Author Topic: Most Unique Classes (Read 5601 times)

JHU_Mandy · « **on:** January 29, 2008, 02:55 PM »

We've had posts about favorite classes and stuff, but I thought it would be interesting to talk about some of the most unique/unusual classes we've either taken or heard of from a friend. It shows what makes Hopkins different from every other school!

I'll start:

Freshman Seminar: On The Road
I actually took this last semester. The class is all about road trips and road books. For example, we read Kerouac's On the Road, Tom Wolfe's Electric Kool Aid Acid Test, and a lot of other books that were really interesting. It was a cool glimpse into life at various points in time in the US, with a common theme of getting on the road in search of enlightenment. We also watched cool movies and did little projects where we presented good songs for the road, interesting attractions, and wrote a story about someone's road trip in our family.

JHU_Jackie · « **Reply #1 on:** January 29, 2008, 04:28 PM »

Most Unique Class so Far: Probably my Shakespeare Then and Now.

Everything we learned in that class was interesting. It wasn't just learning and discussing the plays it was uncovering hidden meaning, symbols, and theories within the play. All the ideas and concepts presented were truly unique.

JHU_Lauren · « **Reply #2 on:** January 29, 2008, 05:23 PM »

To be honest, most of my classes so far have been pretty generic. :lol: But I had my first session of Introduction to Fiction and Poetry II today with Glenn Blake and, just judging by his personality and some of the stuff that came out of his mouth during class, I can tell it's going to be a lot different than anything I've taken before .. or even than I'm taking now. I'm looking forward to it!

JHU_Kate · « **Reply #3 on:** January 29, 2008, 07:00 PM »

I'd say that the most unique course I took so far is "Art in the Age of Augustus." I took this course last semester, and it was cross-listed with the Classics department and the History of Art department. It really is a hybrid of the two fields. My professor often discussed Roman history (and had us read a book about life in Rome during Caesar Augustus's reign), so that we could understand the significance behind certain works of art. At the same time, we still had to examine works of art closely like we would in any History of Art course. I took this course primarily because I was drawn by the fact it was listed with the Classics department; however, it ended up getting me interested enough in art history that I now have two art history books to read for fun.

Plus, the course wasn't a generic overview of art from the ancient Roman empire - it focused on artwork created during the reign of Caesar Augustus!

JHU_Esther · « **Reply #4 on:** January 29, 2008, 11:07 PM »

I took a class called "US Social History". Basically there's this professor in the history department who wanted to teach a class but hadn't created it yet. So he came up with a broad general title and then started reserving classroom space. In the end it turned out to be co-taught with John Astin (from the theater department) and the eventual title was "Radical Theater". I ended up taking the class anyway and it was fun though completely different from what was in the course book.

JHU_Stefanie · « **Reply #5 on:** January 29, 2008, 11:47 PM »

Although this may not be allowed, I am going to list a class I am taking this semester. The majority of my classes in the past have been pretty generic (Cell Biology type). However, I think I'm in love with this year's course: Law & Psychology, Clinical Applications. It's a 2.5 hour class, but the professor is absolutely amazing. He contributes a lot of his case studies that he is currently working on as a JD/PhD in class, and we get to "role play" whether it is as the defender or the prosecutor. It gets really heated because a lot of the case studies are civil law + criminal law (dealing a lot with mental illnesses).

JHU_Jackie · « **Reply #6 on:** January 30, 2008, 01:38 AM »

Stefanie, that class sounds amazing. What department is it in? Do I have to know science to take it?

JHU_Mandy · « **Reply #7 on:** January 30, 2008, 05:37 PM »

Stefanie, I'm glad you're enjoying that class. I wanted to take it SO badly, but it was full and I would go over the credit limit. sad. I just really hope it's offered again!

JHU_Phil · « **Reply #8 on:** January 31, 2008, 04:54 PM »

"Most unique" is poor grammar. Something is either unique or not.

