Curriculum | Honors College

The Honors College curriculum provides students both the opportunity to experience more in-depth courses within their major and minor fields, and to explore other disciplines that interest them. This culminates in a greater overall undergraduate experience.

Honors Designations

There are four Honors College graduation distinctions: University Honors Scholar, University Honors Research Scholar, Honors Scholar and Honors Research Scholar. These are conferred at the time of graduation and printed on students’ diplomas and transcripts.

To earn the designation University Honors Scholar, students are required to complete a minimum of 30 hours of Honors College courses, including a minimum of:

3 hours of Honors Participation Courses, AND
6 hours of coursework identified as Signature Impact Experiences

Students must also complete their disciplinary requirements and have a minimum 3.4 cumulative unadjusted Auburn GPA at the time of graduation.

To earn the designation Honors Scholar, students are required to complete a minimum of 24 hours of Honors College coursework, including a minimum of:

3 hours of Honors Participation Courses

Students must also complete their disciplinary requirements and have a minimum 3.2 cumulative unadjusted Auburn GPA at the time of graduation.

-OR-

To earn the designation Honors Scholar, students entering the Honors College with 60+ hours of college credits are required to complete a minimum of 7 hours of Honors coursework, including:

3 hours of Honors Research/Honors Special Topics/Honors Apogee/Honors Thesis and 3 hours of Honors Thesis/Honors Apogee or 6 hours of graduate level courses in the major field of study at

the 6000 or 7000 level AND
1 hour of an Honors Participation course

Students must also complete their disciplinary requirements and have a minimum 3.2 cumulative unadjusted Auburn GPA at the time of graduation.

To earn the designation University Honors Research Scholar, students are required to complete a minimum of 30 hours of Honors College courses, including a minimum of:

3 hours of Honors Participation Courses; 1 hour of which must be “Honors Lyceum: Research at Auburn”
3 hours of Honors Research Methods
6 hours of Honors Seminars
6 hours of designated Honors Research Seminars
6 hours of coursework identified as Signature Impact Experiences

Student must also complete their disciplinary requirements and have a minimum 3.4 cumulative unadjusted Auburn GPA at the time of graduation.

To earn the designation Honors Research Scholar, students are required to complete a minimum of 24 hours of Honors College courses, including a minimum of:

3 hours of Honors Participation Courses; 1 hour of which must be “Honors Lyceum: Research at Auburn”
3 hours of Honors Research Methods
6 hours of Honors Seminars
6 hours of designated Honors Research Seminars

Students must also complete their disciplinary requirements and have a minimum 3.2 cumulative unadjusted Auburn GPA at the time of graduation.

Honors Course Types

Honors Academic Courses

Students may earn Honors credit by taking the Honors version of required University Core courses.

Example: Students may take Honors World Literature before 1600 as their required core literature course of Honors Calculus I as their required core math course.

*Please note that Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, CLEP, ACT/SAT, and dual-enrollment credits, while accepted as Auburn University credits, will not be accepted as Honors College credits.*

Students may choose to complete the Honors version of major specific, departmental courses.

Example: Student who are required by their major, or minor, to take Organic Chemistry may opt to take the Honors version of Organic Chemistry or students who are majoring or minoring in a business based field may take Honors Principles of Accounting to fill a requirement while receiving Honors credit.

*Please note that some courses have prerequisites.*

Study and Travel courses entail classroom-based study of a specific location (sometimes in the U.S., sometimes in another country) for one hour a week during the Fall or Spring semester, followed by a faculty-led excursion to that country or region for 10 to 14 days at the end of the semester or over spring break. Usually these courses are 3 credits, with 2 of the course credits earned during travel.

Example: Dr. Allen Furr, Professor Emeritus of Sociology, taught a small group of Honors students about the culture and history of India. Once the semester ended, the students took a trip to India to explore the subject matter they studied during the regular semester.

Seminars, usually capped at 15 students, provide opportunities for intensive exploration of topics through critical reading and discussion. While topics can range widely, the college prioritizes topics that fall outside the usual boundaries of traditional departmental courses and bring together students from a range of majors. There are no prerequisites.

Research Seminars, which usually have a capacity of 8 to 18 students depending on the field and topic, allow students to pursue collaborative research or creative endeavor under the close supervision of a faculty mentor. There are usually no prerequisites, but faculty may request them depending on their topic.

Honors Contracts enable students to earn credit by incorporating an Honors component within a regularly offered class. This is a great way to customize your Honors experience, form a relationship with your professors, and get the most out of your major or minor classes. Completion of the Honors Contract form with faculty member and department head approval is required and must be submitted by the 15th day of class. Courses that may be contracted include:

A core course that cannot be taken as Honors due to a scheduling conflict or lack of an Honors version.
A course required to complete the student's College Curriculum Model.

Learn more about how to contract a course with our contracting resource page. {link to contracting}

Honors Participation Courses

The Freshmen Exploration course introduces students to Auburn University and the Honors College. Each week, guest speakers present topics relevant to Honors students. Some of the topics discussed include Study Abroad, campus involvement, course registration, National Prestigious Scholarships, service learning, and more.

Lyceums, named after the gymnasium in which the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle taught, provide a curricular setting for highly interactive discussion and the exchange of ideas.

Book Clubs bring together a small group of students with one instructor to discuss one-to-three books.

Students enrolled in the Forum course select a minimum of ten campus lectures, films and performances from a pre-approved list to attend. The events span a wide range of subjects, and students submit a reflective essay after each event attended.

This class is a great way for students to engage in the vast array of opportunities provided by the University and its partners while earning honors credit.

Honors Signature Impact Experiences

Students work with a departmental professor in their major or minor to complete a project of their choosing.

Typically, students will participate in honors research their junior or senior year. For majors that require research, you can take the honors version of research and meet both your requirement and receive honors credit.

Students work with a departmental professor in their major or minor to complete a project of their choosing and produce a written document or oral presentation.

Honors thesis is a wonderful option for any student who wants the experience of writing an undergraduate thesis. Writing a thesis benefits both students preparing to attend professional or graduate school, as well as those entering directly into the workforce.

Students work with a departmental professor in their major or minor to complete a project of their choosing. Honors Contract courses in the major field of study at the 4000-5000 level Students may contract courses in their major field of study by incorporating an Honors component within a regularly offered class.

This course is very similar to Honors Research. It gives students an opportunity to work one on one with a professor on a project that is interesting to them.

Students who meet the required pre-requisites may take graduate-level courses within their field of study. A maximum of twelve of these hours may count towards both the student’s undergraduate and graduate degrees at Auburn University. These graduate courses tend to be 6000 level courses that bridge undergraduate and graduate level courses.

Specialized Minor

The Honors Business minor consists of the five 3-hour courses below. Four of the five courses must be taken at the honors level to successfully complete the minor. The minor is limited to students in the Honors College.

ECON 2020/2027 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 hours
ACCT 2110/2117 | Principles of Financial Accounting | 3 hours
FINC 3610/3617 | Principles of Business Finance | 3 hours
MNGT 3100/3107 | Principles of Management | 3 hours
MKTG 3310/3317 | Principles of Marketing | 3 hours

The Honors College Business Minor is administered through Auburn University’s Raymond J. Harbert College of Business. Students interested in more information, or those who would like to declare it as a minor, must contact the Raymond J. Harbert College of Business directly.

Students pursuing an Honors minor may apply the hours taken for the minor towards their Honors designation.

The Honors Public Health Minor is 15 hours consisting of five 3-hour courses: four required courses (12 hours) and one elective course (3 hours). Four of the five courses must be taken at the honors level to successfully complete the minor. Three of the PAOH courses are honors level, so the chosen elective must be an honors elective or contracted for honors credit (arranged through Honors college) to make four total honors courses. The elective must be approved by the Advisor. The minor is limited to students in the Honors College.

PAOH 2107 | Honors Introduction to Public Health | 3 hours
PAOH 3017 | Honors Introduction to Epidemiology | 3 hours
PAOH 4837 | Honors Global Comparative Health Systems | 3 hours
PAOH 4910 | Observing Needs in Public Health | 3 hours
Honors Elective | Approved by Advisor | 3 hours

Students pursuing an Honors minor may apply the hours taken for the minor towards their Honors designation.

