Nisbet Course Offerings

2012-2013 HONORS COURSES

Fall 2012 Honors Program Courses

Freshman Seminars


HST 199H:  Disease and Society
Professor: John Theilmann

This course will enable students to think critically about the impact of disease on society.  Although this is a history course, some of our readings will deal with the biology of disease as we gain an understanding of the scientific background to various diseases.  This scientific understanding will enhance our understanding of the societal impact of disease.  We will approach the study of disease from a world perspective rather than confining our study to one geographic area.  Our study will encompass various categories of disease agents in order to provide a comparative perspective. 


Credit: GEP, Humanities

POL 199H: In the Wake of War & Arab Spring: The U.S. in the Middle East and the Islamic World
Professor: Joe P. Dunn

Few topics are more important today than the United States’ relationship with the Islamic world.  The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have changed the dynamic and the political changes in the Arab world, popularly referred to as the Arab Spring, have the potential to be of the monument of the collapse of communism and the end of the cold war.  On the other hand, the results of the political revolutions in various Arab countries are unpredictable in the short term.   American ignorance about the issues of the region is appalling.  My motivations for this course are both moral and pragmatic.  We have an obligation to understand the perspectives of others who share this global space and for practical purposes we must practice more effective policy.  Through readings, films, research, and presentation, we hope to analyze the happenings and future directions in the region and beyond.  This is not a course for experts, but one for the interested novice who wishes to be a better-informed citizen.


Credit: GEP, Social Sciences

ECN 199H: Popular Culture Economics
Professor: Madelyn Young

This course is a study of the ways in which the stories told in popular music, movies, and television programs demonstrate the important role that economics plays in individuals' lives.  Students will explore how individuals, firms, governments, and society make decisions in attempts to achieve the greatest level of well-being possible in a world of limited resources. This course will also be a culminating experience that will provide students with an opportunity to apply concepts and use skills developed in both their general education and major courses. 


Credit: GEP, Social Sciences

Upper Level Honors Courses

ECN 291H: Presidential Economics
Professor: Woody Hughes

This course examines the economic positions of the candidates for President of the United States. Students will use economic analysis to examine the effects and potential impact of these policies. Intended and unintended consequences will be addressed in the course. After the election, the winner’s policies will be evaluated and discussed in greater detail. Students will also have the opportunity to make their own budget proposals for the United States.

 
Credit: GEP, Social Sciences; elective, major, minor credit for economics

BIO 350H: Hot Topics in Biology
Professor: Neval Erturk

A study of the popular topics in biology focusing on genetic engineering of humans, the use of stem cells for therapeutic and research purposes and use of genetic technology for therapeutic purposes. The course will examine the biological principles as they relate to the aforementioned topics. The ethical aspects of these issues will also be discussed.


Credit: GEP, Natual Sciences, or elective.  Not accepted for major or minor.

HON399H: Junior Honors Seminar:

Professor: Laura Feitzinger Brown


This one-credit course helps students to plan ahead for life after Converse. We discuss topics such as the liberal arts, undergraduate research, career planning, writing strong graduate school applications, evaluating job offers, balancing family and career, and finding Plans B and C when life throws us a “curve ball.”  

Required to complete the Honors Program.

January 2013 Honors Program Course

BIO/ENG 299H: Sexuality and the Literature of Love, Marriage, and Birth
Professor: Laura Feitzinger Brown and Edna Steele

The interdisciplinary combination of Biology 299H and English 299H should allow students to examine sexuality from a number of perspectives.  Students will study the anatomy of the human reproductive system in relation to its sexual functions.   By reading literature of love, marriage, and birth, students should also leave the course with a fuller understanding of sexuality's social, religious, and psychological aspects and be better able to make wise decisions about how she enjoys and uses the gift of her body.

Credit: BIO 299H: GEP, Natural Sciences; biology major, minor, and elective.  ENG 299H: GEP, Literature; English major, minor, or elective.

Spring 2013 Honor Program Courses

Interdisciplinary Honors Courses: 


ENG/MUH 299H: What Is Hip? The History and Aesthetics of Cool

Professors: Erin Templeton and Chris Vaneman

This course aims to explore the development of "Cool" in American literature and music over the course of the twentieth century. This interdisciplinary course sees "Coolness" as the hydridization of both African-American and Western-European artistic traditions and will trace this evolution through both canonical and popular art. Examples might include T.S. Eliot, Gertrude Stein, Miles Davis, Chet Baker, and/ or Elvis.

Credit: GEP, Literature, Fine Arts; English major/minor credit. MUH 299H counts for GEP Fine Arts and elective credit for music majors and minors

HST/ECN 299H: The Great Depression

Professors: Melissa Walker and Woody Hughes

This course examines the causes, consequences, responses, and legacy of the period of U.S. history known as the Great Depression from both a historical and economic perspective. This interdisciplinary course uses historical and economic tools to analyze the impact the Great Depression had and continues to have on the country. Connections with today’s economic environment and the possibility of another Great Depression are also discussed.

Credit: GEP, Humanities or Social Sciences; major, minor, or elective credit.

Upper Level Honors Courses:

ENG 380H/WST 201H: Victorian Childhood

Professor: Laura Feitzinger Brown and Anita Rose

The 19th century saw a dramatic increase in literacy among the middle classes, and texts aimed specifically at juvenile and adolescent audiences became increasingly popular.  In addition, “literary” versions of traditional folk tales for children began to appear.  Many of these texts had a decided agenda to shape the characters of young readers, as well as one to entertain and delight.  In this course, we will explore Victorian constructions of childhood with particular attention to constructions of gender as viewed through the lens of popular 19th century children’s texts.

Credit: ENG 380H/WST 201H:  Victorian Childhood (L. F. Brown/Rose)--NOT an interdisciplinary 299 course because both instructors hold Ph.D.'s in English.  GEP, Literature or Humanities; English major, minor, or elective credit; WST minor credit.
 

HON399H: Junior Honors Seminar:

Professor:  John Theilmann

This one-credit course helps students to plan ahead for life after Converse. We discuss topics such as the liberal arts, undergraduate research, career planning, writing strong graduate school applications, evaluating job offers, balancing family and career, and finding Plans B and C when life throws us a “curve ball.”  

Required to complete the Honors Program.