I'll throw the NERD flag on myself.

INTRODUCTION TO HUMANITARIAN EMERGENCIES. Greatest. Class. Ever.

JHU_Lauren · « **Reply #9 on:** January 31, 2008, 05:21 PM »

Quote from: "JHU_Phil"

"Most unique" is poor grammar. Something is either unique or not.

Nerrrd. :P Lol just kidding .. really though, something can be more unique than something else, can't it?

JHU_Stefanie · « **Reply #10 on:** January 31, 2008, 05:57 PM »

Mandy: This course is offered every year, so hopefully you make room next year! :)

Jackie: The course is in the psychology department (300-level, S credit). And the most wonderful thing --> no science background is needed! Honestly, I think you'd do amazing in this class.

JHU_Blake · « **Reply #11 on:** February 02, 2008, 07:49 PM »

So. I'm taking a course titled: "From Civil Rights to Multi-Culturalism: Student Movements for Social Change"

Basically, Hopkins students get paired with Baltimore City High School Students to shoot a documentary that focuses on issues that they see as important in the community. Later in the semester we will be split into groups to focus our efforts. Each class session reflects on personal journal entries, historical occurrences, and weekly readings to reinforce what we're learning... and, there's a camera crew shooting us in every class. It's like a reality tv show or something. I'm really excited to see what the finished product is gonna look like. :D

JHU_Kate · « **Reply #12 on:** February 02, 2008, 11:23 PM »

Haha, Blake, it's nice to know that you now know the name of the course. :P

JHU_Laura · « **Reply #13 on:** February 06, 2008, 05:16 PM »

Blake is your class with Melanie Shell-Weiss? if it is I adore her, she is amazing.

I think my "unique" class may be a class that I took on Climate Change (global warming etc). It was really interesting, in the history of science & technology department and very different from anything else that I at least had taken.

JHU_Jermaine · « **Reply #14 on:** February 08, 2008, 11:39 PM »

Contemporary African and Caribbean Migrations, cross-listed in the Africana Studies and Sociology Departments, is pretty unique.

JHU_Josh · « **Reply #15 on:** March 27, 2008, 03:58 PM »

There are 3 classes I think are really unique. I've taken one and my friend took another and I found one while looking up the names.

The one I am taking right now is FRESHMEN SEMINAR: THE NATURAL AND THE ARTIFICIAL: THE CONCEPT OF THE MAN-MADE HUMAN. It talks about the evolution of thought about artificial human beings. It involves religion and philosophy dealing with what makes humans different than animals and machines. It also deals with the pressing technology that could eliminate the gap between most part of humans. We read really interesting books like Frankenstein and The Island of Dr. Moreau and saw different films on the topics. At the end of the semester we are getting to things like watching Bladerunner and AI.

The 2nd unique class would be THE HIP HOP GENERATION: POWER, IDENTITY AND SOCIAL CHANGE in the sociology department.

The last class is RASTAFARI: DREAD, POLITICS, AGENCY

JHU_Julia · « **Reply #16 on:** March 29, 2008, 11:39 AM »

I think the most unique class I have taken was Hot Topics in Education, Freshman Seminar (when I was a freshman, obvi.) in the Sociology department. There were about 15 of us and we basically sat around a table and discussed education policy with Professor Alexander who is pretty much the foremost scholar on educational sociology. It was so interesting and a laid back class environment. It's still offered so sign up for it!

JHU_Stefanie · « **Reply #17 on:** October 07, 2008, 09:58 PM »

Oh yes, I've heard loads of good stuff about Professor Alexander! :) I'm itching to take a class with him before I graduate in May!

JHU_Roxi · « **Reply #18 on:** October 08, 2008, 12:49 AM »

Definitely the most unique class I have taken here at Hopkins was the intersession of my freshman year, I took a class on electron microscopy with Dr. Evangalos Moudrianakis. Basically there were 3 of us and he explained how electron microscopes worked, we got to see one that had been taken apart and see the individual components, then the rest of the 3 week class we got to just platinum coat samples and make pretty pictures basically.

