The Honors Curriculum is unique and designed to encourage interdisciplinary and divergent thinking.
Fundamentum
Hon 100
Idea Labs
HON 253 Natural Science
HON 255 Humanities
HON 257 Social Science
Dialectics
HON 220 Where have we been?
HON 230 Where are we now?
HON 240 Where are we going?
THESIS:
HON 490 Thesis (6 credits)
Breakdown
Idea Labs are courses in thought experiments that seek to solve a problem in Tampa Bay and/or the world. Students take one Idea Lab in the Humanities, one in the Social Sciences, and one in the Natural Sciences. Students can transfer in (via college credit or AP tests with a 5) up to two Idea Labs. (See here for AP course equivalencies).
Dialectics are team-taught courses that examine interdisciplinary issues in the past, present, and future. They’re each taught by 3 professors, simultaneously, with each professor representing the College of Arts and Letters; the College of Natural and Health Sciences; and the College of Social Sciences, Mathematics, and Education. Some social science courses are also taught by faculty in the College of Business. These courses are the only ones of their kind at the University of Tampa.
An Honors Thesis is an original research project appropriate to the student’s field of study. Theses can be traditional research papers; plays; poems; books; business proposals; experiments; or anything a student wants to explore. A thesis is completed by taking a minimum of 6 Thesis credits, and these credits can be thesis courses in your major (if they exist) or HON 490 (the Honors Thesis independent study designation). You can break up thesis credits however you like. Some students take 1 credit at a time, spaced out, while others take 3 thesis credits per semester; these are distributed at the student’s discretion. More about the thesis can be found here.
Course Schedule Offerings
Spring 2026 Course Schedule
HON 220: Where Have We Been? – Controversies in Human Development
(Tuesday/Thursday | 2:00 PM – 3:50 PM, taught by Professors Erin Koterba, Abraham Miller, Amy Elliot)
In this one-semester course, students explore the past by studying the foundations and development of various cultures’ sociopolitical, scientific, and historiographical foundational ideas from the dawning of time to the 20th century.
In many respects, we appear to be living in a divided world. Controversies abound, and working your way through information and misinformation alike can be difficult. Where have we been, as a society, that has led to these debates? In this course, we will adopt an interdisciplinary approach to explore several well-known modern controversies that actually have a long history in human development with an emphasis on how we arrived at this point. Through investigating common controversies, we will address (1) how they originate, (2) why understanding them matters, and (3) what the consequences are.
HON 230: Where Are We Now? – The Politics of Water: Health and the Environment
(Friday | 8:00 AM – 11:50 AM, taught by Professors Alisha Menzies, Kimberly Dobrinski, Damien Contessa)
What if one of the most essential resources for life—water—is not as safe, equal, or accessible as you think?
This eye-opening, interdisciplinary course explores the hidden truths about drinking water in the U.S. and around the world, asking critical questions about who has access to clean water, who doesn’t—and why.
Students will unpack the complex realities behind what often seems like a basic resource. From contaminated pipes in urban neighborhoods and rural homes to billion-dollar industries controlling distribution, you’ll examine water through biological, geographic, economic, political, and cultural lenses. You’ll learn how legislation, corporate interests, and environmental inequities shape who gets clean water—and who gets left behind.
Through hands-on experiences—such as learning the molecular makeup of water, testing water samples in the field, and visiting a local water treatment facility—you’ll gain a scientific foundation alongside real-world context. A semester-long community engagement project will connect you with local organizations, policymakers, and affected communities. You’ll also create public service announcements to raise awareness right here on the UTampa campus.
This is not just a class—it’s a call to action. You’ll develop the tools to understand and tackle water justice issues by critically analyzing media, policy, infrastructure, and public health impacts—while proposing your own solutions for change.
Whether you’re drawn to science, social justice, environmental studies, or public policy, The Politics of Water offers a powerful, interdisciplinary experience that challenges assumptions—and inspires action.
