Oct. 5, 2026
The Course
HON 410.1101 – Wilderness Medicine, Survival, and the Human Condition
Dr. Michael Mulick, MD
Fridays, 8:30–11:15 a.m. | Spring 2027
Trip Dates: May 1–2, 2027
Wilderness Medicine, Survival, and the Human Condition is an interdisciplinary Honors seminar that uses wilderness and extreme environments as a lens for exploring human physiology, survival, decision making, leadership, ethics, and our relationship with nature. What happens when the systems and resources of modern society are no longer available and individuals must rely on knowledge, creativity, teamwork, and judgment?
Through readings, seminar discussions, hands-on skills laboratories, case-based scenarios, and field experiences, students will investigate environmental exposure, trauma, altitude physiology, risk, rescue, disaster medicine, and the psychology of survival. No prior medical or scientific knowledge is required. Alongside developing real competency in wilderness medicine and survival skills, students will use the wilderness setting to consider broader questions about human vulnerability, resilience, leadership, health, and what it means to live well.
Overnight Camping Trip
The course includes a required overnight camping trip planned for May 1–2, 2027. Students will practice spending the night outdoors without a tent or sleeping bag. The campsite will be near the parked vehicles, and tents and sleeping bags will be available if a student becomes too cold or uncomfortable. No prior camping experience is required. The course also includes a series of short field trips that will take place during regular class meeting time.
How to Enroll
Because of the required overnight component of this course, students must complete the application and receive special permission before enrolling. In order to be eligible to take this course, students must:
- Be in good standing with the Honors College (cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher)
- Have successfully completed HON 110 or another approved second-year seminar
- Ensure your Spring 2027 semester schedule can accommodate the regular weekly class meetings on Fridays, 8:30–11:15 a.m.
- Be available to participate in the overnight trip on May 1–2, 2027.
Priority Deadline: Sunday, October 25, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.
Students who complete the application by the priority deadline will be notified of their application status via email by October 30. Students who have been selected for the course will be granted permission to enroll in the course in MyUNLV.