Few places are more of an academic paradise than Italy. Incredible art, history and culture are set against a backdrop of exquisite land and seascapes, amazing food and friendly people. As a student in the Joseph S. Bruno Auburn Abroad in Italy program, your assignment is simple: experience it all. By program’s end, you will earn an Honors International Minor in Human Sciences—an impressive addition to any resume in today’s global society. This experience differs significantly from other study abroad options on campus and elsewhere: our program is structured so that you will not just learn about Italian culture—you will live it.

You will stay as a full-time resident, in Ariccia, Italy in the grand Palazzo Chigi, a 15th-century palace once home to Italian nobility, at Auburn’s only permanent overseas campus. Our 12-week curriculum enables you to immerse yourself in the international landscape while earning an International Honors Minor for a total of 16 hours of academic credit (14 of which are Honors) here at Auburn.

Lectures are taught in English by notable international scholars and professionals in sustainability, world history, architecture, art, design, language, cuisine and culture. Campus instruction is supplemented by field trips and experiential learning activities to other parts of Italy to enhance and bring meaningful context to the knowledge you have gained in the classroom.

HUSC 3380 | CHS at AU in Italy: Pre-Departure and Orientation | 2 hours
HUSC 4017 | Honors CHS at AU in Italy: Integrated Global Studies | 6 hours
HUSC 4387 | Honors CHS at AU in Italy: Study and Travel | 2 hours
HUSC 4947 | Honors CHS at AU in Italy: Directed Field Experiences | 6 hours

Students pursuing an Honors minor may apply the hours taken for the minor towards their Honors designation.

Current Honors Course List | Spring 2026

Honors Lyceums

In this course, you will learn how to conduct collaborative research into the social, political, and geographic effects of social media and present this work in a public-facing, informational format. Social media platforms produce huge volumes of data, shape public opinion and mental health trends, enable forms of state surveillance, and create new geographies of communication across national borders. How to understand the influence of these technologies and shape their future is a key issue in governance initiatives internationally, and social scientific methods such as interviews, focus groups, and participant observation provide diverse human perspectives on these pressing issues. You will gain familiarity with these methods as part of the socially engaged research and communication typical of non-profit and policy work. This course is open to 5 students from any stage in their college career interested in collaborative work, community engagement, scientific communication, and critical engagement with social media and policy. The learning outcomes would be beneficial for students from a range of departments including geography, sociology, anthropology, psychology and political science.

Meets: Wednesdays | 9-9:50 a.m.

Instructor: Liz Calhoun

Credit: One

CRN: 11372

Inside the Game – An Introduction to Sports Management provides an immersive introduction to the dynamic field of sports management, with a special focus on collegiate athletics. Students will explore core concepts and real-world practices across finance, law and ethics, human resources, marketing, media relations, facility design, event planning, and game day operations. Emphasis is placed on current issues and innovations shaping today’s sports industry. Through critical discussion, collaborative problem-solving, and project-based learning, students will gain both practical insights and theoretical foundations. This course culminates in a research-driven presentation analyzing a selected topic within the context of a college or university athletics department of their choice.

Meets: Tuesdays | 9:30-10:20 a.m.

Instructor: Holly Davenport

Credit: One

CRN: 11364

There are 5 distinct priorities that when in the right alignment will help you win in both your personal and professional life. Understanding and ensuring they are in the right alignment takes consistent reflection and recalibration of one’s priorities. This continual realignment allows the best leaders to keep the most important at the forefront, cutting through the constant barrage of tasks, activities, interruptions and urgent requests. Over the next 16 weeks we will be diving into understanding what these priorities are. The goal of the class is to bring awareness to how your priorities are aligned and give you the tools to win in both your personal and professional life.

Meets: Wednesdays | 9-9:50 a.m.

Instructor: William R. Walker

Credit: One

CRN: 11365

In this course students are expected to conduct 15 hours of service and do an in-class presentation on their service experience. This class will meet 4-6 times during the semester, but most of your weekly meeting times will be canceled, allowing for community service time.

Meets: Wednesdays | 10-10:50 a.m.

Instructor: Zachary Werninck

Credit: One

CRN: 11366

Meets: Tuesdays | 9:30-10:20 a.m.

Instructor: Sarah Crim

Credit: One

CRN: 11367

In this Lyceum the speakers will discuss their involvement in research within their particular field. This is a great class to introduce you to research opportunities on Auburn's campus, and explore the different types of research that contributes to our R1 status. This course is for students interested specifically in Engineering research opportunities.

Meets: Thursdays | 2-3:15 p.m.

Instructor: Emily Prim

Credit: One

CRN: 11368

In this course students will be introduced to sketchnoting, a creative and engaging notetaking technique that combines words with simple visuals.

Meets: Thursdays | 12:30-1:45 p.m.

Instructor: Verena Paepcke-Hjeltness

Credit: One

CRN: 11369

Honors Interdisciplinary Exploration (HIE) is a new honors lyceum intending to bring together students and faculty from across Auburn University under the single umbrella of honors education. This is done through a topic-based structure, where every week students will either sit down for a discussion or travel to a field experience with a different instructor to learn about how one topic can be approached by several different fields. Guest professors will come from all of Auburn’s different colleges to provide a true interdisciplinary exploration of a topic. In light of Auburn’s historical relationship with agriculture and new campus initiatives related to food, the inaugural HIE topic will be Food. Students can expect to explore food from many different perspectives including engineering, agriculture, business, psychology, and literature.

Meets: Thursdays | 2-2:50 pm

Instructor: Sarah Grace Kaschak

Credit: One

CRN: 11370

In this course, we will explore the many different facets of the Salem witchcraft trials. American culture is obsessed with witches and witchcraft: from history to popular culture to modern Wiccans. This courses will explore the most famous of the American witchcraft trials. We will discuss it’s origins, potential causes, and the historiography. We will use the last couple of weeks to explore American fascination with witchcraft by looking at popular culture references throughout the decades (Bewitched, The Craft, Sabrina (old and new), and others). While ostensibly about the trials, this course will also be a way for students to learn to engage with historical materials (primary sources in various forms) and learn how to think about those sources from a modern and historical perspective.

Meets: Mondays | 1-1:50 p.m.

Instructor: Amalauna Brock

Credit: One

CRN: 11362

In this course, you will be volunteering with K-12 students while learning about Alabama’s education system, how poverty affects learning, hear from educators and leaders in education, and gain skills for positive behavior management. Impact students through mentoring, tutoring, and engaging in learning-based activities.

Meets: Thursdays | 9:30-10:45 a.m.

Instructor: Anna-Margaret Yarbrough Goldman

Credit: One

CRN: 17965

In this course, students will be using a mixed-methods approach to understand sustainability challenges of existing Auburn University buildings (example – ACLC, Haley Center) and provide scientific and creative solutions to repurpose them with a futuristic, imaginative, green, energy-efficient, and humanistic demesne. The course is inspired by the concept of “Solar Punk,” a literary, artistic, and social movement that envisions a sustainable future where humans coexist in harmony with nature, utilizing sustainable technology and fostering community-based solutions. The students will be using augmented virtual reality at the ‘Innovation and Research Commons (I&RC), Legos, 3D printing tools, scientific research methods, and learn science communication and teamwork techniques. Each student team will create a 3-minute video to present their “Solar Punk” visions to the AU community.

Meets: Wednesdays | 4-4:50 p.m.

Instructor: Binita Mahato

Credit: One

CRN: 17967

Meets: Mondays | 4-4:50 pm

Instructor: Keri L. Marshall

Credit: One

CRN: 17964

This course introduces intercultural communication and provides activities for managing and overcoming communication barriers.

Meets: Thursdays | 12:30-1:20 a.m.

Instructor: Lora Merchant

Credit: One

CRN: 11376

Students in this Lyceum will develop a piece of speculative fiction in either the science fiction, mystery, or thriller genres that contains a lesson about politics, economics, culture, or international relations. Rod Serling, the creator of the television show The Twilight Zone (1959-1964) said about the show that the science fiction program offered an opportunity to explore the political and social issues of the day that would be difficult in another medium: “I found that it was all right to have Martians saying things Democrats and Republicans could never say.” This is the primary motivation of the Lyceum. Students will engage with genre fiction as a way to approach controversial political issues.

We will read short stories and excerpts from novels as examples of this approach and as sources of inspiration. Readings may include Octavia Butler’s The Parable of the Sower, Walter Miller’s A Canticle for Leibowitz, and John Haldeman’s Forever War. Throughout the semester, each student will develop a short story or novella in a genre of their choice that distills a contemporary political issue or controversy. At the end of the semester, we will combine these in a collection that will be published in a medium that we as a cohort agree on—e.g., self-published e-book, podcast, serialized social media posts, etc.

