����

ANTH 2100-880: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
Kate Fischer
This course is an introduction to the discipline of cultural anthropology and the substantive issues, methods, and concepts of the discipline. Cultural anthropology is the study of how human beings organize their lives as members of society, and the ways in which they make their lives meaningful as cultural individuals. This field of study involves encountering, interpreting, and communicating about the human situation in all its variety. Cultural anthropology is a vast discipline with far reaching objectives. Cultural anthropologists study and apply their expertise to many problems worldwide. While we cannot possibly cover the breadth and depth of the discipline during one semester, this course will offer an appreciation and understanding of culture and different ways of thinking about the diversity we encounter in our everyday lives. Therefore, the primary goal of this course is to provide you with the ability to apply an anthropological perspective to understanding how people are influenced by and are part of the historical, social, economic, ecological, and political processes that occur across the globe. It is my hope that this course will instill in you a sense of curiosity about people and cultures around the world, provide you with a set of tools for understanding difference, and offer you a deeper insight into your own experience as a cultural being.

ANTH 3110-880: Ethnography of Mexico and Central America
Kate Fischer
This course provides an ethnographic survey of Mexico and Central America, from the pre-Conquest period to the present day. We will highlight the diversity of cultures in Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, and El Salvador through an examination of ethnographic examples and texts and will discuss historical contexts influencing the region. We will explore the intersection of contemporary issues on the macro-level (e.g., neoliberalism, U.S. foreign policy, migration, revolution, gender and sexuality, class, and race) and the micro-level (i.e., everyday experiences of peoples of the region) by reading a number of books and some scholarly articles. ��In addition to gaining a better understanding of the region, you will learn how to read, interpret, and critique ethnographies and ethnographic methods.

����Classics
Back to course list

CLAS 1509-880:��Trash and Treasure, Temples and Tombs: Art & Archaeology of the Ancient World (large class with Honors recitation)*
Beth Dusinberre
Trash & Treasure, Temples & Tombs introduces the art and archaeology of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, and Rome, exploring different approaches to identity, power, religion, death, and the human body. Different types of evidence offer information about different aspects of ancient societies: trash, the stuff of archaeology, shows us as much about how people really lived as monumental architecture or public art does about how they wished to portray themselves.

This class is engaged with cultural issues and sources of evidence that involve history, art history and archaeology, religion, philosophy, and ancient languages and literatures. By delving into the ancient past, Trash & Treasure offers essential approaches to addressing pressing questions of our times.

This is my favorite class!!! The Honors version of it means you will come to lecture twice a week along with everyone else, and then on Wednesday afternoons we get to meet separately in a small discussion group to dive deeply into the questions and issues the class is exploring overall. It means I get to know you as people as well as scholars, and we get to work together to reach new levels of understanding and inquiry. This is the most fun and most challenging class I get to teach, and working with Honors students in our proseminar is regularly among the most rewarding teaching and learning experiences I have at CU. It allows for robust and exciting discussion, energetic game-playing and skills acquisition, searching inquiry and development, and one-on-one advising and mentoring. I look forward to meeting you and working together in the fall! ��Check out the flyer for CLAS 1509 here

*Please note:�� Our CLAS offerings are in a larger setting for the main course (CLAS 1509-880), and the recitation is taught by the professor instead of a Teaching Assistant (CLAS 1509-881).�� The recitations are limited to 17 students in the traditional discussion-based Honors class style.

����Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Back to course list

EBIO 1220: General Biology 2 (sections 880 & 881)
Robert Buchwald
Are humans currently evolving? Should you be concerned about eating genetically modified plants? What, exactly, is a cephalopod? We will answer all these questions and more in EBIO 1220 – a concentrated introduction to evolution, the diversity of life, and ecology & conservation biology. As an honors class, we will also incorporate several outside readings, critical thinking exercises and presentations, such as “Biology in the News,” “Nutrition Myths, Truths & Quackery,” and “Natural Selection Misconceptions.” This course is intended for EBIO (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology) majors, other science majors (such as Psychology, Kinesiology, Biochemistry, etc.), as well as other majors for which biology is a requirement. EBIO 1240 (laboratory) is a co-requirement for potential EBIO majors and as specified by your particular major (please see your departmental advisor if you have questions). Students who simply need to satisfy the Natural Sciences core requirement should consider taking EBIO 1030, 1040, & 1050, “Biology—a Human Approach,” which are lecture/lab courses for non-Biology majors. If you have questions about this, please see me or your departmental advisor. Although it is not a pre-requisite, this course assumes that you have taken EBIO 1210 or its equivalent, since lectures in EBIO 1220 often rely on knowledge gained from EBIO 1210. If you have not taken EBIO 1210 or the equivalent or are concerned about your background, please see me.

EBIO 2070-880: Genetics: Molecules to Populations
Robert Buchwald
Is my personality dictated by my DNA? How does DNA code for our anatomy and physiology? What is CRISPR and how scared should I be about a future with DNA editing? We will answer all these questions and more in EBIO 2070 – Genetics: Molecules to Populations. This four-hour course comprises both a lecture and recitation. As an honors class, we will also incorporate several outside readings, podcasts and videos, critical thinking exercises, clicker-style assessments, and multiple in-class presentations. We will cover principles of genetics and developmental biology at levels of molecules, cellular organelles, individuals and populations; asexual and sexual life cycles; and heredity. Recitations allow for discussion of genetics problems and implications of genetic principles and provide demonstrations and simulations of genetic processes.

EBIO 4940-880 & 881: ��Honors Thesis Writing for Science Majors
Stephanie Renfrow
In this course, you will plan, write, and edit an Honors thesis based on your Honors science research project. The thesis will follow classic scientific format and genre- and discipline-specific expectations. Following the conclusion of the thesis defense, we will continue to extend course writing into areas that will support you in persuading potential employers or graduate programs of your ability to evaluate, communicate, and complete scientific research. The central goal of the course is to help you identify your strengths and challenges as a scientific writer; our learning community will work with you to improve your confidence as a communicator and your ability to write like a professional researcher. ��This class fulfills the upper-division writing General Education requirement.

EBIO 4940 requires permission to enroll; you cannot enroll yourself. ��If you're interested in taking this class, please so that we can get a feel for what your project is like, and confirm it's a good fit for the class. EBIO students will receive priority to enroll, but other majors are eligible, depending on the project. You should take the class the semester you plan to write the majority of your Honors thesis; in most cases, this will be the semester you defend. ��Questions? ��Professor Renfrow can be reached here: ��stephanie.renfrow@Colorado.EDU��

����English
Back to course list

����Geography
Back to course list

GEOG 3251-880: Mountain Geosystems
Gretchen Lang
"The earth's crust has not yet stopped heaving and plunging under our feet. Mountain ranges are still being thrust up on the horizon. Granites are still growing under the continental masses. Nor has the organic world ceased to produce new buds at the tips of its countless branches." ~ Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

"I have been in Sorrow's kitchen and licked out all the pots. Then I have stood on the peaky mountain wrapped in rainbows, with a harp and sword in my hands." ~ Zora Neale Hurston��

These quotes capture the interconnectedness of two human relationships to mountains: the exhilaration, fascination, and awe that draws us to them; and the geological, atmospheric, and oceanic dynamics that gave birth to and continue to shape mountain systems and their inhabitants. Rather than try to divide the study of mountains into separate spheres of social and natural science, this course uses a geographical lens to look at the dance between them.

You’ll learn how mountains form and change; how people inhabit and explore them; how these patterns are altering, particularly in the context of climate change; and how our choices and decisions now are crucial to a just and livable future for both humans and non-humans in mountain environments. The class is discussion-based, and draws on mini-lectures and a variety of media – readings, films, podcasts, music and more – to launch those discussions.

