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Course Descriptions

While many students have a notion that honors courses are, by default, harder, we always say that honors classes are different. With an average class size of just 17 students, honors classes allow students to have far more interaction with their professors and fellow students; in turn, this allows professors to design their classes to revolve around discussion and active learning rather than lectures and tests.

Generally speaking, the Honors College offers two levels of honors courses that are available to all honors students. Lower Division electives, which also fulfill general education requirements, and Upper Division electives (HONR 3700), which are upper-level discussion intensive courses.

Please note, you must be enrolled in the University Honors Program, Business Honors Program, Arts + Architecture Honors Program, Levine Scholars Program, Martin Scholars Program or have the permission of the Honors College.  To obtain permission please contact Colette Chenault (Administrative Support Associate) at cchenaul@charlotte.edu.  

spring 2024 Schedule of classes

Lower Division elective courses
BINF 1101 - H03 (CRN#26432) Introduction to Bioinformatics and Genomics (HONR)
Monday and Wednesday 2:30 pm - 3:45 pm
Monday 12:15 pm - 2:15 pm (lab)
Alex Dornburg

Must be enrolled in Honors (AAHP, BHP, UHP, or departmental) OR be a Levine Scholar; OR have permission of the Honors College. To obtain permission please contact Colette Chenault at cchenaul@charlotte.edu.
Introduction to the genomics perspective in the life sciences, combining a general introduction to genomic technologies and the bioinformatics methods used to analyze genome-scale data with a presentation of real world scientific problems where these technologies are having an impact.  The lab component provides hands-on experience with biological sequence and structure databases, using small-scale projects to introduce students to the world of bioinformatics research.
ECON 2102 - H01 (CRN#21063) Principles of Economics-Micro (HONR)
Tuesday and Thursday 10:00 am - 11:15 am
Ted Amato

Must be enrolled in Honors (AAHP, BHP, UHP, or departmental) OR be a Levine Scholar; OR have permission of the Honors College. To obtain permission please contact Colette Chenault at cchenaul@charlotte.edu.
Pricing mechanism of a market economy, the industrial organization of the U.S. economy, problems of economic concentration, the theory of income distribution, and comparative economic systems.
HONR 1501- H71 (CRN#26356) Global Social Science: Intersections of Science and Technology (HONR) [New Gen Ed]
LBST 2213- H71 (CRN#23891) Science, Technology, and Society (HONR) [Old Gen Ed]
Tuesday and Thursday 1:00 pm - 2:15 pm
Reuben Howden

Must be enrolled in Honors (AAHP, BHP, UHP, or departmental) OR be a Levine Scholar; OR have permission of the Honors College. To obtain permission please contact Colette Chenault at cchenaul@charlotte.edu.
“Intersections of Science and Technology” This course addresses some of the relationships between science and societies, including the cultures of science and how they relate to society, federal funding for science, public trust and mistrust of science, competition among scientists, using science to improve life, and some contemporary topics. The course will be conducted as a seminar. That means that we will discuss each week’s topics together. There will be times when I present additional material, but we will predominantly use a discussion format. This class will be held in Levine Hall 183 or 184. The instructor will communicate which room.
HONR 1511 - H72 (CRN#26358) Local Social Science: Mental Health & Higher Education (HONR) [New Gen Ed]
LBST 2214 - H72 (CRN#26364) Health & Quality of Life (HONR) [Old Gen Ed]
Tuesday and Thursday 4:00 pm - 5:15 pm
Denise Lynch

Must be enrolled in Honors (AAHP, BHP, UHP, or departmental) OR be a Levine Scholar; OR have permission of the Honors College. To obtain permission please contact Colette Chenault at cchenaul@charlotte.edu.
“Mental Health & Higher Education: Finding Balance” In this course, we will investigate some of the major mental health issues facing students in higher education, focusing on anxiety disorders and depressive disorders, and examine some of the issues that manifest as a result (e.g., imposter syndrome, perfectionism, fear of failure, etc.). To find the balance, we will learn effective strategies for managing these mental health concerns by participating in activities and assessments, as well as exploring local resources. Assignments will require regular attendance and active participation and will include discussions, reflections, research, and writing, as well as critiquing similarities and differences between current and historic research/approaches. This class will be held in Levine Hall 183 or 184. The instructor will communicate which room.
HONR 1512 - H73 (CRN#26369) Local Arts/Humanities: Race, Class, Education, and Culture in Today’s America (HONR) [New Gen Ed]
LBST 2101- H73 (CRN#26371) Western History & Culture (HONR) [Old Gen Ed]
Tuesday 11:30 am - 2:00 pm
Jordan Boyd