Meets: Wednesdays | 10-10:50 a.m.

Instructor: Peter Bentley White

Credit: One

CRN: 11371

This course is a fun and rewarding way to help Freshman Honors students AND give back to the Honors College. Peer Instructors are assigned to one of the Freshman Exploration sections. Interested in being a peer instructor? Applications are open and are found online at aub.ie/peerinstructor Questions can be sent to Savannah Baker: slw0083@auburn.edu

Meets: N/A

Instructor: Taylor Davis

Credit: One

CRN: 11373

This lyceum introduces students to Economic Development from both a global and local perspective. While broadly exploring the process of improving the well-being of people, the primary focus will be on economics. The course will encourage students to be curious while keeping their heads, look outward, work wisely saving the best, use the human touch to change the world, and have fun through informal discussions.

Meets: Tuesdays | 12:30-1:45 pm

Instructor: Joseph S. Johnson

Credit: One

CRN: 11374

The course is designed to help students in developing a career plan and investigating the work world in terms of the students' career/life goals. Students will explore career competencies that are sought by employers and graduate schools, and learn how best to represent these competencies on resumes and in interviews.

Meets: Wednesdays | 10-10:50 pm

Instructor: Whitney R. Comer

Credit: One

CRN: 11375

Frank Herbert's seminal 1965 sci fi novel Dune continues to captivate audiences over 60 years later. This course will examine its profound impact on the genre and its enduring relevance in literature, film, and cultural discourse. Students will discuss the world of Dune, from the novel's prevalent themes of environmentalism, religion, politics, and colonialism, to its film adaptations, including Lynch's 1984 cult classic & Villeneuve's visually stunning 2021 & 2024 films. Students are encouraged to have read or be willing to read the first novel in order to fully engage with the course material.

Meets: Wednesdays | 9-9:50 pm

Instructor: Bryce Gray

Credit: One

CRN: 11377

Meets: Tuesdays | 2-3:15 p.m.

Instructor: Savannah Baker

Credit: One

CRN: 11378

This Lyceum will provide an overview of major national and international scholarships, such as Rhodes, Marshall, Goldwater, Fulbright, and Truman awards, along with other opportunities such as Peace Corps, Teach for America, and elite graduate schools. It will also offer advice about applying for each of these opportunities, while guiding students through assignments that provide practice for personal statements, interviews, and other typical elements of the applications.

Meets: Tuesdays | 11-11:50 a.m.

Instructor: Benjamin Fagan

Credit: One

CRN: 11363

This course is designed to introduce first-year Honors College students to molecular biology research. This is the second part of this course following HONR1087: Introduction to Molecular Research. This course is divided into two parts: the first part focuses on reading and interpreting scientific literature. Students will give a presentation on a primary research article to build critical thinking skills and to become more familiar with the style and content of molecular research manuscripts. The second part of this course is a hands-on laboratory experience. Students will learn basic laboratory skills such as pipetting, aseptic technique, bacterial culturing, and introductory molecular biology skills such as restriction enzyme digest, gel electrophoresis, and transformation. By the end of this course, the students will be able to both find and understand molecular research articles and put their literature reviews into action in the laboratory. This class is only for students who took HONR 1087: Introduction to Molecular Research with Dr. Tollerson in the fall. Students will need instructor permission to register for the course.

Meets: Mondays | 11-11:50 a.m.

Instructor: Rodney W. Tollerson

Credit: One

CRN: 17966

Honors Seminars

Artificial intelligence is transforming society, but is every use of AI progress, or are some applications harmful, unfair, or short-sighted? Who is accountable when an algorithm discriminates, or when technology consumes more resources than it saves? How do we balance privacy with public good, innovation with justice?

This course is being taught simultaneously in two sections—one at Auburn University and one for Honors students at the University of Alabama. Each week, Auburn and Alabama students engage with the same case and share their perspectives across campuses. This ongoing exchange fosters dialogue, sharpens arguments, and helps students practice ethical reasoning while learning from multiple viewpoints.

Who is this course for?
This class is designed for soon-to-graduate students who want to think critically about how AI will affect their fields, careers, and lives. It’s especially relevant for students in business, engineering, technology, health sciences, social sciences, humanities, and related disciplines who are looking to strengthen their ability to navigate complex professional challenges.

What we’ll study:
Potential topics include healthcare, finance, government and policy, research and academia, intellectual property, and sustainability, along with the ethical principles that shape how AI is developed and used.

The semester culminates in the first-ever AI Ethics Iron Bowl, a live public debate where select Auburn and Alabama students from the course will face off before an audience of peers, faculty, industry leaders, and sponsors.

All students will gain practical experience in ethical reasoning, collaborative teamwork, and high-stakes communication, along with the ability to critically assess how AI shapes their field and future. These skills translate directly to careers in business, engineering, policy, academia, industry, government sectors, and beyond.

Meets: Mondays | 2-4:50 am

Instructor: Lindsay Doukopoulos

Credit: Three

CRN: 211403

Immigrants in the United States use culinary traditions to remain connected with their native lands. Food functions as a symbol of certain cultural concerns, including individual and group/ethnic identity, highlighting issues of heritage and lineage. This course investigates identities constructed through food by examining how food and cooking serve as a cultural, political, and gender marker. Through reading fictional and non-fictional works, scholarly articles, and viewing films, we will examine the intricate relationships that immigrants have with food.

Meets: Tuesdays & Thursdays | 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

Instructor: Lava Asaad

Credit: Three

CRN: 11406

The focus of this course will be exploring the portrayal of nature and wildlife in film. Many films in a variety of contexts incorporate wildlife, ranging from background to main characters and from major adversaries to inspirational elements worth fighting for and saving. Regardless of how wildlife is portrayed, films often depict wildlife from an anthropocentric viewpoint, ignoring the accepted biology and natural history of the animals and events being depicted.

Because films can strongly influence how people view and value wildlife, the purpose of this course will be to watch and discuss films in which wildlife is a major component or character within the story and evaluate both the devices used to impart the film makers viewpoint and their scientific accuracy. We will watch films within themes such as Man vs. Nature, Spiritual Connections with Wildlife, Wildlife Conservation, Animals as Heroes, among others. To better understand the context of each film, after viewing, students will research events and ideas presented in each film, which we will then discuss and synthesize as a class.

Meets: Tuesdays & Thursdays | 2-3:15 p.m.

Instructor: Jean Fantle-Lepczyk

Credit: Three

CRN: 11407

This course is designed to teach you the basic principles of publicity and entertainment public relations. We will pay particular attention to those areas that are useful to fans, consumers, and journalists.

Meets: Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays | 2-2:50 pm

Instructor: Brigitta R. Brunner-Johnson

Credit: Three

CRN: 11409

For thousands of years, mythology has long shaped storytelling, deeply shaping literature and heavily influencing popular culture. Although seldom taught as a formal subject, mythology is something many encounter from an early age. Its characters and themes feel familiar, but this familiarity often goes unexplored. In literature, film, and popular culture, myths introduce enduring characters, archetypes, and narratives that continue to be reinterpreted across generations, allowing authors to explore fundamental aspects of the human experience: love, heroism, fate, and transformation.

This course examines how ancient myths from diverse cultural traditions continue to inform and inspire modern storytelling across literature, film, and popular culture. Students will investigate how mythological themes are adapted in contemporary fiction and how mythic elements manifest in graphic novels, movies, holidays, festivals, and even concepts of romantic attraction. Through comparative analysis and critical discussion, students will examine how mythological narratives are introduced and internalized across the lifespan and gain a deeper appreciation for the ways mythology evolves while remaining deeply embedded in today's cultural and literary expressions.

Meets: Tuesdays & Thursdays | 3:30-4:45 p.m.

Instructor: Yvette Stone

Credit: Three

CRN: 11410

For Week of Service counselors only.

Meets: Tuesdays & Thursdays | 3:30-4:45 am

Instructor: Margaret V. Rogers

Credit: Three

CRN: 11411

This course will prepare students to make more informed job/career decisions and strategies. They will participate in a comprehensive assessment to identify their “motivated” abilities. Using these insights, students will learn about “Goodness of Fit” and how to match their talents to the critical motivations required for both performance and satisfaction in their chosen job/career. Participants will be guided in developing long-term goals, short-term plans, job interviewing skills, mentorship relationships, and co-curricular learning opportunities.

