INFORMATION FOR
Honors Sections of University Core Curriculum Courses
Each semester, the Honors College offers Honors sections of several University Core Curriculum (UCC) courses. Honors sections are more intense than traditional sections, they rely more upon discussion, and they are capped at 20 students. Before priority registration begins in the fall and spring semester, the Honors College Office produces a list of all Honors sections of UCC courses and shares it with students via e-mail.
Registration Process: All incoming first year students (current high school seniors) are registered by the registrar. Current students: See your advisor as soon as possible (before March 14th) to discuss your Fall 2025 courses and obtain your alternate pin. For a course registration video, please click on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzBYVn7qpuU&t=7s
Click here for a helpful schedule planner.
Click here for a blank 8-semester planning sheet.
Courses are available only by permit. To obtain a permit, please email honors@wpunj.edu with your name, 855 number and the course information.
Fall 2026 Honors Courses
AREA B: WRITING - UCC Area 2B- Expression Writing
College Writing- Honors
ENG 1100-026 CRN: 40931 Matthew Kendrick TR: 9:30am-10:45am
ENG 1100-028 CRN: 41575 Robert Greco MW: 12:30pm-1:45pm
A workshop course in which students read about writing practice and theory and learn strategies for developing and revising pieces of non-fiction writing. Students share their writing with the instructor and their peers, get feedback on drafts, and consider this feedback as they progress through the writing process. At least one writing project will be developed over four different drafts. At the end of the course, students will submit a portfolio of their best revised work done over the course of the semester.
AREA D: CREATIVITY
Everyday Beauty- Honors
PHIL 1700-050 CRN: 42022 Staff A TR: 11:00am-12:15pm
Aesthetic practices are common vehicles of self-expression and therefore essential to the establishment of personal and collective identity. This course examines the philosophical importance of aesthetic significance. Grounded in current literature on "everyday aesthetics"-a branch of philosophy of art- the course considers issues such as fashion ant the fashioning of oneself, gaming, eating practices, the role of popular art and entertainment in our lives, with goal of exposing students to issues in aesthetics that are often overlooked by the academic community. Additionally, the course invites students to express their own identity through such practices, allowing for both their expression and a deep reflection on their everyday life.
AREA E: COMMUNICATION - UCC Area 2A- Expression-Arts & Communication
Communication In Action- Honors
COMM1100-007 CRN: 42102 Nick Hirshon W: 11:00am-1:40pm
A study of oral communication as an interpersonal and dynamic process. Students engage in communication experience designed to develop understanding of and skill in public and interpersonal communication.
AREA F: CT/PS ARTS & HUM - UCC Area 3B- Ways of Know Historical
The Modern World- Honors
HIS 1050-003 CRN: 40445 Staff A TR: 2:00pm-3:15pm
This course provides broad coverage of the formation of the modern world from the late 18th century to the present. It traces political, economic, social, and cultural developments and interactions among the principal regions of the world including Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Americas from the Atlantic Revolutions and their aftermath to our contemporary era. Topics include: the American, French and Haitian revolutions, the Latin American independence movements, industrialization, colonialism and anti-colonialism, nationalism, the World Wars and their aftermath, the Cold War, and globalization. Writing-intensive sections of HIST 1030 will require students to submit approximately 12 pages of formal writing, including a research paper, Blackboard discussion questions, in-class writing, and/or reading logs and journals.
AREA G: CT/PS BEHAVIORAL SOC SC - UCC Area 3C- Ways of Know Social & Behavioral Science
General Psychology- Honors
PSY 1100-005 CRN: 40738 Chris Holle MW: 3:30pm-4:45pm
This course surveys the chief theories, principles, and methodologies of psychology with special emphasis on their relations to human behavior. The biological foundations of behavior, sensory processes, learning, perception, memory, emotion, motivation, personality, and the social bases of behavior and behavior pathology are examined to establish the foundations for advanced study in psychology. Current research findings are included wherever applicable.
AREA H: CT/PS Natural Sciences - UCC Area 3D- Ways of Know Scientific
General Biology: EEB- Honors
BIO 1620-005 CRN: 40870 Staff TR: 11:00am-12:15pm and R 2-4:40pm
For students intending to major in biology, this course is an introduction to general principles of biology for students preparing for careers in life science. Course emphasis is on evolution as a unifying principle in biology, natural selection, macroevolution, evolutionary history of life on earth, exploration of the tree of life, comparative form & function, and interactions among organisms within populations, communities, and ecosystems.
