Spring 2026 Honors Trajectory Courses Encourage Students to Imagine Life After Graduation

Next spring, Honors College students will have the opportunity to maximize their honors experience and prepare for life after college. By enrolling in courses that offer deep dives into preparing for careers in law and medical professions, or to more broadly explore the limits of their imagination, students will benefit no matter which direction they take after graduation.

Lynda Coon, dean of the Honors College, encourages students to think beyond graduation when considering Trajectory courses. "Thinking about applying to med school or law school? Desiring to venture more into your creative process?" Coon asked. "Then the spring 2026 Honors College Trajectory seminars are for you. You will not regret investing in one hour of honors credit, and that investment will lead to developing career skills necessary to compete at a high level." 

Each year, students anticipate the Honors College Trajectory courses for the exceptional faculty and subject experts who come together to help them explore their interests and take concrete steps toward their professional goals. All three spring 2026 courses require an application, which is due Oct. 9 at 5 p.m. Seats are limited, and interested honors students from all majors are encouraged to learn more and apply through the course pages linked below. 

Law School: This course is designed to provide honors students with an overview of the legal profession and to prepare for the law school admissions process. Students will learn about the wide variety of careers available in the field of law including private practice, public sector and corporate law. They will be given the opportunity to investigate whether law is the right path for their graduate studies and receive assistance in deciding which schools meet their needs based on their specific interests. Instructors Andrew Dowdle, professor of political science and the director of legal studies at U of A, and Louise Hancox, senior director of career innovation with the Honors College, will also help students prepare a complete draft of admission materials.  

"We've tailored this course to benefit anyone interested in an overview of the legal profession and the law school admissions process," Dowdle said. "Students will also get a head start in applying to law school by preparing material such as impactful personal statements and a spreadsheet of law schools tailored to their specific interests." 

Med School: This course, taught by Dr. Mack Ivey, Liebolt Chair of Premedical Sciences, and Jonathan Langley, director of graduate and professional school planning with the Honors College, will encourage students to think critically about the traditional myths surrounding doctors who are often categorized as "healers" and "geniuses" and have conversations about these depictions to help them parse fantasy from reality. Such critical analysis will become the starting point for students to engage in self-reflection as they begin composing authentic responses to the questions med school admission committees want to know. Students will also develop a deeper awareness of some of the most important issues facing medical doctors today, such as the opioid crisis, the relationship between the American Medical Association and the U.S. government, the increasing elderly population and the rise of corporate healthcare. 

"Premed students understandably are focused on how to get into med school," Ivey said. "The premed program covers this territory with numerous presentations, events and advising sessions. Med School, the honors course, instead focuses on why to go to med school and the issues and challenges encountered not only as a medical student but also in the future as a practicing physician."

The Imagination Workshop: This dynamic course will explore creativity as a practical and vital skill. Through hands-on activities, collaboration and reflection, Sandy Edwards, senior adviser for University Advancement, will guide students through discovering their unique creative potential and learn to apply it to enhance academic and professional goals. The course will provide a supportive environment for sharing ideas, experimenting boldly and growing alongside others passionate about turning imagination into action. Sessions will feature experts from fields including innovation, improvisation and human-centered design. No artistic background is required — just curiosity, a willingness to experiment and a desire to see creativity as a powerful tool. 

"The imagination is the beginning of… everything," Edwards said. "This symposium offers a rare opportunity to better understand the power of your imagination beyond what you may currently consider 'child's play.' By harnessing this superpower, students will be invited to see the world differently and be in awe of the possibilities." 

Honors College Trajectory courses are offered on an intense, eight-week schedule and provide students with meaningful opportunities to connect their academic passions to real-world experiences. No matter their progress in their post-graduation plans when they begin the courses, students will leave better prepared to navigate their future careers with confidence and purpose.