Meets: Tuesdays & Thursdays | 2-3:15 p.m.

Instructor: Joseph S. Johnson

Credit: Three

CRN: 11412

Introduces students to the key role of nonprofit organizations and philanthropy in the US. Focuses on how the nonprofit sector addresses social needs and facilitates civic engagement. By emphasizing community engagement and incorporating service-learning components, the course aims to develop key skills needed to engage with nonprofit organizations as donors, board members, funders, and volunteers, and become more energized and inspired community members..

Meets: Tuesdays & Thursdays | 12:30-1:45 p.m.

Instructor: Peter C. Weber

Credit: Three

CRN: 11413

In this honors course, Power Moves: Communication Skills for Career Growth, students will engage in advanced communication strategies designed to prepare them for leadership roles in a global, multicultural business environment. Through in-depth analysis of cultural differences, professional communication, and effective conflict resolution, students will refine their verbal and nonverbal communication skills and gain practical experience in high-level interviewing and job readiness. This course goes beyond the basics, empowering students to master the art of navigating diverse teams, crafting impactful resumes, and excelling in virtual and in-person interviews.

Meets: Tuesdays & Thursdays | 11-12:15 a.m.

Instructor: Sherrie Gilbert

Credit: Three

CRN: 11414

Leadership is more than a position. Everyone must lead in their sphere of influence. During this class, students will study the five leadership practices proposed in the Leadership Challenge. Students will evaluate their own perception of their leadership skills, as well as received feedback from others on their leadership. The goal is to gain a better understanding of important leadership skills, develop an action plan for developing those skills, and applying these lessons to their lives now.

Meets: Tuesdays & Thursdays | 3:30-4:45 p.m.

Instructor: Whitney R. Comer

Credit: Three

CRN: 11415

This course will explore the long Atomic Age from the first use of nuclear weapons during World War II to today’s anxieties over nuclear energy and the possibility of nuclear warfare. While Americans no longer talk about their fears of someone finally “dropping the big one,” and schools no longer run drills telling children what to do in the event of a nuclear attack, the lingering effect of these and other aspects of the latter half of the twentieth century find expression in today’s world. We will begin with the development and deployment of the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and then move closer to today through readings in a variety of genres (non-fiction, history, science-fiction, poetry) as well as viewings of relevant film and television.

Meets:Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays | 10-10:50 a.m.

Instructor: Matthew Spencer

Credit: Three

CRN: 11404

This course explores the science of well-being and happiness while equipping students with practical tools to lead more fulfilling lives. The course will follow Fink's Taxonomy of Significant Learning, emphasizing active learning experiences that foster deep understanding and transformative growth.” We will focus primarily on the science of happiness and integrate findings from positive psychology. Some concepts in psychiatry, behavioral genetics, and neuroscience will be explored.

Meets:Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays | 12-12:50 p.m.

Instructor: Patrick M. George

Credit: Three

CRN: 11405

Students will learn how creative principles are used to innovate in any business or discipline. This course will explore innovative individuals and businesses that have influenced their fields by the use of creative practice. The creative principles that drive innovation will be explored in depth and many examples of these creative principles will be explored.

Meets: Tuesdays & Thursdays | 12:30-1:45 p.m.

Instructor: Christopher J. Qualls

Credit: Three

CRN: 11408

This interdisciplinary course explores how healthcare systems around the world have evolved—from colonial medicine and Cold War medical aid to neoliberal reforms and pandemic responses. Students will examine how power, politics, and history shape who gets care, how, and why. Open to all majors; no prerequisites.

Meets: Tuesdays & Thursdays | 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

Instructor: Zachary Schulz

Credit: Three

CRN: 18073

Honors Research Seminars

This course will expose students to hands-on research experience on several cutting-edge biomedical research techniques including cell culture, transfection, site-directed mutagenesis, ligand binding assay, confocal microscopy, flow cytometry, western blotting, and radioimmunoassay.

Meets: Mondays | 2-4:30 pm

Instructor: Ya-Xiong Tao

Credit: Three

CRN: 11421

This course will engage students in a variety of research efforts focused on highlighting the experiences of student-caregivers through the Caregiver Empowerment Lab, a subset of the Caregiver Initiative at Auburn University. Our work centers the lived experiences of student caregivers and challenges systems and structures to identify their role in negatively impacting caregivers and opportunities to champion their rights and needs.

Meets: Tuesdays | 3-3:50 pm

Instructor: Regan Moss

Credit: Three

CRN: 11422

Students enrolled in this 3-credit hour interdisciplinary course on design solutions for cultural
heritage tourism applications will work with the Town of Harpersville and the Wallace Center
for Arts and Reconciliation to produce online and digital exhibitions. This
seminar introduces students to the skillsets of both public history and graphic design. This is an introductory course for students from any discipline interested in strengthening their research methodologies, interpretation, and visual communication skills while engaging in important, community-engaged cultural heritage work. This 3-credit course is designed to serve immediate and ongoing needs for the development of cultural heritage infrastructure in rural Alabama.

Meets: Wednesdays | 1-3:30 p.m.

Instructor: Elijah Gaddis & Robert Finkel

Credit: Three

CRN: 11423

This course will investigate drug use and addictive behaviors through various methodologies employed in the psychological sciences and the medical humanities. Our understanding of human behavior has been advanced through a combination of clinical practices and research methodologies used in fields such as clinical and experimental psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral pharmacology. The medical humanities draw on clinical practice and scholarship along with literature, films, art, and other mediums to explore the subjective, social, and cultural aspects of the human experience. The goal of this course is to use knowledge gained through the psychological sciences, medical practices, and the humanities to develop a holistic understanding of drug use and addictive behaviors.

Meets: Tuesdays and Thursdays | 9:30-10:45 a.m.

Instructor: Chris Correia

Credit: Three

CRN: 11424

This course is designed for students who are interested in pursuing careers in data science or bioinformatics, equipping them with the skills needed to conduct bioinformatics research using state-of-the-art technologies. It is designed to familiarize students with biomedical research, with a particular focus on AI-driven studies impacting biomarker discovery and drug repositioning in complex diseases. The students will learn the basics of data processing and relational database construction. The students will follow the state-of-art techniques in processing the multi-omics data and enhance their understanding of the frontiers of bioinformatics algorithms, tackling biomedical questions, such as the stratification of the patients and identifying potential cohort-specific oncogenes and treatment. Students will be coding in this course.

Meets: Tuesdays | 12:30-3 p.m.

Instructor: Zongliang Yue

Credit: Three

CRN: 18125

Honors Book Club

Explore the power of play through Stuart Brown’s Play, while weaving in themes of rest and imagination in relationship with play. This Honors Book Club incorporates personal reflection, group dialogue, and practice to reimagine learning, creativity, and thriving in college..

Meets: Thursdays | 3:30-4:20 p.m.

Instructor: Jaime Miller

Credit: One

CRN: 11386

In this book club we will read and discuss two nonfiction books and one novel that explore the sensory perception and inner lives of dogs along with other animals: Ed Yong’s An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden World Around Us, Alexandra Horowitz’s Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know, and Damian Dibben’s Tomorrow: A Novel, which tells the story of an immortal dog searching across time and place for his immortal person.

Meets: Tuesdays | 5-5:50 p.m.

Instructor: Laura Stevens

Credit: One

CRN: 11387

Many nuances aside, capitalism is an economic system in which private capital is used to run private, for-profit businesses that sell goods and services in an open market. As an economic system, capitalism has been extremely successful; for instance, it proved far more durable and appealing than the state-run socialist economy of the USSR. But what is capitalism exactly? How has capitalism changed from the late 18th century (when Adam Smith was writing)? And why do some continue to express skepticism about capitalism's merits? We'll explore these and many other questions by reading a new, engaging history of capitalism from John Cassidy (of The New Yorker) called Capitalism and Its Critics: A History from the Industrial Revolution to AI.

Meets: Tuesdays | 3:30-4:45 pm

Instructor: Brian McLoone

Credit: One

CRN: 11388

Everyday we are using our super-computer brains to navigate through the multitude of decisions that we call life. Blink written by Malcolm Gladwell will be the focus of our discussion and readings throughout this course. Understanding how our decision making processes can shape our daily lives will be the central focus of this course.

