CRN: 86067

Writing is a personal experience that closely resembles the process we take to self-discovery. Through the exploration of poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction this course will allow students to develop storytelling knowledge through a writing intensive setting as well as study famous past and contemporary authors and how they achieved mastery of the craft. This course fulfills a humanities and fine arts general education core requirement.

HIST 2010: Early US History

Days: T/R
Time: 12:30 - 1:50
Prof. Monica Butler
CRN: 85752

This course covers the history of North America from the Paleo-Indian era through post-US Civil War Reconstruction. Students will explore key differences between fact, opinion, and interpretation by analyzing primary and secondary sources of historical data. This course aims to build research and writing skills as we examine the lasting impact of revolutionary ideas and transatlantic industries.

MATH 1530: Introduction to Statistics

Days: T/R
Time: 8:00 - 9:20
Prof. Keith Terrill
CRN: 85873

Students will learn how to create descriptive statistics and inferential statistics from data. We will then use those statistics to gain insights into how a large population behaves. Unlike traditional introductory statistics courses, which rely on antiquated graphing calculators, we will instead work with computational software in pursuit of drawing conclusions from "big data," bootstrapping, and nonlinear regression. Students can look forward to learning how to explain complicated mathematical ideas in ways that nonexperts might understand, and they can also look forward to our day out with local small businesses in Smyrna.

MATH 1730: Precalculus

Days: M/W
Time: 8:20 - 10:50
Prof. Lindsay Czap
CRN: 83350

Ready for a challenge this fall? Honors Precalculus will put you at the helm of your own learning by allowing you opportunities to build your understanding of advanced algebraic topics. You and your classmates will work together to discover mathematical patterns, explore the nature of functions, and practice your new skills.

PSYC 1030: Introduction to Psychology

Days: M/W
Time: 9:30 - 10:50
Prof. Kate Hayes
CRN: 81764

The honors section of this course will analyze human behavior and cognition using a biopsychosocial perspective. Through a mix of small group discussion and experiential learning, students will be exposed to psychology's major content domains such as critical thinking and research methods in psychology, the biological and psychological bases of consciousness, sensation, perception, memory, learning, cognition, development across the lifespan, motivation, emotion, sexuality, stress and health, social psychology, personality, psychological disorders, and psychological therapies. Students can expect not only to learn about relevant psychological theories but also to apply the knowledge they learn to their own lives.

SOCI 1010: Intro to Sociology

Days: M/W
Time: 2:00 - 3:20
Prof. Liala Syler
CRN: 85775

Ready to challenge the way you see the world? Honors Introduction to Sociology goes beyond the basics, offering an indepth, discussion-driven exploration of society, culture, and human behavior. Designed for motivated students, this course dives into major sociological theories, real-world case studies, and critical thinking exercises that will expand your perspective. The class culminates with an intriguing sociological experiment! Through engaging debates and hands-on analysis, you’ll uncover how social structures shape our daily lives—while honing the skills needed for academic and professional success. If you’re looking for a dynamic, thought-provoking course that pushes you to think deeper, this is the class for you!

THEA 1030: Introduction to Theater

Days: W Only
Time: 11:00 - 12:20
Prof. Phyllis Adams
CRN: 84568

In this three-hour course, honors scholars will be introduced to the historical perspective of theatre, with a specific emphasis over 100 years of theatre: changing stages from drama to dramatic realism. This will serve as the foundation for studying various genres, notable and classic plays, playwrights, venues and artists. Scholars will be introduced to the mechanics of acting and characterization, artistic engagements and professions, stage space, rehearsal and audition techniques, and how to critically analyze and evaluate a play or a theatrical performance. Various teaching techniques will be utilized: lectures, role playing, script analysis, roundtable discussions, watching videos, and discussing and unpacking characterization and performances. The hallmark for this class is the opportunity for the scholars to travel to New York City and experience Broadway, up-close and personal. The professor will provide the scholars an opportunity to engage in a master class in New York, to be taught by professional Broadway actors and artists. (Playwrights, directors, artistic designers, etc.) This global, cultural, and theatrical student engagement will serve as a capstone project for the scholars.

