Fall 2003 Honors Courses

Fall 2003 Registration Information

BIO 321  Impact of Science on Medicine/Honors
CHE 109  Honors General Chemistry/Honors
ETS 115 British Literary History: Figure of the Romantic Poet/Honors
ETS 181 Class and Literary Texts/Honors
FIA 105  Arts and Ideas/Honors
FRE 201  French III/Honors
GEO 219  American Diversity and Unity/Honors
HNR 240   Survey of Asian Art/Honors
HNR 250 Darwin and the History of Evolutionary Theory
HNR 340 Beautiful Minds/Honors
HST 210  The Ancient World/Honors
HST 221  Social History of American Education/Honors - cancelled
ITA 101  Italian I/Honors
MAX 123  Critical Issues for the United States/Honors
MAX 132  Global Community/Honors
NEU 211  Introduction to Neuroscience/Honors
PAF 101  Introduction to Analysis of Public Policy/Honors
PHI 109  Introduction to Philosophy/Honors
PHI 209 Introduction to Moral Philosophy
PSC 139  International Relations/Honors
PSY 209  Foundations of Human Behavior/Honors
PSY 315  Drugs and Human Behavior/Honors
SPA 101  Intensive Spanish I/Honors - cancelled
SPA 102  Intensive Spanish II/Honors - cancelled
SPA 201  Intensive Spanish III/Honors
WRT 109  Writing Studio I/Honors
 

For courses that have honors discussion sections, honors students should register both for the lecture and for the honors discussion section, unless otherwise indicated.

BIO 321  Impact of Science on Medicine/Honors
3 credits
Honors section M001:  TTh 1:00-2:20, 201 BRL, #20668
Professor Richard Levy

In this course, we will examine how technology and culture affect the practice of medicine -- how they affect our thinking about illness and disease and the relationship between patient and physician; and how they determine the education of today's physicians.  We will examine critically the prevailing model of Western medicine, the biomedical model, as well as other models that have challenged its basic premises.

The course is not concerned with transmitting facts so much as stimulating reflection.  Students are expected to read extensively -- 5 books and about 30 articles -- and to come to class prepared to engage in a probing discussion about those readings.  The class format is almost entirely discussion.  Students will do a substantial amount of writing including 4 short papers and one long one.  There are no examinations.  The evaluation of students will emphasize critical thinking and reflection, both in their written work and in their discussions in class.

Textbooks will include:  Medicine and the Reign of Technology by Stanley Joel Reiser; To Do No Harm:  DES and the Dilemma of Modern Medicine by Roberta J. Apfle and Susan M. Fisher; Medicine as a Human Experience by David E. Reiser and David H. Rosen; Healing from the Heart by Mehmet Oz; Worse than the Disease: Pitfalls of Medical Progress by Diana B. Dutton.

This course will be particularly useful to pre-medical students but should be of interest to anyone who is concerned about the role of science, medicine, and technology in contemporary society.

This is the first half of a general chemistry course for students with strong science interests.  The emphasis is on quantitative, physical and inorganic chemistry, with reference to application in current research.  Students should register for this Honors course and an Honors lab.  The course is worth four credits including lab.  High-school courses in chemistry and introductory calculus recommended, but not required.

An introduction to chemical laboratory techniques.  Experiments are designed to provide an understanding of physical measurements of chemical systems.  Topics include surface tension and viscosity, molecular weight determination, polymer synthesis, thermodynamics of gases and solutions, chemical equilibrium, biochemical isolation and molecular absorption spectroscopy.  General principles underlying the experiments are emphasized.

How does a culture come to define what counts as "literary"? How does a span of time come to seem like a "period," and what roles can texts like poems and novels play in constructing the sense of a "period"? What kinds of ideological investments determine how a culture answers-even, poses-these questions? Ostensibly, this course introduces you to a period of British literary history, the Romantic Period (1789-1832). But it does so by examining how writers in and after that period constructed an artistic and political figure, the "Romantic Poet," that ended up making the period seem like a period. In other words, this is a course in a literary historical period, but its object of study is the Romantic Poet, the male figure that lay at the center of the period's struggles both over what counts as "literary" and over what counts as "historical" difference.

Specifically, we will examine: how the men that many generations of literary historians classified as "The Romantic Poets" (Blake, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Scott, Southey, Byron, Keats, Shelley) represent the figure of the poet and their own vocations as poets in their poetry; how women poets writing in the same period represent their own work as poets in their poetry, as well as how they represent that work's relationship to what their male contemporaries are doing; and, finally, how novelists (Mary Shelley, Lady Caroline Lamb, Thomas Love Peacock) and essayists (William Hazlitt, Thomas De Quincey) in the period deploy, critique and construct the figure of the Romantic Poet in their writings. We will be doing all of this with an eye towards understanding how, even today, the figure of the Romantic Poet has come to stand in for the Romantic Period.