Meets: Tuesdays | 9:30-10:20am

Instructor: Jason Sawyer

Credit: One

CRN: 11390

This course offers a bold and engaging approach to college readiness by exploring the pitfalls that often lead to academic failure—and how to avoid them. Using Demeterius Smith’s "How to Fail at College: An Unconventional Guide to Student Success" as the central text, students will examine the mindsets, behaviors, and decisions that can derail their college journey. Through reflective discussions, interactive activities, and personal action planning, students will:

* Identify common academic and personal challenges faced by college students.
* Explore themes of accountability, professionalism, and personal responsibility.
* Develop strategies for resilience, time management, and goal setting.
* Create a personalized success plan to guide their academic and personal growth.

Meets: Tuesdays | 2-2:50 pm

Instructor: Wendy Cooper

Credit: One

CRN: 11391

Apocalypse, absurdity, and a bit of existential comedy
The end of the world doesn’t always have to be grim sometimes it’s glitchy, glitch-filled, or just plain goofy. This course/book club explores apocalyptic and dystopian fiction through a humorous and satirical lens. From snarky aliens to virtual realities gone sideways, we’ll discuss how authors use comedy, irony, and absurdity to imagine society’s collapse and what these stories might be saying underneath all the laughs.
Our reading list kicks off with:
• The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
• Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Together, we’ll examine the intersections of humor, technology, culture, and crisis and why sometimes, the best way to process the end is with a towel and a punchline. Expect spirited discussion, pop culture references, and philosophical detours (some more real than others).
Please note: Readings include adult language, dystopian themes, and mild existential dread (CW: Tech collapse, alien invasions, awkward dance battles).

Meets: Mondays | 3-3:50 pm

Instructor: Jennifer Monkman

Credit: One

CRN: 11392

Explore memoirs or novels focusing on protagonists' journeys of self-discovery, resilience, and developing their passions.

Meets: Mondays | 9-9:50 a.m.

Instructor: Ashley Sullivan

Credit: One

CRN: 11393

Why do some young people thrive while others struggle to stay motivated? This course dives into the science of motivation during the most formative years of life—ages 10 to 25. Drawing from the groundbreaking insights in 10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People, students will explore the psychological, social, and neurological factors that shape motivation in adolescence and early adulthood.

Meets: Tuesdays | 11-11:50 a.m.

Instructor: Katie Lackey

Credit: One

CRN: 11394

Moderated discussions of significant ideas found in Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us.

Meets: Wednesdays | 10-10:50 a.m.

Instructor: Dory Thompson

Credit: One

CRN: 17968

In this fully remote book club course, we will explore the power, resilience, and complexity of women's experiences in times of war through two acclaimed works of historical fiction: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah and All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. Set against the backdrop of World War II, these novels center on female protagonists whose courage and humanity shine through in the face of extraordinary adversity. Through guided discussions, close reading, and collaborative analysis, we will examine themes of survival, sacrifice, love, and moral choice, while also considering how historical fiction brings overlooked voices to life. Students will engage in weekly conversations, share personal interpretations, and connect the novels' narratives to broader historical and cultural contexts.

Meets: Mondays | 10-10:50 a.m.

Instructor: Amy Flynn

Credit: One

CRN: 11395

"Connections Are Everything: A College Student's Guide to a Relationship-Rich Education" is a practical guide to building the connections students need to thrive in and after college from the authors of the best-selling Relationship-Rich Education.

Decades of research demonstrate how important relationships with peers, professors, and staff are for students academically, personally, and professionally. Even one significant relationship can make all the difference. Yet many students lack the strategies to develop educationally purposeful relationships in college.

"Connections Are Everything" shows students the simple steps they can take to make their own college experience meaningful and transformational. In short, practical chapters, this guide helps readers learn how to build relationships through various strategies, such as seeking out brief “mentoring conversations” that can have a big impact, building a constellation of mentors, and participating in “relationship accelerators” like internships, undergraduate research, and campus employment.

Drawing on interviews with undergraduates from across the U.S., the authors empower students to seek out relationships by demystifying the varied ways they can cultivate significant connections.

Meets: Mondays | 1-1:50 pm

Instructor: Liesl Reiners

Credit: One

CRN: 11396

In this course, we will explore the many different facets of the enneagram and how it contributes to our own self-discovery. The authors provide an overview of the enneagram and in-depth descriptions of each number. This course is designed to help you not only discover your number but to also help you learn more about those around you and how to best relate to them. Your journey to self-discovery will culminate with a Continued Journey Plan explaining how you will use your understanding of the enneagram to set important life goals and reach them.

Meets: Tuesdays | 12:30-1:20 p.m.

Instructor: Ruthie Spiers

Credit: One

CRN: 11397

Grit helps students remain resilient as they persevere through challenges and adversity as they pursue rigorous majors intended to lead them to follow their passions for high level careers. This course will explore applying “Grit” to the journey of a demanding curriculum using the lens of Angela Duckworth, author of GRIT: The Power of Passion and Perseverance.

Meets: Tuesdays | 12:30-1:20 p.m.

Instructor: Judith M. Sanders

Credit: One

CRN: 11398

Step into the haunted halls of the Overlook Hotel in this Honors book club exploring Stephen King’s classic novel The Shining and Stanley Kubrick’s unforgettable film adaptation. We’ll unravel the novel’s psychological depth, supernatural chills, and symbolic layers before turning our attention to Kubrick’s cinematic vision. Along the way, we’ll compare key scenes, examine how each medium builds suspense, and debate which version leaves the stronger mark on pop culture. All work and no play? Not here.

Meets: Wednesdays | 2-2:50 p.m.

Instructor: Stuart Miller

Credit: One

CRN: 11399

Readings selected by students at the start of the semester

Meets: Wednesdays | 3-3:50 p.m.

Instructor: Suzanne Hunter

Credit: One

CRN: 11400

We will read two selected texts about global climate change, focusing on practical solutions we can take that can help avert the most disatrous outcomes. Discussion will focus on your reactions and suggestions for local, national, and world actions.

Meets: Wednesdays | 12-12:50 p.m.

Instructor: Christopher Wyckoff

Credit: One

CRN: 18075

No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving—every day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.

Meets: Wednesdays | 9-9:50 p.m.

Instructor: Carolyn Huntington

Credit: One

CRN: 11389

Honors Study & Travel

Discover the Myths of Ireland & Scotland! Step into the world of Celtic mythology and folklore on a study abroad adventure across Ireland and Scotland. From the unicorns, witches, and legends of Loch Ness to the epic heroes, fairies, and banshees of Irish lore, you’ll explore how stories have shaped culture, history, and identity for centuries. Walk the cobbled streets of Edinburgh, roam the Scottish Highlands, stand atop the cliffs in the Ring of Kerry, visit the historic town of Cork, and wander through Dublin’s literary past.

This course combines classroom learning with immersive travel, giving you the chance to experience castles, ancient sites, and breathtaking landscapes that inspired some of the world’s most famous myths.

Applications Due: October 17, 2025

Meets: Wednesdays | 4-4:50 p.m.

Instructor: Yvette Stone

Credit: Three

CRN: 17908

This interdisciplinary course takes you behind the scenes of higher education and student affairs—locally and globally. Each week, you’ll explore how universities work, meet experts shaping campus life, and connect these lessons to your own career path. Then, we’ll take learning abroad to Australia! From touring the Sydney Opera House and surfing Bondi Beach to feeding kangaroos, holding koalas, and snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, you’ll experience unforgettable adventures. Along the way, you’ll visit four Australian universities, comparing their systems with our own. Study, explore, and discover the world of higher education!

Applications Due: October 17, 2025

Meets: Tuesdays | 3:30-4:20 p.m.

Instructor: Savannah Baker

Credit: Three

CRN: 179097

Other Available Courses

This is a course that fills a need for Honors students to receive a broad instruction to both STEM and Humanities research methodologies to prepare them for future research endeavors. This course is open for all honors students but is required for students pursuing Honors Research Scholar or University Honors Research Scholar.

Meets: Thursdays | 11 a.m-12:15 p.m.

Instructor: Piper Cumbo

Credit: Three

Course: HONR 2097

CRN: 11402

Meets: Thursdays | 9:30-10:45 a.m.

Instructor: Laura Stevens

Credit: Three

Course: HONR 2097

CRN: 11401

Counts as a core Humanities specifically designed for Honors College students. From an interdisciplinary perspective, this course examines the intersections of technology & technology & culture in a variety of social, historical, professional, and global settings.