Spring 2026

McMinnville Campus

ENGL 1020: English Composition II

Days: T/R
Time: 11:00 – 12:20
Professor: Nathan Sweeton
CRN: 15876

Who loves to argue? Turns out, we all do! Arguing is as essential to human experience as breathing air, and we see it everywhere from advertising to social media posts to our favorite television shows, music, movies, and more. Spend the semester learning how arguments work, how to sort the strong from the weak, and how to craft better arguments of your own in academic settings and in professional careers. Students will interact with real-life arguments as well as craft various arguments of their own, which will then be shared with the professor and other students in class.

BIOL 1120: General Biology II

Days: T/R
Time: 9:30 – 10:50 Lecture
Lab: Online
Professor: Misty Griffith
CRN: 10621

In this hybrid course, students will examine and discuss the major characteristics of the kingdoms Plantae and Animalia. Engaging hands-on activities, including the observation of live specimens and preserved dissections, will provide students with practical experience and a deeper understanding of biology. This course is ideal for students interested in life sciences, zoology, botany, or pursuing careers in biological sciences.

Moore County Campus

ENGL 2045: Intro to Lit: Banned Books (Honors Seminar)

Days: M only
Time: 12:30–1:50
Professor Donna Brewer
CRN: 15880

This hybrid course emphasizes the reading and analysis of a variety of literary types as forms of cultural and creative expression with emphasis on the novel. The course focuses on texts that reflect different historical and cultural contexts and perspectives that some may find controversial. Content advisory: Some reading assignments covered in this class include vulgar language, sexuality, issues regarding race, gender, violence, warfare, and other controversial subject matter. This course fulfills the Honors Seminar subrequirement.

MATH 1730: Precalculus

Days: T/R
Time: 9:30–12:00
Professor Tabitha Parker
CRN: 15887

Prepare for calculus with one course. In this accelerated math course, students will build a strong foundation in precalculus with an exploration into advanced mathematics. This course covers a wide range of topics, such as functions, equations, conic sections, trigonometric applications and many more! Students will explore problem-solving and various real-world applications using algebra and trigonometry.

PSYC 2130: Lifespan Psychology

Days: M/W
Time: 8:00–9:20
Dr. Stephen Guerin
CRN: 15891

This honors course is coded as a High Impact Practice Undergraduate Research course and emphasizes critical thinking and writing using research in psychological science. Students who complete the course may receive the Undergraduate Research designation on their transcript. In addition to the usual scientific content covered in this course, students will be coached in the research and writing of individual student research papers on an approved topic using American Psychological Association (APA) style. Students will learn the importance of peer-reviewed research published in professional psychological science journals and the use of various academic and scientific e-databases. Students will present their papers (either in-person or virtually) at the Honors and Undergraduate Research Symposium at the conclusion of the course.

ENGL 1020: English Composition II

Days: M/W
Time: 9:30–10:50
Professor Stuart Bloodworth
CRN: 10253

Our topic in this course will be Southern literature. We will read such great authors as Harriet Ann Jacobs, Mark Twain, William Faulkner, Richard Wright, Tennessee Williams, and Flannery O’Connor. We will explore, in addition to the literature, the history and culture of the American South.

ENGL 1020: English Composition II

Days: T/R
Time: 9:30–10:50
Professor Stuart Bloodworth
CRN: 15561

HIST 2320: Modern World History

Days: T/R
Time: 11:00–12:20
Dr. Charles Wexler
CRN: 15879

In this honors history course, students will examine the development of modern world societies from the early 1500s CE through the present day. This honors section features the use of Reacting to the Past (RTTP) content. In RTTP games, students learn by adopting roles grounded in historical documents within games set in different historical time periods. This will require the purchase of an outside gamebook, but students will spend the final five weeks of the semester engaged in a game set in the 1900s.