AREA K: IDENTITIES & INEQUALITY - UCC Area 4- Diversity and Justice
Race, Gender, & Social Justice
AWS 2250-001 CRN: 40160 Elizabeth Harkins TR: 11:00am-12:15pm
This course analyzes multiple forms of social oppression and inequality based on race (and color), sex (and gender), sexual orientation (and identity), and class in the United States. It will examine systemic aspects of social oppression in different periods and contexts and the ways that systems of social oppression manifest themselves on individual, cultural, institutional and/or global levels thus becoming self-perpetuating but not wholly unaltered structures. Individual and group agency, strategies of resistance, and visions for change will also be studied.
AREA L: GLOBAL CONNECTIVITIES - UCC Area 6- Global Awareness
Global Transformations: Culture and Political Economy Honors
ANTH 3100-001 CRN: 40125 Vidya Kalaramadam W: 2:00pm-4:40pm
This course develops an understanding of the experiences of “globalization” as a historical phase of capitalism, and “development” as a post-World War II set of practices. It will analyze specific “global” problems as manifested in the lives of large sections of the world’s poor and marginalized populations across multiple societies. These problems include poverty and inequality; livelihoods and food security; endemic hunger, malnutrition and healthcare systems; overconsumption, population and environmental degradation; international debt; displacement and migration; intellectual property rights and indigenous knowledge; wars and cultural conflicts. Emphasis will be on contradictory impacts on people and societal prospects in Asia, Africa and Latin America, and on marginalized populations in advanced capitalist countries. Methods to facilitate a just and sustainable future for humanity will also be explored.
AREA M: DECOLONIZATION & JUSTICE*
Modern Indian Literature
ASN/ENG 3530 -001 CRN: 42722 Raje Kaur TR: 9:30am-10:45am
An examination of significant works of the literature of India, from the colonial period to the present, which may include novels, poetry, memoirs, and travelogues. The course focuses on modern and contemporary authors and offers an opportunity to examine works in their historical, social, and cultural contexts. Authors may include Rudyard Kipling, R.K. Naryan, Rabindranath Tagore, Salman Rushdie, Anita Desai, and Arundhati Roy.
AREA N: CIVIC ENGAGEMENT - UCC Area 5- Community and Civic Engagement*
Structural Determinants Health- Honors
PBHL 3820-001 CRN: 40666 Staff A W: 11:00am-1:40pm
This Honors, Area 5 course explores macro-level societal structures as fundamental determinants of health. Emphasis will be placed on how political and economic institutions as well as systems of power and ideology shape social life, population health, health behaviors, and health disparities.
Track Courses
Business Track
Practicum
FIN 4850-058 CRN: 42107 Staff R: 2:00pm-4:40pm
MGT 4850-001 CRN: 41685
MKT 4850-001 CRN: 41653
ECON 4850-001 CRN: 41613
A course of study designed especially for the supervised practical application of previously studied theory in a group setting. Done under the supervision of a faculty sponsor and coordinated with a business organization.
Biology Track
Honors Literature Seminar
BIO 3950-001 CRN: 40458 Staff A MW: 12:30pm-1:45pm
This course serves as an intensive introduction to reading and criticism of biological scholarship via select papers from the primary literature. Designed for 3rd-year Honors students, the course will move students who are preparing for major senior research projects into addressing the literature across the life sciences, and in their area of interest in particular. Students will read, evaluate, and critically discuss papers on a weekly basis and write a review-style final paper on a scientific topic of their choosing. Students will be encouraged to choose a topic close to their Honors research project, which should be in development by the time they take this course. This will allow students to make supervised progress toward their Independent Study proposals and Senior Thesis work.
Prerequisite: Grade of C- or better in BIO 2050 and BIO 2060. Good standing in Honors.
Research Methods in Biology
BIO 5330-060 CRN: 40085 Staff A T: 6:30pm-9:30pm and R: 6:30pm-9:30pm
A thorough examination of the methodologies, procedures and issues of science, particularly as they apply to biology. Emphasis is on design of research, statistical treatment of data and interpretation of results. Lecture and lab. Students will be charged an additional Biology Lab Fee when enrolling in this course.
Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology Track:
Intro to Counseling/Psychology Development- Honors
PSY 4100-001 CRN: 40443 Robin Nemeroff TR: 2:00pm-3:15pm
This course explores the major theories of psychotherapy and the application of those theories. For each therapy mode, the theory of psychopathology is related to the methods used and the theory of change. Research outcomes for each type of psychotherapy are reviewed.
