Forget boring history and algebra courses: Universities today offer courses we never could have dreamed of taking. From classes based on pop culture icons and food to the biggest trends of this generation, college today is a whole lot more fun than it was when we were kids.
Wasting Time on the Internet
While the Wasting Time on the Internet course at the University of Pennsylvania may sound absurd to many today, the professor explained his reasoning to The New Yorker:
“The Internet has become one of the most prominent resources to college students today and rather than think of it as a negative resource through which we waste our time, this class suggests the opposite.”
Demystifying the Hipster
Demystifying the Hipster is a class now being offered at Tufts in Boston that looks closely at the cultural aspects which define the hipster, which has quickly become a cultural icon for our generation.
#SelfieClass
The #SelfieClass at the University of Southern California aims to examine selfies in a cultural but also historical context by comparing society’s use of the selfie today to past phenomena such as self-portraits, autobiographies and journals.
Introduction to Wine
Who would give up the opportunity to take a course where you can drink wine in class? In the Introduction to Wines course at Cornell University, students learn how to identify different wines from across the world, examine different labels and pair different wines with foods. Of course it’s no surprise that a school in the heart of New York’s wine country, the Finger Lakes, would teach students how to really enjoy their vino.
Witchcraft and Possession
From the Salem Witch Trials to the Harry Potter series, society seems to have a perpetual fascination with witchcraft. This Witchcraft and Possession class offered at UPENN dives deeper and takes a look at witches and possession in an intriguing historical context.
Feminist Perspectives: Politicizing Beyoncé
The Feminist Perspectives: Politicizing Beyoncé course at Rutgers University expands far beyond how truly talented Queen Bey is and looks to evaluate her vast influence regarding gender, sexuality and race in popular culture and society today.
The Hunger Games: Class, Politics, and Marketing
Very much like with the Harry Potter series, with the immense success of The Hunger Games college courses about the series began popping up in universities throughout the country. The Hunger Games: Class, Politics, and Marketing course at American University looks at the political and ethical significance the series has had on American culture and society.
Dracula
The Dracula course at the University of Virginia examines the significance vampires have had in history and analyzes different perceptions and misperceptions to set any presumptions straight.
The Philosophy of Food
Half the attraction to the Philosophy of Food course at the Rhode Island School of Design is the word “food” in the title. In this class at RISD, students look at food from a health and environmental point of view and look into the issues, ethics, art and culture in the food industry.
From Bean to Bar: History, Politics, & Taste of Chocolate
From Bean to Bar: History, Politics, & Taste of Chocolate is a real course at Oberlin College. Yes, you actually do get to eat chocolate if you take this class! All the while, students learn about the historical and cultural significance chocolate has had on society and get a deeper look at the chocolate and candy industry.
Twentysomething
Targeting the college demographic specifically in this Twentysomething class offered at NYU, students perform a comprehensive study on the time between the teenage years and becoming an adult.
Surviving the Coming Zombie Apocalypse
The Surviving the Coming Zombie Apocalypse — Disasters, Catastrophes, and Human Behavior course at Michigan State University almost seems like a game. In it, students look at the different ways in which people react to catastrophic events. Through different challenges and tasks, students learn who would survive in a zombie apocalypse — and who wouldn’t.
Major Authors: Jay-Z and Kanye West
The Major Authors, 1890 to Present: Jay-Z and Kanye West course at the University of Missouri examines the massively successful careers of Jay-Z and Kanye West.
California Here We Come
In an age where teenagers fawn over TV shows like The O.C. and Gossip Girl, it is only appropriate that universities would start offering classes on the topic. In California Here We Come: The O.C. & Self-Aware Culture of 21st Century America at Duke, students will examine the society of the characters in shows like The O.C. as well as others to better understand the trends and cultural experiences that generation faces today.
The Sociology of Miley Cyrus
In an attempt to make certain topics more relatable to college students today, Skidmore is now offering The Sociology of Miley Cyrus: Race, Class, Gender, and Media, a course examining the controversial career of Miley Cyrus and the evolution of Disney stars as they grow into adulthood.
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