Best College Course Ever
November 21, 2004 11:28 PM Subscribe
It's time for us collegians to sign up for classes again. I am always faced at this time with a dizzying array of choices when looking in the course directory. What was the best college course you ever took and why?
I really enjoyed a combined Physics/History class I took called "War and Peace in the Nuclear Age" all about how nukes work and how their use (or lack thereof) affected the entire second half of the 20th
posted by Megafly at 11:46 PM on November 21, 2004
posted by Megafly at 11:46 PM on November 21, 2004
I meant to add, go for the high number honors classes, the classes outside the standard catalogue that the professors actually enjoy teaching
posted by Megafly at 11:48 PM on November 21, 2004
posted by Megafly at 11:48 PM on November 21, 2004
My comparitive religious studies class (a "culture course" requried class for science majors) was by far my favorite class ever. Maybe it was because I was a senior and enjoyed every book we read and every discussion we had. I liked courses in my major just fine, but that comparitive religion class was a breath of fresh air.
posted by mathowie at 12:04 AM on November 22, 2004
posted by mathowie at 12:04 AM on November 22, 2004
The best courses I took at my University might not be the best courses at yours. This is because the professor makes the class good as much as the subject does. Most of the best classes I took were honors classes, where the profs tended to throw the traditional lecture/read/test model out and form actual classroom communities (though to their credit, most of my honors math professors did *not* throw it out, only enhance it). Smaller classes full of bright people made it delightful.
I would also recommend taking music ensemble classes if you're at all inclined. They're a big time investment for the amount of credit you receive, but they can easily pay it back in terms of invigoration they provide. Time I spent singing in University ensembles is one of the things I'm most glad I did. And one of the dumbest things I did was cutting them back when I got "too busy." If you're too busy for a recreational class that actually puts energy into you rather than draining it, your courseload is too heavy and you should re-evaluate.
posted by weston at 12:10 AM on November 22, 2004
I would also recommend taking music ensemble classes if you're at all inclined. They're a big time investment for the amount of credit you receive, but they can easily pay it back in terms of invigoration they provide. Time I spent singing in University ensembles is one of the things I'm most glad I did. And one of the dumbest things I did was cutting them back when I got "too busy." If you're too busy for a recreational class that actually puts energy into you rather than draining it, your courseload is too heavy and you should re-evaluate.
posted by weston at 12:10 AM on November 22, 2004
I'm thoroughly enjoying learning French and practicing Aikido. I don't know about your school, but mine boasts a pretty impressive phys. ed. facility that I really didn't take advantage of last year. I feel substantially better now that I've scheduled physical activity into my life.
I've really enjoyed learning a language in college so far. Most classes are just conversation with other students and the prof about restaurants or your weekend, things like that. Because it's a small class instead of a 200 person lecture, it's also a good way to meet some people.
My best academic class so far was a Shakespeare course. Sounds mundane, but the professor had it down, accent and all. YMMV.
Be sure to check RateMyProfessors and any online communities your school might have, if you haven't already.
posted by rfordh at 12:36 AM on November 22, 2004
I've really enjoyed learning a language in college so far. Most classes are just conversation with other students and the prof about restaurants or your weekend, things like that. Because it's a small class instead of a 200 person lecture, it's also a good way to meet some people.
My best academic class so far was a Shakespeare course. Sounds mundane, but the professor had it down, accent and all. YMMV.
Be sure to check RateMyProfessors and any online communities your school might have, if you haven't already.
posted by rfordh at 12:36 AM on November 22, 2004
Do a foreign language class if you have the option. It'll be interesting, look good on your resume and may well be useful to you in the future.
Best course I ever took was a fourth year option in structural geology. I was the only person on it and had a ratio of three lecturers (two of whom had world class research reputations) to one student - me. It was intense.
posted by thatwhichfalls at 12:53 AM on November 22, 2004
Best course I ever took was a fourth year option in structural geology. I was the only person on it and had a ratio of three lecturers (two of whom had world class research reputations) to one student - me. It was intense.
posted by thatwhichfalls at 12:53 AM on November 22, 2004
Linguistics.
A great eye opener that will challenge you and almost certainly leave an indelible mark on the way you view the world. The intellectual benefits will carry over into most any other academic discipline.
I suspect Languagehat will concur.
The other "best" class I ever took was a survey of Soviet film, but that was taught by a brilliant professor (Ed Azlant) who could have made "Intro to Vowels" riveting.
posted by RavinDave at 1:21 AM on November 22, 2004
A great eye opener that will challenge you and almost certainly leave an indelible mark on the way you view the world. The intellectual benefits will carry over into most any other academic discipline.
I suspect Languagehat will concur.
The other "best" class I ever took was a survey of Soviet film, but that was taught by a brilliant professor (Ed Azlant) who could have made "Intro to Vowels" riveting.
posted by RavinDave at 1:21 AM on November 22, 2004
Being an engineer, I've enjoyed a lot of my so-called "Science, Technology, and Society" classes that I'm forced to take, like Anthropology of Science (where I learned all about math as a cultural relative instead of an absolute) and History of Science and Technology in the Modern World (where I learned that Darwin was kind of a jerk).
Ok, so they don't sound that exciting, but it's nice being able to sit through a Systems course and recognize all the cultural indoctrination that most people take for granted...
posted by muddgirl at 1:33 AM on November 22, 2004
Ok, so they don't sound that exciting, but it's nice being able to sit through a Systems course and recognize all the cultural indoctrination that most people take for granted...
posted by muddgirl at 1:33 AM on November 22, 2004
A great eye opener that will challenge you and almost certainly leave an indelible mark on the way you view the world.
