A problem I often run into when
enrolling for a new semester is a lack of variety with available courses for my
major. Since our university has a low-to-medium student population, there are
fewer professors for each department, meaning they often have to stack the
amount of courses they teach per semester, and they often repeat the courses
available to students. However, they will sometimes offer topics classes for
individual departments, which always are a great opportunity for students
looking for a fun course with an interesting content base.
Created at the discretion of the professor, topics classes will range in
content material, so long as they fit within the overall curriculum for the
intended major. The great thing about topics courses is the content
discussed and how interesting it can be. There have been courses in the
past that discuss various fun subjects, such as Batman and his involvement with
forensic science, anthropology and Cyborgs, Philosophy and the hit show The
Wire, and many others. These classes often go in-depth into
content areas that the professor is very passionate about, either from past
work in the area, or something that they wish to delve into further with their
students.
Rhetoric in Video Games: the only time where you can claim playing Portal is educational. |
At UT Tyler, I have enrolled in three Topics courses, all of which have
had very enthralling topic areas. The first was Rhetoric in Video Games,
taught by Dr. Charles Walts in the UT Tyler Department of Communication. The class intends
to discuss the rhetorical viewpoints of video games, a media source that is
rapidly growing in relevance in modern society. For three weeks (it was a
Maymester course), we played games such as Portal, Left 4 Dead 2,
Auditorium, and several others, creating a fun atmosphere for all
students enrolled, even if they were not Communication majors.
Another class was Introduction to Global Studies, taught by
Dr. Amentahru Wahlrab in the UT Tyler Department of Political Science, a class intended to
discuss the spreading influence of Globalization around the world, and the
implications that it has for all members within. Dr. Wahlrab has studied
for many years within this subject, which allowed for many in-depth discussions
about what globalization is, and how it can affect the world on several levels.
A Chuck Norris movie in a college class? Duh. |
I am currently enrolled in Rhetoric of Terror and Horror, in
the Communication department once again with Dr. Walts, where we discuss the
rhetorical implications of domestic and foreign terrorism, and how these
implications affect us on a personal and national level. This class is a
lot of fun, as we plan to watch films such as The Delta Force, Team America,
The Omen, and others in order to understand the topic further.
These are the types of classes that are available to all students at UT
Tyler, and they are highly beneficial to the academic progress both
undergraduate and graduate students. Not only does it count for an
elective credit for both majors and non-majors in certain fields, but also they
are highly specific classes that will delve into a topic that most classes do
not. Since the professors get to choose the topics being discussed, they
are more passionate about their topics class than they are for other classes
they are required to teach.
Studies prove that as college classes increase in size, educational quality decreases. Another reason why topics classes are fantastic! |
If you are interested in enrolling in one of these classes, you should
act quickly! They fill up fast during the enrollment process, and they
are often intended to have a smaller student count. The reasoning for
this is that most professors want their topics class to be discussion-based,
rather than lecture-based, and having a full class discussion is nearly
impossible with more than 20-25 students. If you happen to miss the
opportunity to enroll, or the class you seek is not available for the targeted
semester, talk to your department head and request that the class be renewed!
Often times, the individual departments will not renew a topics class unless
they are sure there will be enough students guaranteed to enroll.
These classes are well worth your time, because you will never have
another opportunity to discuss something you truly enjoy in context of your
field of study. Check it out now!
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