MUS 1035: History of Jazz

Days: M/W
Time: 11:00–12:20
Dr. David Bethea
CRN: 15889

Honors History of Jazz is a course designed to familiarize the student with the many facets and styles of jazz music. Prominent players and groups of each era will be covered, as well as sociological, economic, technological and cultural factors that have contributed to the development of jazz music.
Students will gain awareness, knowledge and appreciation for America’s only original art form, jazz. Honors students will also pursue deeper analytical interpretations of jazz music through the analyzation of jazz within an interdisciplinary context.

Online & Zoom

ENGL 1020: English Composition II

Asynchronous / No Class Meetings
Dr. Dawn Copeland
CRN: 15299

This composition course is a close study of several great Gothic films and literary works. Students will write expository, evaluative, and research-based essays analyzing and responding to Alfred Hitchcock’s adaptations of Gothic literature, novels, short stories, and other selected contemporary films and literature that explore the paradoxes of good and evil, love and hate, and awe and fear. The professor will provide access to all course materials at no cost to the students.

ENGL 2235: Topics in British Literature

Asynchronous / No Class Meetings
Professor John Hart
CRN: 15300

Jump across the pond to England and meet the monsters! Grendel, the Green Knight, Mr. Hyde, Dracula, and others. This semester we will explore the lasting impact that English literature has had on the stories that we tell today in our own fiction and film.

HIST 2320: Modern World History

Asynchronous / No Class Meetings
Professor Ramona Shelton
CRN: 14419

In this course, students cover material from the Reformation period to the modern world. The honors dimension is a focus on scholarly research, writing, and presentation as students compose two scholarly research projects, one of which is the basis for their presentation at the Undergraduate Research Symposium. Upon successful completion of course requirements, students in Honors Modern World History will earn several High Impact Practice (HIPs) badges on their digital transcripts at graduation; these include Honors, Global Cultural Awareness, Technology Enhanced Learning, and Undergraduate Research.

SOCI 1010: Intro to Sociology (Harry Potter)

Days: TR
Time: 12:30 – 1:50
Location: Zoom
Professor Dayron Deaton-Owens
CRN: 11478

In this honors sociology course, students will study human relationships, groups, and society by connecting sociology to the Harry Potter series. Students will participate in class discussions conversing about topics ranging from crime, culture, inequalities, and politics/economics. Students will also compose reflection assignments connecting the Harry Potter series to everyday life in the world of sociology.

HONS 1001 / 1002 / 1003: Service Learning I, II, & III

Asynchronous / No Class Meetings
Director Jenna Caviezel
CRN: 13119 / 13120 / 13121

In this repeatable one-credit service learning course, students will engage in semester-long service projects that connect with their academic, professional, or personal goals. At the conclusion of the semester, students will reflect on the impact of those service experiences—both on the community and on themselves. This fulfills the Honors Service Learning subrequirement.

ENGL 1020: English Composition II

Asynchronous / No Class Meetings
Dr. Dawn Copeland
CRN: 10269

This composition course explores the zombie as depicted in classic and contemporary films. Students will write expository, evaluative, and research-based essays analyzing and responding to the assigned films that depict the undead—or living dead—as representations of human anxieties/fears about the decline of social order and the loss of individual free will. Students will also have the opportunity to analyze the zombie as a narrative device that creates a blank space for viewers to fill with their own concerns and fears. The professor will provide access to all course materials at no cost to the students.

ENGL 2230: Topics in World Literature

Asynchronous / No Class Meetings
Professor John Hart
CRN: 15565

Come and feast at a literary buffet. Sample the literary cuisine of classical Greece and India. Dine on Dante's Divine Comedy and sample the haiku of Japan and the sijo poetry of Korea. This semester we will delight in literary dishes from around the globe and across the timeline.