And that mark will almost certainly say something like "Jesus, these guys sure are insecure about the fact that linguistics is not a science." hah. I kid because I love, people.
By far the best courses to take are the 12-15 student senior seminars. These will generally be pretty esoteric in subject matter, because for the most part they could all be subtitled "The research for my next book." The point is not so much the content of the class but the form - discussion about a subject matter that the professor is passionate about and legitimately open to new ideas. There is no greater undergraduate thrill than seeing an academic superstar write down something you just said in the back of her book.
Also, Intro to Handgun Safety. The cathartic release I got from that class was so incredibly theraputic I believe it should be mandatory.
posted by ChasFile at 1:35 AM on November 22, 2004
And that mark will almost certainly say something like "Jesus, these guys sure are insecure about the fact that linguistics is not a science." hah. I kid because I love, people.
By far the best courses to take are the 12-15 student senior seminars. These will generally be pretty esoteric in subject matter, because for the most part they could all be subtitled "The research for my next book." The point is not so much the content of the class but the form - discussion about a subject matter that the professor is passionate about and legitimately open to new ideas. There is no greater undergraduate thrill than seeing an academic superstar write down something you just said in the back of her book.
Also, Intro to Handgun Safety. The cathartic release I got from that class was so incredibly theraputic I believe it should be mandatory.
posted by ChasFile at 1:35 AM on November 22, 2004
The best class I've had was a group-directed independent study where a bunch of friends in my major (English) and I petitioned a prof we all liked with a huge list of stuff we wanted to read and just asked him to pick a theme by which to organize it and to filter the list to make it manageable. There were only 6 of us students in all.
A similar situation may not be possible for you depending on whether or not you have a prof/department/program that would be amenable to that, but if the opportunity presents itself, I'd highly recommend it.
posted by juv3nal at 1:43 AM on November 22, 2004
A similar situation may not be possible for you depending on whether or not you have a prof/department/program that would be amenable to that, but if the opportunity presents itself, I'd highly recommend it.
posted by juv3nal at 1:43 AM on November 22, 2004
My favorites: several cognitive-psych-ish courses, a history class on the Third Reich, and a philosophy independent study on mental content. I heartily agree with the suggestion to do independent studies if you can - designing your own syllabus is a beautiful thing...
If I were you, I’d pick out some classes (or even just some departments) that sound interesting, then ask other students who are familiar with the departments/courses/professors for input to help narrow it down. This isn't foolproof, since people's opinions can differ for idiosyncratic reasons, but it'll at least help you get a sense for what to expect from various classes. Also, keep an eye on enrollment numbers if you can – I’ve noticed they're (slightly) correlated with quality.
What I actually do in these situations is indecisively enroll in way too many classes and then overwork myself as I agonize over what I should drop...but I wouldn't recommend that strategy.
posted by introcosm at 2:21 AM on November 22, 2004
If I were you, I’d pick out some classes (or even just some departments) that sound interesting, then ask other students who are familiar with the departments/courses/professors for input to help narrow it down. This isn't foolproof, since people's opinions can differ for idiosyncratic reasons, but it'll at least help you get a sense for what to expect from various classes. Also, keep an eye on enrollment numbers if you can – I’ve noticed they're (slightly) correlated with quality.
What I actually do in these situations is indecisively enroll in way too many classes and then overwork myself as I agonize over what I should drop...but I wouldn't recommend that strategy.
posted by introcosm at 2:21 AM on November 22, 2004
My four favorite classes (out of alot of great ones):
"Religion in America", a tiny honors class where we read books (like Stranger at the Gate and Autobiography of Malcolm X) and talked about them with a fairly diverse class. Was particularly hard on the only Muslim in the class after 9-11. Trips included attending a service at a North Philadelphia Baptist church and a service at the synagogue of our professor (herself a Reform rabbi) and then back to her house for Shabbat dinner with her family.
"Race & Ethnicity", taught by a former spy who operated in Germany in the 50's, this man must have been at least 150 years old. Another tiny honors class, we sat around a table, discussed books and articles we read, and then had most of our preconceived notions about race blown away by the professor. In one particularly contentious class the subject was the minority achievement gap, and the professor took the devil's advocate position. Very uncomfortable, but incredibly enlightening.
"Science & Technology in American History", a slightly larger honors class, we basically read alot of science fiction books from the turn of the century and watched some movies. Not a whole lot of discussion, but some really interesting lectures about America's relationship to technological progress throughout its history.
And finally, the vaguely named "Topics in Media Culture", which I'm just finishing up now. It's difficult to describe, but the class basically centers on discussions about how our society is shaped by things like movies, tv, and advertising, etc. Lots of talk about Foucault and Sontag. Fantastic discussion, even though there are a few idiots in the class.
Like others have said, the most important thing for a good class is a great instructor followed by interested, intelligent students. With those two things even the worst subject matter can be interesting.
posted by deafmute at 3:16 AM on November 22, 2004
"Religion in America", a tiny honors class where we read books (like Stranger at the Gate and Autobiography of Malcolm X) and talked about them with a fairly diverse class. Was particularly hard on the only Muslim in the class after 9-11. Trips included attending a service at a North Philadelphia Baptist church and a service at the synagogue of our professor (herself a Reform rabbi) and then back to her house for Shabbat dinner with her family.