This honors course examines U.S. literary texts drawn from two decades-the twenties and thirties-in which questions of class and culture gained unprecedented prominence in national, and intellectual, life. We will read literary texts in the context of Karl Marx's and Pierre Bourdieu's theories of capital, paying close attention to their accounts of the differing ways in which the unequal acquisition of "economic capital" has affected the working-class in the sphere of production, and the unequal acquisition of "cultural capital" has affected the working-class in the sphere of consumption. We will also read historical accounts of class-based cultural struggles waged in the early part of this century in both spheres. As we turn to literature, we will study how U.S. literary texts represent class-based cultural divisions as they intersect with and engage other social divisions organized along lines of gender, race, ethnicity, and national identity. Throughout the course, we will pay particular attention to our texts' ambivalent and unstable representations of the education system and of literature itself as they serve to maintain and/or critique U.S. class divisions. Students will be expected to participate fully in class discussion and to conduct modest research projects on their own for class presentation.

Possible texts include: Jack Conroy's The Disinherited, F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, Nella Larsen's Quicksand, Tillie Olsen's Yonnondio and Richard Wright's Uncle Tom's Children.

FIA 105  Arts and Ideas/Honors
3 credits
Honors section M018: MW 3:00-4:45, 418 Bowne,  #12454
Professor Sandra Chai

FIA 105 is a survey of key concepts and works of architecture, sculpture, and painting from the prehistoric period through the sixteenth century.  Emphasis is on art as a reflection of its historical context.  Art as aesthetic object will also be considered.  Works of music and literature that parallel major developments in art will be briefly considered. A visit to relevant exhibitions or concerts may be recommended or required.  There will be one or more group excursions (TBA) on or off campus.

Although each class combines lecture and discussion, no one is pressured to speak.  Discussion and questions are encouraged on a voluntary basis.  There will be three equally weighted tests during the semester, as well as one "formal" writing assignment, and regular short, informal, written homework assignments that will serve as the basis for discussions.  Because the class is long, there will be a break after forty-five minutes or so.

This high-intermediate level class reinforces intermediate level skills in listening, reading, writing, and speaking while moving students towards the advanced level of proficiency. All essential language structures are reviewed and recycled. Authentic texts, both literary and informational, and sophisticated cultural materials serve as the context. Class activities are interactive and conducted in French.

Discussion of the ethnic and racial interactions which influenced American culture's present form, both visible [i.e., landscape] and invisible.  Study of contemporary sociocultural changes in three regions:  the Frontier/the West/Alaska; Southern California; the South.

The survey of Asian Art will cover major masterpieces of Indian, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese Art from prehistoric times to the present, bringing these ancient and traditional works "up to date" in the latter part of the course by considering both their relevance to the work of contemporary Asian artists as well as their influence on modern and contemporary artists in the West.  The French were among the first to appreciate Asian art-as evidenced by 18th-century chinoiserie and 19th-century japonisme.  The course will also consider the differences between Eastern and Western aesthetics.  There may be a day trip to Cornell University's Johnson Museum.  (Note that HNR 240 is a new course number on the Basic List in the Humanities in the Liberal Arts Core.)

This course will examine from an evolutionary scientist's perspective the life and work of Charles Darwin.  Introductory lectures will include a biographical summary of Darwin's life and discussion of evolutionary theory during pre-Darwinian time, with emphasis on the first half of the nineteenth century.  Thereafter, the course will concentrate on the written work of Darwin.  Readings include On the Origin of the Species and excerpts from The Descent of Man, Voyage of the H.M.S. Beagle, and Darwin's scientific correspondence and notebooks.  The final segment will be an examination of Darwin's unique contributions to evolutionary theory, as judged by his nineteenth century colleagues (e.g. Huxley, Hooker) and by modern evolutionists.  Prerequisite:  Biology AP, Biology 121-123, or Geology 101-102.  (Note that HNR 250 is a new course number on the Basic List in the Sciences in the Liberal Arts Core.)

This seminar takes its title from Sylvia Nasar's acclaimed book about John Nash:  A Beautiful Mind.  The focus will be on the characteristics of the human mind in general and on the works and lives of selected persons with surpassingly powerful intellects.  We will read and discuss Nasar's book and several others.  Participants will write at least two essays and make one formal presentation.  Sylvia Nasar will join the class for one session in October.   (Note that HNR 340 is a new course number on the Basic List in the Humanities in the Liberal Arts Core.)

