Honors Course Schedule and Catalog

HON 3397N

This course examines writing for video games through the study of narrative design, interactive storytelling, and the conventions of contemporary game development. Students analyze examples of game writing, study the relationship among story, mechanics, character, dialogue, and worldbuilding, and apply these principles in collaborative design teams. Working within a classroom adaptation of Agile methodology, the iterative, team-based framework standard in game studios, students practice the sprint planning, regular check-ins, and cross-functional collaboration that define professional game development. The course includes analytical and production-based work leading to the development of an original game concept, selected game-writing components, and a completed game design document.

Counts as ENG 3315

HON 3398I

This course examines how failure has been interpreted, represented, and debated within aesthetic theory and cultural practice. Drawing on fields such as philosophy, music, architecture, performance, and popular culture, students analyze historical and contemporary case studies in which works, ideas, or practices have been labeled unsuccessful, controversial, or problematic. Through critical readings and analysis, the course explores how concepts such as failure, success, authenticity, originality, and value are constructed, contested, and evaluated across different cultural and disciplinary contexts.

Watch the course video.

Counts as Advanced Music Elective, or Advanced Philosophy Elective; Counts toward the Minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship under the “In Context” Domain.

HIST 2382

This course is a survey of the social, political, economic, cultural, and intellectual history of people of African descent in the United States from the end of the Reconstruction period to the present. Topics examined in African American History since 1877 include segregation, disenfranchisement, civil rights, migrations, industrialization, world wars, the Harlem Renaissance, and the conditions of African Americans in the Great Depression, Cold War, and post-Cold War eras. Emphasis is placed on interpreting historical evidence and evaluating patterns of continuity and change, situating African American history within the broader context of U.S. history.

This course is approved for 060 - American History Core Curriculum credit. Students seeking upper-division Honors credit should enroll in HON 3399M.

HON 2305A

This course examines African American popular music in the United States as an interdisciplinary subject connecting music, culture, society, and the arts. Students analyze musical styles, performances, and recordings alongside historical, social, and cultural contexts that influence their development. Through reading, listening, discussion, and writing, the course analyzes how musicians and musical practices engage with social conditions, artistic traditions, and public discourse. Emphasis is placed on analytical listening, critical interpretation of texts and musical examples, and evaluation of relationships between music, dance, visual culture, and broader historical developments.

This course is approved for 050 - Creative Arts Core Curriculum credit.

PS 3342

This course examines the governments and politics of African political systems through comparative analysis. It analyzes political institutions, party systems, and governance structures in the context of precolonial political traditions, colonial rule, and post‑independence state development. Using selected country cases, the course evaluates patterns of regime formation, institutional change, and policy outcomes across the continent. Students examine variation in democratic and non‑democratic political systems and assess how historical and structural factors shape political processes. Emphasis is placed on analytical reasoning, use of evidence, and comparative political frameworks.

Watch the course video.

Counts toward Minor in International Studies; or counts toward Minor in Diversity Studies; or counts toward Minor in African American Studies; or counts as Group IV “Comparative Politics” for Majors in Political Science; or counts as Middle East/African Studies Elective for the B.A. in International Studies with Middle East/African Studies Concentration.

HON 3399R

This course investigates the premise of first contact with an intelligent alien species as a framework for analyzing human culture, social institutions, and competing value systems. Students examine scholarship spanning history, philosophy, political theory, and sociology, evaluating questions about the universality of human values, the social consequences of technological change, and the psychology of belief in the face of the unknown. Topics include the Fermi paradox, Enlightenment humanism, cultural change, and millennial movements. The course develops students' capacity to apply established scholarly frameworks to unfamiliar and conceptually demanding problems.

Counts as upper-level elective for majors and minors in Sociology; or counts as upper-level elective for majors and minors in Philosophy; or may substitute for SOCI 3390.

HON 3397W

This course examines concepts of alienation, authenticity, and selfhood in modern European thought through works in philosophy, literature, and social theory. Students analyze how major thinkers and writers from the Enlightenment to the digital age have interpreted individuality, conformity, freedom, identity, and social belonging under changing historical conditions. Organized thematically and historically, the course draws on primary texts and related scholarship to compare differing accounts of modern subjectivity and to evaluate how these ideas have shaped intellectual and cultural discourse.

Counts as History Group B; or may count as International Studies elective (European Focus)

HON 2306C

This course examines the development of American social movements from the end of Reconstruction to the early twenty-first century, with particular attention to the 1960s. Students analyze how these movements shaped subsequent social, cultural, policy, and institutional developments, drawing on multiple perspectives to assess their origins, historical contexts, and impacts. Topics may include movements for African American civil rights, women’s rights, and the historical development of LGBTQ communities.

This course is approved for “late” 060 - American History Core Curriculum credit.

HON 3397A

This course examines political, social, and cultural developments in the United States during the 1970s. Students analyze how Americans from different backgrounds defined citizenship, rights, and public life during a period marked by political realignment, social movements, economic uncertainty, environmental crisis, and changing cultural representation. Using historical scholarship and a range of primary and cultural sources, including newspapers, film, television, music, and documentary materials, the course evaluates how the decade was interpreted at the time and how it has been remembered since.

Counts as advanced History Group C

HON 2306G

This course introduces students to major political, economic, social, and cultural developments in American history through the lens of “counterculture.” Although this term is usually associated with the 1960s, countercultures have flourished in the US since the mid-nineteenth century. As 60s guru Timothy Leary observed, countercultures bloom wherever and whenever members of a society embrace lifestyles, artistic expressions, and ways of thinking and being that diverge radically from the mainstream. Students will examine how countercultures from the transcendentalists to the hippies and beyond reflect the hopes and anxieties of younger generations and sometimes succeed in bringing about revolutionary change.

This course is approved for “late” 060 - American History Core Curriculum credit.

HON 2306A

This course examines American history since the end of Reconstruction through the study of memoir and related forms of life writing. Students analyze memoirs, autobiographies, oral histories, graphic narratives, and other personal accounts in order to interpret how individuals represent interactions among communities, institutions, the nation, and the wider world. The course emphasizes memoir as both a historical source and a constructed narrative form, with attention to source evaluation, historical context, comparative interpretation, and historiographical questions. Students develop advanced written analyses of how personal narratives shape understandings of modern American history, memory, and public life.

This course is approved for “late” 060 - American History Core Curriculum credit.

Students seeking upper-division credit should explore HON 3396N.

HON 3396N

This course examines American history since the end of Reconstruction through the study of memoir and related forms of life writing. Students analyze memoirs, autobiographies, oral histories, graphic narratives, and other personal accounts in order to interpret how individuals represent interactions among communities, institutions, the nation, and the wider world. The course emphasizes memoir as both a historical source and a constructed narrative form, with attention to source evaluation, historical context, comparative interpretation, and historiographical questions. Students develop advanced written analyses of how personal narratives shape understandings of modern American history, memory, and public life.

Counts as History Group C (American History); May also be taken as HON 2306A for History (060) core curriculum credit.

HON 3399Y

This course examines the legal, economic, financial, and historical development of the United States dollar from its legal birth in 1792 to the present. Students analyze economic and financial theories of the dollar and their social, environmental, and economic impacts through primary legal texts, historical sources, and scholarly arguments. The course also considers how the monetary system functions within constitutional, statutory, and institutional frameworks and examines competing interpretations of monetary design and policy through sustained research, writing, and discussion.

Watch the course video.

Counts as an “Support” elective for Finance and Economics students or Advanced Business Elective

HON 2380J

This course examines statistical thinking through the analysis of real-world data, research studies, simulations, and statistical software. Students study how data are collected, modeled, interpreted, and used to draw conclusions while taking into account variability, uncertainty, and the limits of inference. The course emphasizes applied analysis, evaluation of statistical claims, and interpretation of results in relation to everyday, scientific, and public contexts. Through active learning and writing, students develop the ability to use statistical tools and reasoning to investigate questions and communicate evidence-based conclusions.

Counts as MATH 2328 or QMST 2333; or may count as PSY 2301, but students must also enroll in PSY 2101 “Introduction to Statistics Laboratory.

ENG 4344

This course studies the works of a single US author, such as Gloria Anzaldúa, Cormac McCarthy, Bell Hooks, or Toni Morrison, from an interdisciplinary perspective. Coursework offers the opportunity for detailed study of the author's literary output in its historical and cultural context. Students analyze how the author's literary techniques, stylistic features, and thematic concerns shape selected works and how those works interact with larger literary movements and historical environments. Specific content and focus vary by section, and the course may be repeated once for credit when its emphasis varies.

Counts as a “Single Author” course for English Majors or an English elective in Group B.

HON 3398K

This course explores how arts-based research methods support inquiry and interpretation in qualitative research. Students work with visual, written, and performative forms to investigate social questions, document processes, and present findings. Guided activities and discussion examine connections among artistic practice, knowledge production, and scientific approaches to evidence and explanation. Emphasis is placed on methodological design, ethical representation, and clear communication of complex ideas through creative and analytical work. Students evaluate examples of arts-based scholarship and revise projects in response to feedback.

Counts as SOCI 4309

HON 3399W

This course examines the work of Bob Dylan across music, literature, performance, and visual art. Students analyze Dylan’s songs, performances, writings, and other artistic productions in relation to American cultural history, popular culture, and debates about originality, appropriation, intertextuality, and authorship. The course considers Dylan’s evolving public identities, artistic methods, and reception over time, including his place in discussions of literature and performance. Emphasis is placed on critical interpretation, historical context, and written analysis of artistic production across media.

Counts as an English elective in Group D: Media, Genre, and Visual Studies; or may count in English as a Single Author Course; or may count as an elective for the Minor in Studies in Popular Culture.

Watch the course video.

HON 2306B

This course examines American history since the end of Reconstruction through the study of baseball as a cultural and historical institution. Students analyze how developments in areas such as race relations, civil rights, technology, and organizational practices are reflected in and connected to the sport over time. The course emphasizes methods for interpreting sports-related materials as historical sources and situating them within broader social and historical contexts.

This course is approved for “late” 060 - American History Core Curriculum credit.