"Race & Ethnicity", taught by a former spy who operated in Germany in the 50's, this man must have been at least 150 years old. Another tiny honors class, we sat around a table, discussed books and articles we read, and then had most of our preconceived notions about race blown away by the professor. In one particularly contentious class the subject was the minority achievement gap, and the professor took the devil's advocate position. Very uncomfortable, but incredibly enlightening.
"Science & Technology in American History", a slightly larger honors class, we basically read alot of science fiction books from the turn of the century and watched some movies. Not a whole lot of discussion, but some really interesting lectures about America's relationship to technological progress throughout its history.
And finally, the vaguely named "Topics in Media Culture", which I'm just finishing up now. It's difficult to describe, but the class basically centers on discussions about how our society is shaped by things like movies, tv, and advertising, etc. Lots of talk about Foucault and Sontag. Fantastic discussion, even though there are a few idiots in the class.
Like others have said, the most important thing for a good class is a great instructor followed by interested, intelligent students. With those two things even the worst subject matter can be interesting.
posted by deafmute at 3:16 AM on November 22, 2004
We used to have a class here in Nebraska (UNL) that I always thought should be a core requirement. It was "Greco-Roman Roots in English" and was a systematic study of classical words that found their way into English grammar as prefixes, suffixes and infixes, etc. Very handy to be able to rapidly parse many technical terms. Nice to watch "M*A*S*H" and know what a "subdural hematoma" is without reaching for the dictionary. Impressed the heck out of my dentist when he prescribed "erythromycin" and I wondered why he was giving me a "red fungal substance".
And you never wanna challenge me to SCRABBLE.
posted by RavinDave at 4:15 AM on November 22, 2004
And you never wanna challenge me to SCRABBLE.
posted by RavinDave at 4:15 AM on November 22, 2004
one of the classes that I learned a lot from and whose info stayed with me longer than most was a women's study class. I have no idea what the name of it was, but we learned about women in other countries/cultures. Like...
How few women there are in China and talking about how that will affect the society in the coming years when there is a shortage for marriage.
How really poor women (in Rio I think) would neglect new borns and let them die (not straight out). (all rationalized to be the will of god - we're talking about women who already have half a dozen kids and live in slums)
Aboriginal cultures, and the role of women.
Stuff like that. Fascinating stuff.
posted by evening at 4:55 AM on November 22, 2004
How few women there are in China and talking about how that will affect the society in the coming years when there is a shortage for marriage.
How really poor women (in Rio I think) would neglect new borns and let them die (not straight out). (all rationalized to be the will of god - we're talking about women who already have half a dozen kids and live in slums)
Aboriginal cultures, and the role of women.
Stuff like that. Fascinating stuff.
posted by evening at 4:55 AM on November 22, 2004
"The Vampire in Eastern European and American Culture" It filled the cultural studies requirement. Basically, we discussed the myths of vampires and how they evolved from the Eastern European roots to the more recent pop culture aspects of the myth in American culture.
posted by shawnj at 4:56 AM on November 22, 2004
posted by shawnj at 4:56 AM on November 22, 2004
"Anthropology of Sex and Eroticism" taught me more about religion, politics, the world and myself than I ever could have imagined. Changed my entire world view. By far the best class I've ever taken.
"Death and the Afterlife" was another great class that challenged everything I'd been taught and believed up until that point.
I think any class that will give you a peek into other cultures and their histories will be excellent. Question the world. Question yourself. Question everything!
posted by MsVader at 5:28 AM on November 22, 2004
"Death and the Afterlife" was another great class that challenged everything I'd been taught and believed up until that point.
I think any class that will give you a peek into other cultures and their histories will be excellent. Question the world. Question yourself. Question everything!
posted by MsVader at 5:28 AM on November 22, 2004
I'd also recommend the seminar-level courses in your particular field. Theory of Punishment was an excellent one during my undergrad career and Ontologies was my favorite MIS course. As a philosophy undergrad I also tried to attend as many 400/800 courses during my senior year[s] as I could. Grad-level material with undergrad-level grading requirements was the best of all possible worlds.
As for you, RavinDave, I'll be back home in Nebraska in three weeks and hereby accept your Scrabble challenge. I spent far too many winters in Green Bay with no TV to let you get away with such frippery.
posted by Fezboy! at 6:42 AM on November 22, 2004
As for you, RavinDave, I'll be back home in Nebraska in three weeks and hereby accept your Scrabble challenge. I spent far too many winters in Green Bay with no TV to let you get away with such frippery.
posted by Fezboy! at 6:42 AM on November 22, 2004
I took a communications class on Persuasion. That had to be my favorite class becuase it really examined how people/the media are constantly persuading us and also how to persuade others. The hardest part is using my powers for good!
The Psychology of Crime was an incredible course as well.
Oh and an honors class on "The Bible, Science and Human Values". It was fascinating. Team taught by a Bible professor and a Biology professor.
If you're not looking to fulfill degree requirements, just take classes that you've always been curious about.
posted by wallaby at 6:43 AM on November 22, 2004
The Psychology of Crime was an incredible course as well.
Oh and an honors class on "The Bible, Science and Human Values". It was fascinating. Team taught by a Bible professor and a Biology professor.