COMM 2025: Fundamentals of Communication

Days: W only
Time: 9:30 – 10:50
Dr. Phyllis Adams
CRN: 14379

In this three-hour hybrid course, honors scholars will be afforded an opportunity to study communication skills, including researching, preparing, organizing, practicing, and delivering speeches to entertain, to introduce, to inform, to commemorate, and to persuade. Classes will consist of lecture, roundtable discussions, presentations, delivery critiques, and opportunities to enhance both one’s written, verbal, and nonverbal communication skills. Scholars will have opportunities to study, witness, analyze, and critique student as well as professional speeches. There will be working sessions for students to research and prepare outlines, and opportunities to have outlines critiqued by the professor during this draft process. Scholars will have opportunities to enhance their listening skills through the use of guest speakers, videos, listening activities, and the like. As a means of global and diverse learning experience, a highlight for this class is to travel outside of the classroom to the world-at-large and engage in a professional environment, experiencing the total communication process utilized and demonstrated with inclusive excellence.

HONS 1020: Harry Potter and Popular Culture (Honors Seminar)

Asynchronous / No Class Meetings
Professor Nathan Sweeton
CRN: 15579

Take a magical journey through the books and movies of the wizarding world of Harry Potter. Discussions may focus on house sorting, potion brewing, charm casting, Quidditch, historic witch hunts, gated communities, human and non-human politics, the nature of good versus evil, bildungsroman, the hero’s journey, and owl post—all the while providing an academic analysis of why all these features of Harry Potter’s wizarding world have captured the attention of 21st-century popular culture. As a bonus, students may get the chance to visit the wizarding world in person as part of a trip to Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida (depending on student interests and costs). This course fulfills the Honors Seminar subrequirement.

Smyrna Campus

BIOL 1120: General Biology II with Service Learning

Days: T/R
Time: 12:30–1:50 & 2:00–3:20
Professor Stacy Dowd
CRN: 15569

In BIOL 1120 Honors, students will examine the major groups of plants and animals. Students will engage in discussions of key characteristics of each of the major plant and animal phyla. Live examples will be used to showcase the different plant phyla, and comparative anatomy dissections of representative species will highlight animal classes. Emphasis is placed on the taxonomy, morphology, physiology, ecology, and evolution of these two kingdoms. This course fulfills the Honors Service Learning subrequirement.

ENGL 1020: English Composition II

Days: T/R
Time: 2:00–3:20
Professor Tom Cruz
CRN: 15877

Typically, English 1020 emphasizes independent and thoughtful research. Students are tasked with learning to find, evaluate, and synthesize different sources to draw new conclusions. Over the last several years, technological advancements have presented new avenues for accomplishing this task, and yet misinformation has never been more rampant. Drawing heavily on Nexus by Yuval Noah Harari, this course seeks to understand the modern challenges facing young researchers and scholars. We will not just be evaluating information—we will examine the networks that produce information.

ENGL 2045: Intro to Literature: Heroes & Villains

Days: M only
Time: 11:00–12:20
Professor Andrea Green
CRN: 15878

How do we define a hero? What makes a character a villain? This honors course will examine literary representations of heroism and villainy. Students will learn how these archetypes influence a reader’s understanding of the ideas, forces, and values that have shaped the modern world. Students will read various genres, including poetry, prose, drama, graphic novels, children’s literature, and fairytales. The class will engage in lively discussions about the works of Roald Dahl, Sandra Cisneros, Shirley Jackson, Alan Moore, Charles Perrault, William Shakespeare, and others!

ENGL 2900: Creative Writing I (Honors Seminar)

Days: T/R
Time: 11:00–12:20
Director Jenna Caviezel
CRN: 14840

In this honors seminar course, students will study works of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. All class readings will be drawn from recently published literary journals via Journal of the Month, a specialized subscription service, rather than a traditional textbook. Students will also compose and workshop their own original poems, short stories, and personal essays and learn about the process of submitting their creative work for publication. This class fulfills the Honors Seminar subrequirement.

MATH 1730: Precalculus

Days: T/R
Time: 8:20–10:50
Professor Keith Terrill
CRN: 15888

For many students, the hardest part of any calculus course is not mastering the techniques of calculus—the hardest part is algebra. Students who take this course will experience a rigorous, all-in-one tour of functions, models, and problem-solving. Discover the very limits of what sorts of questions can be answered with only algebra, and ignite your curiosity about how else we can model and solve STEM-related problems.