HON 240: Where Are We Going? – What the Century Will Bring: Crime, Communication and Cyber-Security
(Tuesday/Thursday | 4:00 PM – 5:50 PM, taught by Professors Chris Gurrie, Anthony LaRose, Angela Ramos)
This interdisciplinary honors course explores the complex intersection of Criminology (CRM), Sociology, and Cybersecurity, with a focus on understanding how digital innovations are reshaping both criminal behavior and societal responses. Students will analyze the evolving nature of fraud, the rise of deepfakes, and the dual threats and benefits posed by artificial intelligence (AI) within contemporary society.
Drawing on criminological theory, sociological perspectives, and technical insights, the course examines how cybercrime challenges traditional understandings of law, deviance, and control. Topics include the use of AI in committing fraud, the social impact of synthetic media and deepfakes, and the ways digital tools can both facilitate and prevent criminal acts. Emphasis will be placed on understanding how trust, identity, and power dynamics are negotiated in increasingly virtual environments.
Students will engage with real-world case studies involving AI-driven scams, misinformation campaigns, and data breaches, alongside critical discussions on the ethical use of AI for crime prevention, surveillance, and social control. The course also considers how marginalized communities are disproportionately affected by both cybercrime and heavy-handed security responses.
By the end of the course, students will develop an integrated understanding of how technological advances intersect with criminal behavior and social structures, equipping them to critically analyze emerging risks and policy debates at the forefront of crime and cybersecurity.
HON 253: Idea Lab: Health Science/Natural Science – The Biology of Sex
(Monday/Wednesday/Friday | 1:00 PM – 2:10 PM, taught by Professors Haydn Rubelmann)
The Biology of Sex explores reproduction as a core characteristic of life, highlighting the incredible diversity of strategies organisms use to pass on their genes. From single-celled microbes to complex animals and plants, this course examines both sexual and asexual forms of reproduction and the evolutionary pressures that shape them. Students will learn how reproduction drives adaptation, behavior, and biodiversity. Topics include the origin of sex, reproductive anatomy and physiology across life forms, mating systems, microbial reproduction, pollination, parasitic reproduction, and reproductive strategies in extreme environments. We will investigate how sex is determined in different species—genetically, environmentally, and socially—and consider how those systems challenge human assumptions about gender and biology. In the final portion of the course, we will focus on human reproduction, exploring topics such as pregnancy, hormones, contraception, fertility, reproductive technologies, and the biological complexity of sex and gender. We will also consider the social and ethical dimensions of reproductive science in human populations. This course is designed for honors students of all majors. No prior biology background is required. Emphasis will be placed on developing scientific literacy, critical thinking, and an appreciation for the diverse and often surprising ways life reproduces. Students will use process-oriented guided-inquiry learning throughout the semester and have an inquiry-based project that results in a presentation that can be presented at the Honors Program symposium or CNHS Undergraduate Research and Inquiry symposium.
HON 255: Idea Lab: Humanities/Fine Arts – Co-Creative Media Production
(Monday/Wednesday | 4:00 PM – 5:50 PM, taught by Professor Christopher Boulton)
In this course, students will produce short media projects across three digital storytelling modalities: 1) an audio podcast about a pivotal moment from their childhood; 2) a 360-degree immersive/spherical video about a historic place in Tampa; and 3) a co-created micro-documentary film about an issue important to one of their classmates. The final project will take students out into the community to listen to, understand, and help amplify the voice of a marginalized individual, campus organization, local non-profit, social service agency, volunteer group, or arts advocacy group by using one of the three modalities.
HON255: Idea Lab: Humanities/Fine Arts – Latin American Literature in Translation: The Cutting Edge
(Tuesday/Thursday | 12:00 PM – 1:50 PM, taught by Professor James Lopez
This course’s theme is Latin American Literature in Translation. Since the late 19th century until the present day, Latin America has been the scene of one of the most innovative and potent literary traditions in the world. Ever since the publishing explosion known internationally as the “Latin American Boom” took place in the 1960s, many of the region’s authors have taken their place among the world canon of superstar writers. This semester we will concentrate on the short story and novel, reading, analyzing and discussing many of the greatest works ever achieved in these genres. Above all, this is a course about reading and developing a deep appreciation of the power of the literary art to expand our view of the world and ourselves.
