Unique College Classes That Have Been Offered In The US

By Bretton Johnson

College is always something that apart from new friends and independent life brings stress and very often results in the growing unwillingness to continue studying,

which makes students pass their academic chores to paper and speech writing services like  EssayShark.The number of boring standard subjects, lectures based on the outdated theories forces students to forget about the beauty of fresh knowledge and exciting experience realizing they just waste time. Still, college attendance may turn out to be higher with the modern and extraordinary approaches to traditional learning. We searched for some of the most unique college classes that have been offered in the US to open you the world of increased opportunities, better experience, unbelievable emotions and activities that seem to be reasonable and very useful in the contemporary world. So just sit back and dive into the atmosphere of American colleges offering something that you could never even think or dream about.

1. Is Harry Potter real? Appalachian State University

Expecto Patronum! Perhaps everybody knows the meaning of this spell living in the era of Pottermania. The innovator of these college courses dedicated to Harry Potter, Layne McDaniel aimed to focus the students’ attention on answering the question about “What if?” trying to imagine the magic is present in the real life. Moreover, the courses are directed on examining the history from the point of its realistic nature and accuracy with the main practice being the analysis of the Harry Potter texts. That is, the students were supposed to examine the texts and search for both the fantasy and facts in such a way of learning how to differentiate and understand reality and fiction.

2. “The Game of Thrones.” Martin vs HBO

The writer George R. R. Martin is a real genius who managed to create a masterpiece that became a universal breakthrough in the world of literature. The classes of “The game of Thrones” stand for the deep look at the text and the HBO series based on it to interpret and compare them (“8 College Classes That Probably Never Would Have Been Offered A Decade Ago”). The main goal is for the students to learn how to differentiate these two representations with the ability to comment on the visual and literary aspects, their differences, details, and specifics. It is essential to mention that the courses on “The Game of Thrones” also aim to make students familiar with the history, culture, and society of the Middle Ages.

3. The Art of Walking in Centre College

Sounds interesting, isn’t it? It seems to be even ridiculous that there are courses with the aim of focusing on one’s walking. Still, the class created by Ken Keffer’s makes the issue important and significant for critical thinking and understanding oneself (“Https://Time.Com”). To be more precise, the classes offer students to be more concerned with their walking and to learn to perceive it as not the means of transportation to an end but as an experience with the specific feelings and emotions one experiences during the process.

4. Think about Death at Kean University!

Why should we be afraid of death if everybody will still face it? Here is the answer: Norma Bowe and her classes on death teach about not the fear of death or acceptance of one’s end but the love of life and everybody’s satisfaction from everything around (“The 12 Most Unique College Courses In America”). The main method of these courses resides in involving students in the conversations and discussions on death penalty and death in general, organizing the trips to the cemeteries in such a way increasing the students’ awareness of the beauty of life and its value.

5. Less is enough! Alfred University

Could you imagine your life with spending only one dollar per day? Probably, most of you would answer “No” but these courses would persuade you in the opposite. Specifically, the teachers try to show the students that money is nothing for becoming happy in this world and that the growing value of money is just the product of the capitalistic goal to sell (Conradt). The classes at Alfred University intend to teach students about saving but in a way it does not mean limitations. People can live frugally without trying to earn all the money in the world!

6. Does Beyonce empower modern feminism?

The courses held in Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey aim to analyze the way Beyonce’s music impacts contemporary feminism with the interpretation of her songs helping to realize today’s perceptions of gender, race, and culture (“Https://Time.Com”). The primary idea of the courses is to present Beyonce as a progressive and feminist figure capable of changing the social roles by her influence on pop culture. The professors and students analyze the singer’s songs comparing them with the readings on feminist history in such a way trying to find out whether the girls indeed may run the world.

7. What is behind “The Hunger Games”?

The course created at the American University provides students with an interesting and fascinating journey to the world of the famous trilogy to understand how some hidden themes and issues influenced American popular culture (“8 College Classes That Probably Never Would Have Been Offered A Decade Ago”). In other words, the classes appeal to the trilogy series as to the case studies trying to analyze the interconnection of such themes as politics, ethics, and class. Individually, the students’ practice lies in reading the trilogy “The Hunger Games” alongside commenting on the theory about it getting a better idea of impacted spheres and the future possible outcomes. Some of the major topics discussed during the classes are the questions of feminism, rebellion, social media, oppression and the publishing industry.

8. Tree Climbing? Easy!

Would you be surprised to hear that there are courses at Cornell University the idea of which lies in teaching students the practice of climbing a tree? This is the ideal option for those who considered themselves too short or just afraid of height to try it and succeed (“The 12 Most Unique College Courses In America”). To be more specific, the classes offer the theoretical part of understanding the role and utility of different types of ropes with the obtained knowledge being further applied to practice. Students learn to climb trees to overcome their fears, to get more confidence and never lose the childish spirit that remains inside every grown-up personality.

We did our best to give you the list of some of the most unique college classes that have ever been created in the US colleges and universities. All of them offer the extraordinary studying approach and magnificent experience to let you realize that many interesting and exciting topics are just ignored by the standard educational system. Still, it is up to you what to learn and with our list, you may become fully informed and equipped to make your decisions and to start finding out something entirely different and new.

Works Cited:

“8 College Classes That Probably Never Would Have Been Offered A Decade Ago”. Business Insider, 2019, https://www.businessinsider.com/8-classes-that-would-not-have-been-offered-a-decade-ago-2015-8#the-game-of-thrones-7.

Conradt, Stacy. “22 Fascinating And Bizarre College Classes Offered This Semester – CNN”. CNN, 2019, https://edition.cnn.com/2011/08/29/living/bizarre-college-courses-mf/index.html.

“Https://Time.Com”. Time, 2019, https://time.com/4006878/unusual-college-university-courses/.

“The 12 Most Unique College Courses In America”. Huffpost.Com, 2019, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/unique-college-courses_n_5509205.