Call for Course Proposals

What types of honors courses can be offered?

1. Honors sections of core courses: new honors section of a core course that we do not typically offer. (NB: You do not need to submit a course proposal for honors core courses we offer regularly such as English I or II, Microeconomics, etc.)

2. Honors Freshman Seminars: innovative and engaging seminars on topics not commonly offered at UAB. These courses are designed to stimulate the intellectual curiosity of our students while also building a sense of academic community. Need inspiration? See examples of previous seminars.

3. Special Topics Honors Seminars - unique course offerings open to all honors students but of particular interest to our sophomores, juniors, and seniors. These courses may be offered through individual departments or with an HC course prefix, but they generally attract students from multiple majors. Prior examples include Human Trafficking, Family and Community Resilience, and Poverty and Human Capability.

Note: Our specialized programs also offer unique seminars that are open only to students in those programs. Those programs send out separate calls for honors course proposals.

What makes a course honors?

In an honors section of an existing course, the essence of the course remains the same, but we ask that it be limited in enrollment (25 seat maximum) and encompass an honors dimension that provides students with a high level of engagement and critical thinking. Experiential learning is a key feature of honors education at UAB, and we welcome course proposals that include an experiential element (e.g., service-learning, research). We ask that you keep in mind these goals in considering an honors course: to encourage critical thinking, to foster creativity, build written and oral communication skills, and to create a collaborative community of scholars. There are many approaches to these goals and we encourage you to be creative, even adventurous!

How do I propose an honors course for UAB Honors College students?

The scheduling of all honors sections of courses are coordinated through the UAB Honors College and your Dean’s Office. To propose an honors course, faculty should submit the honors course proposal directly to their department chair and then to their Dean’s office, which will then forward the request to the UAB Honors College. Please note that a proposed honors course must be approved by the UAB Honors College and the faculty member’s department chair and dean.

Please download and complete the following course proposal form by November 30.

Questions? Contact the Honors College at 966-7190 and ask to speak with Dr. Ashley Floyd Kuntz, Director of Honors Administration, or Amy Newman Atkisson, Director of Honors Advising and Retention.