Seriously....a class of 3 people? Amazing. and he has been a great mentor to me as the years have gone by.

JHU_Jessica · « **Reply #19 on:** October 08, 2008, 10:11 AM »

A class that I haven't taken yet but I think is really unique is a public health course, below is its description:

"PRACTICUM IN COMMUNITY HEALTH (3) Bone/Goodyear Limit 40 Seniors & Juniors only Perm. Req’d. Students will participate in community-based health services intervention programs, working with community leaders & health interventionists from the schools of Medicine & Public Health. Classroom presentation. Paper required.
Cross-listed with Africana Studies"

I've heard from people in this class just how unique it is. Last week they went on a bus tour of Baltimore learning about the different areas. All of them have to participate in a "community-based health services intervention program", which means they have to go out into Baltimore and volunteer a certain number of hours a week. I really am jealous for anyone in this course.

JHU_Tanya · « **Reply #20 on:** October 21, 2008, 08:53 PM »

I had enrolled in that course Jessica, but had to drop it last minute because it conflicted with my medical tutorial schedule! :angry: I hope the course is offered next fall.

I’d have to say that the most unique course I’ve taken at Hopkins so far was a one-credit course titled, “Urban Health and Advocacy” dedicated to examining health issues that typically plague urban areas, such as HIV/AIDS, violence, asthma, substance abuse, etc., with an emphasis on public health issues specific to Baltimore City.

Dr. Goodyear, the Associate Director of the Public Health Studies program oversaw the class, and each week, a speaker from a local non-profit organization, the School of Public Health, the Urban Health Institute, the Baltimore City Department of Health, etc., would visit the Homewood campus to discuss their work, interest for entering their field, research and contributions, etc. We ended the semester with a bus tour of the city, including a visit to the East Baltimore Development Inc. (EBDI) site, (and location of the new Hopkins Biotechnology Park), and were also required to create a photo essay documenting and highlighting urban health in Baltimore, which was incredibly eye-opening and really fun to complete.

JHU_Esther · « **Reply #21 on:** October 21, 2008, 10:54 PM »

The Dead Sea Scrolls in English. This class is taught by one of the preeminent experts on the Dead Sea Scrolls. The field of Biblical Archeology was also created by Hopkins professor William Albright. It has been a truly fascinating class. It's pretty cool when your homework is to read the bible and apocryphal writing. It also has such historical significance.

JHU_Tabitha · « **Reply #22 on:** November 21, 2008, 01:19 PM »

The Buddhist Experience with Professor Lievens.
It is a really fascinating class, and the Professor is amazing. He was a christian missionary who went to china, and learnt all about Buddhism (and in the process became fluent in some form of chinese) and is now teaching the basics of Buddhism.
The class is always over-subscribed, which says a lot i think.
It's a really amazing class, i would definitely recommend it.

JHU_Josh · « **Reply #23 on:** November 21, 2008, 04:53 PM »

I have 2 more unique classes for everyone!

I'm taking one next semester called "From Civil Rights to Multi-Culturalism: Student Movements for Social Change". It's an Africana Studies class where we learn about civil rights student activism from WWII up until today and work to make a documentary with Baltimore City students and local community activists.

Another is Narrative Production offered through the Film & Media Studies Program. You work with MICA students to produce short films working in everything from cinematography to set design.

JHU_Saznin · « **Reply #24 on:** March 15, 2009, 10:17 PM »

This semester I'm taking Biology in Film.
We basically watch a movie that has a plot in which biology plays a big role and answer a short questionnaire to be turned in once the movie's over.
So far we've watched Gattaca, Children of Men, Soylent Green, Coneheads...
For our very last class we'll be watching An Inconvenient Truth.
So, it's pretty cool!

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Author Topic: Most Unique Classes (Read 5601 times)