This course surveys the history of the ancient Mediterranean and Near East, and explores the classical roots of modern civilization. We will begin with the first civilizations of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, the roots of western religion in ancient Israel; then proceed through the Bronze Age, archaic and classical Greece, the Persian wars, the trial of Socrates, the conquests of Alexander the Great, the Hellenistic world, the rise of Rome, and end with the fall of the Roman Empire and the coming of Christianity. The course will treat political, social, cultural, religious and intellectual history. We will focus on issues that the ancients themselves considered important - good and bad government, the duties of citizens and the powers of kings and tyrants - but we will also examine those who were marginalized by the Greeks and Romans: women, slaves, so-called "barbarians." The course will emphasize reading and discussion of primary sources, in order to provide a window into the thought-worlds and value systems of past societies.

This course counts as Humanities Basic List and is also Writing-Intensive.  It may be combined with either HST 211 or HST 212 to form a sequence for purposes of Liberal Arts Core requirements and also for the History Major.

The Honors Section will meet for two hours a week (in addition to two hours of lecture) and will require more active participation and engagement from students.  Honors students will have some additional reading, covering both primary sources and major historiographical debates.  They will spend the last month of the course working on a research paper (15-20pp), the topic chosen in consultation with instructor. syllabus for course   syllabus for honors section

This course investigates the institutions assigned to carry out the tasks of education as the economic and social orders and the population changed.  It will also assess the social and economic consequences of American educational choices and consider whether education is an independent or dependent force in society.  There is no required textbook.  Students will read original sources and historical interpretations.

This is an introductory course for students with no functional ability in Italian, recommended for students who have previously studied a foreign language other than Italian.  In this proficiency-based course, there will be ample opportunity to accelerate the acquisition of listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills.  Class activities are communicative and interactive and conducted in Italian.  Video and multi-media computer work are an integral part of this course.

The course is highly structured.  Class attendance is obligatory, and there is a two-hours per week lab requirement.  Testing consists of unannounced quizzes, chapter tests, a written and oral midterm, and a final.

This is an interdisciplinary, team-taught course that focuses on fundamental questions in American democracy.  What is fair in a society dedicated to the equality of citizens?  How can we effectively achieve the greatest good for the greatest number?  How do we understand the relations between equality, liberty, and freedom?  How do we adjust traditional concerns to accommodate for changing imperatives?  How do we preserve the inheritance of the future while enjoying the present?  In other words, what does it mean to be a citizen, both in terms of rights and responsibilities, and the creation of good public policy?  These questions press upon us today, but they also rest on deep historical traditions that demand our attention.

Our method of engagement will rely in part on case studies, a well-established tool for learning and policy exploration.  Civic participation, education, and the economy are the central topics we will explore.  Our primary resources will consist of readings of three major types:  those that delineate the cases and their issues; more general explorations of the policy areas; and broader theoretical and philosophical reflections.

MAX 123 is a required course for the Policy Studies major.  More information is available on the web.

MAX 123 and MAX 132 may be counted toward the Arts and Sciences Core Curriculum divisional requirement in the Social Sciences.  These courses may be taken in sequence (either course may be taken first), or with other courses as listed in the Core Guidebook under Interdepartmental Sequences in the Social Sciences.  Both courses also meet the Writing Intensive and Critical Reflections requirements.

The four-unit course is designed to help students become informed about globalization and its consequences. The first begins with a general look at globalization and how it seems to be reshaping our world, then continues with an examination of the free trade notion that is so much at the center of disputes surrounding globalization. The other three units vary each year. They may include globalization's impacts on everyday life, as represented by the workplace, domestic arrangements, and consumption habits; how globalization has generated responses that favor both wider political unity and disunity; and why globalization has spawned protest movements and how they in turn use it to their advantage.

MAX 132 is a required course for the International Relations major.  More information is available on the web.

MAX 123 and MAX 132 may be counted toward the Arts and Sciences Core Curriculum divisional requirement in the Social Sciences.  These courses may be taken in sequence (either course may be taken first), or with other courses as listed in the Core Guidebook under Interdepartmental Sequences in the Social Sciences.  Both courses also meet the Writing Intensive and Critical Reflections requirements.

NEU 211  Introduction to Neuroscience/Honors
3 credits
Section M002: TTh 2:30-3:50 in 105 Link and TTh 4:00-5:00 in 105 Link, #17959
Professor Steven Chamberlain

This course will explore foundations of neurobiology beginning with cellular neurobiology, moving on to integrative systems and ending with higher brain functions. Emphasis will be on understanding of nervous system operation through lectures, discussion and demonstrations.  We will explore such questions as:  Can dogs see color?  Is there a cure for jet lag?  Can computers replace brains?  What causes a migraine headache?  Why are more men color blind than women?  Can you view the inside of the human brain as it works?  Do cats see better than you do?  Why does a bird change its song?  Is your eye like a camera?  Prerequisite:  high school biology and chemistry.

