Spring 2025 Honors Courses
Information about Spring 2025 Honors classes is available on Course Finder! The following information can be found through the Registrations and Student Records tab in RU Access. For more information, visit this link.
AFS 211-99/PSYC 211-99: Psyc Study of Racism
Instructor: J. Coleman
The purpose of this course is to familiarize the student with the field of psychology’s study of racism and prejudice; and engage the student and experiential investigation of racism and prejudice via group discussions, viewing of films on the topics, and additional readings as assigned.
ART 329-99/WGS 305-99: Fiber Arts & Feminist Practice
Instructor: P. Perkins
As class members learn traditional textile practices (weaving, quilting, embroidery, knitting, and others), we will explore how fiber arts have been both gendered labor and, increasingly, sites for political expression and resistance.
Various forms of representation (art, artifacts, discourse, media, performance, style, texts) with emphasis on historical and intersectional feminist approaches to gender and sexuality. Focus on practices of production and consumption, formation of identities, circulation of ideologies, and networks of power.
ENG 102-99: Comp II: Intro Acad Research
Instructor: V. Francone
This course introduces students to the process of academic research and engages them in research-oriented writing. Students participate in a series of academic conversations about important issues by learning to locate, evaluate, analyze and present appropriate source materials in their own writing projects.
FIN 387-99: Derivative Securities
Instructor: M. Andrews
Futures, forward contracts, options, and swaps. The markets for derivatives, pricing theories for derivatives and other securities with embedded derivatives, and the use of derivatives to hedge risks. The pricing of ordinary securities using derivatives.
HIST 110-99: Top: Rumors, Myths, & Propaganda
Instructor: M. Jocks
This course will explore enduring ideas, themes or questions, such as changing concepts of identity and selfhood articulated by major figures in Western and non-Western literature and philosophy from antiquity to modernity. It will emphasize the diversity of the human experience through idea-centered dialogue, close analysis of primary texts, and analytical methods characteristic of learning in the liberal arts tradition.
HON 312-99: Honors Book Colloquium
Instructor: M. Jocks
The colloquium is a group book study, revolving around a main common text that we will analyze and discuss with rigor and attention to the text’s relevance to students’ educational paths and our contemporary world. The purpose of this colloquium is for Honors students to develop, practice, and master habits of seminar leadership; collegial dialogue with peers, faculty, and guests; textual analysis and application; and engagement with current civic, cultural, and social issues through the lens of a text. Honors Book Colloquium is designed to help Honors students become skilled junior scholars prepared for the rigors of Honors coursework, graduate school, and careers.
HON 398-99: Honors Research Pro-Seminar
Instructor: M. Jocks
Research seminar required for students 1 or 2 semester prior to enrolling in HON 399: Honors Senior Thesis. Focuses on developing a research question and methodology, immersion in relevant scholarship, and developing a plan to produce an arguable Honors Senior Thesis in students’ major/minor.
HON 399: Honors Senior Thesis
Instructor: M. Blancato/S. Rutter
Research capstone project for Honors Program students in their major/minor.
HUM 300-99: Newberry Library UG Seminar
Instructor: P. Archibald
Roosevelt undergraduates have the opportunity to work with students from DePaul, Loyola, and the University of Illinois at Chicago in an interdisciplinary research seminar located at the Newberry Library, one of the world’s leading research institutions. The NLUS fulfills major requirements in a variety of disciplines related directly to the course topic and the student’s final project, and may be used to fulfill either humanities or social science distribution requirements for general education. Students work with their academic advisor to determine the appropriate use of the six credit hours, which can be applied to two different disciplines. Students have used the Newberry project as the bassi for successful Honors Theses.
MGMT 358-99: Organizational Behavior
Instructor: M. Herard
Historical, social, and psychological factors associated with various organizational structures; human consequences of various organizational arrangements; techniques and programs by which organizations may be modified or designed. Also available through RU Online.