HON 3399X

This course examines the literary works and cultural contexts of the Beat Generation within twentieth-century American literature. Focusing on fiction, poetry, and memoir, students analyze how Beat writers engaged with earlier literary traditions, including nineteenth-century American Romanticism, while responding to postwar social and cultural conditions. Through close reading and discussion, the course explores themes such as artistic form, identity, censorship, media, spirituality, and embodiment, emphasizing the relationship between literary expression, historical context, and aesthetic experimentation.

Counts as advanced English elective Group B: US Literature.

HON 3384B

This course examines intercultural communication in contexts of social, political, and cultural disagreement. Students study theories of culture, identity, language, and power in order to analyze how people interpret difference, negotiate meaning, and communicate across varied perspectives. The course emphasizes case-based analysis of historical and contemporary “culture wars,” comparison of communication practices, and evaluation of communication in personal, institutional, and public settings. Through readings, discussion, applied exercises, and a sustained final project, students investigate intercultural communication across national, social, and ideological-based contexts.

Counts as COMM 3329 - Intercultural Communication; may also count toward the Minor in International Studies, or the Minor in Leadership Studies.

Watch the course video.

MGT 3453

This course is designed to enhance critical professional skills including interviewing, networking, teamwork, emotional and cultural intelligence, public speaking, and applicable ethical considerations. It introduces theories of business communication including communication models, general semantics, and causes of miscommunication. Students will not receive credit for both MGT 3453 and MGT 3353.

Prerequisites: ENG 1310 and ENG 1320 and [COMM 1310 or COMM 2338] all with grades of "D" or better.

MATH 2471

This course introduces the fundamental concepts of differential and integral calculus for functions of one variable. It explores limits and continuity, differentiation and its applications, basic techniques of integration, and the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. Through analytical, graphical, and numerical approaches, this course strengthens problem solving and mathematical reasoning skills, preparing students for further study in mathematics, science, engineering, and other quantitative disciplines that support academic success and professional readiness in STEM fields worldwide today.

Prerequisites: [MATH 2417 with a grade of C or better] or [ACT Mathematics score of 27 or better] or [SAT Math Section score of 600 or better] or [Accuplacer College Mathematics score of 103 or better] or [Compass Trigonometry score of 46 or better] or [Next-Generation Advanced Algebra and Functions Test score of 276 or better].

MATH 2472

This course continues the study of differential and integral calculus from MATH 2471. Topics include advanced techniques of integration, improper integrals, parametric equations, polar coordinates, and applications of calculus to physical and mathematical problems. Additional topics include sequences and series, including convergence tests and power series representations, and an introduction to partial derivatives. Emphasis is placed on connecting algebraic, graphical, and analytical perspectives to deepen understanding of calculus concepts that support further study in mathematics, science, and engineering.

Prerequisite: MATH 2471 with a grade of “C” or better.

This course is approved for 092 - Texas State Option Area Core Curriculum credit.

HON 2306D

This course examines the social and legal culture of early America through the study of microhistorical cases, such as those involving accusations of heresy, witchcraft, theft, murder and wartime insurgency. Students analyze primary and secondary sources related to these offenses to understand how law, religion, and community norms shaped responses to crime, including those involving women. Focusing on the period from the seventeenth century through 1900, the course explores legal procedures, punishment practices, and social attitudes toward transgression. Emphasis is placed on historical analysis, interpretation of evidence, and situating individual cases within broader cultural and institutional contexts.

This course is approved for “early” 060 - American History Core Curriculum credit.

May be taken for upper division credit as HON 3396V; counts as HIST 3368B

HON 3396V

This course examines the social and legal culture of early America through the study of microhistorical cases involving capital and other serious crimes, including accusations of heresy, witchcraft, theft, murder, and wartime insurgency. Students analyze primary sources, legal records, and historical scholarship to investigate how law, religion, gender, race, and community norms shaped responses to transgression from the seventeenth century through 1900. Emphasis is placed on historical interpretation, evaluation of competing scholarly arguments, and the development of an independent research-based analysis that situates individual cases within broader legal and cultural contexts.

Students seeking -060 core curriculum credit should enroll in HON 2306D.

HON 3399M

This course examines the concept of the “color line” as an idea in United States intellectual and cultural history. Beginning with its formulation by W. E. B. Du Bois and tracing its evolution from the seventeenth century to the present, students analyze how this concept has been articulated, debated, and reinterpreted through literature, film, television, and other cultural media. The course emphasizes how ideas about race, identity, and social boundaries have developed over time within changing historical, political, and cultural contexts.

Counts as History Group C; or may count toward the Minor in African American Studies.

HON 3399C

This course examines how comics have reflected, shaped, and challenged American understandings of racial difference from the nineteenth century to the present. Students analyze a wide range of political cartoons, newspaper comic strips, and comic books alongside recent scholarly literature, tracking the relationship between comics and broader patterns in U.S. race relations. The course uses comics as a lens to examine how representations of race have changed over time and across historical contexts.

Counts as History Group C; or may count as HIST 3368K, HIST 3369Z

HON 2307B

This course examines contemporary issues in American politics by analyzing how constitutional concepts such as liberty and equality are interpreted and debated in modern public life. Students analyze a range of texts addressing political ideas, institutional structures, and electoral processes and evaluate how different authors explain factors influencing political decision-making and public discourse.

This course is approved for 070 - Government/Political Science Core Curriculum credit.

HON 3398Y

This course examines theories, definitions, and examples of creativity across fields such as philosophy, psychology, science, and the arts. Students analyze historical and contemporary accounts of creative practice, study the work of influential creators, and consider creativity as an individual, social, and cultural phenomenon. Through readings, discussion, and applied projects, the course explores how creativity is conceptualized, evaluated, and practiced in diverse contexts, including emerging questions surrounding technology and artificial intelligence.

Watch the course video.

Counts toward the Minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship under the “In Context” Domain; counts as an advanced elective for Majors and Minors in Music; counts as an advanced elective for Majors and Minors in Philosophy; counts toward the Minor in Value Studies.

[Pre-2024: Counts only as TH 3361 or TH 4330D]

ANTH 1312

This course introduces students to the concept of culture, anthropological methods and theories, and the unity and variability of the human species. The course draws on comparative and analytical approaches to demonstrate how anthropologists study cultural systems, social organization, and human adaptation across the globe.

HON 3398R

This course examines how the body, bodily functions, medicine, and healing are interpreted within cultural and social frameworks. Drawing on medical history and anthropology, students analyze case studies related to health and illness across the life course, from birth to death, in both U.S. and global contexts. Topics may include medical education, reproductive health, disability, mental illness, maternal mortality, healing practices beyond biomedicine, and ethics of care. Emphasis is placed on cultural analysis, comparative interpretation, and the application of anthropological theory to medicine, health, and the body.

Counts as ANTH 4309

HON 2309K

This course examines how fiction, memoirs, and poetry represent death and related concepts, including endings, transitions, grief, remembrance, and renewal. Through close reading of selected works, students analyze the narrative and thematic approaches authors use to explore these ideas and consider how different genres structure meaning around the conclusion of a life or a story.

This course is approved for 094 - Texas State Option Area Core Curriculum credit.

HON 3397Y

This course examines major ethical issues in research involving human subjects. Students will analyze cases in which researchers expose participants to risk, use deception, or work with vulnerable populations in the course of scientific inquiry. Using historical and contemporary examples, the course considers informed consent, risk-benefit analysis, institutional review processes, and the ethical standards that govern human subject research. A case-study approach emphasizes analytical evaluation of research design, ethical reasoning, and the application of relevant legal and professional frameworks.

Counts as advanced Psychology elective.

HON 2307A

This course examines the American system of government and social order through close study of Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville. Students analyze Tocqueville’s account of political institutions, civic practices, and social conditions to understand the structure and operation of modern democratic societies. The course emphasizes careful reading of primary texts, historical context, and analytical discussion of themes such as authority, equality, and participation. Students develop skills in textual interpretation, comparative analysis, and evidence-based argumentation through written assignments and structured discussion.

This course is approved for 070 - Government/Political Science Core Curriculum credit.

HON 3397R

This course examines historical and contemporary ideas related to demonology, possession, and exorcism across a range of cultural and intellectual traditions. Students analyze primary texts, case studies, and scholarly interpretations to examine how different societies have described and responded to experiences understood as demonic or supernatural. The course introduces approaches from history, anthropology, religious studies, and psychology to explore how concepts related to demonology have been documented, interpreted, and represented over time.

Counts as advanced Religion elective; or may count as advanced Philosophy elective; or may count as International Studies/International Relations elective; or counts toward the Minor in Medieval/Renaissance Studies

HON 3380F

This course examines cross-cultural collaboration through structured projects with students from a university program outside the United States. Students collaborate to analyze design practices, cultural contexts, and design values as they operate in international settings. The course emphasizes comparative inquiry, research, and critical reflection on communication design across cultural contexts. It concludes with at least one substantial communication design project that presents student research through international or comparative perspectives and includes analysis of design decisions, process, and outcomes.

Watch the course video.

Counts as advanced ARTC elective; counts toward Minor in Art & Design; counts toward the Minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship under the “In Action” Domain; counts as an elective for International Studies & International Relations (contact advising for specific details).

HON 3390J

This course examines Miguel de Cervantes’s Don Quixote in relation to its literary antecedents, historical context, and long-term significance in the development of the modern novel. Students study the novel alongside major literary genres and traditions that informed it, including chivalric romance, pastoral romance, and picaresque narrative, as well as selected critical approaches to its interpretation. The course emphasizes close reading, historical analysis, and comparison of the novel’s themes, forms, and reception in relation to seventeenth-century Spain, Baroque culture, and later literary and artistic traditions.

Counts as SPAN 3301 (Literatures of Spain I), SPAN 4352 (Don Quijote), or SPAN 4390; or may count as Advanced English Elective for the Minor in Medieval and Renaissance Studies; or may count as a “Single Author” course for English Majors; or may count toward the “Early Literature” for English Majors, or may count as English Group C “Global Literatures.”

HON 2309N

This course examines Miguel de Cervantes’s Don Quixote within the cultural and intellectual contexts of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Spain. Students analyze the novel’s engagement with medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque traditions and its relationships to literary forms such as chivalric romance, pastoral narrative, and the picaresque. Emphasis is placed on close reading of formal and thematic features, including narration, irony, and genre. The course situates the work within early modern European history and considers its lasting influence on the development of the modern novel worldwide.

Counts as SPAN 3301, 4380B, or 4390; or may count toward the Minor in Medieval and Renaissance Studies.