GEOG 3742-880: Place, Power, and Contemporary Culture
Abby Hickcox
This course takes a geographic approach to place, power, and culture, examining different ways to understand each and how the three relate to each other to shape our society and ourselves. ��By the end of course, you will be able to discuss the complexity of culture as a “way of life” and as a lens through which to understand the way we live in our world. ��You will see the role of culture in creating a “sense of place,” even while dynamics of globalization move through places, and people move from place to place. ��You will develop the tools to analyze spatial inclusion and exclusion as cultural operations of power. ��The first part of the course introduces key terms such as culture, place, and globalization. ��Part 2 focuses on material culture, the study of how objects shape our lives. ��Part 3 introduces space, landscape, and power and explores their relationship with one another. ��The final part of the course is devoted to students developing their own case study analyses of culture, place, and power.

HONR 3220‐880: Advanced Honors Writing Workshop: Honors Thesis
Gretchen Lang
Section 880 equips honors students to produce a major piece of scholarship—an honors thesis, part of an honors thesis, or a systematic review paper. Students will develop their project in a series of short drafts, applying rhetorical principles from lectures and their own analyses of well-written papers from their sub-fields. They will then use instructor feedback and workshop-style peer critiques to polish their work. This course also prepares students to communicate their research through oral presentation. ��If you're taking this course to help support you in thesis-writing, it is recommended that you to take it during the academic year you plan to defend (so, either the semester in which you plan to defend or the one prior). ��Take this section (880) if you're planning to write a thesis. ��Section 881 is specifically designed for students to collaboratively create the Honors Journal. ��Restricted to students with 57-180 credits (Juniors or Seniors).�� Must be taken for credit. No P/F.

HONR 3220‐881: Advanced Honors Writing Workshop: Honors Journal
Paul Neimann
Section 881 provides practical learning and development of writing skills through the creation of this academic year's Honors Journal publication.��Students will read and select the best undergraduate scholarly and creative work for publication from academic fields including: art, creative non-fiction, fiction, gender & ethnic studies, humanities, open media, natural science, poetry, and social science.��The course includes extensive practice in reading for, summarizing, and evaluating arguments and in structuring cogent arguments for diverse audiences. Development of basic skills in graphic layout using Adobe InDesign will be included in the course. Students will reflect on effective writing in different disciplines. Restricted to students with 57-180 credits OR consent of instructor.�� See the flyer for HONR 3220-881-Honors Journal class here.

HONR 3900‐880: Honors Internship Class
Ali Hatch
Engage in hands-on work in the community and gain practical knowledge and real-world experience. The course is designed to help students combine professional experiences with an academic component that involves critical thinking and interdisciplinary approaches to problem-solving.�� Benefits of the course include acquiring professional skills and knowledge, building a network of connections, developing insights on possible career options, and applying classroom material to real-world experiences.�� Final letter grades are based on the evaluation of the student’s internship supervisor and on class performance. Class assignments will include journal reflections on internship experience and the completion of a career portfolio.�� We will meet every Monday.

To take the course, you must be Honors eligible (cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher) and be of sophomore, junior, or senior standing at the time of the internship. Enrollment preference will be given to students enrolled in the Honors Certificate Program. However, it is not a requirement to be a certificate student to take the internship course. You must submit an application before you can be enrolled.�� It's a pretty simple application; it's just a way for us to understand what your goals are and what you are thinking about doing.�� It will take you about 3-5 minutes to fill out.�� December 1 is the deadline to apply for Spring 2026 enrollment.