MAS 301-99: Honors BMA Colloquium
Instructor: D. Kjar
Required of BMA students every semester of enrollment. Discussion of seminal literature and emerging issues in the various music-related disciplines (ethnomusicology, musicology, music theory, music therapy, music production, arts administration, intellectual property law, music librarianship, etc.) in order to gain exposure to the work of individuals in these areas. Discussion of current news and topics in music, the performing arts, and related fields. Consideration of music and cultural engagement as essential elements in human society, and the potential for music and the arts to champion the cause of social justice. Time allowed for conversations with on-campus guests and visits to professionals working in the Chicago area.
NSCI 283-99: Topics in Natural Science
Instructor: K. Poulson-Ellestad
Topics course on concepts and techniques in biology, chemistry, or biochemistry.
PHIL 102-99: Philosophies of Life
Instructor: S. Warner
This course is a lively mix of philosophy and psychology. We will consider various ways of life and discuss happiness, meaningfulness, completeness, unity, memory, the experience of time, awareness of morality, and vividness of experience.
SUST 250-99: The Sustainable University
Instructor: M. Bryson
RU’s Strategic Sustainability Plan maps out how the university as a whole can become more sustainable, from academics to operations to community engagement. Student creativity and action are vital to this effort. While learning about campus-based sustainability innovations in the US and abroad, student teams design and complete projects that implement various aspects of RU’s plan in a hands-on application of sustainability principles, service learning, and environmental activism.
FALL 2024 HONORS COURSES
Information about Fall 2024 Honors classes is available on Course Finder! The following information can be found through the Registrations and Student Records tab in RU Access. For more information, visit this link.
BADM101-99: Introduction to Business HON
Instructor: J. Muryn
Comprehensive overview of the business world and business basics. Topics include: Personal money management, marketing, organizational management, accounting/finance operations and ethics in business. Today’s changing business environment; focus on careers in business and business career options.
COMM101-99: Public Speaking HON
Instructor: M. Schiller
Principles and practices of composition and delivery of speeches for effective communication to diverse audiences.
ENG101-99: COMPI: Critical Read and Writing
Instructor: M. McMahon
This course is designed to help students gain competence in analytical reading and writing. Students are engaged in writing as a process of critical inquiry, revision and collaboration and are invited to actively participate in our writing community.
ENG222-99: Writing Tutor Practicum HON
Instructor: V. Francone
ENG 222 focuses on issues related to academic literacies through discussion of professional and scholarly materials, collaborative writing projects, and putting theories into practice through a variety of tutoring activities engaging primarily with first-year students taking ENG 101. You will be trained as tutors by the Writing Center; throughout the semester you will focus on how to make the transition to college life and writing more socially just and effective.
FIN321-99: Investments Honor
Instructor: J. Shea
The valuation and selection of securities to meet alternative investment objectives; portfolio theory and management.
FIN399: Thesis: CCCF Honors Track
Instructor: J. Shea
This course is an independent study thesis for the CCCF Finance Honors Track.
FYS101-99: First Year Success
Instructor: M. Jocks
Honors First Year Success is a course designed to facilitate students’ integration into the university learning community and the RU Honors Program. The course enhances academic success, increases self-awareness, and fosters educational engagement.
FYS101-99A: First Year Success
Instructor: S. Rutter
Instructor: K. Johnston
Instructor: M. Jocks
Honors First Year Success is a course designed to facilitate students’ integration into the university learning community and the RU Honors Program. The course enhances academic success, increases self-awareness, and fosters educational engagement.
HON399-01: Honors Senior Thesis
Instructor: M. Blancato
Research capstone project for Honors Program students in their major/minor.