HON 3398T

This course examines the craft of dramatic adaptation for stage and screen through structured analysis and sustained writing practice. Students will study narrative structure, character development, and dramatic action while transforming existing source material into original theatrical or screen-based works. Through writing exercises, script readings, and guided critique, students will develop full-length and short adaptations in multiple formats. Emphasis is placed on interpretive decision-making, narrative clarity, and disciplined revision. The course culminates in public readings of student-written adaptations, allowing students to experience the full creative process from source analysis through performance.

Counts as an elective for the “Performance & Production” track of the BFA in Theatre.

HON 3380G

This course introduces students to the role and practice of dramaturgy in both new play development and the production of established texts. Through script analysis, research, and guided application, students will examine how theatrical works are interpreted, shaped, and prepared for performance. Coursework emphasizes practical dramaturgical tools, including textual investigation, historical and contextual research, and collaboration within the rehearsal process. Students will engage with working drafts, published plays, and production materials, gaining firsthand experience in the dramaturgical process from early development through rehearsal and culminating in fully mounted productions.

HON 2306E

This course examines early American history, from the colonial period through 1877, through the lens of biography. Students read biographies and autobiographical writings alongside primary and secondary sources to analyze how individual lives have been documented and interpreted. The course considers biography as a historical method and as a genre of nonfiction writing, comparing representations of prominent and lesser-known figures. Emphasis is placed on close reading, source evaluation, and written analysis to assess how personal narratives contribute to interpretations of American historical development.

This course is approved for “early” 060 - Early American History Core Curriculum credit.

HON 3396L

This course examines early American history, from the colonial period through 1877, through the lens of biography and autobiography. Students analyze biographies, autobiographical writings, and related primary and secondary sources in order to study how individual lives have been documented, interpreted, and situated within larger historical narratives. The course emphasizes biography as both a historical method and a genre of nonfiction writing, with attention to historiography, source evaluation, and comparative interpretation. Students develop advanced written analyses of how personal narratives shape historical understanding of political, social, and cultural developments in early America.

Students seeking core curriculum credit should enroll in HON 2306E.

HON 2308A

This course examines central questions in economic anthropology, focusing on how societies organize production, exchange, distribution, consumption, property, inheritance, and economic surplus. Students analyze economic systems across a range of cultural and historical settings, including hunter-gatherer communities, agricultural societies, and pre-capitalist complex states. Course materials also address theories of economic organization and approaches to development in non-industrial contexts. Through readings and analysis, students evaluate how economic practices relate to social institutions and cultural patterns. Emphasis is placed on comparative perspectives and careful interpretation of ethnographic and historical evidence.

This course is approved for 080 - Social and Behavioral Science Core Curriculum credit.

HON 3397L

This course examines major theoretical and ethnographic approaches in economic anthropology, with emphasis on how economic life is embedded in social relations, cultural meanings, and historical processes. Students analyze anthropological debates concerning production, exchange, consumption, property, labor, debt, value, and development across a range of societies and political-economic systems. Through sustained engagement with ethnographic case studies and scholarly arguments, the course evaluates how economic practices intersect with kinship, power, inequality, globalization, and moral frameworks. Emphasis is placed on advanced comparative analysis, interpretation of anthropological theory, and evidence-based writing about economic systems in cultural context.

Counts as ANTH 3360

HON 2302A

This course engages students in the systematic study of elementary number theory through precise definitions and logical deduction. Students examine fundamental theorems and properties related to the structure and behavior of integers, with particular attention to concepts such as divisibility, prime numbers, and the division algorithm. The course emphasizes problem solving and the construction of mathematical proofs as central modes of inquiry. Students also explore selected applications of number theory, including connections to cryptography and computer science, while developing critical thinking and quantitative reasoning skills.

This course is approved for 020 - Mathematics Core Curriculum credit. Students seeking advanced credit should see HON 3392V.

HON 3392V

This course examines elementary number theory through the study of integers, divisibility, modular arithmetic, prime factorization, and related topics in proof-based mathematics. Students analyze mathematical problems using definitions, logical reasoning, and rigorous deduction in a setting that does not require advanced prior background. The course emphasizes the construction and evaluation of mathematical proofs, the development of careful written and oral explanations, and the application of number-theoretic ideas to problems such as Diophantine equations, residue systems, and coding or encryption contexts.

Counts as MATH 3330

BLAW 3367

This course examines major federal and state employment and labor laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, ADEA, ADA, and FLSA, as well as judicial opinions interpreting these statutes. It considers the perspectives of employers, employees, and business stakeholders. Topics include hiring practices, workplace policies, compensation, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and termination. Students examine, analyze, and apply legal principles to employment-related scenarios and evaluate how statutory and regulatory frameworks govern workplace practices and dispute resolution.

Counts as Restricted Advanced Business Elective for students in the Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) Major in Management (Human Resource Management Concentration)

HON 3380C

This course examines the interconnection between entrepreneurial thinking, design, and innovation. Students study innovation-driven venture development through interdisciplinary collaboration, rapid prototyping, and analysis of user response in relation to design problems and community contexts. The course emphasizes open and critical inquiry, calculated risk, and project development through applied design processes. Students also evaluate how concepts move from initial idea to structured proposal as they develop and refine a concept, prototype, and business plan in response to identified needs and opportunities.

Stacks with ARTC 4314O; counts toward the Minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship under the “In Action” Domain.

HON 3393S

This course explores biographical and autobiographical accounts of entrepreneurs to understand how personal narratives reveal leadership practices and organizational roles. Students examine the strategies used to build and lead ventures, as defined and evaluated within specific historical, organizational, or market contexts. The course introduces frameworks for studying group formation and team dynamics, allowing students to apply these concepts to real-world examples drawn from course materials. Through discussion and analysis, students gain insight into leadership and collaboration in business contexts.

Counts as MGT 3360; Counts toward the Minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship under the “Leadership” Domain.

PHIL 1320

This course examines ethical dimensions of contemporary life. Students examine major areas of ethical inquiry, including ethical theory and its application to contemporary issues, such as professional ethics, ethics in technology, medicine, and sport, and ethics in everyday life and work. Emphasis is placed on evaluating arguments and reasoning strategies used in considerations of ethical dimensions of human activities. Through readings, structured discussions, and written analysis, student assess the strengths and limitations of various perspectives and explore the implications of different ethical frameworks.

This course is approved for 040 - Language, Philosophy, and Culture Core Curriculum credit.

HON 3399I

This course examines ethical issues related to the interactions between science and society through case studies drawn from multiple scientific disciplines. Students analyze how ethical questions arise in scientific research, technological development, and applied practice. The course includes an in-depth project in which students investigate an ethical topic relevant to their own field, using disciplinary standards and scholarly frameworks. The course is designed for students across STEM fields and emphasizes comparative analysis of ethical considerations in scientific research.

HON 2303D

This course introduces non-science majors to the principles of scientific inquiry and essential biological concepts. Students will explore topics that impact everyday life, including disease, evolution, genetics, biotechnology, nutrition, and environmental biology. Emphasis is placed on analyzing how these concepts are applied in discussions of current and future societal issues. Through analysis of biological topics and their depictions in news stories, social media, and real-world events, students will develop critical thinking skills and apply biological principles to analyze issues at local and global scales.

This course is approved for 030 - Life and Physical Sciences Core Curriculum credit.

HON 2303C

This course introduces students to scientific principles related to energy production, resource use, and consumption in everyday contexts. Students examine patterns in electrical energy use, including analyses of individual consumption data, and investigate how building construction and HVAC systems influence energy use. Students analyze their personal energy use and how energy consumption is regulated at regional and global scales. Students develop quantitative skills while analyzing conservation programs and public policies related to energy consumption at local, state, national, and global levels.

This course is approved for 030 - Life and Physical Sciences Core Curriculum credit.

HON 3380E

This course examines how exhibitions communicate knowledge through spatial design, narrative structure, and material presentation. Students analyze a range of exhibition models across historical, scientific, contemporary, and research contexts, with attention to how institutional contexts shape curatorial choices. Through readings, discussion, and applied studio work, students study exhibition planning, display methodologies, and project development. The course includes a sustained, collaborative design project in which students develop an exhibition proposal from initial concept through final design documentation.

Watch the course video.

Cross-listed with ARTH 4320B; counts toward the Minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship under the “In Action” Domain.

HON 3399L

This course examines contemporary society and culture in Italy through an interdisciplinary lens that connects history, the arts, politics, and everyday life. Students analyze literature, film, visual culture, and historical sources to trace how cultural traditions, social institutions, and public debates have developed over time. Attention then turns outward to Italian American experiences, using migration and transnational exchange to link Italy to broader global contexts. Emphasis is placed on close reading, comparative analysis, and written and oral communication grounded in regional, national, and global frameworks.

HON 3397J

This course examines major theories, models, and practices of leadership across organizational, civic, and professional contexts. Students analyze leadership frameworks related to self-management, interpersonal influence, organizational behavior, communication, trust, and decision-making. The course considers how leadership concepts are applied in varied settings and evaluates approaches to collaboration, motivation, conflict, and change. Through reading, discussion, presentations, and analytical writing, students assess leadership practices and develop evidence-based interpretations of effective leadership in contemporary contexts.

Counts as MGT 3303; or may count as MGT 3301; or may count toward the Minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship under the “Leadership” Domain.

CS 1428

This course examines foundational concepts in computer science through problem solving and algorithm development. It focuses on how computational problems are analyzed, designed, and implemented using structured programming techniques in C++. Students analyze problems and construct solutions using primitive and complex data types, expressions, control structures, functions, arrays, and related constructs. Clear program organization, consistent and readable coding style, and systematic approaches to testing and debugging are central themes. Particular attention is given to the relationship between algorithm design, program structure, and the correctness and reliability of software.

