Honors Seminars

This hands-on honors seminar invites students from all majors to become entrepreneurs in a steampunk universe—designing gadgets, crafting stories and pitching bold ideas, depending on your specific interests. Through interactive workshops, team-based challenges and a final pitch competition, students will explore innovation, ethics and the power of narrative. Whether you're into engineering, business, art, health or history, you'll collaborate across disciplines to solve creative problems for fictional steampunk clients. Led by Lynn Herrmann and a team of NIU experts, this course is a dynamic fusion of past, present and future.

Taught by Lynn Herrmann, Ph.D., MPH, School of Health Studies

Discover how genetics and evolution shape human identity—from physical traits to culture, behavior and even medical treatment. This course explores our biological roots, the diversity that makes each person unique and our deep connection to all life on Earth, emphasizing the responsibility we share in preserving it.

Taught by Clare Kron, Department of Biological Sciences

This interdisciplinary course invites students to explore how natural history and early scientific practices shaped the modern world. Through the lens of thinkers like Goethe and Humboldt, we'll examine how philosophy, art, literature and science were deeply interconnected in the early 19th century. Students will engage with historical texts, build digital networks using open-source software and creatively apply AI tools to trace the evolution of scientific ideas and technologies. No prior technical experience is required—just curiosity and a willingness to explore.

Taught by James Wilson, Ph.D., Department of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment

This course uses the works of Dr. Seuss—children's books, political cartoons and adaptations—to explore historical, social and cultural issues. Students will analyze themes like environmentalism, prejudice, racism and misogyny, considering how Seuss's legacy reflects both progressive and problematic elements. The seminar also examines his influence on literacy, his role in contemporary debates like cancel culture and how his storytelling continues to inspire action and reflection today.

Taught by Melanie Koss, Ph.D., Department of Curriculum and Instruction

This discussion-based course explores how social media and AI influence health—positively and negatively—across generations and communities. Students will examine historical, philosophical and future perspectives, assess personal and community narratives and analyze health trends and inequities. The course emphasizes mental health, wellness and the potential for tech-driven change through critical reflection and solution-oriented thinking.

Taught by Anitha Saravanan, Ph.D., School of Nursing 

This course centers on Don Quixote, widely considered the first modern novel and one of the most influential works in literary history. Through close reading in English translation (with attention to original Spanish), students will explore its literary, historical and philosophical contexts and examine how it reflects enduring tensions between imagination and society. The seminar includes group discussions and written assignments focused on episode analysis and independent research.

Taught by Tim Crowley, Ph.D., Department of English

Discover the hidden stories of conflict that shaped America. This course dives into pivotal strikes, riots and uprisings—from labor battles to racial justice movements—to explore how ordinary people have challenged power, reshaped laws and influenced collective memory. Learn how these dramatic events reveal the deeper tensions in American society—and why they still matter today.

Taught by Rosemary Feurer, Ph.D., Department of History