Meets: Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays | 11-11:50 pm

Instructor: George M. Plasketes

Credit: Three

Course: HONR 1017

CRN: 11359

First year course that introduces new Honors College students to the Honors College and Auburn University and helps students become better informed about its resources and services. Topics include Honors College advising, Study Abroad, Campus Involvement, the Career Center, Academic Support and Study Skills, and many more. This course is for first year honors students only..

Meets: Wednesdays | 9-9:50 a.m.

Instructor: Taylor Davis

Credit: One

Course: HONR 1077

CRN: 11360

Meets: Wednesdays | 10-10:50 a.m.

Instructor: Taylor Davis

Credit: One

Course: HONR 1077

CRN: 11361

Students attend 10 approved events held around Auburn’s campus or virtually and submit short summaries of their experience online. Events include research presentations, film screenings, academic seminars, plays, music concerts, lectures, Career Center workshops, etc.

Meets: This class does not have a time or meet in person but requires attendance to various on-campus events.

Instructors: Krista A. Grant

Credit: One

Course: HONR 2077

CRN: 11379, 11380, 11381, 11382

Past Honors Course List | Fall 2025

Honors Lyceums

This class is for Honors Student Organization executive members. The class will be focused on organizational management, leadership development and serve as an opportunity to work collaboratively with all Honors College organizations.

Meets: Mondays | 2-2:50 pm

Instructor: Maggie Rogers

Credit: One

CRN: 14905

This course provides both a theoretical and practical foundation for the role of peer educator. The course will focus on increasing students’ knowledge of student learning and student development theories, practice of helping and transferable skills, and reflection to inform performance in the peer helping position as well as career readiness and competencies.  

Meets: Tuesdays | 2-2:50 pm

Instructor: Jaime Miller

Credit: One

CRN: 18352

Meets: Tuesdays | 9:30-10:45 am

Instructor: Sarah Crim

Credit: One

CRN: 14906

Course reserved for Week of Service students.

Meets: Thursdays | 11-11:50 am

Instructor: Maggie Rogers

Credit: One

CRN: 14907

Adulting is no joke! This course is designed for college students to be more prepared for the realities of life they will face post-graduation. From retirement options to life skills to navigating life a new city, this class aims to address some of the things you simply just don’t learn in a textbook. Through participating in this course, students will learn to budget on their potential first salary, practice everyday life skills (like writing a check or ironing a shirt!), discover strategies to make new friends after college and set realistic goals in seasons of transition.

Meets: Wednesdays | 10-10:50 am

Instructor: Savannah Baker

Credit: One

CRN: 14908

Everyone asks students what their majors are, but why are there majors at all? Why are there colleges of liberal arts, engineering, business, and all the rest? What are the best ways for you to think about how you fit into these structures of knowledge, and what is the special significance for your life of attending Auburn University, a land grant and R1 institution? This Lyceum will combine a brief foray into intellectual history with opportunities for you to discern how you, with your academic interests and ways of learning, fit within the complex landscape of Auburn university as Honors students. We will examine how disciplines and universities were established, and then we will consider why it is important to your education and your life to be at a land grant, research-intensive university. At the same, you will ponder who you are, what it means for your life to pursue your education within a particular discipline, and what kinds of occupations promise to be the best fit for you and your scholarly interests. You will take, and discuss the results of, the Clifton Strengths personality test, while pursuing several forms of introspection as well as dialogue with the rest of the class. Finally, we will as a group discuss what it means to engage in multidisciplinary dialogue or collaboration, and how you, with your chosen major, can best contribute to collective forms of research, problem-solving, and knowledge-production. Students in this Lyceum will get the most out of this class if they are in their freshman or sophomore year.

Meets: Tuesdays | 9:30-10:20 am

Instructor: Dr. Laura Stevens

Credit: One

CRN: 14909

This Lyceum will help you explore and prepare for a variety of competitive opportunities, including Nationally Prestigious Scholarships.

Meets: Tuesdays |2-2:50 pm

Instructor: TBD

Credit: One

CRN: 18353

This course is a fun and rewarding way to help Freshman Honors students AND give back to the Honors College. Peer Instructors are assigned to one of the Freshman Exploration sections. Interested in being a peer instructor? Applications will be open March 17th- April 4th and are found online at aub.ie/peerinstructor Questions can be sent to Savannah Baker: slw0083@auburn.edu

Meets: Does Not Meet

Instructor: Savannah Baker

Credit: One

CRN: 14910

Meets: Wednesdays | 9-9:50 am

Instructor: William R Walker

Credit: One

CRN: 18440

Meets: Thursdays| 2-2:50 pm

Instructor: Keri L. Marshall

Credit: One

CRN: 14911

Meets: Thursdays | 2-3:15 pm

Instructor: Anna Margaret Goldman

Credit: One

CRN: 14912

Meets: Thursdays | 9:30-10:45 am

Instructor: TBD

Credit: One

CRN: 14913

This course will introduce you to the opportunities available at Auburn University to perform research in molecular biology. Over the course of the semester, you will have the opportunity to interact directly with experts in many different fields, including cell biology,
bacteriology, plant biology, and immunology. This is a Freshmen only course.

Meets: Mondays | 9-9:50 am

Instructor: Rodney Tollerson

Credit: One

CRN: 14914

You've taken personality assessments or at least heard of them, but what do they really do? How can you use them to your benefit? In this course students will take learning and personality assessments, explore the results, and discuss how to apply the finds to the real-world. Some of the assessments included in the course will be the Enneagram, Type Focus, True Colors, etc.

Meets: Wednesdays | 9-9:50 am

Instructor: Suzanne Hunter

Credit: One

CRN: 14915

This course is connected to the Honors Peer Mentorship Program. The program is a lifeline for incoming Honors College freshmen to help ease the transition into the Honors College and university life by grouping new students with experienced upperclassmen. New students have a contact from the first day they arrive on campus to help them navigate this new step in their lives. Mentors are paired with a small group of first year students with whom they interact throughout the summer and fall semester. Students must apply to be a mentor.

Meets: Thursdays | 3:30-4:45 pm

Instructor: Dr. Whitney R. Comer

Credit: One

CRN: 14916

Meets: Thursdays | 12:30-1:45 pm

Instructor: Joseph S. Johnson

Credit: One

CRN: 14917

Honors Seminars

Additive manufacturing, or 3d printing, has been gaining popularity since it was first conceived nearly 50 years ago. Technology has progressed to the point where small and portable units are affordable to nearly any consumer. Through a combination of lecture, article discussion and a term project, this course aims to teach the history of 3d printing over the last 50 years with a focus on modern advancements, media perception, and use in popular culture.

Meets: Tuesdays & Thursdays | 2-3:15 pm

Instructor: Scott Silvis

Credit: Three

CRN: 14936

From the wooden toe of an ancient Egyptian high priest’s daughter to the signature golden prosthetic legs of a 21st-century runway model, this course explores artificial body parts through the centuries. Interactive learning with a 3D-printed version of a 500-year old prosthetic hand (developed here at Auburn!) will be involved.

Meets:Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays | 10-10:50 am

Instructor: Heidi Hausse

Credit: Three

CRN: 18552

Meets: Tuesdays & Thursdays | 12:30-1:45 pm

Instructor: Christopher Qualls

Credit: Three

CRN: 14939

From Bob Dylan to Bob Marley, songwriters and musicians have long understood the ability of music to make change in the world. Music is power: it can heal, motivate, inspire and elevate the human experience. This course will help us better understand how music is a driving force in the world.

Meets: Mondays & Wednesdays | 12-1:15 pm

Instructor: Jennifer Bohler

Credit: Three

CRN: 14940

Immigration control and border enforcement are highly contentious issues in contemporary American politics. This Honors Seminar explores the causes, consequences, and government responses to migration flows into the US, both voluntary immigrants seeking assimilation, and involuntarily displaced refugees banished by persecution, armed conflict, or natural disasters, seeking asylum.

Meets: Tuesdays & Thursdays | 9:30-10:45 am

Instructor: Elvis Davis

Credit: Three

CRN: 18432

This course will introduce undergraduate students to the world of casinos and clubs.