Prerequisites: [MATH 1315 or MATH 1317 or MATH 1319 or MATH 1329 or MATH 2417 or MATH 2471 with a grade of "C" or better] or [ACT Mathematics score of 24 or better] or [New ACT Mathematics score of 25 or better] or [SAT Mathematics score of 520 or better] or [SAT Math Section score of 550 or better] or [Accuplacer College Mathematics score of 86 or better] or [Compass College Algebra score of 46 or better] or [Next-Generation Advanced Algebra and Functions Test of 263 or better]

CS 2308

This course examines intermediate concepts in computer science through the design, implementation, and analysis of larger programs in C++. Topics include abstract data types (ADTs) such as lists, stacks, and queues, and their implementation using arrays and linked lists. Students learn how pointers, dynamic memory allocation, and linked structures support flexible data representation and manipulation. The course emphasizes object-oriented programming, including classes, objects, encapsulation, and the separation of interface and implementation. Students also study fundamental searching and sorting algorithms and analyze their performance using time complexity. Program development, compilation, and testing are performed in a Linux command-line environment.

Prerequisite: CS 1428 with a grade of "C" or better.

HON 3396E

This course examines U.S. Supreme Court decisions related to the First Amendment rights of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition, with particular emphasis on speech and press. Students analyze how the Court has interpreted the First Amendment in key cases involving law, media, technology, and democratic governance. Through reading, discussion, legal research, and writing, the course evaluates the legal principles, arguments, and judicial reasoning that shape constitutional protections and their application in changing social and technological contexts.

Counts as MC 4301; or may count as advanced Political Science elective.

BIO 1330

This course examines core cellular and molecular processes essential to modern biology. Students analyze cell structure and transport; molecular mechanisms of the central dogma (transcription, translation, and gene regulation); protein structure and enzyme function; energy metabolism (cellular respiration and photosynthesis); and cell cycle control. Through problem-solving and data-driven reasoning, students develop skills in scientific analysis and apply cellular concepts to biological contexts, including human disease and organismal diversity. This course is intended for biology majors.

This course is approved for 030 - Life and Physical Sciences Core Curriculum credit.

BIO 1130

This course introduces students to fundamental laboratory techniques and instruments used in biological research through structured, hands-on investigations. Students examine biological processes like enzyme activity, fermentation, cell division, and membrane transport while emphasizing laboratory safety, accurate measurement, and experimental design. The course employs guided inquiry, data collection, and quantitative analysis using graphical and basic statistical methods. Students interpret results in relation to testable hypotheses and established biological concepts. Through written reports and scientific posters, students develop professional scientific communication skills and prepare for advanced coursework and research experiences.

POSI 2320

This course examines the functions of American and Texas government, with emphasis on constitutional foundations, civil liberties, civil rights, foreign policy, and the policymaking process. Students analyze how national and state institutions shape public policy in areas such as economics, environmental regulation, education, and social welfare. The course also examines budgeting processes at the federal and state levels. Students apply political science concepts to evaluate policy debates, institutional decisions, and their effects on civic life in the United States and Texas.

This course is approved for 070 - Government/Political Science Core Curriculum credit.

COMM 1310

This course examines the principles and techniques of speaking and listening that are fundamental to human communication. Students analyze and apply verbal and nonverbal communication techniques across a range of contexts, including interpersonal, small group, and public speaking. The course examines multiple perspectives and professional standards related to ethical communication, and the ability to adapt messages appropriately for different audiences, occasions, and purposes. Skills gained in this course prepare students to analyze information, express ideas clearly, and collaborate effectively. 

HON 3398M

This course investigates how automation, artificial intelligence, and demographic change are reshaping labor markets and social stratification, and it analyzes prognostications about an economy with radically fewer jobs in the decades to come. Students analyze scholarly and policy debates spanning technological unemployment, the gig economy, degrowth economics, and universal basic income, while examining historical patterns of growth and innovation as context for current projections. The course also evaluates competing accounts of higher education and meritocracy as mechanisms for distributing economic opportunity. Finally, students assess philosophical questions about the purpose and moral status of work in a future where the nature and availability of employment may change dramatically.

Counts as SOCI 3324; or counts as an Advanced Business Elective

CHEM 1341

This course is the first of two lecture courses in general chemistry for science-related majors. It covers atomic and molecular structure, the periodic table, chemical bonding, stoichiometry and chemical reactions, states of matter, thermochemistry, solutions, and gases. A major focus of the course is applying mathematical principles to solve chemical problems, often through word problems. Students analyze and apply the language, symbols, and notation of chemistry, and examine relationships between chemical principles and the macroscopic behavior of matter.

Prerequisites: [MATH 1315 or MATH 1317 or MATH 1319 or MATH 1329 or MATH 2321 or MATH 2417 or MATH 2471 any with a grade of "C" or better] or [ACT Mathematics score of 24 or better] or [SAT Mathematics score of 550 or better] or [Accuplacer College Mathematics score of 86 or better] or [Compass College Algebra score of 46 or better] or [Next-Generation Advanced Algebra and Functions Test of 263 or better].

This course is approved for 030 - Life and Physical Sciences Core Curriculum credit.

CHEM 1342

This course builds on the topics covered in the first general chemistry course for science-related majors. Students examine concepts such as the effects of molecular structure on molecular behavior, including intermolecular forces; solution chemistry, including solubility; the effects of reaction parameters on reaction rates; nuclear chemistry; the extent of reactions; acid-base theory; chemical disorder and spontaneity; and the relationship between chemical reactions and electrical energy. Students apply mathematical reasoning and critical thinking to analyze relationships among variables, predict the effects of parameter changes, and connect scientific concepts to real-life applications.

This course is approved for 030 - Life and Physical Sciences Core Curriculum credit.

HON 3398S

This course examines local and global food and agricultural systems from a geographic perspective. It explores patterns of production, distribution, and consumption across regions, and considers how climate, resources, culture, technology, and economic organization shape agricultural landscapes. Attention is given to rural and urban settings, regional variation, and connections among places at multiple scales. The course provides an overview of food-related spatial processes and landscape change worldwide within established geographic frameworks and comparative regional contexts used in contemporary geographic scholarship.

Counts as GEO 4393D

HON 2302B

This course introduces students to graph theory through the study of core concepts, proofs, and applications. Students examine mathematical structures consisting of vertices and edges that model relationships in a wide range of contexts. Emphasis is placed on developing mathematical techniques through problem solving and proof construction. The course also allows students to apply graph theory methods to a problem of their choosing, strengthening critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, and the ability to translate real-world questions into formal mathematical models.

This course is approved for 020 - Mathematics Core Curriculum credit.

HON 3399G

This course introduces students to central concepts and methods in graph theory and examines how these ideas are applied in areas such as computer science, network analysis, and discrete mathematics. Students study fundamental structures—including paths, cycles, connectivity, trees, and graph colorings—and work through selected proofs to develop skills in logical reasoning and mathematical argumentation. Problem sets, modeling exercises, and project-based activities provide practice in applying graph theory to real-world scenarios and communicating results using appropriate mathematical notation and terminology.

HON 2309C

This course examines significant works from the humanities tradition through interdisciplinary study of literature, philosophy, history, and cultural expression. Students analyze primary texts and artistic materials from the earliest recorded periods through the Renaissance selected around a unifying theme to explore how authors and thinkers represent human experience across different periods and genres. Through reading, discussion, and analytical writing, the course emphasizes methods of interpretation, contextual inquiry, and comparative analysis.

Counts as advanced English Group C

HON 2309H

This course examines significant works from the humanities tradition through interdisciplinary study of literature, philosophy, history, and cultural expression. Students analyze primary texts and artistic materials from the Enlightenment through the present selected around a unifying theme to explore how authors and thinkers represent human experience across different periods and genres. Through reading, discussion, and analytical writing, the course emphasizes methods of interpretation, contextual inquiry, and comparative analysis.

This course is approved for 094 - Texas State Option Area Core Curriculum credit.

Students seeking advanced credit or course substitutions should enroll in HON 3394P.

HON 3399Q

This course examines the cultural and political development of modern celebrity through the study of British musician Harry Styles and European popular culture since World War II. Students analyze scholarship and media related to celebrity, fandom, music, fashion, digital culture, consumerism, and public identity in order to investigate how celebrity is produced, circulated, and interpreted in contemporary society. The course also considers how debates about masculinity, class, nation, and global media shape public responses to celebrity culture. Emphasis is placed on interdisciplinary analysis of texts, media, and cultural forms within historical and social context.

Counts as History Group A (World History) or History Group B (European History); or counts toward Minor in Popular Culture Studies; or counts toward Minor in Women and Gender Studies; or counts toward the Minor in Diversity Studies (with prior notification); or counts toward the Minor in International Studies; or counts an elective in the European Studies concentration of the B.A.I.S.; or counts toward the Minor in Media Studies. 

HON 3399D

This course examines the concept of hell across religious traditions and cultural contexts. Using historical, literary, and comparative methods, students analyze how hell has functioned as a doctrinal, intellectual, and social concept in traditions such as Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and popular culture. The course considers how depictions of hell reflect broader questions about morality, authority, identity, and social order in different times and places. Emphasis is placed on historical contextualization, comparative analysis, and research-based interpretation of primary and secondary sources.

Counts as advanced Religion elective (with prior approval from Department Chair)

HON 3396U

This course examines the historical development of debates about sex work and sex trafficking from the late nineteenth century to the present. Students analyze how concerns about migration, labor, gender, and morality shaped public discourse and policy over time. The course situates the United States within a transnational context, drawing on primary sources and scholarly interpretations to compare historical and contemporary frameworks. Emphasis is placed on historical analysis, evaluation of evidence, and sustained research and writing.

Counts as advanced History elective; or may count as advanced Criminal Justice elective; or may count as POSI 3395, or POSI 4330-Group II, or POSI 4304-Group III, or POSI 4326-Group V; or may count as International Studies elective

HON 2306F

This course examines major political, economic, social, intellectual, and cultural developments in American history through Reconstruction, with focused attention to the origins and evolution of the idea of American exceptionalism. Students analyze primary sources and scholarly interpretations to assess how this concept has been defined, debated, and revised over time. The course emphasizes historical context, close reading, and comparative analysis across texts drawn from history, philosophy, literature, and the social sciences, developing skills in evidence-based argumentation and historical interpretation.

This course is approved for “early” 060 - American History Core Curriculum credit.

HIST 1320

This course examines U.S. history from the end of Reconstruction to the present, analyzing political, social, and economic transformations across this period. Students will evaluate industrialization, constitutional change, and the nation’s evolving role in global affairs. Topics include, but are not limited to, the impacts of the rise of Industrialization, the Gilded Age and Progressive Era, the implementation of racial segregation and voter suppression, World Wars I and II, the Great Depression and New Deal, the Civil Rights Movement, the Cold War, and developments since 1989. Emphasis is placed on interpreting historical evidence and assessing patterns of continuity and change.