• Click here to read more about the internship
• Click here to see the HONR 3900-880 class flyer
• Email Dr. Hatch with any questions about the internship

HONR 4490‐880: Capstone in Interdisciplinary Honors Studies
Kate Fischer
Explores the value of interdisciplinarity for conceptualizing, investigating, and solving problems. Critical analysis of interdisciplinarity across different fields will hone creative thinking, research, writing, and communication skills. Students will create a research project that encompasses multiple disciplines, informed by an appreciation of diverse points of view. Students will also examine how an interdisciplinary perspective is vital to being an engaged citizen. ��This class fulfills one of the required courses for the Interdisciplinary Honors Studies Certificate, but you do not need to be working toward the certificate to take the course. ��Interdisciplinary Honors Studies Certificate students will get enrollment priority. ��See the Capstone flyer here!

����Mathematics
Back to course list

MATH 2510-880:�� Introduction to Statistics
Braden Balentine
This is an introductory course in statistics. We will cover some of the fundamental ideas and tools used in statistics. Topics that we will cover include elementary statistical measures, statistical distributions, statistical inference, hypothesis testing and linear regression. We will also go over some of the basics of probability as they are necessary for our understanding of statistics.

����Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology
Back to course list

MCDB 2150-880:�� Principles of Genetics
Maureen Bjerke
Principles of Genetics is the second course in the required sequence for Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology majors and is also applicable for other majors related to the biological sciences. We will begin with a review of molecular genetics (recommended pre-requisites are MCDB 1150 or EBIO 1210 or CHEN 2810 with minimum grade C-), then explore types of mutations, patterns of inheritance, population genetics, mechanisms of evolution, genomics, and several applications of genetics in science and medicine. Along the way, we will discuss experimental evidence for the principles laid out in the course and will highlight the contributions of current and historical scientists working on the topics about which we are learning.

This class uses a partially “flipped” structure, meaning that students are expected to acquire knowledge from readings and videos before coming to class. Class sessions include active learning elements such as clicker questions, peer-peer instruction, and both individual and group problem solving exercises. Your active involvement in the class will help you learn the material more effectively and is a required (graded) element of the course. ��Please note: This class used to be 3 credits and is now 4 credits, as of Spring 2026. ��Class meets TTH 12:30-1:45 in INFO 158 and Wednesdays from 3:35-4:25 in Norlin Library M300D.

����Philosophy
Back to course list

PHIL 2390-880:�� Philosophy and Psychology
Iskra Fileva
Professor description coming soon - stay tuned

PHIL 3010-880:�� History of Modern Philosophy
Dan Kaufmann
Professor description coming soon - stay tuned

����Political Science
Back to course list

PSCI 3172-880:��Democracy and its Citizens in the US and EU
Jeffrey Nonnemacher
Despite the many differences between the U.S. and the European Union, studying the two in comparison tells us much about democratic processes, elections, and how citizens are connected to and participate within their democracies. This class focuses on how democracy works in both the United States and the European Union through a critical comparative analysis of elections. How are elections structured? What are political parties and what is their role as conduits for democracy? How do voters respond to parties and engage in the political process? To answer these questions, we will discuss and analyze key theories of electoral politics, party behavior, and voter behavior in a comparative perspective.

PSCI 4062-880:��East European Politics
Jeffrey Nonnemacher
In the late 1980s and 1990s, the world seemingly changed overnight as the Berlin Wall crumbled and previously communist regimes in Eastern Europe began the long, tumultuous journey towards economic and democratic prosperity. For many, this was a period of immense opportunity, progress, and the dawn a new era. Now, 30 years later, the region is in crisis. Domestically and internationally, strongmen threaten the survival of previously celebrated democratic transitions and the sovereignty of the region. What explains the rise of the illiberal right in East Europe? In what ways has the shadow of communism shaped politics in East Europe? How have national governments and publics responded to their sudden integration into the European project? Is the East that different from the West? Building on concepts from Introduction to Comparative Politics, this course offers an introduction to the key institutions, historical events, and identities that define the political landscape and governmental systems of East European states. In addition to exploring the expanding role of the European Union, we will pay particular attention to how domestic institutional choices and social structures explain cross national differences in political outcomes. Over the course of this semester, the goal for this course is to provide you the tools necessary to understand this fascinating region and think like a social scientist to understand a changing Europe.