MAS301-99: BMA Colloquium
Required of BMA students every semester of enrollment. Discussion of seminal literature and emerging issues in the various music-related disciplines (ethnomusicology, musicology, music theory, music therapy, music production, arts administration, intellectual property law, music librarianship, etc.), in order to gain exposure to the work of individuals in these areas. Discussion of current news and topics in music, the performing arts, and related fields. Consideration of music and cultural engagement as essential elements in human society, and the potential for music and the arts to champion the cause of social justice. Time allowed for conversations with on-campus guests and visits to professionals working in the Chicago area.
POS101-99: United States Politics HON
Instructor: D. Faris
The processes and functions of US governmental institutions; Constitutional framework; relationship between politics and the economy; relationship between the states and the national government; political culture; participation and representation; contemporary public policy problems.
PSYC383-99: LatinX Children and Families HON
Instructor: S. Torres-Harding
Mental disorders as major social problems; concept of mental illness in popular understanding, psychiatry, and social sciences; cultural, social-psychological, and sociological theories of development of mental disorders; empirical studies of cultural variation and social variables in mental disorders; social aspects of patient career; social prevention of mental disorders.
WGS222-99: Sex and Gender in the City
Instructor: S. Frink
Multi-disciplinary study of sex and gender in urban contexts, including urban geographies, histories, communities, cultures and subcultures, labor, housing, and politics.
This information comes from the Course Finder and can be accessed at this link.
Honors Contracts
Contracts allow students to earn Honors credits by designing their own scholarly Honors experiences in collaboration with faculty and Honors Program staff. Contract proposals and work must be submitted by program deadlines and will be reviewed by staff and faculty. Students are eligible to complete contracts after they have successfully completed at least one Honors seminar course.
Curricular contracts provide Honors students the unique opportunity to further develop the curriculum in upper division courses in their major or minor and convert them into individual Honors sections. Students earn Honors credits and course credit if they meet all requirements.
Co-curricular contract projects provide students the chance to engage personal and academic inquiry during intensive co-curricular experiences.
Projects that emerge–often creative!–from study abroad, non-credit bearing or unpaid internships, or even related activities of a student’s planning and design, demonstrate intensive inquiry and application of academic principles. Successfully completed co-curricular contracts earn Honors credit, but not course or degree credit.
SPRING 2024 HONORS COURSES
All information below is from the Spring 2024 Course Finder which can be accessed at this link.
ART 328-99/ JMS328-99: Documentary Photography
Instructor: M. Ensdorf
An exploration of documentary photography consisting of camera usage, shooting assignments, slide lectures, and computer work using Photoshop. No previous photography experience required. Cameras will be provided for the semester. This course will introduce the computer as a powerful tool for the photographer. We will discuss the ethical, philosophical and practical considerations regarding digital imaging. We will be using flat-bed scanners, 35mm slide and negative scanners, and digital cameras for inputting images into the computer. Adobe Lightroom will be our primary imaging program.
ENG 102-99: COMPII: Intro to Academic Research
Instructor: V. Francone
This course introduces students to the process of academic research and engages them in research-oriented writing. Students participate in a series of academic conversations about important issues by learning to locate, evaluate, analyze and present appropriate source materials in their own writing projects.
ENG 102-99A: COMPII: Intro to Academic Research
Instructor: P. Perkins
This course introduces students to the process of academic research and engages them in research-oriented writing. Students participate in a series of academic conversations about important issues by learning to locate, evaluate, analyze and present appropriate source materials in their own writing projects.
FIN312-99: Corporate Finance
Instructor: M. Andrews
Corporate finance offers a comprehensive introduction to the key concepts and practices essential for understanding the financial operations of corporations. Students will delve into the world of financial management, exploring the roles and responsibilities of a financial manager in a corporate setting. Key concepts include calculation of a firm’s cost of capital, cash flow estimation and risk analysis in capital budgeting, asset pricing models, the valuation of debt and equity securities, corporate governance and mergers and acquisitions.