**Satisfies American History Component Code 060

HIST 2312

This course examines major developments in world civilizations from the seventeenth century to the present. Students analyze political, economic, social, and cultural interactions that shaped global systems, including long‑distance commerce, the development of racial slavery and the Atlantic World, colonial expansion in the long nineteenth century, the emergence of Communist political systems, and processes associated with twentieth‑century globalization. Using primary and secondary sources, the course evaluates how historians interpret continuity and change across regions. Readings, lectures, and discussions guide students in assessing evidence and comparing analytical frameworks in modern world history.

HON 2309P

This course examines representative authors and works from American literature across multiple genres and historical periods. Readings are situated within literary, historical, and cultural contexts to analyze form, theme, and genre conventions. Genres may include fiction, poetry, drama, and nonfiction. Students engage with texts through close reading, research, and discussion. The course emphasizes critical interpretation, comparative analysis, and written argumentation. Assignments may include analytical essays and creative projects that apply literary concepts while evaluating how texts reflect and shape American literary traditions.

This course is approved for 094 - Texas State Option Area Core Curriculum credit.

HON 2309Q

This course introduces students to selected authors and works from British literature, with attention to their historical, social, and cultural contexts. Students analyze how these texts represent various aspects of human experience across different periods and genres and engage in interpretive and analytical methods commonly used in literary study. Through close reading, discussion, and written analysis, the course develops skills in contextual inquiry, critical interpretation, and evidence-based literary analysis.

This course is approved for 094 - Texas State Option Area Core Curriculum credit.

HON 4090

This course supports the completion of an independent Honors capstone project in the form of research, scholarly study, or creative work. Students pursue an approved project under faculty supervision and apply appropriate methods, sources, and standards relevant to the field of inquiry or practice. The course emphasizes sustained investigation, project development, revision, and the communication of substantial academic or creative work. As the zero-credit version of the Honors Capstone, it is intended for students who are completing an approved departmental course that also counts toward the Honors College capstone requirement.

HON 4390B

This course supports the completion of an independent Honors capstone project in the form of research, scholarly study, or creative work. Students pursue an approved project under faculty supervision and apply appropriate methods, sources, and standards relevant to the field of inquiry or practice. The course emphasizes sustained investigation, project development, revision, and the communication of substantial academic or creative work. It serves as the culminating Honors capstone experience and fulfills the capstone requirement for graduation from the Honors College.

Required for Minor in Honors Studies; required for graduation in the Honors College; may count toward the Minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship under the “In Action” Domain.

HON 4390A

This course prepares students to develop and begin a research-based Honors capstone project within their disciplinary or interdisciplinary area of study. Students refine a focused topic, analyze relevant scholarship and other appropriate sources, evaluate methods and project scope, and develop a feasible plan for sustained independent research. Emphasis is placed on advanced inquiry, faculty consultation, peer feedback, and the application of research practices appropriate to the field. Students also produce work that demonstrates substantive progress toward the capstone, such as preliminary research, source analysis, written drafts, or other project development consistent with the expectations of advanced undergraduate scholarship.

Required for Minor in Honors Studies

HON 2305D

This course introduces students to creative arts disciplines through project-based learning. Students work on projects designed to reflect challenges encountered in fields such as art, music, theatre, or dance. To develop informed proposals, students engage with practitioners, study relevant artistic and cultural materials, and apply research-based methods drawn from creative arts inquiry.

This course is approved for 050 - Creative Arts Core Curriculum credit. 

*will only satisfy 050 for core, but it does not replace the core requirement of TH 3320 and 3321 for Acting Stage & Screen majors.*

HON 4391

This course provides an opportunity for individualized study under the direct supervision of a faculty member for Honors credit. Students pursue an approved topic, problem, project, or body of readings in a field appropriate to their academic interests and preparation. The course emphasizes sustained inquiry, independent work, and regular consultation with the supervising professor. Depending on the discipline and approved plan of study, the course may involve research, creative work, field-based observation, site visits, or other forms of guided academic investigation.

To enroll in an independent study course, a student must meet with Dr. Ron Haas, prior to enrolling in HON4391.

Counts toward graduation in the Honors College 

FR 4304D

This course introduces students to historical periods and cultural movements through the examination of iconic figures—actual or allegorical—that served as catalysts in the French-speaking world. Examples range from history to pop culture (Marie-Antoinette), from literary to political texts (Senghor), and from mythography to visual creations (the Wandering Jew). Continued sources of discussion by contemporary scholars, artists, and writers, icons summon both interdisciplinary and transhistorical approaches. By examining such figures as iconic of a given culture, students analyze the persistence of its structural features, values, and creative references. The course may be repeated for credit with different emphasis and may be stacked with Honors.

HON 3392Y

This course examines philosophical arguments about immortality, personal identity, and survival after death. Students study major positions on whether belief in life after death is reasonable, what conditions would be necessary for a person to survive death, and how concepts such as mind, body, soul, resurrection, reincarnation, and identity have been understood in philosophical debate. The course emphasizes close analysis of primary texts, comparison of competing arguments, and written defense of interpretive and philosophical claims concerning death, survival, and the value of life.

Counts as advanced Philosophy elective; or may count toward the Minor in Religious Studies

HON 3395B

This course examines integral ecology as an interdisciplinary framework for studying relationships among ecological systems, human societies, cultural practices, and environmental ethics. Students analyze how ecological, social, cultural, economic, and philosophical perspectives contribute to the study of contemporary environmental problems. The course emphasizes comparison of theoretical approaches, critical reading of environmental thought, and evaluation of complex issues such as environmental degradation, social inequality, and human relationships to nature. Through discussion and writing, students investigate how integrated approaches to ecology shape interpretations of environmental responsibility and change.

Counts as advanced Philosophy elective; or may count as advanced Biology (Fall 2018 and earlier only)

HON 3399T

This course examines intellectual property law within its governmental, legal, and social contexts, including patents, trade secrets, copyrights, and trademarks. Students analyze the historical development, legal foundations, and policy rationales underlying intellectual property law, as well as its relationship to broader governmental and regulatory frameworks. Through case studies, applied analysis, and sustained writing, the course explores how intellectual property systems operate in practice and how legal rules shape innovation, creative production, and economic activity across fields of study.

Counts as Advanced Political Science Elective or Advanced Course from Group III: "Public Law and Public Administration"; counts toward "Innovation in Context" of the Minor in Innovation & Entrepreneurship

HON 3397H

This course introduces students to the study of cultural traditions, beliefs, practices, and social structures of a selected international context. Students examine historical and contemporary materials to analyze how cultural expressions, institutions, and forms of communication develop over time. The course emphasizes comparative perspectives, considering nations and cultures in relation to one another rather than in isolation. Attention is given to intercultural communication, interpretation of cultural practices, and analysis of interactions across national contexts through reading, discussion, and written work.

HON 2390K

This course will focus on educating students about basic history and cultural practicies related to Islam, the profit of Islam and Islam's holy book, The Koran. It will also focus on the relationship between the Arabic language, the Arabic culture and Islam so students will be able to distinguish between what is cultural and what is religious.

Counts as International Studies; or may count toward the Minor in Religious Studies

HON 2390L

This course will focus on educating students about basic history and cultural practicies related to Islam, the profit of Islam and Islam's holy book, The Koran. It will also focus on the relationship between the Arabic language, the Arabic culture and Islam so students will be able to distinguish between what is cultural and what is religious.

Counts as International Studies; or may count toward the Minor in Religious Studies

ACC 2361

This course provides an introduction to the fundamental concepts and practices of financial accounting. Students learn basic accounting terminology, assumptions, principles, constraints, and ethical expectations that guide accounting in the business environment. Students are introduced to the accounting cycle. Emphasis is placed on distinguishing between accrual-basis and cash-basis accounting; analyzing and recording business transactions in accordance with U.S. GAAP; preparing adjusting entries and closing the general ledger; and preparing and interpreting major financial statements, including the income statement, balance sheet, statement of retained earnings, and statement of cash flows.

Prerequisites: MATH 1315 or MATH 1319 or MATH 1329 or MATH 2417 or MATH 2471 or HON 3391 or ACT Mathematics score of 27 or better or SAT Mathematics score of 580 or better or SAT Math Section Score 600-800.

PSY 1300

This course surveys the major psychological principles derived from research on human and animal behavior. Topics studied include research methods that are used in different areas of psychology, psychological development across the lifespan, the biological bases of behavior and mental processes including brain structures and their functions, and the principles of learning and memory. Students also explore the psychology of social interactions and their effects on both individuals and groups in different contexts. PSY 1300 with a grade of "C" or better is required for most other Psychology courses.

Satisfies the Social and Behavioral Sciences Component Code 080

HON 3398O

This course provides an interdisciplinary introduction to statistical genetics and bioinformatics with an emphasis on methods used to analyze genetic and computational biological data. Students study foundational concepts from genetics, statistics, and programming, and apply these concepts through guided analytical exercises. Coursework includes working with representative datasets, examining commonly used computational tools, and developing basic workflows for processing and interpreting genetic and computational biological data.

Counts as advanced Biology elective; or may count as advanced Math elective; or may count as advanced Computer Science elective.

HON 3394N

This course advances the study of foundational humanities questions by engaging original texts and creative works with greater analytical depth. Students draw on literature, philosophy, history, and the arts to examine how conflicts between individual desires and social obligations are represented and theorized. Concentrating on the Classical period through the early modern era, the course emphasizes sustained interpretation, comparative analysis across disciplines, and contextual research. Students evaluate arguments, methods, and evidence used by different fields and develop extended written analyses that synthesize perspectives on authority, community, and selfhood.

Counts as advanced English Group C

HON 3394P

This course extends advanced humanities inquiry into modern and contemporary contexts by examining how conflicts between individual desires and social obligations are reformulated from the Enlightenment to the present. Students analyze original texts and creative works from literature, philosophy, history, and the arts, emphasizing theoretical frameworks, comparative methods, and historical interpretation. The course foregrounds sustained analysis, synthesis across disciplines, and independent research. Students evaluate shifting concepts of freedom, authority, community, and selfhood through extended writing, discussion, and critical engagement with complex cultural materials.

