Honors Classes

Screams echo through the starless night. Terrifying otherworldly beings threaten to unravel humanity’s existence. From Edgar Allan Poe to the pulp magazines of the early 20th century (and beyond!), weird fiction gripped and haunted readers throughout the United States. From the pages of said magazines, the “big three of Weird [Tales]”—Clark Ashton Smith, Howard Phillips Lovecraft, and Robert E. Howard—created and cultivated obscure, monolithic worlds which perpetually threatened to unleash horror upon humankind. The imaginative monstrosities, spectacular civilizations, and hideous pantheons—created by Smith, Lovecraft and Howard—are still explored and utilized as inspiration within culture today.

This course explores the legacy of the worlds that Smith, Lovecraft, and Howard cultivated alongside their individual contributions. Readings will include a curated selection of “the big three’s” most influential publications. We will explore the lives of each author, individual legacies, estate copyright issues and their influence on modern authors and filmmakers. As no writer exists in a vacuum, selections by contemporary authors during the early 1900s will be read. Modern films such as Alien (1979), Blade (1998), Cabin in the Woods (2011), Evil Dead  II: Dead By Dawn (1987), The Thing (1982), and The Mist (2007)—all influenced by “the big three”—will be screened, along with others influenced by early weird fiction authors. We will examine how modern weird fiction authors are addressing problematic historical aspects of the “big three’s” legacies and the genre of weird fiction.

Mysterious cults, lost cities, the Necronomicon, and terrifying otherworldly beings—aliens/monster lurking before the dawn of humanity—await those who sign up for this course. Our class will encounter them together, for there is safety in numbers . . . isn’t there?

GH 101 "Classical Cultures of Greece and Rome" introduces students to the foundational cultures of the western world in the context of how these ancient cultures continue to influence our modern world and our individual lives. Course assignments are also designed to enhance students’ ability to demonstrate their own learning and thought at a university level – in seminar discussions, creative projects, and writing assignments, as well as exams.

This course will explore the history and culture of the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop roleplaying game system. Attention will be paid to its origins in literary and cultural traditions; the history, editions, and mechanics of the game itself; its impact on popular media and culture, as well as other game systems; and the concept of worldbuilding both within and beyond D&D.

Explore the hidden forces shaping prices in our everyday lives. Dive into the world of market power and discover how businesses shape what we pay, learn why some prices stay steady while others soar, and explore real-world examples of how economic forces impact the cost of goods and services across industries. Through engaging case studies and interactive simulations, gain valuable insights into the complex dynamics driving prices in today's economy.

This course is designed not to create leaders, rather to help anyone recognize leadership opportunities and how to approach those events. We will meet twice each week, the first class on Tuesday will introduce you to a new idea about leadership, the next class on Thursday will show how that idea plays out in your world. Our goal is to get students thinking about leadership in a way they never have in the past. If it leads to some wanting to become leaders of organizations in the future, so be it. However, the good stuff happens when students walk away with a better idea of what leadership really is, recognizing when someone is trying to do it, and becoming more confident in approaching opportunities to do leadership stuff.

This course will examine process of ethical decision making through reflection and discussion of philosophical dilemmas presented on the Twilight Zone television show. Ethics is not merely what is good or what bad, virtue and vice, but often requires decisions of the greater good or lesser evil. The course will introduce students to great thinkers in the field of moral philosophy and explore topics such as honesty, loyalty, love, and faithfulness, as well as narcissism, prejudice, and vanity.

In 1982, Americans were treated to a summer of blockbusters and future classics unlike any other time in cinema history. Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan, Blade Runner, E.T., The Thing, Tron, Officer and a Gentleman, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and a host of other movies cemented their place in cinema history and became a cultural rallying point for a generation.

The early 1980s were a time of change in America. Ronald Reagan created policy shifts from the Carter administration concerning the Soviet Union. The Doomsday Clock ticked closer to midnight. Video arcades, packed with quarter-laden gamers, enjoyed a golden age. Movie theaters were crammed into shopping malls, adding more screens, seats, and choices. Hollywood forces created 1982’s summer of blockbusters and left a legacy stretching through modern day. This course investigates why the summer of 1982 is so influential on present-day American film and popular culture.

We will view selected films from the summer of 1982—in order of release—and investigate themes within. With targeted readings, the class will look at 1982 America through a cultural lens to see how politics, technological innovation, attitudes toward education, concepts of masculinity, exile, and working class struggle connected a summer of blockbuster films with the American public.

Androids, aliens, Conan, Khan, and Jeff Spicoli left their mark on America and we are going to find out why.

Generations are cyclical – they come and go, and the movement is circular with each one shaping the world for the next. All generations - Silents, Millenials, Zoomers, Gen X, and Boomers - are defined by the prevailing cultural moments, global events, and technological advances in which they are immersed as they come of age.  In this course, we will look at how generations come to be: What is the nature of groups of people, and what are the pivotal elements that form the attitudes, preferences, and characteristics of groups who share a common stretch of years?  What are these defining generational characteristics, and are our perceptions of different generations even accurate?  Are these defining generational attitudes, lifestyles, technology, and world events more powerful than other demographic factors that bind groups (socio-economic status, education, race, gender, ethnicity, culture)? And if the times and conditions shaping our lives are so relevant, yet so different across generations, why do some of us sometimes feel like “old souls”? One goal of the course will be to explore how we can live, work, govern, and otherwise inhabit the world together to make it a better place through a better understanding of ourselves and others.

This course examines how competitions, including sports and other games, have evolved and impact individuals, culture, and society. It is a hands-on course that promotes critical thinking, discussion, and consideration of ethical and moral dilemmas presented in the creation, production, and participation of competition and games. Athletic, board, card, and digital games will be explored, as well as literature related to competition and games.