Honors Courses

From art history to international studies, from biology to psychology, Honors Carolina offers more than 160 Honors courses each year that encompass virtually every discipline in the College of Arts & Sciences.

The courses below provide a few examples of what Honors Carolina has to offer:

Medicine, Literature, and Culture

Professor Jane Thraikill
From Dr. Frankenstein’s realization that he had indeed created a monster, to the savvy detection work of Dr. Gregory House on the popular FOX television show, tales of mysterious patients and canny doctors have captivated audiences for centuries. Explore what these stories tell us about our culture, our history, and the experience of being human.

Computational Genetics

Professor Todd Vision
Get a taste of independent research — and hone your scientific writing and presentation skills — while examining computational approaches to problems in one of the most information-rich sub-fields of biology: genetics and genomics. Designed for students with an affinity for mathematical puzzles and programming, this seminar explores topics such as global patterns of gene expression and genetic mapping.

International Migration

Professor Niklaus Steiner
While the global movement of products, services, ideas, and information is increasingly free, the migration of people across borders remains tightly controlled. This course explores moral, economic, political, and cultural issues, paying particular attention to the distinction between migrants who move voluntarily and those who are forced to flee.

The World of the Beat Generation: Transcultural Connections

Professor Hassan Melehy
Study the work of prominent authors of the post-WWII Beat Generation, including Jack Kerouac, William S. Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, and Jean Genet, through literary analysis and archival research. This course examines the sources the authors drew on and the reception their work received in a number of countries.

The Geometry of Nature

Professor Sue Goodman
Many natural objects have complex, infinitely detailed shapes in which we see smaller versions of the whole shape appearing throughout. These shapes, known as fractals, appear on everything from fern leaves and mountainous landscapes to our heart rhythms and the ups and downs of the stock market. This course examines the basic geometric properties of fractals and teaches students how to design and analyze them, study their occurrence in a variety of applications, and explore their relation to chaos theory.

Click here to see a complete list of current Honors Carolina courses.