Counts as HIST 4318O or History Group B; or may count towards Major in International Studies - European Studies concentration; or may count as SPAN 3302, SPAN 4302, or SPAN 4390; or may count as English Group C.

HON 3395Y

This course examines selected forms of popular music associated with the U.S. South and explores how scholars have documented and interpreted the social, historical, and regional contexts in which these musical traditions developed. Students analyze recordings, archival materials, and historical writings to examine musical production and performance practices. The course emphasizes scholarly approaches to studying regional identity, genre formation, and interpretation within broader cultural and historical frameworks.

Counts as advanced History Group C

HON 3398X

This course examines how language shapes embodied experience, social interaction, and cultural meaning through approaches drawn from linguistic, cultural, and medical anthropology. It analyzes how discourse relates to identity, belief, stigma, social status, and bodily experience across contexts such as everyday conversation, schools, social media, popular media, and medical settings. Drawing on theoretical and applied scholarship, the course emphasizes anthropological analysis of language in relation to the body, along with observation, interviewing, ethnographic interpretation, and written analysis.

Counts as ANTH 3352

BLAW 3301 (formerly BLAW 2361)

This course surveys the basic features of the American legal system and the legal aspects of business transactions. Topics include the nature and sources of law, court systems and procedures, torts, contracts, agency relationships, and ethical considerations in business contexts. Analysis focuses on how legal rules influence individual and organizational decision-making and the resolution of disputes. Students examine legal principles and apply them to common business situations, including liability, contractual obligations, and organizational relationships. Emphasis is placed on interpreting legal concepts and evaluating their implications in everyday commercial activities. For students who intend to pursue a B.B.A. degree.

HON 3398Q

This course examines how digital environments shape communication, knowledge, and culture. Students study how people create, share, and evaluate information online and consider the social and ethical questions raised by these practices. Topics may include the circulation of inaccurate information, the formation of online communities, and the cultural roles of digital images and humor. Through discussion and analysis, students examine how online environments influence contemporary ways of thinking and interacting.

Counts as advanced Philosophy elective

HON 2309D

This course examines selected literary and journalistic works by Gabriel García Márquez. Students analyze key texts associated with magical realism alongside essays, criticism, and films to understand narrative techniques, genre conventions, and thematic patterns. The course situates these works within debates about history, memory, and representation in twentieth-century Latin America. Emphasis is placed on close reading, comparative analysis, and written interpretation of literary texts, with attention to how fiction and nonfiction engage social, political, and cultural conditions.

This course is approved for 094 - Texas State Option Area Core Curriculum credit.

HON 3394X

This course examines selected literary works by Gabriel García Márquez in relation to magical realism, literary history, and the cultural and political contexts of Latin America. Students analyze major texts alongside literary criticism, archival materials, and selected films in order to study narrative technique, genre, and thematic development across García Márquez’s fiction. The course emphasizes advanced close reading, historical contextualization, comparative interpretation, and research-based analysis, with particular attention to questions of colonialism, memory, gender, ecology, love, violence, and the representation of Latin American social and cultural experience.

Counts as SPAN 4350, 4330, or 3371; or may count as ENG 2340, 3341, or 3316; or may count as HIST 3325H; or may count as advanced English Group C.

HON 3397Z

This course introduces students to multidisciplinary concepts within makerspaces through hands-on design projects using beginner-level DIY techniques. Students will experiment with creative methods such as upcycling recyclable materials, 2D subtractive manufacturing (CNC cutting of acrylic, cardboard, vinyl), 3D additive manufacturing (modeling and printing), textiles (embroidery and sewing), and basic electrical circuits (microcontrollers and sensors). By designing and implementing their own projects, students will develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills while gaining practical experience in innovative design.

Counts as MU 3370, ART 3370, & DANCE 3370; Counts toward the Minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship under the “In Context” Domain.

HON 2304A

This course examines philosophical, cultural, and artistic approaches to human mortality through texts and materials from multiple historical contexts. Students analyze how different traditions represent death and how intellectual frameworks address questions concerning finitude, meaning, and moral significance. Using close reading, discussion, and written analysis, the course explores debates about dying, grief, suicide, and the value of life. Emphasis is placed on evaluating arguments, comparing perspectives, and situating ideas within their cultural and historical settings while developing skills in critical reading, analytical writing, and reasoned discussion.

This course is approved for 040 - Language, Philosophy, and Culture Core Curriculum credit.

PHYS 2325

This course examines the principles of introductory classical mechanics through problem-solving and interactive instruction. The course focuses on describing, explaining, and predicting physical phenomena observed in the natural world. Students analyze evidence from an object’s motion to make inferences about abstract physical quantities, including forces and energy transfer. The course also examines physical situations that require the introduction of advanced concepts such as torque and angular momentum.

Corequsites: MATH 2471 with a grade of "C" or better and PHYS 2125 with a grade of "D" or better.

This course is approved for 030 - Life and Physical Sciences Core Curriculum credit.

HON 2309J

This course examines memoirs and aesthetic works by authors who describe experiences related to neurological, cognitive, or psychological difference. Students analyze these texts to explore how individuals represent their own perspectives, how labels and diagnostic categories function in various cultural, medical, and social contexts, and how such narratives contribute to scholarly discussions of human experience in relation to commonly used normative frameworks.

This course is approved for 094 - Texas State Option Area Core Curriculum credit.

BIO 1320

This course provides non-science majors with a broad overview of fundamental scientific and biological principles. Topics include basic chemistry, cell structure and function, important cellular processes, inheritance patterns, and an introduction to human physiology. Students examine how these principles operate across living systems and explore their analytical applications in contemporary biotechnology and medicine. This foundational knowledge supports biological literacy in an increasingly complex world. This course is not credited toward a biology degree.

This course is approved for 030 - Life and Physical Sciences Core Curriculum credit.

HON 3384C

This course examines major aesthetic, philosophical, historical, and political developments associated with modernism, antimodernism, and postmodernism from the eighteenth century to the present. Through primary texts and artistic works from music, architecture, and visual culture, students analyze how Enlightenment ideals, industrialization, capitalism, and rapid technological change have shaped cultural production and social thought. Emphasis is placed on the interaction between artistic practice, theory, and historical context as modernity was articulated, contested, and reinterpreted over time.

May count as Advanced History Elective Group B (European) OR Group C (US); or may count as an Advanced Music elective; additional anticipated substitution in Philosophy.

HON 3399F

This course examines the concept and history of “Western Civilization” through the study of myth, political symbolism, and historical interpretation from antiquity to the present. Students analyze primary and secondary sources to investigate how narratives, legends, and cultural symbols have shaped understandings of European history and its legacy. The course considers how historical accounts are constructed, revised, and contested across time, with attention to the relationship between mythic representation, political culture, and historical memory. Emphasis is placed on research, source analysis, and written interpretation of historical narratives and symbols.

Counts as European Studies elective (for majors and minors in International Studies); or may count as elective in International Relations; or may count toward the Minor in Diversity Studies Elective; or may count toward the Minor in Women's Studies; or may count as HIST 2310 or HIST 2320; or may count toward advanced History Group A or Group B.

HON 3382B

This course explores the fields of narrative psychology and narrative medicine. Narrative psychology examines how stories and storytelling shape interpretations of human experience. Narrative medicine involves the analysis of literature and nonfiction related to health and illness. The course focuses on narrative representations of health, illness, and healing written by patients, physicians, caregivers, and others, with attention to individual and social contexts. Topics include illness narrative theory, narrative research methodologies, and representations of mental health in narrative forms. Students analyze and produce narrative texts related to health and illness.

Watch the course video.

Counts as Advanced Psychology Elective

HON 2309G

This course examines American nature writing to analyze how authors represent the natural world and communicate its significance. Students read essays, memoirs, and literary texts that depict nature as an object of study, a site of personal reflection, and a framework for exploring meaning. Emphasis is placed on close reading, critical analysis, and interpretive writing to evaluate how literary form, language, and context shape representations of nature. Through analytical and reflective assignments, students consider how literary representations of encounters with the natural world contribute to interpretations of self, culture, and environment.

This course is approved for 094 - Texas State Option Area Core Curriculum credit.

HON 2304C

This course examines theories and historical applications of nonviolence as frameworks used to analyze social conflict. Students analyze ethical theories and moral reasoning as they evaluate historical and contemporary efforts to address cycles of violence and inequality. Emphasis is placed on critically assessing how ethical principles have been applied in different contexts and how scholars interpret their implications for social development.

This course is approved for 040 - Language, Philosophy, and Culture Core Curriculum credit.

CHEM 2341

This course is the first of two lecture courses in organic chemistry. It introduces fundamental principles of organic molecular structure, bonding, nomenclature, and reaction mechanisms. The course examines the chemistry and reactivity of major functional groups including alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, alcohols, ethers, and alkyl halides and introduces basic spectroscopic methods for characterizing organic compounds. Instruction emphasizes problem-solving, mechanism-based reasoning, and application of chemical principles through lectures, discussions, and problem sets. By the end of the course, students will be able to interpret organic reactions, predict reactivity patterns, and relate organic chemistry concepts to applications in fields such as biochemistry and materials science.

CHEM 2342

This course is the second of two lecture courses in organic chemistry. It explores the structure, nomenclature, reactions, and mechanisms of aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids and carboxylic acid derivatives, aromatic compounds, conjugated systems, and amines. Students will develop a deep understanding of carbonyl reactivity, resonance, aromaticity, oxidation-reduction reactions, and strategies for the synthesis and characterization of these molecules. Instruction combines lectures, problem-solving exercises, and discussions to reinforce conceptual understanding and practical application. In this course, students will learn to interpret organic reactions, predict reactivity patterns, conduct multistep synthesis reactions, and apply concepts to fields such as biochemistry and materials science.

Prerequisites: CHEM 2341 with a grade of "C" or better and CHEM 2141 with a grade of "D" or better.

Corequisite: CHEM 2342 with a grade of "D" or better.

BIO 1331

This course introduces science majors to core concepts in organismal biology, including inheritance patterns and genetic principles, evolutionary theory and phylogenetic relationships, and ecological systems. Students examine the mechanisms of inheritance, evolution, and speciation by analyzing patterns in living organisms and ecosystems across multiple scales. Students apply quantitative reasoning to understand how organisms adapt, diversify, and interact within their environments. Accordingly, students analyze biological diversity and the processes that generate and maintain it.

