Art by Brooke Muschott
Registration for next semester started this week for students, and we all are forced once again to grapple with the classes we have to take and those we want to take. A rant on GEs would be cliche. But, as the popularity of Buzzfeed indicates, everyone likes to read their own unoriginal thoughts in another person’s words. So here it goes.
GEs are dull, have nothing to do with most majors, few of us admit to getting anything out of them and all of us wonder why we have to take them (even though we agreed to come here knowing it was a liberal arts college).
Sure, once in a while, nonconformists will say they “actually enjoyed” COM 180, or divergents will claim they “went to every HUM 111 lecture.” But all non-wanna-be-hipsters hate them. Period.
On the other hand, it should be acknowledged that GEs have some sort of morbid benefit. They give us a sense of community and a common ground with all other Pepperdine students. What else would you talk about with that girl you haven’t seen since NSO who you’re stuck in line with in the Caf? Aren’t friendships based on shared hatred?
But next semester — whether you’re a senior who hasn’t taken REL 301 yet or a freshman trying to get all your GEs out of the way early — your schedule doesn’t have to revolve around dreaded classes. Here is a compilation of a few lesser-known but perhaps more appealing classes that will be offered in spring.
FILM 421 is sure to be a hit for both film majors and non-majors. Professor Gose, of Great Books fame, returns to teaching film with this informative and entertaining course, which will feature classic titles such as “The Big Lebowski.” The course will focus on the “social science” perspective of film and how it has the capacity to affect individuals and change how we look at the world. It will also answer questions pertinent to Seaver students and help students find the groups of films they find the most transformative. Students wishing to take it as an elective aren’t required to have the FILM 200 prerequisite.
Great Books with Jason Brooks When it comes to Great Books — or should we say Great Brooks — professors, Brooks deserves to be mentioned. With an eclectic penchant for old-school hip-hop, Greek mythology and Russian literature, Brooks takes classic works of literature and makes them relevant to 20-something college students. Brooks mixes up the typical Great Books “read-a-book-and-write-a-paper-about-it” format with inventive projects that make the reading more bearable. If you have any space left in your Great Books schedule, give Brooks a try. Unfortunately, he is only teaching English 101 in Spring 2014; with any luck, he’ll be back in the Great Books chair come Fall semester.
PSYC 230 Professor Jeff Banks is a professor who challenges his student’s knowledge of the world and changes their outlooks on the person they desire to become — for the better. He creates an environment that urges all of his students to grow in every aspect. His famous “Crying Class,” more formally named Interpersonal Psychology, is a must-take class. The class members become a unit, a family. Not only will students taking this class learn to understand a lot about Pepperdine classmates, but surprisingly, the students learn a lot about themselves in the process. It won’t be offered next semester, but you should keep an eye out for it.
COM 260 Is for anyone who wants to work in any facet of media, and especially in L.A., will want to learn firsthand from Professor Craig Detweiler. His course, Intro to Media: The Entertainment Industry, dedicates the first part of the week to the history and trends of media, and the second part invites industry professionals to not only give real-world advice and insider knowledge, but also to network. Detweiler’s main concern for you in this class is to help you land your dream internship or job, and he’s more than willing to put you in touch with the people who can make that happen.
BIO 350 is a class where you don’t only learn about marine biology, but you get the opportunity to experience it. Why not take advantage of what Malibu has to offer and travel to different beaches to learn from the land firsthand? Professor Karen Martin is an enthusiastic professor who goes the extra mile to make her students fall in love with the subject. She even coordinates internships and jobs with organizations across the world for her students to apply to.
INTS 453 is that class which everyone writes home to brag about having at our school. When most people read the title of the course — Theories of International Relations: From Middle Earth to World War I — they assume it must be a typo of “Middle East.” The class really is about the world of “The Lord of the Rings” and not only will you read all of the books, you will watch all of the movies as well. Professor James is a huge fan of Tolkien’s works, and the class is an excellent way to learn about why countries do the things they do using a familiar and fun literary reference point.
NASC 109 For those willing to stay for a summer session, Introduction to Astronomy is a great choice for your science GE. The condensed schedule may look daunting, but between looking at beautiful pictures of space and learning the principles and history of modern astronomy, classes fly by as if they take place in a time machine. Labs largely consist of stargazing expeditions in Corral Canyon, providing you with an opportunity to familiarize yourself with the night sky as well as look at distant stars and galaxies through a telescope to see for yourself the wonder that is the universe.
ENG 380 with Professor Thomas You’ve probably heard of Professor Thomas’ Harry Potter freshman seminar, and if you weren’t among the lucky few to have the privilege of taking it, never fear — he also teaches a Harry Potter course which fulfills your GE literature requirement. Offered about once a year, this class works through J.K. Rowling’s seven book children’s series in a more mature way, examining themes, characters and critical interpretations of the books from feminist, Christian, sociological and philosophical perspectives, among others. Professor Thomas is a jovial professor who will make the in-depth analysis of your favorite book series even more enjoyable. This class will be offered Spring 2014, but don’t hesitate — spots fill up quickly.
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As published in the Nov. 7 issue of the Pepperdine Graphic.
