It is a new year, a new semester and a new opportunity to register for classes. Most majors come loaded with required courses in order for students to graduate. But what happens if you find extra time to take an additional class that’s not a requirement — something you could take just for fun?
Unknown to most students, San Diego State offers countless amusing and fascinating courses open to just about everyone.
Students with a passion for both the zen of yoga and the grace of ballet might enjoy Yoga for Dancers. Open to all students, it offers skilled instruction in not only yoga but modern dance, as well.
For students who are interested in security issues, another unique offering is Cyberterrorism and War, which teaches an in-depth view of intelligence, international law, privacy and homeland security.
Other cool-sounding courses include Music and Culture of Psychedelic Rock in the 1960s and U.S./Mexico Borderlands Folklore.
Death, Dying, and the Afterlife showcases the religious aspects of the dying and the rituals surrounding it. One possible course to combine with this class is Islam, a class that explores the history, practices and global context of the religion. Another option could be Atheism, Humanism, and Secularism, which looks at the rise of disbelief of religious fundamentalism, as well as religions’ attack on science and reason.
Greek and Roman Myths and Legends, taught by professor Bret Robbins, is also one of the many unique offerings at SDSU. Robbins said students in his class enjoy learning the comparison between myths of ancient culture and modern media.
“Every once in awhile, we will get into a conversation where a certain aspect of, say, an ancient hero is reflected in a superhero of today like Iron Man or Superman,” Robbins said. “So then we will have a discussion in class on how these superheroes might be similar to, say, Achilles. Students are quite often interested in seeing how the stories of superheroes today find their roots in the myths of the ancient world.”
All of these courses can be added or waitlisted on WebPortal using the schedule numbers provided.