Prerequisites: College Readiness in English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR) according to the TSI regulations and College Readiness in Mathematics according to the TSI regulations.

This course is approved for 030 - Life and Physical Sciences Core Curriculum credit.

HON 2309A

This course examines literary, mythic, and philosophical works that address narratives of human origins and the development of early civilizations. Students analyze how different cultures have used origin stories, cosmologies, and philosophical accounts to explain social order, moral values, and human purpose. Through close reading and comparative analysis, the course situates these texts within their historical and cultural contexts and evaluates how interpretive frameworks have shaped understandings of humanity across time and place.

This course is approved for 094 - Texas State Option Area Core Curriculum credit.

PHIL 1305

This course examines fundamental philosophical questions concerning knowledge, belief, and value, emphasizing how these issues have been addressed across historical and contemporary contexts. Students analyze arguments, evaluate competing positions, compare theoretical frameworks, and examine the implications of differing perspectives. The course emphasizes methods of logical reasoning and argument analysis to foster clear understanding of and rigorous examination of arguments and claims across all areas of knowledge. Through close reading, structured discussion and written analysis, participants will assess the strengths and limitations of various perspectives.

This course is approved for 040 - Language, Philosophy, and Culture Core Curriculum credit.

HON 3398V

This course introduces students to interdisciplinary approaches used in the fields of philosophy, politics, and economics (PPE). Students examine how concepts from moral and political theory, institutional analysis, and economic modeling are used to study questions related to individual decision-making and the structure of social and political systems. Readings and case studies provide opportunities to analyze how scholars from these three disciplines address topics such as cooperation, governance, policy design, and the organization of economic activity.

Counts as advanced Philosophy elective; or may count as PS 3313

HON 3398Z

This course examines cultural and political ecology through the analytic use of science fiction. It explores how speculative narratives engage geographic concepts such as power, environmental knowledge, resource use, and human–environment relationships. Science fiction texts are used to examine imagined worlds, futures, and alternative socio ecological arrangements in relation to real world geographic processes. Emphasis is placed on comparative analysis across spatial and temporal contexts, linking speculative environments to broader political, cultural, and ecological frameworks in human geography.

Counts as advanced Geography elective; or may count as GEO 4309

POSI 2310

This course introduces principles of political science and examines the structure and operation of American and Texas government. Topics include the historical development of the U.S. and Texas Constitutions, federalism, separation of powers, and the legislative, executive, and judicial branches at both the federal and state levels. The course also explores political behavior, public opinion, elections, political parties, and interest groups in national and state contexts.

This course is approved for 070 - Government/Political Science Core Curriculum credit.

MKT 3343

This course examines the strategic marketing process as an area of study, focusing on how organizations analyze markets, identify customer needs, and develop offerings. Students explore how marketing operates within global, cultural, economic, technological, and regulatory environments. Topics include segmentation, targeting, product strategy, pricing, distribution, and promotion. The course also analyzes theories and research related to ethical decision‑making and frameworks for evaluating the social impacts of marketing without prescribing specific viewpoints. Emphasis is placed on understanding marketing as an organizational function that uses information, technology, and planning processes to create and communicate value.

HON 3390H

This course examines the philosophical problem of evil through major arguments and counterarguments about whether belief in an all-knowing, all-powerful, and wholly good God is reasonable in light of evil and suffering. Students study logical and evidential formulations of the problem, along with major responses including free will defenses, soul-making theodicies, skeptical theism, process theism, and related critiques. The course emphasizes close analysis of philosophical texts, comparison of competing positions, and written defense of interpretive and argumentative claims.

Counts as advanced Philosophy elective; or may count toward the Minor in Religious Studies.

HON 3398G

This course examines clinical, legal, and psychosocial issues involving adults who, because of mental illness, developmental impairments, brain injuries, or aging-related conditions, are subject to court-appointed guardianship. Students study legal standards for capacity, guardianship procedures, residential and service settings, and the practical challenges faced by individuals under guardianship and those responsible for their care. The course includes a service-learning component in which students serve as court visitors, observe living conditions and services, and analyze guardianship practices through written reports, class discussion, and research-based reflection.

Counts as PSY 3338

HON 3399U

This course examines how public memory shapes historical narratives in the United States. Students analyze how societies remember, preserve, interpret, and contest the past through sites such as museums, memorials, archives, landscapes, and public rituals. Using case studies, the course investigates how certain narratives become dominant, how others are marginalized, and how public memory relates to political power, national identity, and historical interpretation. Emphasis is placed on multidisciplinary analysis, discussion, writing, and field-based observation of memory practices and sites.

Counts as History Group C

HON 3396Q

This course examines public policy frameworks addressing energy systems, environmental protection, and sustainability in the United States and globally. Students analyze laws, regulations, and international agreements related to air and water quality, waste management, energy production and use, and conservation of natural resources. Emphasis is placed on policy design, implementation, and governance across local, national, and international levels. Through case studies and comparative analysis, students evaluate tradeoffs, evidence, and institutional roles that shape environmental decision making and long-term sustainability strategies.

Counts as International Studies elective; or may count as POSI 4322

ENG 3372

This course examines how race and ethnicity are depicted, represented, and engaged in a variety of literary and cultural texts. Students analyze narrative strategies, rhetorical choices, and contextual elements that shape portrayals of identity and community and examine the narrative, structural, and stylistic techniques authors and creators use to portray cultural experiences. Specific content and focus vary by section, and readings may include fiction, poetry, essays, or digital media. Students develop interpretive, analytical, and contextual reasoning skills by evaluating how different texts represent social and cultural experiences. The course may be repeated once for credit when its topic varies.

Counts toward advanced Group B or D for English majors; or may count toward African American Studies Minor.

HON 2309B

This course examines the role of technology in human communication. Students analyze scholarly perspectives on technology-mediated interaction and critically examine the use of digital tools across communication contexts. The course emphasizes analysis and application of interpersonal, small-group, and presentational communication strategies, as well as the use of oral, aural, written, and visual forms of communication. Through research and applied activities, students evaluate scholarly arguments and empirical research addressing how technology influences communication practices across contexts.

Satisfies the Oral Communication requirement for admittance into the Educator Preparation Program.

HON 3380H

This course examines sustainable transportation through project-based field study in an international context. Students collect and analyze primary data related to transportation systems, mobility patterns, and the use of public space, and they develop structured interpretations of these findings in relation to local conditions and comparative urban contexts. The course emphasizes field observation, collaborative research, oral presentation, and critical analysis of transportation practices, policy questions, and spatial design. Students also study how transportation systems operate within broader cultural, social, and institutional settings.

HON 2304D

This seminar introduces students to utopian studies, an interdisciplinary field within the humanities that examines representations of ideal societies across historical, cultural, and intellectual traditions. Students analyze religious texts, literary works, philosophical writings, and historical examples of intentional communities to evaluate how different cultures have conceptualized social order, values, and human possibility. Through close reading and critical analysis, the course examines how utopian thought has been used to interpret the human condition and to critique existing social arrangements across time and place.

This course is approved for 040 - Texas State Option Area Core Curriculum credit.

Watch the course video.

HON 3100

This course examines the fellowship, scholarship, and grant application process, with attention to proposal development, evaluation criteria, and application components. Students analyze application materials and develop competencies related to articulating academic and creative interests in written proposals. Through iterative drafting and structured feedback, students engage collaboratively with the instructor and peers. The course draws on examples from nationally and internationally competitive programs, including Fulbright, Churchill, and Rhodes, as comparative frameworks for analysis.

HON 3384A

This course examines the complex relationship between the humanities and medicine in European contexts through literature, film, psychological thought, and visual arts. Students investigate how cultural values, historical conditions, and political debates have shaped understandings of health, illness, and healing. Through critical interpretation of diverse media, the course highlights how representations of well-being emerge from specific social, environmental, and institutional structures. The course also examines how cultural background relates to differing interpretations of health in German-speaking and U.S. contexts, providing analytical approaches to understanding how knowledge about the body and care is constructed and contested.

Counts as an Advanced Elective for German majors and minors.

HON 3399S

This course examines contemporary transportation and urban policy through comparative study. Students analyze debates about congestion, climate change, multimodal mobility, active transportation, transit, and street design in relation to broader questions of urban growth, governance, and public space. The course combines scholarly and policy readings with field-based observation in order to evaluate how different cities organize transportation systems and address policy challenges. Emphasis is placed on comparative analysis, policy writing, and interpretation of urban form in varied metropolitan settings.

HON 3398U

This course will center on identifying community needs and working with non-profit and/or government institutions in response to those needs. Courses will combine community service with academic instruction and will focus on critical, reflective thinking and personal and social responsibility.

HON 3391W

This course examines service learning in an international context through volunteer work, cultural study, and reflective analysis. Students participate in supervised service activities with nonprofit or governmental institutions while studying the historical, cultural, and social contexts of the host community. The course emphasizes analysis of volunteer experience through discussion, journal writing, and comparison of institutional practices across settings. Students also examine how language, local history, and cultural traditions shape contemporary community life and public service in the host environment.

COMM 2330

This course examines communication processes in small groups and teams and explores strategies that influence productivity, cohesion, and collaborative decision making. Students analyze theories and research related to group roles, norms, leadership, conflict management, and participation patterns that shape group interaction. Course material considers problem-solving, team structuring, and meeting management as communicative practices that support effective group coordination and task completion. Activities include readings, discussion, experiential learning, and applied group work in which students analyze communication practices and evaluate group decision-making processes in small group and team contexts.

HON 3399Z

This course introduces students to the study of music and sound in relation to individual and collective experiences, assessments, and values of built environments. Through foundational and experimental concepts coined by musicologists, artists, philosophers, sociologists, and scientists in the field of Sound Studies, students perform fieldwork by engaging essential traits of urban environments (e.g. the river in San Marcos). Students apply established methodologies (e.g. soundwalks) and explore the implications of technologies such as virtual city planning, personal audio devices, active noise cancellation, and ecological AI-assisted applications. The course culminates by inviting participants to present findings in formats appropriate to their disciplines.

Counts as an Advanced Music Elective for any music program that allows for such electives.

