Alumni students, who have studied at Tulane University for their undergraduate degree(s), often refer to their time in New Orleans as the best four years of their lives. While this is of course not applicable to everyone and not necessarily unique to students alone, there is something to be said about the way Tulane graduates rave about their experience in regards to the university itself. As an undergraduate student at Tulane with a year of classes under my belt, I believe much of the appeal can be attributed to the unique and engaging curriculum Tulane has to offer depending on students’ interests. That being said, and with course registration nearing the corner for many, I have compiled a list of some of the most interesting classes currently available to undergraduate students at Tulane University. Read below to see if these classes are for you!
- Trauma! A Survey Course (SOWK-1000)
This asynchronous social work course is a must-take if you are interested in learning about basically all things trauma— this includes but is of course not limited to the psychology, aftermath, symptoms, and signs of PTSD as well as other trauma responses. I personally loved taking this class because you can cater the curriculum to your own schedule and interests. There’s also a semi-interactive component that comes into place in the form of group discussions and reflections that range from deeply personal to surface level, depending on the goals of the student. I will advise that those who have experienced trauma in the past should take more time to decide whether this class is the right fit for them. At points, it can be triggering and harmful to hear an in-depth analysis of what trauma is like for most of the general public or even for you. But, if you’re able to mentally handle the class, I say go for it.
- Bachelor Nation 101 (COMM-3821)
Before I recommend this class I must add a disclaimer: I myself have yet to take it. I attribute this solely to the fact that the class is so popular it is essentially impossible to get in as an underclassman or without a golden registration time slot. However, despite the difficulty of actually getting into a section of this course, it is rumored to be 10000% worth it and students could not speak more highly of the course content as it pertains to mass media, cultural themes, communications, and of course, the Bachelor.
- Fundamentals of Acting (THEA-2100)
THEA-2100 fulfills the aesthetics and creative arts requirement that we are all looking to satisfy as a component of the core curriculum. The style of teaching is fairly dependent on the professor but there is an overall main focus on workshop sessions as a means of developing the creative process. Beyond this, the course is merely an engaging and generally fun class to take away from the otherwise heavy courseload you may be facing as an undergraduate student.
- Mythology (CLAS-1040)
If you have any interest in Greek and Roman mythology whatsoever as it pertains to gods, heroes, and/or monsters— this is a class worth taking. There is a fairly broad range of course content from media representations of Greek and Romans portrayed within mythology to ancient literature translated to English. Even if you don’t necessarily think the subject matter is up your alley, I guarantee there is something for everyone in this class.
- Sociology of The Family (SOCI-1030)
Sociology of The Family is easily one of my favorite classes I’ve taken this far at Tulane. I took this course with the brilliant Dr. Volion, who makes learning about family dynamics interesting and different. This is the kind of class where you really get out what you put into it, so I definitely would recommend pushing yourself to succeed and learn about structures and natural functioning as it pertains to American families.
- Brain and Behavior (PSYC-3300)
While this course is absolutely on the more difficult side of the spectrum, it gives students an in-depth understanding of how and why humans behave the way they do— all the way down to a neuronal level. If you’re looking to resolve the itching question of why we do what we do this class will provide you with biologically based answers. Additionally, pre-med students are required to take an elective science course which fortunately this course fulfills, so it could benefit you to take it in more ways than one!
I hope after reading this you’ve gotten a better understanding of what these classes are like and how they pertain to your schedule and interests. If you do choose to take any of these courses in the following semesters I would love to hear some input as to what other people think! My email is always open— happy registering!