This course will focus on techniques widely used by government, business, and public communications to evaluate public policy as well as their application to a problem area selected from research activities of Syracuse faculty in social sciences and professional schools.  The Honors section will identify problems on campus and in the community and apply the skills in the course to ameliorate those problems.  They will complete the written work required for the non-honors portion of the course.  Work in the Honors section will include participation in the weekly meeting and working on action projects outside of class.

This will be a topical introduction to philosophy:  we will learn what a philosophical problem is, and what methods philosophers use to solve such problems, by attempting to answer several (three or four) philosophical questions.  The approach will be analytical rather than historical:  we'll be focused more on the truth of the matter than on what X, Y, or Z said about it.  Possible topics include:  personal identity over time, the mind-body problem, the existence of God, skepticism about the external world, and time-travel.

This course will consider problems of social morality such as abortion and world hunger, personal moral issues such as bitterness and self-respect, as well as perennial moral questions concerning death and the meaning of life.  These topics will be discussed in the context of alternative moral theories.  In addition to two major writing assignments, there will be brief, in-class writing exercises to test reading comprehension and to develop skills of argument analysis.  Tuesdays will be devoted primarily to lectures by the professor. Student presentations, in which both sides of an issue are considered, will begin class discussions on Thursdays.  This course is the honors equivalent of PHI 191.

This course introduces students to the theory and practice of international politics.  In part one, we will explore a number of perennial debates concerning the role of power, order, and ethics in international relations.  In part two, we will look at global changes currently under way from a host of conventional and non-conventional approaches.  This will range from a radical critique of U.S. foreign policy to a primer on how to prepare for the twenty-first century.  Some of the questions we will entertain in this course are as follows:  How is order maintained in the contemporary nation-state based system?  Who benefits from it?  Are there any desirable and feasible alternatives to the present system?  Where (if at all) do norms for moral behavior fit in the relations among states?  Can the nation-states deal in an efficacious manner with present and emerging global economic forces and trends?  Will the global economy homogenize the world in the next century?

This course fulfills the introductory requirements for all additional coursework in psychology.  It is designed to give the student a comprehensive overview of the field of psychology, and will cover some of the following topics:  history of psychology, the human nervous system, learning and conditioning, emotion and motivation, developmental psychology, social psychology, perception, personality, and diagnosis and treatment of behavior disorders.  Course will include discussion and field-based observation.

This course is about drugs that affect behavior.  Everything about those drugs--their history, mechanisms of action, their effects on the nervous system, their uses and abuses, their objective and subjective effects, their short- and long-term effects, and their side effects--is covered.  These drugs include chemicals like alcohol, sedatives, minor and major tranquilizers, stimulants, narcotic analgesics, and hallucinogens.  The honors discussion group participates in individualized topical research projects.

This is an introductory course for students with no functional ability in Spanish, recommended for students who have previously studied a foreign language, other than Spanish.  In this proficiency based course, there will be ample opportunity to accelerate the acquisition of listening, reading, writing and speaking skills.  Class activities are communicative and interactive and conducted in Spanish.  Video and multi-media computer work are an integral part of this course.

This is a continuing course for students who have successfully completed SPA 101 or students with several years of high school study of Spanish.  Small class size provides for ample opportunity to develop and reinforce listening, reading, writing and speaking skills at the Intermediate level.  Class activities are communicative and interactive and conducted in Spanish.  Video and multi-media computer work are an integral part of this course.

This is an intermediate level class which reinforces intermediate level skills in listening, reading, writing and speaking while moving students towards the Advanced level of proficiency.  All essential language structures are reviewed and recycled.  Authentic texts, both literary and informational, and sophisticated cultural materials serve as the context.  Class activities are communicative and interactive and conducted in Spanish.  Video and multi-media computer work are an integral part of this course.

This course is the Honors equivalent of Studio 1.  Student writers investigate and design writing processes and practice an array of informal writing strategies that strengthen learning and composing.  They sharpen their critical edges as readers, writers, and thinkers.  The studio classroom forms an active intellectual community collaboratively pursuing a common topic of inquiry by unraveling complex texts, arguing relevant issues, and researching key problems.  Born out of this work is students' keen sense of themselves as developing writers within the University, writers who are skilled at assessing and revising their writing both in and outside the studio classroom.