Must be enrolled in Honors (AAHP, BHP, UHP, or departmental) OR be a Levine Scholar; OR have permission of the Honors College. To obtain permission please contact Colette Chenault at cchenaul@charlotte.edu.
“Race, Class, Education, and Culture in Today’s America” In this course, students will study the concept of citizenship with an emphasis on the ways in which race, class, education, and culture act as key variables in the subject’s multifacetedness. An imperative element in this course can be found in its engagement component. This course will take place each Tuesday, with particular considerations of the University break schedule, for 2.5 hours on or off campus. During these class sessions, students will be expected to probe, challenge, and participate in various activities in the community surrounding UNC Charlotte in an effort to truly explore the interconnectedness of citizenship and service. Discussions, readings, and reflective journal entries will assist to bolster the historical, ethical, and sociopolitical foundations of citizenship and the issues such as poverty, educational opportunity, and social mobility. This class will be held in Levine Hall 183 or 184. The instructor will communicate which room.
MUSC 1512 - H74 (CRN#26956) Local Arts/Humanities: Music in US Communities (HONR) [New Gen Ed]
LBST 1103- H74 (CRN#26957)  Arts & Society: Music (HONR) [Old Gen Ed]
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 9:05 am - 9:55 am
Jay Grymes

Must be enrolled in Honors (AAHP, BHP, UHP, or departmental) OR be a Levine Scholar; OR have permission of the Honors College. To obtain permission please contact Colette Chenault at cchenaul@charlotte.edu.
"Music in US Communities" This course will be a survey of music from the United States ranging from roots and folk genres to popular music practices to classical works and the various cultural implications and historical significance attached to each. Students will walk away with an understanding of the country's musical history as well as the roles various regional traditions have played in shaping the American musical soundscape. This class will be held in Levine Hall 183 or 184. The instructor will communicate which room.
WRDS 2101 - H02 (CRN#25440) Advanced Writing & Research (HONR)
Monday and Wednesday 2:30 pm - 3:45 pm
Meaghan Rand

Must be enrolled in Honors (AAHP, BHP, UHP, or departmental) OR be a Levine Scholar; OR have permission of the Honors College. To obtain permission please contact Colette Chenault at cchenaul@charlotte.edu.
Provides strategies for writing in academic majors, across majors, and beyond graduation into professions and graduate school. Students build on their current knowledge, acquiring advanced research practices; engaging in critical analysis of professional materials in their field; learning to use grammar, mechanics, and textual conventions for appropriate media; and understanding and supporting arguments and claims with credible evidence. The focus is on how to transfer academic writing to students’ chosen profession or field. This honors section is especially designed for honors students who have placed out of WRDS 1103/1104 and want to continue to develop their writing.

Critical Thinking courses
CTCM 2530 - H75 (CRN#26372) Interdisciplinary Critical Thinking and Communication (HONR) [New Gen Ed]
LBST 2301 - H75 (CRN#22232) Critical Thinking & Comm (HONR) [Old Gen Ed]
Wednesday 2:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Mindy Adnot

Must be enrolled in Honors (AAHP, BHP, UHP, or departmental) OR be a Levine Scholar; OR have permission of the Honors College. To obtain permission please contact Colette Chenault at cchenaul@charlotte.edu.
“Labor, leisure, learning, and a good life” How do our work, play, rest and learning fit into a well-lived life? How might the time we devote to each vary across our lifetimes? In this interdisciplinary course, we will examine theory and empirical evidence from the fields of economics, education, sociology and philosophy to provide insight into these questions. Students will examine structures and systems in the United States that shape individuals’ choices regarding their time and will also engage in personal reflection about their own choices. This class will be held in Levine Hall 183 or 184. The instructor will communicate which room. Note that four of our sessions will occur at The Dubois Center in Uptown Charlotte so that we can learn from civic leaders in Charlotte about how they think about building a good life.
CTCM 2530 - H76 (CRN#26413) Interdisciplinary Critical Thinking and Communication (HONR) [New Gen Ed]
LBST 2301 - H76 (CRN#23187) Critical Thinking & Comm (HONR) [Old Gen Ed]
Monday and Wednesday 1:25 pm - 2:40 pm
Andrew Keener

