Harper College will be closed on Tuesday, November 3, for Election Day.
This course is considered the Honors Program "capstone course” (but can be taken at any point in your Honors journey). It is required to be an Honors Program Graduate. Students will read and discuss texts from a variety of disciplines, covering a variety of eras and cultures, to examine how these ideas shape our thinking and our world today. (The course counts toward the Humanities Gen-Ed requirement. You can sign up for either the HUM or HST sections- they are the same class, just cross-listed.)
TR 11am-12:15pm
Professors J. Garcia and D. Richmond
This section of Honors Great Ideas is guided by the idea that we learn best when we learn from one another. So, our course is designed to make sure that the voices you hear the least in any given class are the voices of the instructors. In preparation for each class, we will all read a short piece (usually about 15 - 20 pages). Our classes will then be discussions of these readings, working to understand and critique them and consider their relevance to our world today. We will examine historically important and contemporary readings that deal with issues ranging from the pursuit of racial, gender, and economic equality to debates over the nature of science.
Tues 6-8:30pm (online synchronous)
Professor P. Ratunil
This Great Ideas course is organized around the great questions asked by thinkers and writers across the ages. There are five modules that focus on five great questions: What is the beginning? What is Love? Am I Free? What is Death? What is Art? We will read influential texts from around the world including Native Americanmyth and poetry, King Lear, and the novel Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel.
You do not need to travel in order to register for these classes. If you do plan to travel, remember you also need to fill out a separate application due November 1.
W 9:30-10:45am (blended)
3 Credits/ No lab
Professor C. Peirce
BIO 103 explores the relationship between people and the natural environment, using Costa Rica as a living classroom. Students will examine biodiversity, ecosystems, natural resources, human health, and population while considering how human activity, development, and culture affect the environment.
During the study abroad experience, students will have opportunities to connect these concepts to real-world environmental challenges in Costa Rica. They will observe diverse ecosystems and communities, consider how conservation and development intersect, and examine environmental issues through scientific, social, ethical, and cultural perspectives.
MW 8-9:40 (lab)
MW 10-10:50am (lecture)
4 Credits
Professor J. Angermeier
BIO 230 explores the world of microorganisms and their impact on human health, the environment, and society. Through the Costa Rica study abroad experience, students will connect microbiology concepts learned in the classroom and laboratory to the diverse environments, communities, and practices they encounter in-country.
Students will consider how microorganisms influence ecosystems, agriculture, food production, water and environmental quality, and human health. The experience will also encourage students to examine how climate, biodiversity, environmental conditions, and human activity can influence microorganisms and the spread and prevention of disease.
You must register for the two courses below at the same time.
PHI 105-0LH- MW 11am-12:15pm
ENG 102-0LH- MW 12:30-1:45pm
Professor J. Garcia (PHI 105-0LH) and Professor A. Wilson (ENG 102-0LH)
In this Learning Community, we will look at a variety of writers, both from philosophy and literature, who have written on various aspects of the human condition. Possible texts include Shelley's Frankenstein, Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilych, and Kafka's "The Metamorphosis, as well as short stories from American authors such as Faulkner, Baldwin, and Junot Diaz. We will look at philosophical ideas appear in texts like these, and also look at some classic texts from philosophy, especially the dialogues of Plato, that are also pretty remarkable works of literature.
As you likely know, there is a required research paper for ENG 102. What’s nice is that for our class you'll be able to write one final project that accounts for both classes rather than having to write two separate papers, one for each class.
We should also note that, since this class is dedicated to thinking about aspects of the human experience, we will have a strict “no AI” policy in the course. If you want to hear your distinctive human voice, however mortal or imperfect, can breathe and grow — the class might very well be for you. If you are looking for something else . . . the class might not be for you.
MW 12:30-1:45pm
Professor A. Wilson
Note: This course is part of a Learning Community with PHI 105-0LH (68611). You must register for both courses at the same time. See above for more details.
TR 9:30am - 10:45pm
Professor M. Bilos
In Honors Speech, we will be exploring communication strategies and presenting multiple speeches. You will get to experience practicing, preparing, and presenting in front of your peers as well as honing your digital skills. This face-to-face, 16-week course will walk you through the basics of persuasive and informative speaking, debate, and impromptu using the framework of social justice and implementing a volunteer project.
Two sections. See above for info.
TR 2-3:15pm
Professor A. Tomasian
Professor Tomasian describes the course here.
MW 11am-12:15pm
Professor J. Garcia
Note: This course is part of a Learning Community with ENG 102-0LH (61844). You must register for both courses at the same time. See above for more details.
T 2-3:15pm (blended)
Professor M. Raza
What makes an economy grow, why do prices rise, what causes unemployment, and how do governments and central banks respond to economic challenges? In this blended Honors course, you will explore these questions and connect macroeconomic concepts to real-world events and current economic issues.
Students complete readings and learning materials online before class, allowing our in-person meetings to focus on discussion, questions, problem-solving, and applying economic concepts to real-world situations. The course also includes a research project that gives students the opportunity to investigate a contemporary economic issue in greater depth and develop their own analysis using the tools of macroeconomics.
TR 9:30 - 10:45 am
Professor K. Matthews
Do babies know physics? Can we trust children’s memories? Why are teen brains designed for risk-taking? What factors promote vitality in adulthood? How do diversity and equity impact development across the lifespan--in contexts from education to healthcare to the legal system? In Psychology of Human Development, explore these questions and many more by integrating theories, scientific research, and real-world applications within a global context.
TR 12:30-1:45pm
Professor M. Edwards
In this class we will focus on learning the sociological perspective and deepening critical thinking through exploring key sociological concepts like social solidarity, social inequality, and social change, with a specific focus on the interplay of the interplay of technology (artificial intelligence), the environment, capitalism, and the changing contours of democracy. Throughout the course, we will explore these ideas through the lens of art as a tool of social change and by using an arts-based pedagogy. Assignments include photo “essays” and sociological zine making.
TR 12:30-1:45pm (blended)
5 credits
Professor K. Knee
W 9:30-10:45am (blended)
3 credits/no lab
Professor C. Peirce
Note: this class is attached to the Honors Study Abroad Program in Costa Rica. However, you do not need to travel to register for the course.
M 12:30-3:00pm (blended)
4 credits
Professor B. Statler
BIO116 covers higher levels of biological organization from the organism to the ecosystem. Topics include organismal diversity (bacteria, archaea, protists, fungi, plants, and animals), history of life on earth, micro- and macroevolution, how species interact and rely on one another, and how organisms and the global climate influence one another. Honors students will additionally learn how to find reputable, scientifically supported sources on the internet and use those sources to support one lab report and one video-based presentation on an approved topic of choice that is related to climate change.
MW 8-9:40am (lab)
MW 10-10:50am (lecture)
4 credits
Professor J. Angermeier
Note: this class is attached to the Honors Study Abroad Program in Costa Rica. However, you do not need to travel to register for the course.
M 2-3:50 (lab)
TR 2-3:15
4 credits
Professor B. Moorthy
Professor Moorthy describes the course in this video.
MW 2-3:15pm (lecture)
M 3:30-4:20pm (discussion)
R 2-4:45pm (lab)
5 credits
Professor D. Ranieri
Professor Ranieri describes some of the topics you’ll be covering in the course here.
MW 9-11:50am
5 credits
Professor M. Geppert
Professor Geppert describes the class here.
(If the link asks for a password, it is: Honors201).