If you're not looking to fulfill degree requirements, just take classes that you've always been curious about.
posted by wallaby at 6:43 AM on November 22, 2004
I'm just finishing a great course right now called Language, Power, and Persuasion. It's a Linguistics course, and we get to dissect newspaper texts, conversations, interviews with politicians, lots of stuff like that. It has opened my eyes to a lot of biases and subtle manipulations of how the news is presented, and challenged my ideas of sexuality, "truth," identity, and authority. Totally worth it if you've got the right professor or the strange quirk of linguists that makes us really interested in grammatical and prosodic features.
on preview: wallaby's right, it's very tempting to use this to win conversations with my boyfriend. :)
posted by heatherann at 6:46 AM on November 22, 2004
on preview: wallaby's right, it's very tempting to use this to win conversations with my boyfriend. :)
posted by heatherann at 6:46 AM on November 22, 2004
Virginia, huh?
ASTR 342, Life Beyond Earth, is a blast. It's a gut, which is its own plus and minus, but it's fun if a bit silly.
Ken Elzinga's intro econ course really is good, if you don't mind a 500-person class.
The various ENLT seminars can be good. Drop by Newcomb and look at the reading lists to gauge interest. They'll almost all be taught by grad students, but by ones who give a damn about the topic.
Spanish phonetics as taught by Joel Rini was good.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 7:04 AM on November 22, 2004
ASTR 342, Life Beyond Earth, is a blast. It's a gut, which is its own plus and minus, but it's fun if a bit silly.
Ken Elzinga's intro econ course really is good, if you don't mind a 500-person class.
The various ENLT seminars can be good. Drop by Newcomb and look at the reading lists to gauge interest. They'll almost all be taught by grad students, but by ones who give a damn about the topic.
Spanish phonetics as taught by Joel Rini was good.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 7:04 AM on November 22, 2004
I echo the "take honors classes" advice above, if you prefer an exciting challenge over an easy but dull course. You can usually tell what you'll like by checking the reading list.
My favorite class was a Shakespeare survey in which we read all of the plays and sonnets in one semester, with a fantastic teacher who spent most of the time reading aloud to us and gesticulating wildly. Also great were three courses on World War I, Europe between the World Wars, and World War II.
In other words, anything with lots of drama. And don't neglect history or, I've heard, you'll be doomed to repeat it.
posted by naomi at 7:11 AM on November 22, 2004
My favorite class was a Shakespeare survey in which we read all of the plays and sonnets in one semester, with a fantastic teacher who spent most of the time reading aloud to us and gesticulating wildly. Also great were three courses on World War I, Europe between the World Wars, and World War II.
In other words, anything with lots of drama. And don't neglect history or, I've heard, you'll be doomed to repeat it.
posted by naomi at 7:11 AM on November 22, 2004
I finished the requirements for my major (computer science) a semester ahead of schedule, so I took several electives my final semester that had nothing to do with my field of study. It was probably the most rewarding period of my college career. Highlights:
Great Film Directors - We watched and discussed films by Altman, Hitchcock, Bunuel, and the Coen brothers. I saw Brewster McCloud for the first time. Basically an English class with film snobs. Great fun.
Evolutionary Systems - Taught as part of the geology department, this class changed how I think about evolution, life, and the universe. The people in this class ranged from literalist Christians to hard-line atheists, and discussion was always civil and informative.
One Nation Under Television - This was a senior seminar in the mass-communications department, and I was lucky to get in. I was the only non-SMAD major in the class. I learned about broadcast history, the myth of the liberal (and conservative, for that matter) media, and we ranted about the issues of the day. One of the best classes I took while at college.
What did all of these classes have in common? Enthusiastic, informed professors, a wide-range of opinions, and strong discussion components. There's nothing like getting graded for talking (and writing papers, but that's incidental).
posted by schustafa at 7:12 AM on November 22, 2004
Great Film Directors - We watched and discussed films by Altman, Hitchcock, Bunuel, and the Coen brothers. I saw Brewster McCloud for the first time. Basically an English class with film snobs. Great fun.
Evolutionary Systems - Taught as part of the geology department, this class changed how I think about evolution, life, and the universe. The people in this class ranged from literalist Christians to hard-line atheists, and discussion was always civil and informative.
One Nation Under Television - This was a senior seminar in the mass-communications department, and I was lucky to get in. I was the only non-SMAD major in the class. I learned about broadcast history, the myth of the liberal (and conservative, for that matter) media, and we ranted about the issues of the day. One of the best classes I took while at college.
What did all of these classes have in common? Enthusiastic, informed professors, a wide-range of opinions, and strong discussion components. There's nothing like getting graded for talking (and writing papers, but that's incidental).
posted by schustafa at 7:12 AM on November 22, 2004
Best classes I took in college:
- Shakespeare (obviously): If you haven't done this, you should! There is no more rewarding writer.
- "Origins of Spatial and Temporal Order": on how spontaenously occuring patterns arise in nature, like in the patterns of butterfly wings, the spiral patterns of Nautilus shells or sunflower seeds, or even the dynamics of a pile of sand. Completely amazing.
- "Civil Liberties": a huge course on constitutional law, in which we all debated Supreme-Court-type issues (euthanasia, affirmative action, flag-burning, etc.) If your college has one of these, they're great--they give you a real perspective on issues you'll be arguing about for years to come.
- Sigmund Freud: If you can take a class on him that's taught well, it can be incredibly rewarding. I took a full year of Freud from a cognitive psychologist turned Freudian.