PSYC 2130: Lifespan Psychology

Days: M/W
Time: 9:30–10:50
Professor Kate Hayes
CRN: 15892

Explore the science of human growth and change across the lifespan in this engaging honors-level course. You will examine the research methods, theories, and landmark findings that shape the field of developmental psychology. From prenatal development through old age, discover the key cognitive, physical, psychological, and socioemotional milestones—and the challenges that accompany each stage of life. As an honors course, you can expect in-depth discussions, critical analysis, and application-based assignments that connect theory to real-world issues. This class is designed to challenge your thinking, sharpen your skills, and deepen your understanding of the human experience.

THEA 1030: Introduction to Theater

Days: W only
Time: 11:00–12:20
Dr. Phyllis Adams
CRN: 11606

In this three-hour hybrid course, honors scholars will be introduced to the historical perspective of theatre, with a specific emphasis on over 100 years of theatre—changing stages from drama to dramatic realism. This will serve as the foundation for studying various genres, notable and classic plays, playwrights, venues, and artists. Scholars will be introduced to the mechanics of acting and characterization, artistic engagements and professions, stage space, rehearsal and audition techniques, and how to critically analyze and evaluate a play or theatrical performance. Various teaching techniques will be utilized: lectures, role playing, script analysis, roundtable discussions, watching videos, and unpacking characterization and performances.

The hallmark of this class is the opportunity for scholars to travel to New York City and experience Broadway up close and personal. The professor will provide scholars an opportunity to engage in a master class in New York, taught by professional Broadway actors and artists (playwrights, directors, artistic designers, etc.). This global, cultural, and theatrical student engagement will serve as a capstone project for the scholars.

ENGL 1020: English Composition II

Days: M/W
Time: 8:00–9:20
Professor James Stringfield
CRN: 15563

Our honors course will begin with a deep-dive exploration of persuasion, with critical examination of classic and modern arguments. We will also experiment with AI-generated advertisements, constructing them to appeal to specific target audiences. Our literature focus will revolve around an exciting, although sometimes bleak, genre: dystopias.

ENGL 1020: English Composition II

Days: M/W
Time: 12:30–1:50
Professor James Stringfield
CRN: 10276

ENGL 2130: Topics in American Literature (Honors Seminar)

Frontier Chaos: The American Story of Masculinity — Honors Seminar
Days: T/R
Time: 12:30–1:50
Dr. Capron Hedgepath
CRN: 15884

This course will examine the cultural, environmental, and biological forces that shape masculinity. It will also explore how the concept of the frontier, as a liminal space, has evolved throughout the arc of American literature as one of the most compelling vehicles for storytelling and the shaping of masculine identity. From the howling wilderness encountered during early colonization to the contemporary landscape of a zombie apocalypse, the frontier shows us how and why masculinity is not only an aspirational goal but a necessity for survival creating pro-social order out of chaos. This course fulfills the Honors Seminar subrequirement.

SOCI 1040: Social Problems

Days: T/R
Time: 11:00-12:20
Professor Liala Syler
CRN: 15566

Social Problems Honors provides a comprehensive study of the current social problems going on in our society today. We will study the process of how some issues become social problems in society, while others do not. The class will culminate with intriguing research into a social problem of your choice. This is an interactive and entertaining course!

HIST 2020: Modern U.S. History

Days: M/W
Time: 9:30–10:50
Dr. Monica Butler
CRN: 15572

This course covers modern American history from post–Civil War Reconstruction through the present. Students will explore key differences between fact and interpretation through analysis of primary and secondary sources of historical data. We will focus on building research and writing skills as we examine the formation of American identity and the nation’s global influence.

MATH 1530: Introduction to Statistics

Days: T/R
Time: 8:00–9:20
Professor Lindsay Czap
CRN: 15623

Want to perform statistics like a modern scientist? In this course, we will be discussing introductory statistics topics while learning to use the statistical programming language R. R software is free and open-source, making this language the preference of scientists, academics, and researchers of all fields. This course will help you discern between truthful and deceptive statistics in media, support you in creating your own statistical reports, and encourage your numerical curiosity—all while learning a programming language that you can directly apply to your field of study!

Graduate with Honors