Course Descriptions

Honors
LA 437/400, (406) 657-2201

In addition to these courses, there will be Honors sections in integrated science, education, law and society, social science, communications, economics, and other topics.  For actual courses being offered at any specific time consult the University Honors Program’s web site at www.msubillings.edu/honors, or contact the Director, Tami Haaland, at (406) 657-2948 or thaaland@msubillings.edu.

^ HON 181 The Ancient and Medieval Worlds  3 cr.  Examines in conjunction with HSTR 103 the political, economic, social, philosophical, literary, and artistic history of the ancient Near East, classical Greece, the Roman Empire, and medieval Europe.  Focuses on biblical material, Greek drama, and such authors as Homer, Sappho, Thucydides, Plato, Virgil, Augustine, Dante, and Chaucer.

^The course must be taken in conjunction with HSTR 103.  HSTR 103 and HON 181 satisfy the Academic Foundations requirements in the History and Humanities subcategories, respectively.

^ HON 182 The Renaissance and Modern Worlds 3 cr.  Examines in conjunction with HSTR 104 the political, economic, social, philosophical, literary, and artistic history of the European Renaissance and the Modern World (through the 20th Century).  Focuses on such authors as Machiavelli, Luther, Shakespeare, Descartes, Locke, Voltaire, Goethe, Marx, Nietzche, Ibsen, Sartre, Wollstonecraft, and Woolf.

^The course must be taken in conjunction with HSTR 104.  HSTR 104 and HON 182 satisfy the Academic Foundations requirements in the History and Humanities subcategories, respectively.

^ HON 281 The American Intellectual Heritage (1620-1877) 3 cr. Corequisite: HSTA 101.  Explores in conjunction with HSTA 101 the evolution of U.S. cultural, philosophical, and artistic history through the study of its humanistic achievements from the first colonial writings through the Reconstruction era.

^The course must be taken in conjunction with HSTA 101.  HSTA 101 and HON 281 satisfy the Academic Foundations requirements in the History and Humanities subcategories, respectively.

^ HON 282 The American Intellectual Heritage (1877-present) 3 cr. Corequisite: HSTA 102.  Explores in conjunction with HSTA 102 the evolution of U.S. cultural, philosophical, and artistic history through the study of its humanistic achievements from the Reconstruction era to the present.

^The course must be taken in conjunction with HSTA 102.  HSTA 102 and HON 282 satisfy the Academic Foundations requirements in the History and Humanities subcategories, respectively.

HON 290 Internship V 1-3 cr. Prerequisite: Approval of Honors Director and instructor.  Provides an opportunity for students to engage in field experience not offered in other courses.  Contains a research component to be developed in conjunction with supervising faculty member.

HON 291 Independent Study V 1-3 cr. Prerequisite: Consent of Director or Associate Director of Honors Program.  Provides an opportunity to receive credit for individualized or special experimental learning opportunities and to count up to 3 credits towards the University Honors Program’s 21-credit requirement for Honors Scholar designation.

HON 292 Seminar 3 cr. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor or the University Honors Program.  Provides an opportunity to investigate and explore, at a lower-division level, basic themes and concepts—especially in a multidisciplinary manner—in the humanities, natural sciences, and/or social sciences.

HON/EVST 351 Law and Society 3 cr.  Studies the role of the American legal system in society; course emphasis varies from year to year, depending on which topics have current, wide-ranging social and philosophical implications; typical topics include environmental and toxic torts, intellectual property, death penalty issues, and invasion of privacy in cyberspace.

HON/EVST 352 Environmental Law (WR) 3 cr. Prerequisites: 6 credits of WRIT 101, WRIT 201, WRIT 220, or WRIT 221.  Provides a broad overview of the major federal and Montana environmental statutes, including attention to how the statutes attempt to balance long-view goals (i.e., needs of future generations) and broad-view goals (i.e., needs of ecological systems).  Course content also examines how the statutes are administratively and judicially enforced, as well as the social benefits and burdens associated with criminal punishments and civil litigations.  Course content will address the complexities inherent to a regulatory system that is generated within federal, state, and local jurisdictions.  Course assignments will include at least one important writing assignment (i.e., term paper assignment).

HON/HSTR 420 Historical Archaeology of the Classical World 3 cr.  Examines the material culture (i.e. art, architecture, and artifacts) of Greece and Rome beginning with the Minoans and Mycenaeans (c. 2000 B.C.E.) and ending with Constantine in the early fourth century C.E.  The course explores the following:  defining classical archaeology, dating systems, archaeological methods, the material culture of the Mediterranean basin, the formation and perpetuation of the “classical tradition” in art and architecture, understanding of chronology and dating, urban planning and construction techniques, architectural orders, artistic styles, and the process of archaeological reconstruction.

HON 460/HSTA 421 The 1960s
[formerly HON/HIST 460 The 1960s]
3 cr. Prerequisite: HSTA 102 or HSTA 325 recommended.  Immerses students intensively into the most tumultuous decade of the 20th century through analysis of the social, political, and cultural upheavals that shaped the period and continue to shape post-modern America.

HON 490 Internship V 1-3 cr. Prerequisite: Approval of Honors Director and instructor.  Provides an opportunity for students to engage in field experience not offered in other courses.  Contains a research component to be developed in conjunction with supervising faculty member.  Publication strongly encouraged.

HON 491 Independent Study V 1-3 cr. Prerequisite: Consent of Director or Associate Director of Honors Program.  Provides an opportunity to receive credit for individualized or special experimental learning opportunities (including a senior thesis) at an upper-division level and to count up to 3 credits towards the University Honors Program’s 21-credit requirement for Honors Scholar designation.

HON 492 Seminar 3 cr. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor or the University Honors Program.  Provides an opportunity to investigate and explore, at an upper-division level, basic themes and concepts—especially in a multidisciplinary manner—in the humanities, natural sciences, and/or social sciences.