Prerequisite: PSY 3500 OR PSY 3510
CLINICAL SCIENCE THESIS I
CLSI 4700-001 CRN: 40562 Diamond Bruce TBD
The central goal of this course is to provide feedback, guidance and oversight of the honors research experience and the process of writing the honors thesis. This course will help provide a brief review of the foundational knowledge, research skills and ethical principles central to the research process. An integral part of this course is providing oversight of the early thesis stages including conceptualization, goal setting, literature review and method section. As such, the writing component in this course help facilitate learning, critical thinking and collaborative discussion as well as provide an evaluation tool. Overall, this course is a comfortable place for students to learn, discuss issues and make mistakes in a non-judgmental, constructive and mutually supportive environment
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY- HONORS
CLSI 4150-070 CRN: 40675 Diamond Bruce T: 9:30am-10:45am
To provide a groundwork for this course in the neurosciences, a behaviorally oriented overview of nervous system functioning and biochemistry is integrated with discussions of basic pharmacological principles and biobehavioral research methods. The physiological, behavioral, and psychological effects of the major classes of psychoactive drugs are presented. Emphasis is placed on understanding the mechanisms of these drugs at molecular, cellular, and neurophysiological levels; the similarities and differences in mechanisms between drugs; and the experimental paradigms utilized to arrive at the findings.
Cognitive Science Track
Cognitive Science Seminar I
CGSI 2000-001 CRN: 40280 Michael Gordon MW: 12:30pm-1:45pm
Cognitive science is an interdisciplinary study of the mind/brain. Students gain an understanding of how the different constituent areas (psychology, anthropology, neuroscience, computer science, philosophy, and linguistics) are the rich foundation of cognitive science by directly interacting with the experts in those fields. This provides the student with an overview of the field of cognitive science and the general methodologies used within those fields.
Cognitive Science Honors Thesis I
CGSI 4010-001 CRN: 40127 Amy Learmonth F: 2:00pm-4:40pm
This is a research-based course that is the first part of a two semester thesis. Although students will have already been exposed to at least one research methods course prior to the thesis course, an overview of the logic of research and the methodology will be presented. This overview will also serve to highlight the various options students will have for their own research projects. Research methods open to the students include computer modeling and simulations, experimental and quasi-experimental designs, qualitative research methodologies, discourse analysis and think-aloud protocols. The 'how to' of research will be explored in detail. Students, in consultation with faculty, will select a topic for their research project. The exploration of the research topic will be the primary focus of the course. Formal oral and written presentations of the research proposal as well as summaries and research notes of a minimum of twelve research articles relevant to the student’s individual topic will be completed. This is a writing intensive course. Prerequisite: CGSI 3000.
Global Public Health Track
Structural Determinants Health-Honors
PBHL 3820-001 CRN:40666 Staff A W: 11:00am-1:40pm
See course description above in UCC 5.
Public Health Honors Thesis I
PBHL 4800-001 CRN: 42648 Staff A T: 9:30am-12:10pm
This course addresses the main research methods used in public health. The course covers the role of research in understanding public health problems, research design and methods (quantitative and qualitative), and ethics. Students will learn how to search for published, peer-reviewed literature and will develop skills in reading and analyzing published studies. Considerable attention is given to the process of scientific writing. The course will culminate in the development of the research proposal for the senior honors thesis, which will include a literature review of hypothesized relationships, and a detailed plan for the senior thesis research project.
Humanities Track
ASN/ENG 3530 CRN: 42733 Raje Kaur TR: 9:30am-10:45am
See course description above in UCC M
Humanities Honors Thesis Seminar I
HUMH 4010-001 CRN: 40068 Molly O’Donnell TBD
The first of two capstone courses in the Humanities honors track, designed to engage students in identifying, researching, and organizing an appropriate topic for their honor’s thesis. The course will include extensive individual work with a thesis supervisor. Course culminates in the completion and submission of a research proposal to University Honors College. Designated as UCC-Writing Intensive.
Music Track
Music Honors Seminar
MUSI 4970-060 CRN: 40747 Christopher Herbert T 2:00pm-2:50pm
This one-credit course in a two -semester sequence is the forum for basic orientation, communication, group collaboration, analysis, assessment, and mentoring for students in the Music Honors Track of the University Honors College. Through readings, discussions, small projects, and guest artist presentations, students will combine and synthesize all previous knowledge from Music and Honors curriculum courses in various course topics chosen by students.
Music Honors Project
MUSI 4980-001 CRN: 40246 Christopher Herbert TBD
This course is designed to assist students in the preparation and completion of their capstone Music Honors Project. The Music Honors Project includes the following elements: (1) a written document, consisting of an artist's statement, a creative and/or academic project, and self-evaluation, and (2) a presentation of the project. Employing independent research, methods, and skills, students will complete the Music Honors sequence with an artist statement, along with a document, recording, presentation, and/or performance, covering a vast array of topics, which may include, but not be limited to: analysis, composition, pedagogy, music education, musicology, recording, performance, or interdisciplinary art forms with music.
