College Spotlight

Honors Seminar: Genetics and Genealogy

The Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences is presenting a stimulating Honors seminar in the Fall 2007 semester, titled Genetics and Genealogy. This course supports the college’s commitment to interdisciplinary education by investigating the relationships between genetics, human evolution, and genealogy. Participating students will extract their own DNA and analyze it for various molecular markers. They will also create their family history trees and an accompanying narrative that they will present in class.

This course is available for students accepted into the Honors Program. The program challenges high-achieving students with engaging courses and opportunities to network with experts in various fields, informally socialize with professors, study abroad, and qualify for scholarship assistance.

The Seminar is team-taught by Jim Doan, Ph.D., professor in the Division of Humanities, and Emily Schmitt, Ph.D., associate professor in the Division of Math, Science, and Technology. In addition to teaching history, literature, and Irish studies courses, Doan organizes the annual Faculty Lecture Series. Schmitt, who specializes in biology, was the recipient of the 2006 Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences Full-Time Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award.

New and continuing students may apply to the Honors Program at any time. An application is available at www.undergrad.nova.edu/honors/honorsapp.pdf.