Pre-registration is right around the corner! As the spring semester comes to a close, we tie the ribbon on the academic year by picking our courses for the fall. If you are anything like me, you will spend hours on Courses at Brown (CAB) as if you were shopping for clothes. You fill your cart to the brim with classes spanning every department. You get excited to take courses with experts in the field. When it comes time for pre-registration, you can only enroll in four courses. Now it is time to make some hard decisions.
As a rising senior, it took me a while to develop my own system for pre-registration. At first, I would walk in with my core four selected and back-ups, just in case it came down to it. But, during shopping period, I am the type to switch classes around and try a taste of everything. I have been unable to take certain courses because of the capped limit. A piece of advice: Register for courses that are up your alley but are also capped. When it comes time for shopping period, you can finalize your list then. Trust me, it saves you a headache later on.
I have spent most of my time at Brown circling the neuroscience and biology departments (quite literally – I am a neurobiology concentrator). However, I love the academic journey I have crafted for myself through the open curriculum. If you want to try something new, here are my top recommendations for classes in the fall.
- BIOL 1260: Physiological Pharmacology
As a higher level biology class, it brought together material I had learned in other courses. Throughout the semester, students go through an in-depth exploration of pharmacology, mixing together knowledge from BIOL 0800.
- BIOL 0210: Diversity of Life
This course is widely known throughout campus because it tells a story, from the first lecture to the last. It makes you think critically, regardless of your background and concentration. Plus, it was cool to learn about the birds of paradise in all their glory.
- HISP 0750B: The Latin American Diaspora in the US
This was the first course I took in the Hispanic Studies department and I have stayed ever since. The course is fully taught in Spanish, with fruitful discussions from readings and documentaries to tackle such heavy topics.
- COLT 0611B: Global Detective Fiction
I took this course my freshman year and have nothing but fond memories of it. We got to read works of detective fiction from all over the world, spanning from Argentina to Japan. At the end of the course, I was able to write my own short story. Overall, it was an enjoyable experience.
I would recommend talking to upperclassmen or going through CAB from start to finish. It will all work out for the better. Whether you decide to try something new or fulfill requirements, make sure to mark the day of pre-registration on your calendar.