Honors (HON)

Student conversation and ideas are engaged in interdisciplinary concerns that are the broad focus of honors seminars. A careful approach to research, rhetoric, writing and dialogue is incorporated into the course materials selected from the humanities, social sciences, science, business and technology. As in all Honors Program courses, no tests are given, therefore grades are based on written discourse, research and conversation. Field trips are required. Students must complete both HON-5101 and HON-5102 to receive credit for either. Open only to students admitted into the Honors Program.

Second semester of Honors Freshman Seminar. Students must complete both HON-5101 and HON-5102 to receive degree credit for either.

Viable Sustainable Businesses: Student Perceptions The students will thus research different kinds of supposedly green or sustainable businesses and choose one that they believe has long term potential for the greater New York (or Brooklyn) market. They will explain why the business is truly green and sustainable, what about it appeals to them, what is its long term potential, and what they believed would be the major obstacles, including competition, the businesses would have to face.

Diplomacy is the best means of preserving peace which a society of sovereign nations has to offer, so stated Hans J. Morgenthau, the father of the main school of thought in international relations. What has happened to this key instrument of foreign policy and international politics-which aims to mitigate and minimize conflicts among nations-in this current turbulent era? After an overview of key concepts, principles, and contending theories of international politics, this course delves into a history of diplomacy, with particular attention to its practice in the past several decades, and a focus on American postwar global leadership in key issue-arenas. It concludes with an examination of the cases made for the revival of diplomacy and multilateralism to peacefully resolve burgeoning crises and conflicts.

The course aims to provide students with a general overview of the basic themes and issues in discussions about Islam and democracy with an emphasis on the discourse on human rights. This course will first give an introduction to the relationship of the political with the religious regarding Islam and will then discuss the discourse on democracy in Islamic milieus in the 20thand early 21stcenturies. We will then move on to discuss the relationship between the religion of Islam, Muslim societies, and international human rights norms in the last 50 years, reflecting upon political Islam, colonialism, and the nation-state.

This course surveys world patterns of culture, language, religion, identity, and political systems with an emphasis on environmental sustainability. It examines the geographies of human development, including globalization, urban areas, agriculture, industry, and services. Students will delve into the study of population dynamics, migration patterns, urbanization, cultural landscapes, and geopolitical issues through the lens of sustainability. This course aims to nurture students' awareness of their role as global citizens committed to environmental and social responsibility.

During the last several decades, scholars and researchers in various disciplines have studied how children and adolescents develop in societies across the globe. In this context, such topics as infants' early interaction with caregivers, children's socialization throughout the school-ages, and adolescents' self-seeking journey have been popularly examined in terms of cultural specificities. More recently, however, as globalization prevails from one place to another into more profound levels, the developmental trends of those young generations seem to evolve in some directions that we have never seen or experienced. This course reviews the cornerstones of developmental theories and findings in many Western and non-Western cultures and explores new globalization trends in developmental pathways of children and adolescents. Students will be required to read (book chapters, academic journal articles, and non-profit organizations' trends reports), watch (documentary video clips), and discuss in class. To ensure a realistic understanding of readings and materials, each student will explore specific childrearing or adolescent-developing culture or topic and give a class presentation.

A reading- and research-based activity anchored to a cooperating profesor's course, an Honors Program colloquium, or by previous arrangement to another audience, in which an Honors Program student pursues a topic or interested presented in a prospectus offering an interdisciplinary embrace of the subject. Suitable meeting arrangements and a calendar of dates for reporting on the project are necessary before submitting the prospectus for approval to the Director of the Honors Program. In all cases, independent study must be requested during the registration period prior to the semester in which the course is to be taken.

The Honors thesis is the capstone project for the Honors Program diploma, it is mandatory for all Honors students who must enroll for it in the Fall semester of their Senior year and complete the thesis requirements as per designated schedule over two semesters. Arrange to meet with the Honors Program Director.

A continuation of HON 5997 the capstone project for the Honors Program diploma, it is mandatory for all Honors students who must enroll for the second part in the Spring semester of their Senior year and complete the thesis requirements as per designated schedule and approval of the Honors Council.

The senior seminar will provide students guidance in compiling a digital portfolio, identifying and articulating career and personal goals, and offering preparation for life after college.