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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Pitt chapter.

It’s that time of year again! it’s time to start thinking about the course load that you plan to conquer in Fall 2025. It is quite daunting to scroll through the different pages, lists, and catalogs full of different courses that satisfy the requirements unique to your major and aspirations. I always get overwhelmed and confused trying to figure out which classes satisfy which requirement and how that will fit into my preexisting puzzle of a schedule. Whenever someone recommends a class to me, I always feel a little relief in having a specific course to investigate, rather than sifting through the bottomless catalog. Hopefully, my course recommendations will help you during this course selection season!

Intermediate Nonfiction (ENGWRT 1330)

This is the best class I have ever taken in my academic career! This course was discussion-based, where we would sit in a circle during class and discuss our thoughts with a few guided questions. In an hour and fifteen minutes, you can really pick apart a piece of text, especially with twenty brains working together. A large course requirement was that each person had to choose a day to read one of their writing assignments out loud to the class, and in thirty minutes, workshop their writing with their peers. When I first heard about this requirement, I was incredibly fearful of my turn. Little did I know, workshopping both my own work and my peers’ would completely transform and elevate my writing in just one semester. Both my writing and analyzing abilities grew so much from the intense, hands-on style of this course, making it both my favorite class and the one where I experienced the most growth.  

The Legal System (LCJS 1580)

This course reminds me of AP Government, a course many students take in high school. I love that this course ties together all the rights and amendments with court cases and important events that sparked the creation of each one. To some, this course may feel repetitive with information that has been glazed over in other history courses. However, I love that this course goes into more depth than any other government or legal course that I have taken so far in my academic career.  

Imagining Social Justice (ENGLIT 0365)

This literature class was interesting and unique, in both the books and the projects. We read three books that I had never even heard of before, one of which was a play, and they were all about social justice. A lot of the characters had different backgrounds and lifestyles that I was unfamiliar with, which I felt was very valuable for me to read about. One of my friends took this course with a different professor and had a similar experience in that she read books that taught her about different people and lifestyles. Overall, I think that the topics and exposure of this course make it worth taking.

Argument (COMMRC 0500)

This class formally dives into how to structure, explain, and speak an effective and convincing argument. I really liked that this class involved lots of group work and participation to build argument skills, rather than sitting and listening to a lecture. Though breaking down an argument into strict rules felt tedious sometimes, I have found myself effortlessly following the rules and techniques that I learned in this course in my other classes, which shows how useful of a skill it is to learn how to formally argue. 

Intro To Journalism and Nonfiction Writing (ENGWRT 0610)

This introductory class sparked my love for journalism and made me realize that I love to write nonfiction. We worked on a combination of personal stories, abstract nonfiction, exercises, and reporting on other events. I was introduced to so many new techniques that no high school class had ever touched on, which was my point of reference since I took this class during my first semester of freshman year. It was definitely an adjustment, going from high school essays to college nonfiction writing, but it was a worthwhile class that built basic writing skills!

Criminology (LCJS 1100)

I would recommend this class to anyone who is considering law, criminal justice, or political science. This fascinating course dives into all aspects of crime, specifically the criminals themselves. We discussed the steps of the criminal justice system, different types of crime, motives, and many other aspects of crime. It is a course that will either hook or deter you from the law and criminal justice field, that is for sure!

I hope you find these suggestions helpful, and good luck with class registration!

Julia Kahn

Pitt '27

Julia Kahn is a sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh and a second year member of the University of Pittsburgh's chapter of Her Campus. She enjoys writing about a multitude of topics, specifically health and wellness, opinion pieces, book reviews, and personal experiences. She is a honors student majoring in Media and Professional Communications with a minor in Law and Criminal Justice and a certificate in Public and Professional Writing. At Pitt, she is also involved in Women in Law and is the Media and Public Relations Assistant for her sorority, Tri Delta. A few other fun facts about Julia are that she has two dogs, Leo and Snickers, who she misses so much while at college. Her favorite book series always has been (and always will be) Harry Potter, but has recently enjoyed "Heart Bones", "Gone Girl", and "American Dirt". In her free time, Julia loves to stay active by running, going to the gym, or playing tennis. She also spends lots of time with friends and enjoys experimenting in the kitchen.