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Beginning Social Magic

Magic has been around for thousands of years. Rumor has it there are hieroglyphics of the cup and balls trick in ancient Egypt. Aside from trying to fool people, magic is a fun hobby and easy ice breaker. This class will meet for an hour once a week to go over some self-working and almost self-working tricks, along with flourishes and moves so that you can always be ready to amaze people with your skills in legerdemain.

Social Issues through Comics

Although many people think of comics as mindless entertainment, they have dealt with serious issues from the very beginning. This class will use specific comics to illustrate how social issues are examined, the influence of said comics, and an exploration of why and how this is handled in the industry. Issues to be explored include substance abuse, mental health issues, the impacts of war, and capitalism.

Modernism: Art & Literature

Changes to daily life and culture brought about by processes of industrialization and developments in science and technology caused Westerners’ perspectives and understandings about the self, society, and even the universe to dramatically shift during the 19th and 20th centuries. Emerging theories delving into the nature of human evolution and consciousness challenged the very fabric of long-held religious and cultural values, creating a sense of crisis (for some) and a spirit of liberation. Artists and writers responded to this rapidly changing world with a new sense of artistic freedom, creating novel forms of art and literature to evoke the spontaneity of modern life and reinvigorate approaches to lived experience, philosophy, and spirituality. This course will explore modern experiments in art and literature, considering the ways in which artists investigated perspective, perception, and representation to convey the spirit of modern life.

Internal View of a Vampire

Explore the mythical creature, the vampire. Pitch your ideas to medical professionals on how their bodies work.

Ethics & Soft Skills for STEM and Business Careers 

This seminar will explore a variety of topics in ethics and soft skills, equipping students for success in STEM fields and business. Research indicates that developing these skills and ethical values early on enhances the marketability and career success of young individuals. The lectures, presentations, and workshops have been crafted drawing from selected chapters of key texts to support this objective. 

Ethical Use of AI

This 1-hour online honors seminar will explore the rapidly evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education and the workforce. As AI capabilities advance, ethical questions about their appropriate use in teaching, learning, research, and professional domains are raised. We will examine and debate key ethical issues surrounding AI, including privacy, bias, transparency, accountability, and the impact on human labor. Emphasis will be placed on critical thinking, moral reasoning, and formulating guidelines for the ethical development and deployment of AI across academia and the workforce. By the end of this seminar, students will be able to articulate the major ethical concerns around AI, analyze differing viewpoints, and propose principled frameworks to uphold human values.    

Law & Orders:  Justice and Injustice Across the World 

This course investigates concepts and practices of law, justice, and injustice across the world. Students learn about and critique different approaches to legal systems, as well as concepts of justice, norms, punishment, and rehabilitation. Students engage with ethnographic cases studies - ranging from non-Western religious communities to totalitarian and socialist systems, that explain how different types of societies configure power, maintain order, and react to violation of law . Students also learn about cultural movements and transcultural legal concepts such as human rights that attempt to reform the legal systems.  

HNRS 4364-02

Leadership Theories in Contemporary Films 

Throughout human history, leadership theories, principles, styles, and practices have been reflected and shared through vivid, relevant, and engaging storytelling. Contemporary films are an excellent medium for sharing experiences, lessons, and virtues highly valued in society. This course seeks to facilitate the analysis of leadership styles as applied through contemporary films. Students will explore new experiences, viewpoints, concepts, and lifestyles often different from their own and apply leadership concepts as they relate to the selected class films. Topics will include leadership ethical dilemmas, personal conflict, organizational conflict, crisis management, influence, motivations, and communication, among other issues. 

HNRS 4364-03

National Model UN