Must be enrolled in Honors (AAHP, BHP, UHP, or departmental) OR be a Levine Scholar; OR have permission of the Honors College. To obtain permission please contact Colette Chenault at cchenaul@charlotte.edu.
"Identity, Belonging, and Citizenship" This course facilitates critical thinking and process-oriented communication on the subjects of identity, belonging, and community, by way of the forms - social forms, but also forms of speaking, writing, and artistic expression - that bring them into being. While providing chances for strengthened engagement with and deliberation about complex, community-relevant topics, this course also offers skill-building in evidence-based written argumentation, the exchange of helpful feedback, and purposeful intellectual inquiry - all in a way that will prepare students for future work in honors - principally, the senior capstone - and beyond. This class will be held in Levine Hall 183 or 184. The instructor will communicate which room.
CTCM 2530 - H77 (CRN#24619) Interdisciplinary Critical Thinking and Communication [New Gen Ed]
LBST 2301 - H77 (CRN#24530) Critical Thinking & Comm (HONR) [Old Gen Ed]
Thursday 2:30 pm - 5:15 pm
Malin Pereira

Must be enrolled in Honors (AAHP, BHP, UHP, or departmental) OR be a Levine Scholar; OR have permission of the Honors College. To obtain permission please contact Colette Chenault at cchenaul@charlotte.edu.
“Reading in Slow Motion” This course is based on an unusual course design (thanks, Richard E. Miller!) that intends to build lifelong deep-reading and critical thinking habits. You can learn more about it here.
There are five rules for the course:
1. There is only one book assigned (for us, a 2018 collection of essays by Zadie Smith, Feel Free, which won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Criticism);
2. The course meets once a week in a 3-hour time period (approximately);
3. Each week, the assigned reading is about 10-15 pages (before you get too excited, that means you will be expected to read deeply, plus, see #4 parenthetical aside, below);
4. Use of technology is not allowed in the classroom (but is expected outside the classroom in order to perform extensive inquiry into ideas/issues presented in the assigned essay reading);
5. The final research paper (15 pages) may be on anything except the assigned text. This will be a course driven by student interests prompted by the essays and by student inquiry (research), critical thinking, writing, and discussion about where this leads you.
This class will be held in Levine Hall 183 or 184. The instructor will communicate which room.

Upper Division elective courses
HONR 3700 - H01 (CRN#21611) Honors College Topics: City as TextTM International
Wednesday 2:30 pm - 5:15 pm
Abby Moore

Must be enrolled in Honors (AAHP, BHP, UHP, or departmental) OR be a Levine Scholar; OR have permission of the Honors College. To obtain permission please contact Colette Chenault at cchenaul@charlotte.edu.
This course embraces the City as TextTM approach to learning, a signature program of the National Collegiate Honors Council, in which the city becomes our laboratory and our classroom. Budapest, Hungary, and Vienna, Austria, will serve as our “class texts” and, by engaging fully with our surroundings, we will experience the culture of the destination through an immersive exploration of popular attractions and places off-the-beaten-path. This transformational experience offers students a deeper understanding of the global community while also strengthening the community of the honors students. This class will be held in Levine Hall 183 or 184. The instructor will communicate which room. REGISTRATION WILL OCCUR AFTER STUDENTS ARE ADMITTED TO THIS COURSE BY THE OFFICE OF EDUCATION ABROAD. TO APPLY, VISIT edabroad.charlotte.edu
HONR 3700 - H92 (CRN#21610) Honors College Topics: Four Key African American Figures: Douglass, King, X, and Obama
Monday 5:30 pm - 8:15 pm
Rich Leeman

