Fellowship Proposals

We invite you to submit a proposal to teach an honors seminar as an Honors Faculty Fellow. These small, engaging seminars are at the heart of the honors curriculum and are meant to appeal to students across campus. Faculty from all disciplines are encouraged to submit proposals. Innovative pedagogical approaches are welcome.

You can submit a proposal for a topic of your choosing. It may align with our upcoming theme, though it's not required to do so. Your proposal can be for a new or existing course, whether or not it's been offered as an honors seminar in the past. Proposals for fall 2026 and spring 2027 are due on Dec. 1, 2025.

If you have any questions, contact Andrea Radasanu at aradasanu@niu.edu.

2026-27 Theme: The Great Escape

The Great Escape draws inspiration from the iconic 1963 film of the same name, which dramatizes a daring World War II prison break. But beyond its cinematic roots, the phrase evokes broader ideas of liberation, resistance and transformation. Faculty are invited to interpret the theme expansively: it might refer to political revolutions, scientific breakthroughs, psychological journeys or artistic expressions that challenge boundaries. Honors seminars could explore escapism in literature and media, the ethics of flight and exile or the pursuit of freedom in philosophical or technological contexts. Whether examining historical acts of defiance or imaginative quests for transcendence, this theme offers fertile ground for engaging students in bold, boundary-pushing inquiry. 

If your topic aligns with the theme, please make this clear in your proposal.

Preparing Your Honors Seminar Proposal

The application is hosted in InfoReady. Faculty interested in teaching an Honors Seminar should prepare the following materials before starting the application:

• Seminar title and description: Craft a compelling title and a 150-word summary that captures the essence and appeal of your course.
• Course designator: If the course is not in the undergraduate catalog or your academic unit does not have existing Honors seminar designators, you can use an HON course designator. For a course using an HON designator, you will be prompted to consider whether it might meet human diversity, writing intensive, and/or general education requirements.
  • HON with general education designation
  • HON meeting writing infused criteria
  • HON meeting human diversity criteria
• Pedagogical approach: Briefly describe your teaching methods, including sample assignments, readings, and classroom strategies relevant for this course.
• Interdisciplinary aspects: Highlight how your course bridges multiple disciplines and fosters cross-disciplinary engagement to attract students from diverse academic backgrounds.
• Theme alignment (optional): If applicable, describe how your seminar aligns with the current Honors Program theme.
• Enrichment funds (optional): If applying, detail how funds will enhance student learning and specify intended uses.
• Syllabus upload (optional): Include a draft syllabus if available.
• Letter of support: Discuss submitting this with your chair/director. You will be prompted for the name and email of your chair/director; their letter of support can be brief and informal.

Sample Seminar Syllabi

• COMS 493M HON/HIST 490B HON: Game of Thrones, Television and Medieval History (DOCX)
• HON 410 Indigenous Illinois (DOCX)
• HON 410: Work, Meaning and Wellness (DOCX)

Evaluation

Proposals will be evaluated mainly on the seminar's potential to interest students across disciplines and its ability to provide impactful and transformative experiences to students.

The University Honors Committee will assess proposals and choose successful applicants. If selected, you'll teach your seminar in the fall or spring of the subsequent academic year (in consultation with your department, center or college).

We want the application process to be useful regardless of outcome and will provide feedback on all applications. It may be possible for a course that doesn't fit in the upcoming year's schedule to be reconsidered in the future with priority status.