- "Anthropology in the Pacific Islands": Levi-Strauss, Clifford Geertz, et. al. are amazing writers, and it's great to explore anthropology in its heyday. If I'd been a student in the 1950s I totally would've been an anthropologist.
In grad school the best thing I've taken has been a poetry seminar with Helen Vendler called "Describing the Lyric," which taught us how to read poetry formally and write about it clearly. If you can take some kind of formal poetry survey, that teaches you how to read poems without context and get a lot of out of hem, then it's a great investment--you'll acquire a set of skills that will let you read writing you couldn't read before.
A general principle I've seen since college is that people often don't read what they don't learn to read. So, for example, I don't really read drama for fun--but my friends who took drama classes in college do, and enjoy going to the theater much more than I do. My friends who took a lot of history books that were based not on textbooks but on 'actual' history books read history for fun. I read poetry and novels for fun--but people who never took poetry or novel courses rarely do. The same goes for 'general' science courses like my "Origins of Spatial and Temporal Order": that class taught me to read certain kinds of books that I still read today.
So my advice is, look at the kinds of books you know how to read, and learn to read a new kind of book! That's why I wish I'd taken religion, philosophy, drama, etc., in college.
posted by josh at 7:16 AM on November 22, 2004
- Shakespeare (obviously): If you haven't done this, you should! There is no more rewarding writer.
- "Origins of Spatial and Temporal Order": on how spontaenously occuring patterns arise in nature, like in the patterns of butterfly wings, the spiral patterns of Nautilus shells or sunflower seeds, or even the dynamics of a pile of sand. Completely amazing.
- "Civil Liberties": a huge course on constitutional law, in which we all debated Supreme-Court-type issues (euthanasia, affirmative action, flag-burning, etc.) If your college has one of these, they're great--they give you a real perspective on issues you'll be arguing about for years to come.
- Sigmund Freud: If you can take a class on him that's taught well, it can be incredibly rewarding. I took a full year of Freud from a cognitive psychologist turned Freudian.
- "Anthropology in the Pacific Islands": Levi-Strauss, Clifford Geertz, et. al. are amazing writers, and it's great to explore anthropology in its heyday. If I'd been a student in the 1950s I totally would've been an anthropologist.
In grad school the best thing I've taken has been a poetry seminar with Helen Vendler called "Describing the Lyric," which taught us how to read poetry formally and write about it clearly. If you can take some kind of formal poetry survey, that teaches you how to read poems without context and get a lot of out of hem, then it's a great investment--you'll acquire a set of skills that will let you read writing you couldn't read before.
A general principle I've seen since college is that people often don't read what they don't learn to read. So, for example, I don't really read drama for fun--but my friends who took drama classes in college do, and enjoy going to the theater much more than I do. My friends who took a lot of history books that were based not on textbooks but on 'actual' history books read history for fun. I read poetry and novels for fun--but people who never took poetry or novel courses rarely do. The same goes for 'general' science courses like my "Origins of Spatial and Temporal Order": that class taught me to read certain kinds of books that I still read today.
So my advice is, look at the kinds of books you know how to read, and learn to read a new kind of book! That's why I wish I'd taken religion, philosophy, drama, etc., in college.
posted by josh at 7:16 AM on November 22, 2004
The best course I ever took? A course in the English department called "Fantasy and Science Fiction." Got class credit for reading and writing about The Hobbit, among others. The other best course was a grad class called "The Modern Horror Film." But then I'm a big nerd.
posted by goatdog at 7:17 AM on November 22, 2004
posted by goatdog at 7:17 AM on November 22, 2004
While not advancing the cause of my engineering major any, "History of Jazz" certainly advanced the cause of my CD collection and my listening habits. It was such a great way to spend an afternoon with performing musician for a professor. More than any digital electronics or programming class I took, the Jazz class has certainly had a much greater impact on my daily life.
posted by gregchttm at 7:54 AM on November 22, 2004
posted by gregchttm at 7:54 AM on November 22, 2004
"Communication Theories and Methods" - Sounded like the driest, most boring class required for my major, but a dyslexic, pot-smoking, vegetarian professor turned it into a seminar on life lessons and how to be a good person. I learned a ton without realizing it, and his advice sticks with me to this day.
I think that just about any class could be made great with the right professor. Look for upper-level courses that are offered once every 2 years, seminars, or intro classes taught by the chair of the department. These are usually good signs that the professor really wants to be there and will do his/her best to share his/her love of the material with the class.
posted by Coffeemate at 8:05 AM on November 22, 2004
I think that just about any class could be made great with the right professor. Look for upper-level courses that are offered once every 2 years, seminars, or intro classes taught by the chair of the department. These are usually good signs that the professor really wants to be there and will do his/her best to share his/her love of the material with the class.
posted by Coffeemate at 8:05 AM on November 22, 2004
The best course I took wasn't really a course - it was an undergraduate thesis project in Computer Science. Basically, an independent study project, supervised by a professor. It was a *great* experience. I learned so much about the material of the project, and also from the need to self-motivate to get things done.
The best actual courses I took were Abnormal Psychology and Darwin, Einstein and the Humanities.
AbPsych was great because the teacher, a grad student, was so involved and enthusiastic. It was his first ever teaching experience, and while he had some difficulties with classroom management, his enthusiasm for the material was outstanding, and his approach to teaching it remarkable. While the other AbPsych classes were cramming for their multiple choice tests, we were writing essays on things like the portrayal of mental illness in episodes of Law and Order. The only caution is that, as with all AbPsych students, you will, over the course of the semestre, firmly come to believe that you are bipolar, schizophrenic, borderline, attachment challenged, hysterical and phobic. You will finally realize that you are merely a hypochondriac.