PSCI 4241-880:��Constitutional Law
Allie Palmer
This course provides an introduction to U.S. constitutional law. Students will examine select topics to learn the evolution of U.S. constitutional law through its interpretation by the U.S. Supreme Court. We will begin by discussing the Court as an institution including its evolution, structure, and how justices make decisions. We will then focus on the nature and scope of American constitutional principles in select areas of the law including federalism, separation of powers, commerce, due process, civil rights, and civil liberties. By studying the major rulings on these topics, we can evaluate how and when the Court chooses to limit or expand government power/individual rights as well as how changes in constitutional interpretation and doctrine influence contemporary debates in American politics.

PSYC 1001-880:��General Psychology
Jennifer Schwartz
How are we able to perceive the world around us? Why do we dream? How does alcohol impact the brain? What makes each individual’s personality unique? Do young children think differently than adults? How do we learn? Are people with psychological disorders dangerous? How do psychologists help people lead richer more fulfilling lives?���� This course is designed to address these and other questions by giving you an introduction to the content and methodology of the field of psychology.�� It will give you an overview of some of the major sub-disciplines within psychology. It will also expose you to both seminal and cutting-edge research studies within these domains, as well as encourage critical interpretation of research findings. To guide and integrate our exploration, we will focus on several theoretical frameworks and ongoing debates that cut across specific sub-fields and define the study of psychology as a whole. You will be connecting these ideas to your own life by applying class content to the reading, listening, watching, interacting, and experiencing you do every day.�� The goals of this course are to stimulate you to further explore the field of psychology and to provide a foundation of knowledge and critical thinking skills that will benefit your academic, career, and personal paths, whatever they may be.

PSYC 3303-880:��Clinical Psychology: Psychological Disorders
Jennifer Schwartz
This course introduces students to the field of clinical psychology and the scientific study of mental health conditions. The class will provide a survey of psychological disorders, including clinical presentation, major etiological theories (biological, psychological, and psychosocial approaches), and the most widely used and evidence-based approaches to treatment.�� We will also discuss relevant research. You will be encouraged to think about not only what we know about mental health conditions, but also what we do not know.�� We will tackle some of the major controversial issues and unresolved questions that clinical psychologists face as they seek to better understand, prevent, and treat psychological disorders.�� While the course emphasizes a critical thinking and scientific approach, it also aims to provide students with a rich understanding of the lived experience of those with mental health conditions, enabling greater empathy and inclusiveness for all whose lives are touched by psychological disorders. Requires a prerequisite course of PSYC 1001 (minimum grade of C-).

����Sociology
Back to course list

SOCY 2031-888R:��Social Problems
Ali Hatch
��This course explores social problems in contemporary American society. We will examine how these problems arise and consider possible solutions. Since this is a survey course, we will consider a wide variety of different social problems from a sociological perspective, including timely topics such as racial and economic inequality, opioid addiction, and the impacts of living during a pandemic. ��From the Course Catalog: Examines various social problems in the U.S. through a traditional sociological framework focused on race, class, and gender. Considers such problems as economic, racial, and gender inequality as manifestations of broader structural dynamics rooted in unequal relations of power. Addresses topics such as mass incarceration, poverty, segregation, drug use, immigration, and war and terrorism.

SOCY 3314: Violence Against Women and Girls (sections 880 & 881)
Ali Hatch
This course is an overview of gender-based violence. We will analyze the political and cultural structures that perpetuate gendered violence, and explore how gendered violence intersects with race, class, and sexuality. This course focuses on violence against women and girls, and the relationship between gender inequality and violence. Specifically, utilizing a feminist sociological lens, this course will cover various manifestations of gender violence, including (but not limited to): hate crimes motivated by trans and homophobia, rape and sexual assault, domestic violence, trafficking, pornography, and femicide.