College is the perfect time to experiment; the ideal opportunity to test the limits of a new-found freedom, to make poor life choices and follow the pursuit of knowledge. It’s also the only avenue you’ll have to take a handful of bizarre courses that will make your parents wonder if the thousands of dollars spent on your education was worth it.
It’s no secret that Massachusetts is home to a countless number of institutions, but some of the classes offered at these schools will force yourself to ask the question “you can get college credit for that?” Here are some of our favorites:
Rivers of Life and Death (Hampshire College)
Rivers of Life and Death explores the cultural, environmental, economic and identity conflicts that arise. It also delves deeper into the contention of how to best serve those living along them. Yes, this is a real course and apparently, this is a real issue too.
About Looking (Hampshire College)
Also brought to you by Hampshire College, this class unpacks the meanings of different kinds of looks, especially their relationship with cameras and in photographs.
It’s difficult to see the relevance of this course in clarifying any professional goals, but definitely an A+ in uniqueness.
Sacred Hoops and Sneaker Pimps: Understanding the American Hoop Dream (Suffolk University)
This course explores not the American dream, but the American Hoop dream. While we are all still unsure what exactly that entails, the class follows the aspirations of basketball players from both the high school and collegiate levels. This is a *slam dunk* if you really want to take an elective that will probably be of little use to your future.
Training Under Saddle (Becker College)
This course specifically teaches students on how to start a young horse under saddle and training the horse towards competition. Actually, Becker College offers a whole range of equine studies that teaches anything and everything to do with riding.
How To Stage A Revolution (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
How To Stage A Revolution discusses how various populations managed to overthrow and/or establish a new government — with or without violence. If the students of MIT ever want to overthrow the American Government, this class will teach them everything they will need to know.
Puppetry (Emerson College)
Emerson takes students back to elementary school and they get to create puppets for in-class presentations. Name one college student who would not want to do arts and crafts as an assignment. Beats writing a lab report any day.
If being a puppeteer isn’t quite for you, then learn how to be funny with Emerson’s new comedy minor — a program that’s basically laughable.
The Ethics of Harry Potter (Bridgewater State University)
This course is perfect for muggles who grew up with the series. It’s a philosophy course that utilizes Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics as a guide to examine the character’s choices. Maybe this class isn’t super weird, but it’s on Harry Potter and how awesome is that?
Also if you’re weird and don’t like Harry Potter, they offer Dr. Who and Philosophy and also a look into the ethics of The Hunger Games.
The Philosophy of Time Travel (Bridgewater State University)
We all wish time travel were possible and even if you don’t, it’s still an interesting notion to investigate. This course essentially explores if the concept of time travel is plausible and how it might be accomplished. Maybe one day we’ll all be able to be Marty McFly.
