The beauty of college is that, unlike high school, you can take completely bullshit classes and still get credit for them. In fact, you’re required to. Every major needs roughly 50 credit hours of electives to allow you to graduate. Instead of wasting those hours in a snooze-fest lecture that kinda-sorta-maybe relates back to your major, but absolutely bores you to death, earn those credits with ridiculous classes that you will never have access to in the real world. Take classes that expand your mind, challenge your beliefs, or, to be honest, boost your GPA. Keep an eye out for these courses at KU next time you’re crying to your advisor over your 400-level-Biology-packed class schedule.
1. GERM 324: Magic, Monsters, and the Occult in German Literature
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Taught in English. For centuries German scientists, philosophers and poets have produced groundbreaking literature that has featured magic, monsters and the occult sciences. German poets introduced popular themes, such as the Faust legend and the pact with the devil, and they introduced one of the most popular monsters into literature – the vampire. In this course we will read and discuss fictional and nonfictional works by German authors that address these themes, and we will discuss the influence that these works have had on other nations’ literatures. Does not fulfill any requirement in the German major or minor.
So, basically, you get to spend three hours a week learning about vampires without having thoughts of using a “Twilight” book to bash your head into a table. Where else do you get to listen to a tenured professor talk about magic for an hour? Take advantage of this opportunity.
2. WGSS 381: Feminism and Philosophy
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An examination of topics of philosophical interest that are important in the feminist movement such as the nature of sexism, the concept of sexual equality, the ethics of sexual behavior, the nature of love, feminist analyses of the value of marriage and family, the ethics of abortion and justifications for preferential treatment of women.
For those who want to understand feminism; actual feminism, not what Shailene Woodley thinks feminism is –> http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/05/shailene-woodley-feminism-confu…
3. ENGL 466: Children’s Literature
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Wide reading in the great literature of the past and present suitable for children: folktales and epics, mythology, modern fantasy, fiction, poetry. Emphasis on extending the student’s background and developing critical judgment.
What this description fails to tell you is that the “literature” you will be reading includes Captain Underpants, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and even a choose your own adventure book. You’re getting a college degree thanks to books your mom read to you when you were a toddler.
4. ASTR 191: Contemporary Astronomy
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The structure and evolution of the universe, from nearby planets to distant quasars, are examined. Topics include recent discoveries concerning planets, stars, pulsars and black holes as well as their evolution, the structure of the universe today and how it will be in the future. The emphasis is descriptive rather than mathematical.
Not only do you learn how the universe came to be, but you also get to examine gorgeous photos of galaxies, study black holes, and the class counts as a natural science credit (read: you don’t have to take Bio 101!). BONUS: if you take the lab that accompanies this class, you get to stand on top of Memorial Stadium at night and use a telescope to look at stars and planets.
5. HSES 108: Basic Skill Instruction In…
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This class offers instruction in several sports, including bowling, basketball, tae kwon do, kickboxing, and zumba. You are literally getting credit hours for playing a sport. And by playing a sport, I mean bowling. BOWLING. The university is trading you a diploma for a sub-par game of bowling.
All descriptions from classes.ku.edu