Honors Sections

Honors sections are versions of regular UF courses, typically with a smaller class size and with variations in assignments and expectations.

Quest 1

Quest 2

UnCommon Arts + Writes

UnCommon Arts

1 credit discussion-based courses centered around notable artists, artistic performances, and exhibits

IDH2952 - Aesthetics of Biodiversity

Is there an aesthetic to biodiversity? This course examines what we find beautiful and worthy of care, and how these have been shaped by our relationship to the natural world. Combining historical and contemporary readings, close analysis of artistic work, and collaborative field-based art projects, we will examine concepts of nature and beauty and how these have influenced conservation, policy, science, and art amidst global biodiversity declines. Students will critique foundational assumptions about "nature," produce place-based work, and develop clear ways to communicate and transform their own relationships to biodiversity.

 

• Course: IDH2952
• Class Number: TBA
• Day/Period: T/4
• Instructor: Vaughn Shirey

IDH2952 - Collage, Junk, and Journaling

This course introduces students to creative practices that integrate collage, mixed-media “junk” art, and reflective journaling as methods for idea exploration, visual storytelling, and personal expression. Each week students will experiment with found materials, repurposed objects, and journaling techniques to develop an individualized creative process. Emphasis is placed on iterative making, low-stakes experimentation, and the ability to translate everyday materials into meaningful artistic compositions. Students will engage in constructive critiques, and complete a final mixed-media portfolio demonstrating growth in craft, and conceptual development.

 

• Course: IDH2952
• Class Number: 26482
• Day/Period: M/4
• Instructor: Patty Takacs

UnCommon Writes

1 credit themed writing workshops taught by University Writing Program faculty

UnCommon Reads

1 credit discussion-based courses centered around books of all genres.

History + Biography

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Science (Non-Health) + Science Fiction

IDH2930 - The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks explores the extraordinary story behind one of the most important medical breakthroughs of the modern era, while centering the often-overlooked human life connected to it. A combination of science, history, and personal narrative, we will grapple with issues of consent, inequality, and the power dynamics of medicine. This course uses the text as a starting point for discussion about who benefits from scientific discovery, whose stories are remembered, and how the past continues to shape present-day debates in healthcare and research.

 

• Course: IDH2930
• Class Number: 26510
• Day/Period: M/6
• Instructor: Meredith Beaupre

 

IDH2930 - Tamed: Ten species that changed our world

In this course we will cover the book Tamed: Ten Species that Changed Our World by Alice Roberts, which explores the fascinating history of domestication of ten key species and their influence on us, humans. From the early domestication of wolves to the cultivation of wheat, the rise of potatoes, and the genetic modification of chickens, students will examine the connections between genetics, anthropology, and cultural history. During weekly discussions (from book readings, visits to museum collections, and invited speakers) we will learn about the scientific, cultural, and ethical views of domestication. By the end of this course, students will have a better understanding of how humans and these species have influenced each other, and what that means for the future of biodiversity. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
• Appreciate how domesticated species have shaped human societies and ecosystems,
• Understand the scientific methods used to study domestication,
• Recognize the impacts of domestication on biodiversity and culture.

 

• Course: IDH2930
• Class Number: 23389
• Day/Period: T/7
• Instructor: Mariela Pajuelo

IDH2930 - VE Schwab's Vicious: Exploring a World of Super Heroes and Villains Through a Scientific Lens

This course will explore and discuss the novel Vicious, the first book in the series Villains by VE Schwab, though it can be read as a standalone. The story of friends-turned-enemies and the havoc ensuing from their self-experimentation takes place in a world where superpowers are developed based on near-death experiences. The course will explore how Schwab incorporates real-world scientific, medical, and psychological concepts into the novel and how these ideas connect with the story’s themes. Students will learn critical thinking and research skills in order to understand the interplay between science and fiction.

 

• Course: IDH2930
• Class Number: 26505
• Day/Period: T/7
• Instructor: Chloe Hough

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Health

IDH2930 - Drug Addiction – the hell on earth and how to not lose hope

Drug dependence & addiction may often seem far away, unless it gets personal and affects somebody close by. We will be reading the books “Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey through his Son’s Addiction” and “Methland: The Death and Life of an American Small Town”, discussing the various aspects of how drug addiction affects the individual, their loved ones, friends, and society. Some of the topics will include the underlying biological mechanisms of addiction, the impact of addiction on society, treatment approaches, with a major part spend on sharing our views on what can be done moving forward to find solutions. This class is taught entirely online over a 12-week period using Canvas, Zoom for weekly synchronous 1-hour meetings, and VoiceThread.

