The day-to-day expectations of college can be stressful themselves, and that pressure is only intensified when to comes time to schedule classes for the upcoming semester. What many students don’t know is that there are many courses offered through Ohio University that explore subjects beyond the basics for a major. Whether you want to learn more about a specific topic or pick up a new hobby, there is an endless amount of engaging courses to choose from.
The best part is: the listed courses do not require prerequisites; any interested OU student is able to enroll in one of them. Make use of room in your schedule or take advantage of electives by registering for one of these interesting courses that will be offered this coming fall:
PBIO 1000 (Plants in the Global Environment)
For those who need a science credit and are non-science majors, this course is perfect for you. As said on the course offerings page, PBIO 1000 focuses on how to protect plant resources and discusses climate change. It is said to be extremely engaging and enriching on the topics of how to be more climate-friendly and live a more sustainable lifestyle.
MUS 1240 (History of Rock Music I)
If you are an avid listener of rock and roll or simply want to learn more about the history of rock music, put MUS 1240 in your course shopping cart. Not only will you learn about the early to current stages of this legendary music genre, you will also discuss its impact on youth culture and society as a whole.
Jimmy Riley, a junior studying engineering technology and management who took MUS 1240, said it was “a moderately easy class where we learned about influential artists and bands and the impact they had on rock music.” Another student, Molly McKelvey, a sophomore studying psychology, said: “It was interesting to learn about different genres of music, the history behind it and the time period it occurred in.” Overall, this class is a fun switch of content from other basic courses and is perfect for lovers of rock and roll.
JOUR 2230 (Podcasting Survey)
Podcasting has become extremely popular in recent years. It is a creative outlet for many that allows them to speak on any desired topic and share their experiences, stories and more to their audiences. This podcasting survey course dives deep into the history of the podcasting industry with a focus on audio journalism. You’ll also learn about the importance of journalistic podcasts and how to reach a large and appropriate audience.
This course is planned to meet twice a week, once in-person and online. The professor teaching JOUR 2230 this fall, Elizabeth Hendrickson, is praised as a great instructor that is both funny and engaging. This class is perfect for those that want to learn more about podcasting and how to begin a successful audio journal.
MKT 2020 (Marketing Principles)
For non-business majors who would like to learn more about the marketing environment, add MKT 2020 to your fall schedule. It gives a broad understanding of marketing practices and principles, as well as a focus on realistic problems of marketing managers. This course can help anyone to learn more about the marketing industry and better understand global consumer markets.
In addition, lots of students in the past have recommended taking this course with Professor Tom Marchese. Many have said he is entertaining and engaging in lectures and has excellent teaching skills. Marchese’s experience in the industry can help many students to take that knowledge into their future careers, no matter the field.
RFM 1100 (Fashion and Culture)
This course is perfect for those who love to shop and are interested in fashion but are not in a fashion-focused major. It uses the interesting approach of focusing on factors that influence consumer adoption of fashion. In other words, why trends come and go as they please. You’ll also get the opportunity to learn about fashion trends from early decades, which have been coming back in recent years.
ART 1130 (Selfies, Posts, and Fading Paper: Our Family Album)
You may have never heard of this course or anything like it. However, ART 1130 might be a secret gem in the course catalog. While the course name is a little lengthy and slightly confusing, it entices most students to look deeper into what it entails.
ART 1130 encourages students to look deeper into the power of the photograph, as it is a tool to document our existence. As written in the course offerings page under the description, “This course focuses on the power of the photograph to share the personal.” It also says that students are required to engage in reflective writing and creative sharing. While this may be a new or simply unpopular course, it has potential to be very enriching. Hurry, though, as there are only 5 spots in the class.
REC courses
If you want to get outside of the classroom, try one of the recreational courses that OU offers. There are multiple pages of these courses that will be offered in the fall and some are half-semester courses, too. REC 1000 (Fundamentals of Backpacking) teaches students how to safely enjoy overnight backpacking excursions. There is even a two-day trip within the course.
Another enticing course is REC 1080 (Fundamentals of Rock Climbing). You’ll learn all there is to the sport of rock climbing and even have the opportunity to take a weekend trip away to put your knowledge to the test. Lastly, you can get your scuba diving certificate through REC 1220 (Scuba Diver). Students are trained in this class for open-water checkout dives.
PAW courses
The Physical Activity and Wellness, or PAW, courses through OU offer various ways to improve physical hobbies and work on a healthier lifestyle. If you’ve been wanting to improve on your lifting skills and don’t know where to start, enroll in PAW 1003, Weight Training). There is even a yoga class, PAW 1005, that teaches basic yoga poses and implements a relaxing time into your schedule.
If you love to golf but never have the time to do so, take PAW 1202, Fundamentals of Golf. Or, if you want to pick up a new hobby, try out the archery course, PAW 1208. Lastly, get a group of friends together and take PAW 1104, Ultimate Frisbee. While all of these courses count as credit, they won’t feel like you’re actually in class.
