No Ordinary Courses
Interested in studying walking, soap operas, Elvis, or Star Trek?
As you're going through the college-search process, you're trying to determine what you want to do with the rest of your life. On the day of high school graduation and once you do venture off to college, people will ask, "What's your major?" or "What do you plan to study?" Your class schedule will include general-education classes and those related directly to your major. But on today's campus you'll find more unusual course offerings, as well.More and more, universities' course catalogs feature options that focus on rock 'n' roll, popular television shows, classic movies, and other unique topics. Professors are hoping to appeal to students by taking a unique approach to the more common fields of study. Keep reading to get an idea of just how far schools are going in an effort to get your attention and to capture your interest. Maybe one of the schools on your list made our list.
Art of Walking
This class is definitely off the beaten path: students interested in learning about philosophy and aesthetics helped create Art of Walking at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. A small group of students joins the professor on a journey through nature every week. Class begins with a morning off-campus meeting at a restaurant or coffee shop, where the class discusses German philosophers and their ideas about aesthetics. The classrooms for this course include local hiking spots and nature reserves.
Daytime Serials: Family and Social Roles
Soap opera villains and daytime drama enter the classroom in this University of Wisconsin-Madison course. Students watch and learn by analyzing the characters and themes present in daytime television shows. They also explore how the portrayals of men and women affect their roles in the family and the work place. The class wouldn't be complete without comparing and contrasting daytime themes with those of prime-time shows.
Elvis as Anthology
Professor Peter Nazareth has been "taking care of business" in his class at The University of Iowa in Iowa City since 1992. In his packed classroom, Nazareth plays records, shows videos and movie clips, and reads book passages that examine the life and music of The King. The course explores how the legendary singer sought to change the world with his music and concentrates on how Elvis opened the door for other artists. The class has gained recognition worldwide. The Today Show, Associated Press, and National Public Radio are a few of the media outlets to cover Elvis As Anthology.
Rock Journalism
For anyone who has dreamt of writing for Rolling Stone or Spin, Rock Journalism, offered at DePaul University in Chicago, could be the ticket to bumping elbows with musical greats. In this class students examine album and concert reviews, as well as interviews with musicians. Future journalists will study the role of the rock 'n' roll press as a source of information for a mass audience.
The Religions of Star Trek
You don't have to be a Trekkie to enroll in this course at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Dr. Susan Schwartz uses the popular television show to attract students to her entry-level theology class. By presenting the study of religion in relation to the show, it becomes easier for students to understand religious theories and to discuss sensitive topics. The course is a big hit on Muhlenberg's campus: it fills every semester, and students who fail to get in are placed on a waiting list.
Crystal Conde is a former Hobsons editor and current freelance writer based in Austin, Texas.
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