Must be enrolled in Honors (AAHP, BHP, UHP, or departmental) OR be a Levine Scholar; OR have permission of the Honors College. To obtain permission please contact Colette Chenault at cchenaul@charlotte.edu.
This course will be focused on an intensive, interdisciplinary study of the work of four key figures in African American history. Students will mostly read primary source material, i.e. speeches, autobiographies, essays and/or articles about these figures. Some attention will also be paid to how these figures and their work have been popularized in media (e.g., the CBS documentary "The Hate that Hate Produced," Spike Lee's Malcolm X, etc.). The class will be discussion-focused and ask students to make careful, nuanced analyses of the rhetors and their times. This class will be held in Levine Hall 183 or 184. The instructor will communicate which room.
HONR 3700 - H03 (CRN#21588) Honors College Topics: Creativity and Creative Problem Solving
Tuesday and Thursday 10:00 am - 11:15 am
Cindy Gilson

Must be enrolled in Honors (AAHP, BHP, UHP, or departmental) OR be a Levine Scholar; OR have permission of the Honors College. To obtain permission please contact Colette Chenault at cchenaul@charlotte.edu.
This course introduces the concept of creativity and explores how it can facilitate student success in their future careers and professions across a variety of disciplines. Major topics include characteristics of creative individuals, theories/research about creativity, and strategies for thinking creatively. A key emphasis in the course is on the application of the Creative Problem Solving process to a student-selected real-world problem. This class will be held in Levine Hall 183 or 184. The instructor will communicate which room.
HONR 3700 - H04 (CRN#22217) Honors College Topics: Black Women Writing Nature and Environment
Tuesday and Thursday 8:30 am - 9:45 am
Janaka Lewis

Must be enrolled in Honors (AAHP, BHP, UHP, or departmental) OR be a Levine Scholar; OR have permission of the Honors College. To obtain permission please contact Colette Chenault at cchenaul@charlotte.edu.
This course will use literary texts, print and social media, study of and movement through natural spaces (including gardens and campus and community landscapes), and food stories and recipes to examine the relationships between womanist literature, healing and health and justice. We ask, what spaces promote wellness through land for the authors and their communities? How do they tell their stories (through oral, written, and digital narratives), and how do audiences connect to them as well? Students will read, research and write reflective essays, and create a print, multi-media or digital product based on course content. This class will be held in Levine Hall 183 or 184. The instructor will communicate which room.
HONR 3700 - H05 (CRN#23185) Honors College Topics: Constitutional Law: Principles and Policies
Thursday 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Delbridge Narron

Must be enrolled in Honors (AAHP, BHP, UHP, or departmental) OR be a Levine Scholar; OR have permission of the Honors College. To obtain permission please contact Colette Chenault at cchenaul@charlotte.edu.
This class is a survey of the Constitution of the United States. Students will read the Constitution in whole, following revisions and amendments through time. Using Erwin Chemerinsky’s ,Constitutional Law: Principles and Policies, 5th Edition as a text, the class will examine various constitutional topics to investigate the meaning of the Constitution, the various methods of interpretation that have been employed by the Supreme Court, and the current state of constitutional law with respect to various basic rights. This class will be held at The Dubois Center in Uptown Charlotte. Light rail transportation is free for students (exit at the 9th Street Station). Students with main campus parking that includes TDC can also park there. When possible, the class will visit the Mecklenburg County Courthouse to observe various aspects of our legal system.
HONR 3700 - H96 (CRN#26911) Honors College Topics: Interprofessional Approaches to Suicide Prevention
Monday 5:30 pm - 8:15 pm
Rob Cramer

Must be enrolled in Honors (AAHP, BHP, UHP, or departmental) OR be a Levine Scholar; OR have permission of the Honors College. To obtain permission please contact Colette Chenault at cchenaul@charlotte.edu.
Using readings and interactive case studies from health sciences, public health, law and psychology, the course addresses multi-level influences on suicide and its prevention. Topics covered include suicide prevention- related ethical issues, terminology, attitudes and social norms, vulnerable populations, risk/protective factors, and mental health services and public health approaches to suicide prevention.
HONR 3700 - H07 (CRN#26609) Honors College Topics: Britain's Layered Past
Friday 2:30 pm - 3:45 pm
Peter Thorsheim