 

• Course: IDH2930
• Class Number: 17268
• Day/Period: M/5
• Instructor: Oliver Grundmann

IDH2930 - Exploring Adverse Childhood Experiences - The Deepest Well

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are stressful or traumatic events that affect children and can have a lasting impact on health and well-being. Early experiences have a broad and profound impact on an individual’s development and subsequent emotional, cognitive, social and biological functioning throughout the life cycle. Extensive research indicates that childhood trauma can lead to the adult onset of chronic diseases, depression and other mental illness, violence and being a victim of violence, as well as financial and social problems (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). In The Deepest Well, pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris writes about her first encounter with the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study by Drs. Felitti and Anda. 

 

• Course: IDH2930
• Class Number: 26595
• Day/Period: M/8
• Instructor: Martie Gillen

IDH2930 - Effective Altruism

 

• Course: IDH2930
• Class Number: 25839
• Day/Period: T/9
• Instructor: Gregg Henderschiedt

IDH2930 - Exploring Medicine Through Streaming Media

In this 1 credit seminar course, students will be introduced to a variety of topics in contemporary medicine such as health care delivery reform, ethical challenges, the evolution of medical science, and major healthcare crises. The course materials will be drawn from streaming media including podcasts and TED/Youtube videos. Class time will be used to explore the topics in open discussion with the course director and selected guest faculty from the College of Medicine and other institutions

 

• Course: IDH2930
• Class Number: 20338
• Day/Period: W/6
• Instructor: David Winchester

IDH2930 - The Ghost Map

The Ghost Map guides us through the 1854 cholera outbreak in London, an event that ultimately transformed how we understand disease, data, and public health.  Part storytelling, part social history, the book follows the outbreak, how infrastructure impacted the crisis and the introduction of medical theory that we still use today. More than a historical account, this text raises enduring questions about evidence, belief, and the role of communities in responding to crisis. 

 

• Course: IDH2930
• Class Number: 26514
• Day/Period: M/7
• Instructor: Meredith Beaupre

IDH2930 - Man and Microbes

I have been teaching this course every year since 2022. It is based on the book “Man and Microbes” by Arno Karlen, a wonderful book, and a very timely one to read, in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. It describes the history of humanity as viewed through the prism of epidemics and pandemics. The book deals with questions of how diseases arise, frequently jumping from animals to humans, how they evolve and why. The book also places the disease as a central actor in history. It is written by an erudite, who is not only a writer but also a scientist. The book is written in a clear and easy language, making it a page-turner, despite sometimes gruesome details that are inevitable considering the subject matter. The book is very affordable and is available from Amazon for $15 new, and numerous used copies are also there for sale for as low as $2. I greatly enjoy teaching this course and it seems that all students who took the course also enjoyed the experience.

 

• Course: IDH2930
• Class Number: 23341
• Day/Period: T/7
• Instructor: Andrei Sourakov

IDH2930 - The Unseen Body

For the pre-med student, biological science major, naturalist, or simply interested reader, Jonathan Reisman, M.D.―a physician and adventure traveler―takes us along on an odyssey that navigates the inner workings of our anatomy akin to an explorer discovering a new world in his debut novel: The Unseen Body.

Through his unique insight into life, culture, and the natural world, Reisman challenges us to see our body in a completely new light. He shows us how understanding mountain watersheds can help to diagnose heart attacks, how a hike through the Himalayas reveals the boundary between the brain and the mind, and how eating animal organs can serve as a lesson in empathy. With his captivating and lyrical prose, Resiman teaches us how our organs are inextricably intertwined with the natural world–taking the familiar inner workings of our body and metamorphosing them into an internal ecosystem that reflects the natural world around us.