Meets: Tuesdays & Thursdays | 12:30-1:45 pm

Instructor: Imran Rahman

Credit: Three

CRN: 14941

Since the human genome sequencing was first finished in 2003, our knowledge of genomics and genetic diseases caused by mutations in single or multiple genes have exploded. The future of human and veterinary medicine is individualized treatment. For example, for the same disease, cystic fibrosis, different patients need to be treated differently due to different mutations they harbor. The future of pharmacy practice is also going to be individualized, because the same drug can have different effects based on different genetic makeups of the patients, a branch of science called pharmacogenomics. This course will introduce honors students who are interested in pursuing a career in human or veterinary medicine or pharmacy to some examples of this rapidly expanding field. Methods used in obtaining the knowledge will also be introduced. With this course, the student is expected to have a thorough understanding of the historical and current status of the studies on genomics and personalized medicine.

Meets: Mondays | 2-4:30 pm

Instructor: Ya-Xiong Tao

Credit: Three

CRN: 14943

Meets: Tuesdays & Thursdays | 2-3:15 pm

Instructor: Joseph Johnson

Credit: Three

CRN: 14944

Games of International Relations is a course that uses games to teach broader concepts of international relations and principals of strategic interaction more generally. The key materials in this course are not books (though there are select readings each week), but games that simulate fundamental dilemmas in international relations and challenge students to put themselves in the shoes of international leaders. Students will learn not only by reading, but by playing games that put themselves in the roles of policymakers and leaders.

Meets: Tuesdays & Thursdays | 11 am-12:15 pm

Instructor: Peter White

Credit: Three

CRN: 14942

This 16-week course, "Introduction to Workplace Communication," is designed to provide students with the essential skills and knowledge required to communicate effectively in a professional setting. The course covers key areas such as verbal and non-verbal communication, active listening, and the role of cultural diversity in the workplace. Students will learn techniques for professional writing, including crafting emails, reports, and presentations. The course also emphasizes the importance of feedback and how to give and receive it constructively. Through interactive activities, role-playing scenarios, and practical assignments, participants will develop their ability to navigate various communication challenges. By the end of the course, students will have a comprehensive understanding of how to build positive working relationships, resolve conflicts, and enhance team collaboration through effective communication strategies. Whether you are entering the workforce for the first time or looking to improve existing skills, this course offers valuable insights and practical tools to help you succeed in any professional environment.

Meets: Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays | 1-2 pm

Instructor: Sherrie Gilbert

Credit: Three

CRN: 14938

This is a class about knowledge, understanding, and trust. While epistemology is, in general, the philosophical study of knowledge, this class will focus on its intersection with a variety of social issues that complicate our attempts to understand the world around us: who can we trust? How do others help us know? Which are the right experts and how can we tell? How does our social positional and the quiet structures around us affect our ability to know?

Meets: Tuesdays & Thursdays | 11 am-12:15 pm

Instructor: Guy Rohrbaugh

Credit: Three

CRN: 14937

Honors Research Seminars

The students will be trained to identify the lacuna / gap in the current research literature associated with an etiopathology of a neurological disease and the pertinent requirement for a new prophylactic or therapeutic drug therapy. Open to all majors. Research focus can be customized to interest and career goals.

Meets: Wednesdays | 3-5 pm

Instructor: Muralikrishnan Dhanasekaran

Credit: Three

CRN: 14949

This course is designed to familiarize students with biomedical research, with a particular focus on AI-driven studies impacting biomarker discovery and drug repositioning in complex diseases. The students will learn the basis of data processing and relational database construction. The students will follow the state-of-art techniques in processing the multi-omics data and enhance their understanding of the frontiers of bioinformatics algorithms, tackling biomedical questions, such as the stratification of the patients and identifying potential cohort-specific oncogenes and treatment. This course will introduce the Honors College’s students who are interested in pursuing careers in bioinformatics or data science, equipping them with the skills needed to conduct bioinformatics research using state-of-the-art technologies.

Meets: Tuesdays | 1-3 pm

Instructor: Zongliang Yue

Credit: Three

CRN: 14950

This Honors research seminar aims to foster critical approaches to understanding the broader cultural significance of contemporary popular sports in the United States. We will suspend the conception of sport as merely a happy pastime to view sport as reflecting ideological issues such as race, class, gender, education, and online discourse, even as rhetoric around sports participation and punditry helps to shape prevailing American values and attitudes. Required texts will include literature, film, television, and creative nonfiction/journalism, and the course will culminate in an independent research project guided by instructor and peer feedback in which each student will identify and intervene in a contemporary controversy in sports that overlaps with broader ideological debate

Meets: Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays | 11-11:50 am

Instructor: Daniel Grace

Credit: Three

CRN: 18441

This course examines key issues affecting student parents and student caregivers through three distinct areas: perinatal mental health, the legal landscape, and childcare access. Students will explore research and programming related to perinatal mental health support, legal rights and policies impacting student caregivers, and the availability and structure of childcare services in educational settings. Each topic will be approached separately, allowing for an in-depth understanding of the unique challenges and policy considerations within each domain. Through case studies, policy analysis, and applied research, students will gain insights into how institutions and policymakers can better support student caregivers.

Meets: Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays | 12-12:50 pm

Instructor: Regan A. Moss

Credit: Three

CRN: 14951

Honors Book Club

Introverts aren’t necessarily the quiet ones in the corner. Though our culture places more social value on those who are the life of the party, introverts think, create, learn, and love at a level that is often deeper than their extroverted peers. Let’s dispel the stereotypes of introversion and celebrate the psychology of the serene.

Meets: Wednesdays | 12-12:50 pm

Instructor: Christopher T. Wyckoff

Credit: One

CRN: 14924

In a country that feels increasingly divided, literature can remind us of the wonderful tapestry of people who make up American society. Our two novels this semester, Caramelo by Sandra Cisneros and The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka, showcase the strength and resolve of two diverse American communities. They help to emphasize unique differences each community experiences and the surprising similarities in life regardless of cultural identity. In this course, we will reflect on the trials and triumphs of the characters and explore how reading these texts may influence the current social climate.

Meets: Wednesdays | 1-1:50 pm

Instructor: Meagan Anthony

Credit: One

CRN: 18554

A selection of books about leadership, communication, and decision-making

Meets: Mondays | 11-11:50 am

Instructor: Kathleen Boyd

Credit: One

CRN: 14925

Meets: Tuesdays | 5-5:50 pm

Instructor: Dr. Laura Stevens

Credit: One

CRN: 14926

This section will read "Against the Grain" with its author, Roger Thurow

Meets: Mondays | 2-2:50 pm

Instructor: Roger Thurow

Credit: One

CRN: 18361

University's Common Book Program Book for 2025. Freshmen only.

Meets: Tuesdays | 9:30-10:20 am

Instructor: Piper Cumbo

Credit: One

CRN: 18553

This book club explores the intersection of cultural intelligence (CQ) and global fluency, equipping students with the awareness, skills, and strategies necessary to navigate diverse cultural landscapes effectively. Through guided discussions, multimedia resources, and experiential learning, students will deepen their understanding of cultural adaptability, communication styles, and global leadership.

Meets: Thursdays | 2-2:50 pm

Instructor: Adeola Fayemi

Credit: One

CRN: 18416

“The Lexus and the Olive Tree” by Thomas Friedman. Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux; 2 edition

Meets: Thursdays | 12:30-1:45 pm

Instructor: Joseph Johnson

Credit: One

CRN: 14929

In an increasing age of media, motion, and overwhelm, the comfort, connection, and peace of classic literature has gradually been left behind. This class invites you to step away from noise and distractions and welcomes you to join a time of thoughtful togetherness: a reading room. Together, we will read aloud Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. All readings will occur in class, together, and reflections will be submitted individually after class. This class will cover the content and themes of Little Women and will also explore the art and practice of reading out loud, within a classroom community.

Meets: Tuesdays | 1-1:50 pm

Instructor: Katie Martin

Credit: One

CRN: 14930

University's Common Book Program Book for 2025. Freshmen only.