HON 257: Idea Lab: Social Science – Race, Urban Space, and Popular Culture
(Tuesday/Thursday | 10:00 AM – 11:50 AM, taught by Professor Colin Anderson)
Scholars and recently the general public have conceded that race is a social construct. Similarly, geographers and urban studies scholars have argued that space is not a given entity but also socially constructed. In this class, we will combine these two insights to examine the reciprocal relationship between race and urban space in U.S. history from the late 19th century through the 21st century. Accordingly, the course explores: 1) how racism and race relations have shaped the built environment and the social and political relations of cities (urban space); and 2) how the development of cities and their various spatial arrangements have impacted both racial ideologies and the form and content of racial identity as a lived experience. In exploring this history, we will pay particular attention to popular culture—everything from lithographic comics, to film, to hip-hop–and how it has both reflected and reinforced historical processes.
FALL 2025 COURSE SCHEDULE
HON 220: Encounters & Explorers (MWF 1-2:10pm, taught by Professors Grimm, Segalla, Wollenberg) This course studies global interconnections and encounters between diverse cultures and societies in different historical periods. Through the study of travel narratives, historiographical writing, and the legacies of colonialism and nationalism, we will examine how explorers and exploration have shaped social and ideological practices and beliefs about identity, environment, and culture.
HON 253: Human Genetics (Friday 10-1:50pm, taught by Prof. Sarah Wilson) This course addresses the major concepts and advances in the field of genetics with an emphasis on human genetics including inheritance of traits, pedigree analysis, DNA structure, and replication. Additional topics include ethical implications of gene manipulation and modern DNA technologies. You will learn how genetics knowledge and technology can impact individuals and society.
HON 255: Discovering the Leader Within (MW 4-5:50 pm, taught by Professors Dixon & Whiteside) Using a holistic approach to leadership theory and development, this course allows students to assess and develop their leadership skills as well as begin to apply leadership theories and concepts in personal environments. Emphasis will be placed upon a holistic approach to personal and professional leadership success through work-life integration. This course explores a variety of concepts related to the behavioral aspects of leadership and influence. Through an interactive process of experiential learning, readings, and analysis, students develop an understanding of what leadership is and how to utilize this body of knowledge to influence the behavior and performance of others. Additionally, using a variety of behavioral simulations, personal assessments, and reflective exercises, students gain insight into their individual behavioral styles and/or preferences as well as their core values driving their actions. Using these insights, students will create leadership development goals intended to help them create sustainable change and improved leadership performance in their lives.
HON 257: International Business and Sustainable Development Goals (MWF 11:30-12:40, taught by Prof. Liou) This course investigates the intersection between business and society in the global business environment. We will examine the economic, social, and environmental impacts of foreign firms in relation to achieving the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a local community. Students will conduct a semester-long team project to identify a practical solution for a foreign firm to take part in contributing to SDGs in the Tampa Bay community.
HON 230: Leading for the Planet (MW 8-9:50am, taught by Professors Hovanec, Mason, Salaiz) This class addresses climate change, environmental justice, and sustainability across the fields of literature, ecology, and business management. Students will use multidisciplinary methods to examine theories and practices of environmental leadership today.
HON240: Immortality (10-11:10am, taught by Professors Cragun, Mollmann, & Evans-Nguyen) In this course, we explore human efforts to expand life expectancy from three perspectives – through science fiction, chemistry, and social psychology. We’ll be exploring a variety of life extension and preservation techniques, ranging from genetic modification to cryonics to mind uploading. Students will explore stories about life preservation and immortality, will conduct hands-on experiments to better understand the biological processes that would be involved, and will gather data to better understand who is interested in pursuing immortality.