 

• Course: IDH2930
• Class Number: 23364
• Day/Period: W/8
• Instructor: Alexander Angerhofer

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Society + Culture + Politics

IDH2930 - Life After Cars: Freeing Ourselves from the Tyranny of the Automobile

Do you drive a car? Could you imagine life in the United States without personal access to an automobile? While a very small number of US cities have been planned around daily life without cars (and many college students are forced to survive without one by necessity!), we live in a country that has largely been built around the existence of the automobile. Our cities, our daily lives, and our personal senses of freedom of often inextricably linked to the car. Yet, concern about the impacts of cars on society has been growing in recent years, including issues such as greenhouse gas emissions and other pollution, the safety and violence of driving, and sprawling development and paving of the natural world. The authors of Life After Cars argue that cars are not only unsustainable but are in part responsible for the inequitable and unjust foundations of American society. 

Using this book as our guide, we’ll consider the role of the car in environmental, economic, and social contexts of the United States. We’ll also examine the future of transportation as it may manifest during our lives, from car alternatives to autonomous transportation. 

Coursework will include weekly Socratic discussions, occasional short reflection essays, and a final presentation.

 

• Course: IDH2930
• Class Number: 26577
• Day/Period: T/8
• Instructor: Ryan Good 

IDH2930 - Open Socrates

"Who are you, and what are you doing here? These questions may sound simple, but they open into the deepest uncertainties of life. In a world marked by division and distraction, it's easy to avoid asking them, or to cling to quick answers that leave us unsatisfied. Open Socrates: The Case for a Philosophical Life by Agnes Callard challenges us to take those questions seriously, and to live more philosophically in our everyday choices.

This one-credit Uncommon Reads course invites students to put philosophy into practice. Together, we will explore Callard’s idea of “untimely questions,” the fundamental issues of purpose, value, and identity that tend to arrive too late, and consider how confronting them can reshape our lives. Through weekly readings, conversations, and reflections, we will practice Socrates’ method of “persuade or be persuaded,” learning how open-minded dialogue can cut through polarization and open new possibilities for connection.

What does it mean to live an examined life in today’s world? How can embracing uncertainty become a strength? And what happens when we try to bridge divides by asking “why” rather than retreating into certainty? This course aims to show that philosophy is not a distant academic exercise, but a tool for living more intentionally, more honestly, and more fully. The course is ideal for students who enjoy big questions, spirited discussion, and reflecting on how timeless ideas apply to modern challenges.

Lucy Pellenbarg is a senior at the University of Florida majoring in Public Health with a focus on medical anthropology. Her academic and professional experiences range from finance and biotechnology to engineering, as well as clinical and global health research, reflecting a curiosity-driven path shaped by exploration across disciplines. Guided by Mary Oliver’s question, “What will you do with your one wild and precious life,” Pellenbarg turned to Open Socrates to help her ask difficult questions about purpose, identity, and meaning. As a peer instructor, she is passionate about fostering thoughtful dialogue and helping others reflect on their values, challenge assumptions, and discover their sense of purpose.

 

• Course: IDH2930
• Class Number: 26545
• Day/Period: R/6
• Instructor: Michael O'Malley
• Peer Instructor: Lucy Pellenbarg

 

 

 

IDH2930 - Power, Identity, and Society in Divergent Trilogy

This seminar examines the Divergent trilogy as a lens to analyze political authority, social stratification, identity formation, and economic control in dystopian settings. Through guided discussion, close reading, and brief analytical activities, students will interrogate how Veronica Roth’s worldbuilding reflects and critiques real-world political institutions, social norms, and economic incentives. The course explores faction governance and legitimacy; surveillance and state power; inequality and labor structures; the politics of fear and security; and the construction of identity within rigid social frameworks. Students will engage in weekly seminar-style conversations, rotate facilitation duties, and produce a final reflective analysis connecting themes from the series to contemporary political, social, or economic issues. The course emphasizes critical reading, collaborative discussion, and interdisciplinary thinking.

 

• Course: IDH2930
• Class Number: 26481
• Day/Period: M/3
• Instructor: Patty Takacs

IDH2930 - More than a Dreamer: Martin Luther Kind, Jr, Where Do We Go From Here? Chaos or Community

This year is the 40th anniversary of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday and from 1955-1968, he was a leading figure in the civil rights movement. Kiing published five books and gave thousands of speeches and interviews, but most Americans have only read “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and “I Have a Dream Speech.” When King was assassinated, he had a 75% disapproval rating because of his views on the Vietnam War and poverty. Using his book Where Do We Go From Here? Chaos or Community we will examine King’s ideas on racism, Black Power, the Vietnam war, poverty, and capitalism.

