Big ideas, one credit: for their spring 2026 schedule, the Honors College has curated courses that span law, medicine, design and sport. Students will choose to explore AI speech and its legal implications; the past, present and future of psychiatry; the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright and his student Arkansan Fay Jones; or the globally significant sporting event, the World Cup. 

As Lynda Coon, dean of the Honors College, explains, the goal of the series is to offer a small taste of something intriguing that doesn't take up too much space on students' academic plates.

"From the history of psychiatry to the 2026 World Cup, these seminars are open to all intellectually adventurous honors students," Coon said. "You can also dip your toe into midcentury modern design or legal issues in AI speech. This series never disappoints." 

The Honors Forums courses bring exceptional faculty and top administrators together with honors students for 75 minutes on a weekly basis. Only one course requires an application, but seats for all courses are limited. Interested honors students are encouraged to register as soon as possible to guarantee getting a seat. 

FALL 2025 HONORS COLLEGE FORUMS 

AI Speech and the Law: This course will explore the complex legal questions raised by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and algorithmic promotion. As these tools create novel fact patterns, students will examine how they intersect with multiple areas of law, including free speech, copyright, defamation, content moderation and tort liability. Kim Petrone, a teaching associate professor in the Sam M. Walton College of Business, will use lawsuit pleadings, court decisions and discussion to challenge students to consider how the legal system is adapting to rapidly evolving digital landscapes. 

"In prior years," Petrone shared, "growth of social media speech created novel legal challenges; dissemination of generative AI multiplied the challenges. I hope students enjoy dissecting aspects of online speech and analyzing responses of courts and lawmakers." 

Psychiatry: Past, Present, Future: Psychiatry is one of the most complex fields of medicine, intersecting biology, psychology, culture and politics. Neuroscience continues to unravel how the mind functions within the brain, and how genetics, life experiences and environment can profoundly affect both. 

This course will be led by John Spollen, M.D., a psychiatrist and associate dean for the UAMS College of Medicine's Northwest campus. Spollen will invite students to explore various aspects of psychiatry, including its history, evolving diagnoses and treatments ranging from psychotherapy and medications to transcranial magnetic stimulation and ketamine infusions. Students will also engage with experts across psychiatric specialties and related fields, with opportunities to explore areas of personal interest. This course requires an application for admission. 

"Psychiatry and psychiatric conditions are something that are frequently in the news and the media, but the depictions are often incorrect and stigmatized," Spollen said. "I hope students will come away with a clearer understanding of what mental illness is and isn't, how diagnoses are made and what various effective treatments are available to assist with recovery." 

Frank and Fay: This course, led by Greg Herman, associate professor of architecture, will examine the evolution of the American house through the work of internationally renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright and his one-time protégé and celebrated Ozark architect, Fay Jones, known for Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs and numerous residences across the country.  

Wright's and Jones' approaches to design and their broader views on American culture provide a rich foundation for study and discussion. The course will begin with an overview of 19th-century residential design trends and trace the design philosophies that shaped American architecture in that century and into the next. Emphasis will be placed on the overlapping ideas of both architects, with a focus on modern domestic architecture and their shared pursuit of organicism and "dwelling." Students will also explore contemporaneous movements in American and global architecture to situate Wright and Jones within a broader cultural context.  

"It is my hope that students will come to appreciate our home-grown talent, Fay Jones, and his connection to national and global figures like Frank Lloyd Wright," Herman said. "They should know that they, too, can participate and compete in such circles and leave the course with a greater appreciation for architecture and its role in the construction of our shared environment." 

World Cup: This forum, led by Todd Cleveland, Distinguished Professor in the Department of History, will explore the history, popularity and evolution of this global sporting event that will mark its 100th anniversary in 2030. Since the first World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930 with just 13 teams, the tournament has grown into a massive spectacle held every four years, now featuring 48 national teams and drawing billions of viewers worldwide. 

The course will examine the tournament's long and sometimes tumultuous history and the dramatic changes it has undergone, including the introduction of the Women's World Cup, and the political dimensions — both discreet and overt — that have shaped the event. It will also explore why the World Cup captivates audiences globally as the world's most popular mega-sporting event. 

"Students will study the political, economic and social dimensions of these mega-events — both the men's and women's tournaments — through both targeted readings and extensive discussion," Cleveland said. "Ultimately, I hope they come to understand how the World Cup both reflects and shapes global concerns, priorities and realities."