Academic Offerings in Honors

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Academic Offerings in Honors

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Honors Courses

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At UW-̽��Ƶ Claire, Honors courses emphasize discussion, collaboration, and interdisciplinary connection. Why? We know that becoming a skilled participant in high-level discussions will elevate your learning, keep you engaged, and positively impact your future career. Being able to listen productively, link your thoughts into a larger conversation, and think outside of the boundaries of a single field—these are valuable skills in every field.

With 30+ courses per semester open only to Honors students, the Honors Program offers a highly customizable curriculum. Our students choose courses that allow them to expand their thinking, explore new interests, develop career-related skills, and dig into unique projects. Honors is also a place where students and faculty from every major on campus meet and work together—you'll grow your network and make new connections.

Course Highlights

To learn more about our course offerings, check out the course catalogs below and this for some of our recent courses. Some of our most exciting new courses in 2025-26 include:

The Social Sciences, Predictive Analytics, and You: The Use (and Abuse) of Big Data
This Class Will (Probably) Be Funny: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Humor
Adulting: Managing Your Money and Mindset for Success
The Development of Social Perspectives on Disability
The Underworld of the Ancients
Classic Dystopian Fiction
The NFL: Fantasy, Finance, and Media

Students in Dr. Wellnitz's World of Water honors course look gather field data from the UWEC aquatic ecosystem

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HNRS 118, "World of Water"

In this regular honors course, Emeritus Professor of Biology, Dr. Todd Wellnitz, invites students to explore the mysteries of the aquatic through biological and creative lenses. Students study the ecology of marine environments, examine the ways human society depends on water, and explore the biology of local aquatic life, all while using literature and film to discuss how water shapes our cultural imagination.

Professor Mahaffy's honors karate class practice in Gi

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HNRS 138, "Shotokan Karate"

Professor Ellen Mahaffy’s honors course on Shotokan karate is more than a practice in self-defense: she teaches how Shotokan is a way of life (Bushido) that simultaneously develops the mind, body, and soul. Students take on a humble, “beginner’s mind,” growing in the practice and skill of karate, learning about its history and philosophy, and digging into how karate is represented in popular culture.

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HNRS 118, "Chemical Computing and AI in Healthcare"

Led by professor of chemistry and biochemistry, Dr. Sudeep Bhattacharyay, students in the chemical computing honors course learn about the burgeoning uses of AI in modern medicine, and how to apply AI-driven healthcare solutions in areas like genetics, disease tracking, and treatment prediction modeling.

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HNRS 178, "Game Analysis and Design"

Students in Dr. Chris Hlas's game design course learn how to theorize, build, test, and create their own board games, which honors students and faculty gather to play during finals week.

two students smile holding bag of kimchi

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HNRS 318, "Fermentation: Cultures Meet Culture"

In "Fermentation: Cultures Meet Culture," students learned about both the chemistry and cultural role of fermented foods, while making their own kimchi, sourdough, and more.

three students stand at the front of the room giving a presentation

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HNRS 324, "Promoting Energy- and Water-Efficient Off-Campus Student Housing"

Students in this project-based course learned about social science research, conducted a survey of water and energy efficiency in off-campus student housing, and presented their work to leaders at the university and in local government.

Honors gives you the opportunity to take courses you would not normally be exposed to. If you are seeking out new opportunities and connections, this is the place to find them. It exposes you to other walks of life, new perspectives, and a greater sense of what interests you. The Honors Program is an amazing opportunity to learn something new that can give you a greater insight that you otherwise would not have.

Academic Excellence

Leandra O’Connell

Ecology and Environmental Biology

2023

Research

The Cosby Honors College supports student-faculty collaborative research, which gives our students opportunities to explore topics they care about, learn more about a field of study, and distinguish themselves through presentations and publications. Every Honors student has the opportunity to earn Honors credit for their research.

The Honors Thesis

The thesis is one of the signature opportunities available through the Cosby Honors College: a chance to make a real contribution to your field. Completed in the senior year, the Honors thesis is a flexible opportunity to pursue a research project of your own design in any academic discipline. Thesis writers work closely with faculty advisors and join a supportive community of fellow writers. Thesis projects range from traditional research to applied and creative works.

Recent Honors Theses (2024-25)

Emma Frietsth (Public Health), “Raw Milk Policies by State and their Impacts.” Emma is now enrolled in the Masters of Public Health and Biostatistics program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Eliza Zahn (Economics), “Economic Strategies for Water Pollution Mitigation in Lower Green Bay/Fox River AOC.” Eliza earned a Fulbright to Spain for 2025-2026.
Sam Consiglio (Geography), “Perceived Neighborhood Walkability in the Putnam Heights Neighborhood: A Study on Walkability in Suburban and Sprawled Neighborhoods.” Sam is pursuing a Masters of Urban Planning at the University of Washington.
Ella Quam (Psychology), “The Effect of Technology Use in Young Children’s Social Skills.” Ella is earning her Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at St. Cloud State.
Abby Arend (Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences), “Using Social Media Platforms to Inform Evidence-Based Practice in a Graduate Aphasia Course.” Abby is pursuing a Masters in Speech Language Pathology at Marquette.
Carter Vanderloo (Political Science), “Contemporary Debate over the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment and the Historical Legal Understanding of the Clause.” Carter is attending Law School at George Washington.
Isaac Swenson (Political Science), "A Contemporary Re-Evaluation of Germany's Soft-Power Strategy." Isaac is pursuing a PhD in chemical engineering at Brown University.
Rachel Tuma (Spanish and Public Health & Environmental Studies), "Examining the Presence of Latin American Traditional and Complementary Medicine in the United States." Rachel serves in a bilingual outreach role at a community health nonprofit in Colorado.
Sage Mathisen (Biomedical Engineering and Art), "Exploring Engineering Through Fashion: A Fashion Collection." Sage currently works at a biomedical engineering firm in Minnesota.

Research at the Intersection of Art and Engineering

In this honors thesis, Sage Mathisen used engineering techniques to create a line of fashion accessories with biomedical components.

Graduation

Why complete Honors? Mostly, it's about the opportunities you'll have to develop high-level discussion skills, explore new interests, collaborate with other outstanding students and faculty, and distinguish yourself through research and leadership. But graduating with University Honors will also be noted on your transcript, and you will receive a medallion engraved with your name to wear at commencement and recognition in the commencement program. The Cosby Honors College hosts a festive graduation reception for its graduates the week before commencement, where we celebrate our amazing students and their accomplishments. Each year, nearly 150 students graduate with University Honors.

To graduate with University Honors, students complete a 26-credit curriculum of courses, most of which will also count toward liberal education or major requirements. Pursuing Honors should not delay a student's time to graduation or add extra courses. In fact, more than 95% of our students graduate in four years or less.