 

• Course: IDH2930
• Class Number: 26602
• Day/Period: W/4
• Instructor: David Canton

IDH2930 - The Wonderful World of Nonprofit Organizations

This course explores the nature, roles, operations, and impacts of Nonprofit Organizations on societies across the globe. The course will provide students with a foundation in understanding nonprofits within the geographical, social, political and economic realities under which they operate. The course is based on assigned readings and class discussions from the required “uncommon” textbook.

 

• Course: IDH2930
• Class Number: 21376
• Day/Period: W/6
• Instructor: Muthusami Kumaran

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Business + Economics

IDH2930 - Creativity, Inc.: Lessons from Pixar for Designing Your Leadership and Innovation

Pixar movies have captivated audiences across generations. How does an organization consistently innovate and produce excellence? Creativity, Inc. tells the Pixar story, highlighting key lessons integrating leadership, storytelling, culture, and innovation. In this course you will explore, reflect, and play with these lessons, providing perspectives and tools you will use long into the future.

Tony Middlebrooks, Ph.D., creates programs and tools, designs learning experiences, and explores the intersection of leadership, innovation, creativity, and design. He is Clinical Full Professor of Leadership in the Warrington College of Business at the University of Florida. An award-winning professor, he has created and taught more than 40 different courses for all collegiate levels; as well as designed programs for youth, international students, professional and executive education, and experiential abroad programs. He presently teaches courses in leadership theory and practice, and creativity and innovation. 

Dr. Middlebrooks previously served as Director of Graduate Programs and Director of the Siegfried Leadership Initiative for Horn Entrepreneurship at the University of Delaware, where he also codeveloped the undergraduate major and minor in Leadership and minors in Integrated Design and Social Entrepreneurship.

He is lead author of the textbook Discovering Leadership: Designing Your Success, now in its second edition; has published numerous articles and book chapters, delivered hundreds of presentations. He is also co-author of Public Sector Leadership, co-creator of the Idea Fan Deck and Design Thinking Cards, and serves on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Leadership Studies. 

A firm believer that leadership and creativity can benefit everyone and every field, Dr. Middlebrooks consults and facilitates workshops for a wide variety of organizations. His current scholarly interests focus on methods of leadership education and the integration of leadership, creativity, and design thinking. Dr. Middlebrooks has a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. 

 

• Course: IDH2930
• Class Number: 23394
• Day/Period: W/7
• Instructor: Anthony Middlebrooks

Literature

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Other

Interdisciplinary Courses

1-3 credit courses that are interdisciplinary in focus and typically not offered elsewhere on campus.

Professional Development

1 credit courses focusing on leadership, career development, and other professional development topics.

Intro to Honors Professional Development

Limited to 1st year students

IDH1700 - Honors Professional Development: General

How do you make the most of your time at UF and in the Honors Program? How do you decide what to do both while you’re at UF and after graduation?

This course for first-semester Honors students of all majors (including exploratory) will address these questions through readings, reflections, and discussions on the purpose of a university education as well as through skills-based workshops and assignments intended to produce deliverables with real-world application (resume, elevator speech, interview skills, etc.). The course is casual but heavily discussion based and will include several group presentations led by students.

 

• Course: IDH1700
• Class Number: 23206
• Day/Period: R/4-5
• Instructor: Michael O'Malley

 

Course: IDH1700
Class Number: 26550
Day/Period: R/4
Instructor: Michael O'Malley

IDH1700 Honors Professional Development: Pre-Med

This one credit course is intended for honors students in their first year who are interested in pursuing admission to medical school. All information in the course will be framed around medical school admission.

This course is not designed for students pursuing other pre-health tracks.

The course will provide information on how students can begin to prepare for being a healthcare professional and applying to health graduate programs. Topics covered include: statement of purpose, resume building, meaningful involvement, professional communication and building a competitive application.

 

• Course: IDH1700
• Class Number: 19151
• Day/Period: W/3
• Instructor: Meredith Beaupre
  
• Course: IDH1700
• Class Number: 26517
• Day/Period: W/4
• Instructor: Meredith Beaupre

 

 

IDH1700 - Honors Professional Development: Scholars

This course is mandatory for first-year Lombardi and Stamps Scholars and will allow those students to interact with and learn from other highly motivated students. This course is an introduction to the life of a scholar-leader and to the many resources available at UF. Students will develop a plan to apply for a variety of opportunities, emphasizing the skills and strategies necessary for a successful academic, community, and personal life.