Must be enrolled in Honors (AAHP, BHP, UHP, or departmental) OR be a Levine Scholar; OR have permission of the Honors College. To obtain permission please contact Colette Chenault at cchenaul@charlotte.edu.
This study abroad course will provide students with a framework for exploring the surprising ways in which the past exerts a tangible influence on twenty-first century Britain. Readings, lectures, and discussions will prepare students for observational and experiential learning opportunities at historical sites, archives, and museums in Edinburgh, London, and Oxford during Spring Break. All participants will be expected to read assignments materials, take part in course activities before, during, and after our travels, and submit a final project that draws on their travel experiences and reading. REGISTRATION WILL OCCUR AFTER STUDENTS ARE ADMITTED TO THIS COURSE BY THE OFFICE OF EDUCATION ABROAD. TO APPLY, VISIT edabroad.charlotte.edu

University Honors Program (UHP) only
HONR 3790 - H01 (CRN#24305) University Honors Program Senior Seminar
Wednesday 2:30 pm - 5:15 pm
Mindy Adnot

Must be enrolled in the University Honors Program.
Students in the University Honors Program (UHP) must complete an honors capstone project in order to graduate with University Honors. Students can satisfy this requirement by applying to a disciplinary honors program and completing a disciplinary capstone or thesis project (leading to dual honors; available for most majors on campus), or can complete their capstone project in UHP by completing HONR 3790 and HONR 3791. In HONR 3790, students will identify an interdisciplinary inquiry question, review the scholarly literature on their topic, select a faculty committee, and submit an application to candidacy to the Honors College. Upon successful completion of HONR 3790, students will continue to HONR 3791 to develop and lead a series of six seminars on their topic for incoming UHP students as their capstone project. Both courses provide opportunities for collaborative work with peers, group discussions, reflection, and feedback. This class will be held in Levine Hall 183 or 184. The instructor will communicate which room.

Recommended Courses (do not count as honors credit for UHP)
HONR 2720 - H01 (CRN#24301) Competitive Scholarship Workshop
Monday 11:15 am - 12:30 pm
Andrew Keener

This course welcomes students who are enrolled in Honors (AAHP, BHP, UHP, or departmental), OR are in the following Scholars programs: Albert, Freeman, Johnson, Levine, Martin. Additionally, non-honors students are welcome to request permission to register; to do so, please contact Colette Chenault at cchenaul@charlotte.edu.
This course provides students a supportive workshop environment for researching, developing, drafting, and revising written material towards nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships. At the beginning of the semester, students will select opportunities to apply for, and will work towards the submission of a complete application over the course of the semester. Assignments and topics covered may include resumes, personal statements, research statements, frequently-appearing short answer questions, establishing and sustaining connections with faculty, and tips and practice for interviewing. By the end of the course, students will have developed a set of application materials that will be relevant not only to a nationally competitive award, but also for internships, graduate programs, and jobs. This class will be held in Levine Hall 183 or 184. The instructor will communicate which room.
WRDS 1103 - H01 (CRN#22838) Writing and Inquiry In Academic Contexts I and II - Honors Restricted
Tuesday and Thursday 11:30 am - 12:45 pm
Bert Wray

Must be enrolled in Honors (AAHP, BHP, UHP, or departmental) OR be a Levine Scholar; OR have permission of the Honors College. To obtain permission please contact Colette Chenault at cchenaul@charlotte.edu.
Recommended honors writing section(s) for students needing WRDS 1103. Students write extensively as they explore literacy and writing. They engage critically with the opinions and voices of others while developing an extended inquiry project that integrates materials from varied sources and includes writing in multiple genres. Students write, revise, edit, and reflect on their writing with the support of the teacher and peers. Students also immerse themselves in a conversation about a topic through reading, questioning, and process writing. Students learn to distinguish rhetorical contexts, practice different conventions, and develop positions in relation to research. They also adopt digital technologies to network, compose, and/or critique and disseminate their work. Grades are derived primarily from portfolios that include work generated throughout the term.

Previous Course Listings

Curious about previous honors courses? The links below are to honors course listings from previous semesters. Some courses may be offered again in future semesters.