Meets: Wednesdays | 9-9:50 am

Instructor: Whitney Comer

Credit: One

CRN: 14931

The term “Final Girl” originates in Carol J. Clover’s 1992 scholarly book Men, Women, & Chainsaws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film. Since the term was coined, the final girl trope has permeated our pop culture understanding of horror. While it may now be considered a stereotype, the final girl trope opens up a broader conversation about gender within the genre of horror. In literature, women have historically had a surprising amount of agency and influence in horror compared to other genres (think Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the gothic horror of the Bronte sisters, and the influential works of Agatha Christie and Shirley Jackson). It is interesting that the same genre that often depicts helpless women victimized by violence also represents some of the boldest displays of female protagonists seen in literature and pop culture—female protagonists with their own rich stories of empowerment. This course will discuss how gender influences horror as a genre in literature and popular culture, both from the male and female perspective, and how the trope of the final girl has evolved over time. Should we dismiss horror as vapid, gory entertainment, or is there an argument for it being a pioneer in introducing female agency to the mainstream?

Please note: The readings in this course deal with adult language and adult themes, including violence and gore.

Meets: Wednesdays | 2-2:50 am

Instructor: Yvette Stone

Credit: One

CRN: 14932

This section will read a selection of John Maxwell leadership books.

Meets: Tuesdays | 2-2:50 am

Instructor: Whitney Comer

Credit: One

CRN: 14933

University's Common Book Program Book for 2025. Freshmen only.

Meets: Mondays | 3:30-4:20 pm

Instructor: Suzanne Hunter

Credit: One

CRN: 14934

Have you ever had your favorite book turned into a TV show and the ending was…not the same? Or the main character was cast completely different than how you imagined? With the rise in streaming platforms, popular books are adapted to TV shows at astronomical rates. But do they always get it right? In this class we will focus on books that have been successfully (or maybe unsuccessfully) made into TV series. We will discuss what makes for a good adaptation and make suggestions for the future of book to TV pipelines. Books: Nine Perfect Strangers, The Perfect Couple

Meets: Wednesdays | 10-10:50 am

Instructor: Emily Prim

Credit: One

CRN: 14927

This book club is still in the works, come back for more information.

Meets: TBD

Instructor: TBD

Credit: One

CRN: TBD

Honors Study & Travel

You must apply to take this class through Auburn Abroad, and then you will be manually enrolled by Honors. Application information will be sent through the Honors Canvas page. Please consider applying early and reach out to wrc0024@auburn.edu if you have questions.

Meets: Tuesdays | 4-4:50 am

Instructor: Michael Greene

Credit: Three

CRN: 14945

Meets: Wednesdays | 3-3:50 pm

Instructor: Jeffrey LaMondia

Credit: Three

CRN: 14947

Other Available Courses

Counts as a core Social Science course specifically designed for Honors College students. From an interdisciplinary perspective, this course examines the intersections of technology & technology & culture in a variety of social, historical, professional, and global settings.

Meets: Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays | 11-11:50 pm

Instructor: George M. Plasketes

Credit: Three

Course: HONR 1017

CRN: 14892

Credit: One

Course: HONR 1077

There are 11 sections avialable for Fall 2025:

CRN: 14893 | Wednesdays | 2-2:50 pm | Celeste Waugh (engineering students only)

CRN: 14894 | Tuesdays | 8:30-9:20 am | Amy Flynn

CRN: 14895 | Tuesdays | 9:30-10:20 am | Jonathan Hallford (liberal arts students only)

CRN: 14898 | Tuesdays | 11-11:50 am | Taylor Davis

CRN: 14899 | Mondays | 2-2:50 pm | Savannah Baker

CRN: 14900 | Wednesdays | 10-10:50 am | Katie Martin

CRN: 14901 | Mondays | 2-2:50 pm | Taylor Davis

CRN: 14902 | Wednesdays | 2-2:50 pm | Bryce Gray

CRN: 14903 | Wednesdays | 1-1:50 pm | Bryce Gray

CRN: 14904 | Tuesdays | 9:30-10:20 am | Amy Flynn

CRN: 14897 | Wednesdays | 9-9:50 am | Emily Prim

Meets: This class does not have a time or meet in person but requires attendance to various on-campus events.

Instructors: Krista A. Grant & Meredith A. Powell

Credit: One

Course: HONR 2077

CRN: 14918, 14919, 14920, 14921, 14922, 14923

Meets: Tuesdays & Thursdays | 11 am-12:15 pm

Instructor: Abigail Higgins

Credit: Three

Course: HONR 2097

CRN: 14935

Policies and Retention Criteria

A grade of “C” or better in Honors courses is required to earn Honors College credit.

In order to remain in good standing as a member of the Honors College, students must meet the following minimum criteria:

I. Students are required to maintain satisfactory progress in completing the requirements of the Honors curriculum. Satisfactory progress is defined by attaining the following minimums by the end of the specified academic year:

First year: 7 Honor hours
Second year: 14 Honor hours
Third year: 21 Honors hours

II. First-year students must attain a minimum 3.0 cumulative unadjusted Auburn GPA and second, third, and fourth-year students must maintain a minimum 3.2 cumulative unadjusted Auburn GPA. Students whose GPA falls below the minimum is give one semester to correct the deficiency or be suspended from the Honors College.

III. All first-year students in the Honors College must meet with an Honors Academic Advisor in the fall semester and submit a Plan of Study prior to registration for spring courses. Any changes to the Plan of Study should be done at a meeting with an Honors College Advisor.

IV. Second, third, and fourth-year students must meet with an Honors Academic Advisor at least once a year to ensure retention and understanding of the program and to confirm progress is being made toward the completion of the Honors requirements.

V. Students who do not successfully maintain good standing (Honors course progression, GPA, meeting at least once a year with their Honors advisor, and/or submission of the Plan of Study) will be suspended from the Honors College. Students may be reinstated upon attaining the minimum GPA and/or providing the Honors College with an updated Plan of Study for Honors courses. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the College when good standing has been attained.

VI. Any scholarships awarded by the Honors College are contingent upon maintaining membership in good standing in the Honors College. Suspension from the Honor College will result in a loss of Honors scholarship funding.

content row

Honors Designations

University Honors Scholar

Honors Scholar

University Honors Research Scholar

Honors Research Scholar

Honors Course Types

Honors Academic Courses

Honors University Core Courses

Honors Departmental Courses

Honors Study and Travel Courses

Honors Seminars

Honors Research Seminars

Honors Contract Courses

Honors Participation Courses

Honors Freshman Exploration, HONR 1077

Honors Lyceum

Honors Book Club

Honors Forum

Honors Signature Impact Experiences

Honors Research

Honors Thesis

Honors Special Topics

Graduate-level courses in the major field of study

Specialized Minor

Honors Business Minor

Honors Public Health Minor

Honors International Minor

Current Honors Course List | Spring 2026

Honors Lyceums

Can I research TikTok? Introducing Social Scientific Research Methods and Problematics through Social Media

Inside the Game: An Introduction to Sports Management

The Prioritized Life

Service Learning

Service Learning

Research at Auburn (Engineering)

Visual Notetaking

Honors Interdisciplinary Exploration: Food

Witchcraft in American History

Service in Schools

Solar Punk Futures: Auburn’s Sustainable Path

Research at Auburn: COSAM

Cultures in Conversation

Political Science in Science Fiction and Speculative Fiction

Peer Instructors

Economic Development: Local and Global Perspectives

Career Success

The Worlds of Dune

Research at Auburn

Going for the Gold: Preparing for National Scholarships, Graduate School, and other Opportunities

RVL Introduction to Molecular Techniques

Honors Seminars

AI Ethics Across Sectors - Iron Bowl Edition

Edible Stories: Food in Immigrant Fiction and Film

Wildlife in Focus: The Power of Film

Lights, Camera, Action: Entertainment Public Relations

From Pantheon to Page: World Mythology in Storytelling

Week of Service 2026 Spring Leadership

Be the Best You Career Planning

Be The Change: Philanthropy, Nonprofits, and Civic Engagement

Power Moves: Communication Skills for Career Growth

The Leadership Challenge

This Class is the Bomb: Nuclear Anxiety in American Culture from 1945 to the Present

Happiness

The Business of Creativity and Innovation

Sick and Sovereign: The Evolution of Health Systems Worldwide

Honors Research Seminars

Genomics and Personalized Medicine

On Becoming: Student Motherhood

Visualizing the Past: Community-Based History& Design

Drug Use and Addiction: Research Across the Medical Humanities

Database & AI Initiative Biomedical

Honors Book Club

Rest as Resistance

Reading about Dogs, with a Dog

Capitalism and its Critics

Blink: The power of thinking without thinking

Understanding Behaviors for Making Better Choices in College

It's the End of the World as We Know It

Memoirs & Mirrors: Unlocking Truths in Personal Reflections