 

• Course: IDH1700
• Class Number: 18826
• Day/Period: TBA
• Instructor: Regan Garner

IDH3931 - Seven Habits of Successful Transfer Students

This one-credit interactive course is designed for first-year honor transfer students. Throughout this seven-week course, students will learn about theory-based habit models, and college success strategies and services to help them make a successful transition to the University of Florida and the University Honors Program, gaining knowledge and skills for academic, career, and life planning.

This course will run from August 26 - October 7.

 

• Course: IDH3931
• Class Number: 23802
• Day/Period: W/8-9
• Instructor: Renee Clark

Day/Period: W/8-9

Advanced Pro Dev Topics

Signature Courses

Signature Seminars and Course-based Honors Signature Experiences

Signature Seminars

Feature cutting-edge research or of-the-moment hot topics

IDH3931 - Assessing Emerging Biotechnology: From U.S. Security to Global Opportunities

This undergraduate Signature Seminar course equips students with the strategic insight and communication skills needed to assess biotechnology and synthetic biology start-ups (leveraging microbes and plants) in the context of U.S. policies and global market needs. By evaluating start-up companies that have attracted national or international attention, students will explore how emerging biotech can address global challenges. Emphasis is placed on understanding the science behind biotech products, identifying market opportunities, and evaluating business models, funding strategies, regulatory challenges, and commercialization pathways to ultimately advise the audience if the company is worth investing in. By the end of the course, students will be prepared to critically assess start-up potential and contribute to innovation-driven ecosystems in biotechnology, life sciences and agriculture.

 

• Course: IDH3931
• Class Number: 26619
• Day/Period: T/8
• Instructor: Catalin Voiniciuc

IDH3931 - A History of Materials discovery as a Primary Driver of Science Discovery

Graphene, Quantized Hall Effect, Superconductivity, Transistors, Carbon Nanotubes, Quantum Materials _ these are just a short list of how new materials have driven our knowledge and, of course, the accompanying technology.  This course attempts to show students how discoveries are actually made in a broad range of disciplines in Physics, and the process by which a laboratory wonder becomes everyday devices.  Examples will be taken from both the lecturer’s own experience and from assorted Nobel Prize work, including Giant Magnetoresistance (Fert and Grunberg 2007) to Graphene (Geim and Novoselov 2010).  At U of F, we continue to push the frontiers of discovery in new materials of interest (from body armor to new superconductors.)  Come learn about how new materials discoveries have brought us to where we are today.

 

• Course: IDH3931
• Class Number: 26620
• Day/Period: R/7
• Instructor: Gregory Stewart

 

IDH3931 - Nature and the Human Mind: Psychoactive Natural Products that shaped Human History

Throughout human history, natural products have been used as therapies and to expand the human mind. Since ancient times, cannabis, tea, coffee, tobacco, coca, and opium have been used to treat disorders but also to induce an altered state of mind, which is often described as a “high”. These naturally occurring substances have shaped human history, whether it be for good or in a detrimental way. In modern times, natural substances with psychoactive properties have led to the development of many therapeutic drugs that are the foundation for modern medicine. In recent years, some natural products, such as “magic mushrooms”, peyote cactus, and semi-synthetic products like LSD and MDMA are resurging for their potential benefits in treating mental health conditions, including depressive and anxiety disorders.

This course introduces students to the history of natural products with psychoactive properties, their pharmacology and modern applications of their use. Part of the course will focus on discussions around the ethical and moral uses of drugs with psychoactive properties within the societal context.

 

• Course: IDH3931
• Class Number: 24764
• Day/Period: T/5
• Instructor: Oliver Grundmann
• Online

UnCommon Classrooms

UnCommon Classrooms are 1-credit Honors courses designed around unusual topics with cities, places, and natural landscapes serving as experimental classrooms. 

These courses are application-based. Students selected to participate will be registered for the course by the Honors office and are responsible for tuition (financial aid may apply). Additional fees associated with each course are provided in the description. Unless otherwise stated, students must arrange transportation to and from the course location. A substantial portion of the cost of UnCommon Classrooms is supported by private funding to the Honors Program for experiential learning.

Course-Based Camps