DEatH (great acronym, we loved it) was a lower level humanities class of the lecture/tutorial variety. The professor's lectures were interesting. The tutorials, though, were where the real action was. My TA was engaged and interested in what we had to say. He had a diverse academic background that he brought into the room to foster strong discussions. It was a very interesting class.
posted by jacquilynne at 8:18 AM on November 22, 2004
The best actual courses I took were Abnormal Psychology and Darwin, Einstein and the Humanities.
AbPsych was great because the teacher, a grad student, was so involved and enthusiastic. It was his first ever teaching experience, and while he had some difficulties with classroom management, his enthusiasm for the material was outstanding, and his approach to teaching it remarkable. While the other AbPsych classes were cramming for their multiple choice tests, we were writing essays on things like the portrayal of mental illness in episodes of Law and Order. The only caution is that, as with all AbPsych students, you will, over the course of the semestre, firmly come to believe that you are bipolar, schizophrenic, borderline, attachment challenged, hysterical and phobic. You will finally realize that you are merely a hypochondriac.
DEatH (great acronym, we loved it) was a lower level humanities class of the lecture/tutorial variety. The professor's lectures were interesting. The tutorials, though, were where the real action was. My TA was engaged and interested in what we had to say. He had a diverse academic background that he brought into the room to foster strong discussions. It was a very interesting class.
posted by jacquilynne at 8:18 AM on November 22, 2004
"Men, Minds, and Machines," a linguistics/AI/philosophy/cognitive science course taught by Ray C. Dougherty, an ebullient Dan Hedaya lookalike. It was an amazing explosion of ideas about wisdom, intelligence, and fourth person pronouns, with divers forays into Konrad Lorenz, St. Augustine, CS Peirce, Renee Descartes, and Helen Keller.
Maybe it was all quackery, but by God, what quackery. It definitely left you with a fun reading list.
I also took other, more traditional linguistics courses, and they were all sweet. Highly recommendeed. And if you can't fit a linguistics course in this semester, go on and check out The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language for a terrific "dive in at any time" book.
posted by Sticherbeast at 8:57 AM on November 22, 2004
Maybe it was all quackery, but by God, what quackery. It definitely left you with a fun reading list.
I also took other, more traditional linguistics courses, and they were all sweet. Highly recommendeed. And if you can't fit a linguistics course in this semester, go on and check out The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language for a terrific "dive in at any time" book.
posted by Sticherbeast at 8:57 AM on November 22, 2004
Copied from the catalog.
Class: Jesus: History, Myth, and Mystery.
Content: The search for the historical Jesus, one of the classical research problems in biblical studies. Consideration of skimpy, indirect, incomplete source materials; popular perceptions; anachronistic readings. History of the problem and scope and implications of contemporary research. Gospel records, evidence of other ancient sources including noncanonical gospels, and other early Christian writings, attempts in Western Christian history to address the issues.
It facinated me as it contradicted everything I had thought I knew until then. It eventually led me to my BA in Religious Studies degree with an emphasis on the sociology and anthropology of early Christianity.
posted by ..ooOOoo....ooOOoo.. at 9:07 AM on November 22, 2004
Class: Jesus: History, Myth, and Mystery.
Content: The search for the historical Jesus, one of the classical research problems in biblical studies. Consideration of skimpy, indirect, incomplete source materials; popular perceptions; anachronistic readings. History of the problem and scope and implications of contemporary research. Gospel records, evidence of other ancient sources including noncanonical gospels, and other early Christian writings, attempts in Western Christian history to address the issues.
It facinated me as it contradicted everything I had thought I knew until then. It eventually led me to my BA in Religious Studies degree with an emphasis on the sociology and anthropology of early Christianity.
posted by ..ooOOoo....ooOOoo.. at 9:07 AM on November 22, 2004
Introduction to Japanese Society through Japanese Film. The class was simple - you watch 13 Japanese films, write a minimum of four 2 page papers (!), and take the average of your best four marks. No reading required. Attendance not required - if you missed the class, the films were on reserve in the library. Plus, of the 13 films, 5 were by Kurosawa.
Best. Class. Ever.
I also liked a seminar on Sex and Sexuality (sociology) and Advertising and Consumer Society (cultural studies). I also really liked my philosophy of science class.
posted by Quartermass at 9:15 AM on November 22, 2004
Best. Class. Ever.
I also liked a seminar on Sex and Sexuality (sociology) and Advertising and Consumer Society (cultural studies). I also really liked my philosophy of science class.
posted by Quartermass at 9:15 AM on November 22, 2004
I would echo gregchttm's jazz history comments.
I had no class that I was more excited to go to each week than emerging diseases. Each week the professor would introduce a new disease, often ones that happened to be sensationalized in news or film. He would talk about the story behind the disease, what actually happens to the human body, how it is spread and the public health problems the disease poses. And he would thoughtfully and authoritatively answer questions about it.