Nursing Track
Critical Thinking Inquiry- Honors
NUR 3260-001 CRN: 41030 Staff A F: 9:00am-11:40am
The concepts and processes related to critical thinking, nursing informatics, and evidence-based nursing provide the framework for this course. Knowledge and skills required for critical analysis of information relevant to all aspects of professional nursing practice are developed. Students will be charged an additional Non-clinical Instruction Fee and NCLEX Prep Fee when enrolling in this course. Prerequisites: NUR 3210 and PBHL 2240. Permits issued by Nursing Department.
Honors Research Project Implementation
NUR 4526-001 CRN: 40441 Staff A R: 8:00am-10:40am
NUR 4526-002 CRN: 40708 Staff A F: 11:00am-1:40pm
This course provides the opportunity for nursing honors students to implement the research proposal begun in the previous course (NUR 3330H). This seminar course supports and guides students as they implement their individualized research study. Students will develop their results chapter of their quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods research or begin to synthesize findings of their systematic or integrative review of the literature. Students working with human subjects will finalize letters of consent and complete Institutional Review Board applications through the University as well as corresponding health care systems where research will take place. Students will develop surveys through Qualtrics, establish data collection databases, and begin analysis of findings. Students will seek opportunities to submit abstracts of their work at local, regional, and national conferences. At the completion of the course, students will be prepared to present their findings to their peers and provide constructive feedback via a peer review process. The seminar includes critical thinking and discussion of the challenges that students face as they implement their research study and analyze the raw data. Prerequisite: NUR3500H, NUR 3260H, NUR3330H. Permits issued by Nursing Department.
Performing & Literary Arts
Honors Research Thesis I Performing & Literary Arts
PLA 4010-001 CRN:40254 Martha Witt F: 11:00am-12:15pm
This course guides students in the development and completion of their Honors project: a substantial original artistic work accompanied by a critical thesis that situates the project within broader artistic movements. Projects may focus on a single artform or may integrate multiple creative disciplines; all must demonstrate originality, intellectual rigor, and thoughtful composition.
Social Sciences Track
Social Sciences Honors Seminar III
SSH 3010-001 CRN: 42630 Danielle Wallace TR: 11:00am-12:15pm
Each semester, this seminar will examine a selected topic from a variety of social science perspectives. An effort will be made to show how psychologists, sociologists, political scientists, and anthropologists approach the topic. Our plan is to cover different themes on a rotating basis. Seminars will likely focus on: (1) Law and Justice, (2) International Conflict, (3) Family Matters, and (4) Race, Class, and Religion.
Social Science Honors Thesis I
SSH 4010-001 CRN: 40853 Danielle Wallace W: 11:00am-1:40pm
The primary goal of this course is to enable students to launch a significant honors research project that they will complete in SSH 4020. Prior to enrolling in the course, all students will have completed SSH 2020 - the honors methodology seminar - as well as relevant methodology courses in a particular discipline. In this small group course, students initiate their honors theses by conducting extensive reviews of the applicable social scientific literature. The ultimate goal for the semester is to develop realistic research proposals and, when possible, to begin implementing these proposals. As a group, the class explores various research strategies and, in particular, focuses on overcoming the roadblocks that frequently emerge during the course of any serious research project. Students are required to produce frequent written progress reports and a formal research proposal that should, in most cases, become (with adaptation) a portion of their thesis write-up. Students are encouraged to assist each other when possible and to offer constructive feedback on each other's proposals. Prerequisite: SSH 2010, SSH 2020, SSH 3010
Social Sciences Honors Thesis II
SSH 4020-001 CRN: 42631 Danielle Wallace W: 11:00am-1:40pm
The primary goal of this course is to enable students to complete and successfully defend a significant honors research project (started in SSH 4010). Students are required to produce chapters or thesis segments on schedule and to submit a final honors thesis that should (in most cases) be suitable for publication or presentation at a social scientific conference. Class meetings involve group discussions of the research process and collective efforts to solve problems and facilitate successful completion of the projects.
Prerequisite: SSH 4010
***Please note that as we move from one group of UCC courses to another, the two courses marked with an asterisk * will count as the areas listed for the Fall 2026 semester. These courses have not gone through the official review for new university core curriculum classes yet. Because of this, versions of the course offered in future semesters might not count for this requirement. However, this semester's course will always count. Once the course is completed, the graduation requirement will be marked as completed in Degree Works.