HON 3399H

This course examines Southern Gothic storytelling through the study of literature, theatre, film, and music. Students analyze how narrative structure, character, setting, and atmosphere function within the genre across multiple forms. Through close reading, discussion, written analysis, and creative exploration, students evaluate how Southern Gothic works shape meaning through tone, environment, and dramatic tension. The course emphasizes interpretive analysis and performance-based perspectives, allowing students to investigate how texts are translated into theatrical and cinematic expression. Coursework culminates in an analytical or creative final project demonstrating sustained engagement with the genre.

Counts as advanced Theatre elective; or counts as an English elective in Group B: US Literature

SOCI 3307

This course introduces students to the application of descriptive and inferential statistical techniques used in the behavioral sciences. Students learn how to summarize, analyze, and interpret quantitative data using commonly employed statistical procedures such as measures of central tendency, variability, correlation, hypothesis testing, and basic regression. Emphasis is placed on understanding statistical reasoning, selecting appropriate analytical tools, and evaluating research findings within behavioral science contexts. The course also develops students’ ability to read and interpret statistical outputs, communicate quantitative results accurately, and apply statistical concepts to real-world research questions. Statistical software may be used to provide hands-on experience with data analysis.

Satisfies the statistics requirement for numerous degree plans in the applied and liberal arts. Please double check with your degree plan.

HON 3210 / 3010

This course provides an introduction to pedagogical ideas relevant to teaching and learning in STEM-related fields. Students will study key theories and methods from STEM education research and cognitive science. Students will evaluate the processes of teaching and learning and examine structures and practices that facilitate and/or inhibit student learning. Students will engage in discussion of STEM teaching and learning and reflect on their own instructional practices in peer education, tutoring, or Learning Assistant contexts.

HON 3396X

This course examines narrative design in video games as a form of interactive storytelling. Students analyze how plot, character, worldbuilding, player choice, and game mechanics shape narrative experience across a range of digital games. Drawing on literary theory, game studies, and narrative design scholarship, the course compares video game storytelling to more traditional narrative forms while also considering features distinctive to interactive media. Students evaluate existing games and develop their own design concepts through analytical writing, discussion, and project-based work.

Counts as ANTH 3309; or may count as an English elective in Group D: Media, Genre, and Visual Studies

MGT 4335

This course introduces students to the field of strategic management and explores the strategic management process. The course emphasizes the importance of competitive advantage and the alignment of organizational resources with external environments to achieve strategic objectives. Students analyze business issues by synthesizing and applying principles from accounting, analytics, communications, economics, finance, information systems, law, management, marketing, or related disciplines. A significant component of the course involves a group project where students collaborate and apply key concepts from the course. (Capstone Course) (WI)

Prerequisites: MGT 3303 and MKT 3343 and FIN 3312 and [ANLY 2333 or MATH 2328] all with grades of "D" or better and a minimum 2.0 Overall GPA.

HON 3395L

This course introduces students to selected aspects of French history, culture, and the arts through an immersive study-abroad experience. Classroom sessions and field-based activities examine cultural traditions, historical developments, or artistic expressions in regions visited. Students analyze sites, texts, and visual materials to understand relationships between place, history, and artistic production. Emphasis is placed on observation, comparative analysis, and documentation through discussion and writing. The course develops skills in contextual analysis, reflective research practices, and synthesis of field-based evidence within relevant historical and cultural frameworks.

Counts as French 2310, 2320 or advanced French elective

HON 2309O

This course explores presentational speaking and storytelling through the contemporary genre of TED Talks. Students analyze models of effective oral communication as defined by rhetorical principles and audience context, language, visual design, and delivery techniques. Emphasis is placed on the production of presentations, including researching topics, organizing content, scripting, rehearsing, and refining talks for specific audiences. Through individual and group activities, students design, deliver, and assess presentations while applying feedback. Attention is given to verbal and nonverbal communication and to interpersonal and small-group processes that support the development of polished public presentations.

This course is approved for 091 - Texas State Option Area Core Curriculum credit.

Satisfies the Oral Communication requirement for admittance into the Educator Preparation Program

HON 2303A

This course introduces students to foundational concepts in physical science and to research-based approaches used to study physics learning. Students investigate physical phenomena through studio-style activities that involve modeling, experimentation, and analysis. Emphasis is placed on developing conceptual understanding and applying scientific reasoning to everyday contexts. The course is designed for students interested in the study or teaching of science at the K–8 level, though it is open to all students.

This course is approved for 030 - Life and Physical Sciences Core Curriculum credit; HON 2303A can substitute for PHYS 1365 in College of Education degree programs.

US 1100

University Seminar is an introduction to the nature and aims of university education, with special emphasis on the value of broad learning. US 1100 is required of all undergraduate students entering the university with 0-15 semester credit hours completed since high school graduation.

Please visit CatsWeb for course scheduling information.

HON 3396Y

This course examines horticultural practices and plant systems in urban environments. Students study food production, ornamental planting, plant propagation, pest management, and the design and maintenance of urban green spaces, including community gardens, rooftop gardens, and vertical farming. The course considers how horticultural decisions relate to land use, environmental conditions, and the uses of plants in densely populated settings. Emphasis is placed on applied analysis, field-based observation, research in urban horticulture, and written and oral communication about horticultural practices and their contexts.

Counts as advanced Horticulture elective

BIO 3442

This course examines the structure, replication, and genetics of bacterial and animal viruses, with emphasis on molecular mechanisms of infection and disease. Topics include viral structure and assembly, genome replication strategies, host–virus interactions, immune responses, vaccines and unconventional infectious agents such as prions. Through lectures, active learning activities and case studies, students will apply core virology principles to analyze viral replication cycles, compare major virus families, and evaluate mechanisms of viral pathogenesis and prevention.

HON 2309E

This course examines literary representations of armed conflict through novels, short stories, essays, and memoirs addressing post-World War II wars, such as Vietnam, the Balkans, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Students analyze how authors depict combat, civilians, memory, and aftermath across different conflicts and narrative forms. Readings are considered within historical and cultural contexts, with attention to genre conventions of war writing. Emphasis is placed on close reading, comparative analysis, and written interpretation to evaluate how war narratives construct meaning, perspective, and experience.

May be taken for advanced English Group C

HON 2305B

This course examines the lives and creative contributions of women in Texas music and the arts, including composers, performers, historians, and patrons. Students study musical works, performances, and historical sources to analyze how these figures shaped artistic activity within specific cultural and historical contexts. Through listening, reading, discussion, and writing, the course explores relationships between music, social conditions, and artistic institutions in Texas. Emphasis is placed on evaluating primary and secondary sources, comparing perspectives, and situating musical activity within broader scholarly discussions of class, race, and identity formation.

This course is approved for 050 - Creative Arts Core Curriculum credit.

ENG 2340

This course examines representative authors and works of literature from the ancient world to the early modern period. Readings may focus exclusively on the Western tradition or include texts from a range of literary traditions, including those from Africa and Asia. Students read and analyze literary texts, examine literature as an art form, and develop an understanding of the role of literature within its historical, social, and cultural contexts. Individual works are situated within broader literary, historical, and cultural movements.

This course is approved for -040 and -094 Language, Philosophy, and Culture core curriculum credit.

REL 1300

This course examines selected major religious traditions, such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, Sikhism, Confucianism, Yoruba traditions, or Indigenous religions by examining primary sources, cultural representations and practices, and scholarly interpretations. The course emphasizes critical reasoning, close reading, conceptual analysis, and evaluation of perspectives on belief, ritual, and moral systems. Outcomes include the ability to evaluate competing interpretations, apply analytical reasoning to religious texts, and understand religion’s influence on ethical, social, and metaphysical thought.

This course is approved for 040 - Language Philosophy and Culture credit

HON 3385A

This course examines worldbuilding in speculative fiction through the study of geography, technology, economy, government, biology, culture, religion, and other elements that shape imagined worlds. Students analyze how speculative worlds achieve internal coherence, narrative force, and cultural meaning across fiction, film, games, and related media. Through readings, discussion, media analysis, and design projects, the course emphasizes comparison of existing worlds and the development of original settings informed by historical, anthropological, and literary perspectives. Students also evaluate how worldbuilding can be used to explore social, political, ethical, and imaginative questions.

May count as advanced English elective Group D - Media, Genre, Visual Studies; or may count as advanced English elective Group E - Writing Studies and Practice. *Note: this course may not satisfy Group D and Group E simultaneously.

ENG 1321

This course is a service-learning writing course that focuses on writing projects situated in local community-based contexts. Writing assignments reflect a variety of genres, including multimodal texts and group-authored projects. Emphasis is on the production of rhetorically effective texts that include a thesis, defined as a presentation of a central idea, and competently organized and well-supported paragraphs. This course provides the foundational oral, aural, written, and visual literacy skills that enable the exchange of messages appropriate to the subject, occasion, purpose, and audience. At least one paper incorporates and cites multiple secondary sources.

This course is approved for 010 - Communication Core Curriculum credit.

HON 3396C

This course examines screenwriting through the study and practice of writing for film and related screen media. Students analyze screenplay structure, plot, story, character, dialogue, action lines, and format through readings, writing exercises, workshop discussion, and staged script development. The course emphasizes pitching, outlining, storyboarding, drafting, and revision as students develop a short film script, television pilot, or feature-length screenplay. Students also examine how screenwriting relates to production, audience, and the professional contexts of script development and submission.

Counts as advanced Theatre elective; or may count as advanced English Group D; or may count toward the Minor in Media Studies.

HON 3396B

This course examines playwriting through the study and practice of writing for the theatrical stage. Students analyze dramatic structure, action, conflict, dialogue, character development, and theatricality through readings, writing exercises, and workshop discussion. The course emphasizes drafting, revision, and critique as students develop short plays, ten-minute plays, one-act plays, or a full-length script. Students also examine how playwriting relates to performance, directing, and production in order to understand how dramatic writing functions in theatrical context.

Counts as advanced Theater elective; or may count as advanced English Group D

HON 2301A

This course examines written communication as a method for analyzing public issues and presenting evidence-based arguments to varied audiences. Students study rhetorical strategies, research practices, and genre conventions used in academic and public writing. Emphasis is placed on drafting, revision, and evaluation of sources, with attention to how purpose and audience shape effective communication. Students select a global issue to investigate and analyze relevant texts, incorporating structured community-based activities as material for written analysis. The course develops skills in argumentation, clarity, and ethical use of sources.