FIN315-99: Financial Research Methods
Instructor: J. Shea
None
FIN387-99: Derivative Securities
Instructor: J. Shea
Futures, forward contracts, options, and swaps. The markets for derivatives, pricing theories for derivatives and other securities with embedded derivatives, and the use of derivatives to hedge risks. The pricing of ordinary securities using derivatives.
HIST 280-99: Understand the Holocaust
Instructor: M. Jocks
Introduction to historiography and methodology of a specific topic; the nature of interpretation and various schools of thought on the topic. Experience in reading and interpreting primary sources, such as written documents, photographs, oral history, and quantitative data. Please click highlighted CRN for a more detailed description of this course.
HON312-99: Honors Book Colloquium
Instructor: M. Jocks
This colloquium is a group book study, revolving around a main common text that we will analyze and discuss with rigor and attention to the text’s relevance to students’ educational paths and our contemporary world. The purpose of this colloquium is for Honors students to develop, practice, and master habits of seminar leadership; collegial dialogue with peers, faculty, and guests; textual analysis and application; and engagement with current civic, cultural, and social issues through the lens of a text. Honors Book Colloquium is designed to help Honors students become skilled junior scholars prepared for the rigors of Honors coursework, graduate school, and careers.
HON398-99: Honors Research Pro-Seminar
Instructor: M. Jocks
Research seminar required for students 1 or 2 semesters prior to enrolling in HON 399: Honors Senior Thesis. Focuses on developing a research question and methodology, immersion in relevant scholarship, and developing a plan to produce an arguable Honors Senior Thesis in students’ major/minor.
HUM300-99: Newberry Library UG Seminar
Instructor: P. Archibald
Roosevelt undergraduates have the opportunity to work with students from DePaul, Loyola, and the University of Illinois at Chicago in an interdisciplinary research seminar located at the Newberry Library, one of the world’s leading research institutions. The NLUS fulfills major requirements in a variety of disciplines related directly to the course topic and the student’s final project, and may be used to fulfill either humanities or social science distribution requirements for general education. Students work with their academic advisor to determine the appropriate use of the six credit hours, which can be applied to two different disciplines. Students have used the Newberry project as the basis for successful Honors Theses.
MAS301-99: Honors BMA Colloquium
Instructor: K. Choi
Required of BMA students every semester of enrollment. Discussion of seminal literature and emerging issues in the various music-related disciplines (ethnomusicology, musicology, music theory, music therapy, music production, arts administration, intellectual property law, music librarianship, etc.), in order to gain exposure to the work of individuals in these areas. Discussion of current news and topics in music, the performing arts, and related fields. Consideration of music and cultural engagement as essential elements in human society, and the potential for music and the arts to champion the cause of social justice. Time allowed for conversations with on-campus guests and visits to professionals working in the Chicago area.
PHIL102-99: Philosophies of Life
Instructor: S. Warner
We will consider the shape and character of various human lives and examine concepts such as meaningfulness, completeness, unity, memory, the experience of time, awareness of mortality, and vividness of experience. How should we think about our lives? What kinds of lives are choice-worthy? How much choice do we have in the lives we live? Can we know ourselves? These questions will orient us in our course. Our guiding readings will come from authors such as Plato, Shakespeare, Francis Bacon, Henry David Thoreau, Willa Cather, Jose Ortega y Gasset, Albert Camus, and Muriel Barbery.
POS390-99: Controversial Issues
Instructor: E. Ricks
This course examines differences in political viewpoints in terms of values, morals, attitudes, cognitions, and personality traits, among others. Students will explore the psychological and psychosocial origins and consequences of these political differences. The course will also draw upon communications research to better understand how to have constructive dialogue about areas of disagreement.
PSYC383-99: Political Psychology
Instructor: E. Ricks
Mental disorders as major social problems; concept of mental illness in popular understanding, psychiatry, and social sciences; cultural, social-psychological, and sociological theories of development of mental disorders; empirical studies of cultural variation and social variables in mental disorders; social aspects of patient career; social prevention of mental disorders.