There was also a seminar class - maybe 6 or 7 students - that was about the ownership of information. Discussed the history of patent and copyrights, to the way the ownership of information or ideas is treated today. Lots of discussion about genetic information or data about oneself, esp. some interesting court cases (Moore v. Regents). These seminar classes were usually the ones I got the most out of in college.
posted by milkrate at 9:32 AM on November 22, 2004
I had no class that I was more excited to go to each week than emerging diseases. Each week the professor would introduce a new disease, often ones that happened to be sensationalized in news or film. He would talk about the story behind the disease, what actually happens to the human body, how it is spread and the public health problems the disease poses. And he would thoughtfully and authoritatively answer questions about it.
There was also a seminar class - maybe 6 or 7 students - that was about the ownership of information. Discussed the history of patent and copyrights, to the way the ownership of information or ideas is treated today. Lots of discussion about genetic information or data about oneself, esp. some interesting court cases (Moore v. Regents). These seminar classes were usually the ones I got the most out of in college.
posted by milkrate at 9:32 AM on November 22, 2004
toss up between 3....
"history of rock"...need I say more? 4 credit hours for listening to the Beatles and Nirvana.
"history of animation"....and this one was REQUIRED for my major. nothing like getting credit for watching Bugs Bunny cartoons (and later in the semester The Brothers Quay, which was almost cooler)
history and theory of digital art..which was alot alike some other courses i have seen listed here...mainly focusing on technology and how it impacts culture. think cyborgs, cloning, and AI. very very cool class.
posted by ShawnString at 10:19 AM on November 22, 2004
"history of rock"...need I say more? 4 credit hours for listening to the Beatles and Nirvana.
"history of animation"....and this one was REQUIRED for my major. nothing like getting credit for watching Bugs Bunny cartoons (and later in the semester The Brothers Quay, which was almost cooler)
history and theory of digital art..which was alot alike some other courses i have seen listed here...mainly focusing on technology and how it impacts culture. think cyborgs, cloning, and AI. very very cool class.
posted by ShawnString at 10:19 AM on November 22, 2004
All depends on the professor; also, when the professor is teaching something he/she really likes: my favorite professor teaching on his favorite author, Herman Melville, for instance (a graduate class I took as an undergrad). Other classes of this sort were: Latin for Modern Language Students (the second semester of which had 3 regular students and lots of tangents), Literary Translation (when I took this it was the first semester it was offered, kind of as a test), and Lyric Poetry (Sappho to modern day and a creative writing project of poetic responses).
Also, Shakespeare. Shakespeare is awesome and the class I took was particularly awesome in that the professor and the class and the plays all just clicked in an amazing way. Most of the class wanted to turn the entire English department into the Hamlet department.
posted by dagnyscott at 11:37 AM on November 22, 2004
Also, Shakespeare. Shakespeare is awesome and the class I took was particularly awesome in that the professor and the class and the plays all just clicked in an amazing way. Most of the class wanted to turn the entire English department into the Hamlet department.
posted by dagnyscott at 11:37 AM on November 22, 2004
quantum philosophy. Taught by the most whacked out I'm-on-a-higher-level-than-you-can-evar-imagine phyisics prof. Absolutely brilliant. As cool as philosophy of science is this was 10000 freaking times better.
posted by jmgorman at 11:42 AM on November 22, 2004
posted by jmgorman at 11:42 AM on November 22, 2004
Among many excellent obscure upper-division courses, the best class I ever took might've been the unassuming Introduction to Conflict Resolution. Much like the above-referenced Persuasion, this is something I use every day.
Also, I greatly enjoyed studio art courses and the tai chi/yoga/relaxation end of phys-ed, and I'll second the above recommendations toward linguistics and cultural studies.
posted by box at 12:43 PM on November 22, 2004
Also, I greatly enjoyed studio art courses and the tai chi/yoga/relaxation end of phys-ed, and I'll second the above recommendations toward linguistics and cultural studies.
posted by box at 12:43 PM on November 22, 2004
I'm in my second year of studying Japanese alongside computer science, and although it's difficult and I got a worse mark last year than I probably would have had I taken the compsci course, it's a nice break. So I third/fourth/whatever foreign languages.
posted by corvine at 1:45 PM on November 22, 2004
posted by corvine at 1:45 PM on November 22, 2004
Much like the above-referenced Persuasion, this is something I use every day.
You might also be interested in something that you'll never use, though. If you're comfortable with math, why not try an introductory number theory course? It's entirely off of the standard path of algebra to geometry to trigonometry to calculus to analysis on which most non-mathematicians find themselves. It's pure and beautiful and it might open your mind to a new way of thinking.
posted by mr_roboto at 1:54 PM on November 22, 2004
You might also be interested in something that you'll never use, though. If you're comfortable with math, why not try an introductory number theory course? It's entirely off of the standard path of algebra to geometry to trigonometry to calculus to analysis on which most non-mathematicians find themselves. It's pure and beautiful and it might open your mind to a new way of thinking.
posted by mr_roboto at 1:54 PM on November 22, 2004
Religions & Cultures of East Asia, taught that particular year by visiting assistant professor James Benn.
I was a CS/Math Major in the end, so this course was just to fill some requirement or another. I've never enjoyed, or done as well in, any other college level course.
posted by togdon at 3:04 PM on November 22, 2004
I was a CS/Math Major in the end, so this course was just to fill some requirement or another. I've never enjoyed, or done as well in, any other college level course.
posted by togdon at 3:04 PM on November 22, 2004
As someone who took two languages in college and is now desperately looking for a decent way to learn a third (or even practice the first two!), I want to pass along words of wisdom from a fellow language student: You will never, ever have the chance outside college to properly study a foreign language without moving to the foreign country.
Not that learning, say, quantum physics on your own is particularly easy, but if you want to pursue the books, you can. Developing strong conversational and reading skills in an unknown language pretty much requires a class, and a good one at that.
So if you have any interest in starting or continuing a language, I would agree with that suggestion.
posted by occhiblu at 4:34 PM on November 22, 2004
Not that learning, say, quantum physics on your own is particularly easy, but if you want to pursue the books, you can. Developing strong conversational and reading skills in an unknown language pretty much requires a class, and a good one at that.
So if you have any interest in starting or continuing a language, I would agree with that suggestion.
posted by occhiblu at 4:34 PM on November 22, 2004
(And to actually answer the question, my best class ever was my intro Italian course, because the instructor was an amazing woman who treated all 15 of us as if we were members of her (loud, argumentative, but loving) Italian family.)
posted by occhiblu at 4:37 PM on November 22, 2004
posted by occhiblu at 4:37 PM on November 22, 2004
Film studies, for two reasons: Intro film studies for when I discovered that Charlie Chaplin movies help you when you're stressed about not doing as good as you thought in Calculus class. Intro to Film making for discovering that I loved editing 16mm film.
posted by sleslie at 5:59 PM on November 22, 2004
posted by sleslie at 5:59 PM on November 22, 2004
I was in a first year seminar (capped at 20 people -- they exist to offset the shock of going to an enormous school like UToronto) on Science & Religion. Great prof, great discussion, 2 presentations on books/book segments each class, and the presenters had to bring food.
I had the same prof later on for a Philosophy of Physics course. Half PHL students, half Engineers and Physics students. The tests had token math problems just to scare us artsies.
Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence, and Philosophy and Literature (Dostoevsky, Borges...) were also good.
My Economics major on the other hand...
posted by maledictory at 6:35 PM on November 22, 2004
I had the same prof later on for a Philosophy of Physics course. Half PHL students, half Engineers and Physics students. The tests had token math problems just to scare us artsies.
Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence, and Philosophy and Literature (Dostoevsky, Borges...) were also good.
My Economics major on the other hand...
posted by maledictory at 6:35 PM on November 22, 2004
The best class I took offered a historical approach to Mathematics. We studied greek math/history chronologically, and could only apply methods that were historically precedent to the current topic.
The course I most regret not taking was a History of Baseball (1800's to present) course offered at my school. It was only offered once, unfortunately.
posted by sophie at 6:43 PM on November 22, 2004
The course I most regret not taking was a History of Baseball (1800's to present) course offered at my school. It was only offered once, unfortunately.
posted by sophie at 6:43 PM on November 22, 2004
There were several but one that I still use today was Intro to Speech 101. That class taught me so much that I can now get up in front of people and do a report or a speech without freaking out. It also gave me so much self-confidence.
posted by govtdrone at 7:14 PM on November 22, 2004
posted by govtdrone at 7:14 PM on November 22, 2004
My freshman year, I had an interesting experience with three courses: music, art history, and literature. All happened to hit on the Baroque period at the same time. That gave me a love for humanities and how all the artistic expressions of culture and history interweave and inform one another. My perception of the world shifted from a jumble of interesting information to a comprehensible order. That coincidence influenced every choice I made at school, and really in life, thereafter.
So, I would suggest an introductory humanities course, with a well regarded teacher. That way, you will get to study the art, music, and literature of a range of historical periods, organized as distinct units. I also recommend art history itself; it's such a visual world, and having a large set of classic art references will give you a rich visual vocabulary throughout your life. Good luck with your choice.
posted by melissa may at 7:18 PM on November 22, 2004
So, I would suggest an introductory humanities course, with a well regarded teacher. That way, you will get to study the art, music, and literature of a range of historical periods, organized as distinct units. I also recommend art history itself; it's such a visual world, and having a large set of classic art references will give you a rich visual vocabulary throughout your life. Good luck with your choice.
posted by melissa may at 7:18 PM on November 22, 2004
Art history. The most beautiful and most memorable way to learn history.
Microbiology. The most exquisite science course
Shakespeare. Yo, 'nuff said.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 7:20 PM on November 22, 2004
Microbiology. The most exquisite science course
Shakespeare. Yo, 'nuff said.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 7:20 PM on November 22, 2004
Authorship in the Cinema.
It made me realize I really wanted to do film studies, to the point that I changed my major.
It had everything to do with the film program being fairly theory-oriented at U of T(oronto) and the prof actually giving us challenging material. We basically spent a semester doing auteurist studies of directors and then had to read Barthes' declaration of the author as dead.
But yeah, it's all about the prof.
posted by SoftRain at 7:33 PM on November 22, 2004
It made me realize I really wanted to do film studies, to the point that I changed my major.
It had everything to do with the film program being fairly theory-oriented at U of T(oronto) and the prof actually giving us challenging material. We basically spent a semester doing auteurist studies of directors and then had to read Barthes' declaration of the author as dead.
But yeah, it's all about the prof.
posted by SoftRain at 7:33 PM on November 22, 2004
Archaeology practicum course. You get credit for digging and learning about one of the most interesting disciplines on the planet. It may be offered only in fall or summer at your university, if at all, but I would highly recommend it.
posted by jb at 9:01 PM on November 22, 2004
posted by jb at 9:01 PM on November 22, 2004
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by gramcracker at 11:34 PM on November 21, 2004