College is a strange place with a lot of different minds meeting in one place. That's probably why these weird college classes have emerged over the years. Keep reading for info on 5 of the strangest ones we found.
College can be a strange place. It’s where hundreds or thousands of the brightest young minds come together with various interests, skills, and pop culture all rolled into an academic institution. That being said, it’s no wonder that very interesting and diverse class options emerge in these places of innovation and thought.
But we aren’t just referring to the more standard interesting classes. We’re thinking of those classes you read in the course catalog and think, “how is that even a class?”
We’ve scoured the Internet for the best of the weird college classes that are being offered right now at some of the most prestigious educational institutions in the country. Class has begun!
1. Newborn Parenting Classes
Between a full course load, internships, part-time jobs, clubs, hobbies, and socializing, it’s hard to imagine throwing a newborn baby into the mix as well. But some people do go to college with newborns, infants, and children on the hip.
Perhaps it’s for these student-parents that newborn parenting classes arose at many colleges across the country. These newborn classes often teach the basics of parenting: developmental milestones to watch for, how to hold the baby, how to feed the baby, how to change diapers, etc.
For example, this class offered by the Oregon Health & Science University teaches parents and other interested parties about childbirth, labor and delivery, breastfeeding, infant safety, and more. This class from Bellingham Technical College focuses on childbirth as well as bringing baby home and other parenting tips.
Infant classes like these are also common for nurses, midwives, teachers, day care workers doulas, and other medical professionals involved in childbirth or early childhood education.
2. Elvish 101
Many colleges have a foreign language requirement. If you’re not interested in the many “real” languages out in the world, why not try one from a fantasy realm?
Elvish is the language invented by J.R.R Tolkein for his series The Lord of the Rings. The language is so well developed that it’s actually taught as a foreign language at quite a few schools. You can learn to read, write, and speak elvish at a few different universities.
The college that made this famous, though, is the University of Wisconsin, Madison where the famous Tolkien scholar and linguist named David Salo taught a course. It’s no longer taught, but the legacy of such a weird college class lives on.
3. The Science of Harry Potter
Speaking of classes based on fantasy worlds, there are many, many classes related to one of the biggest franchises of all time: Harry Potter.
The Science of Harry Potteris a course offered by Frostburg State University in Maryland. In this class, scientist Professor Plitnik examines the connection between science and magic seen in the series. This includes looking at the physics of spells and flying broomsticks, postulating the potential genetics of magic animals and people, and more.
While this might seem silly, it’s actually an excellent way to learn scientific concepts. It relates the complex concepts of biology, chemistry, and physics to something that students love and understand.
This is also a great way to break your mind out of the traditional academic science box to allow STEM students to be a bit more creative than they might normally get to be.
4. Introduction to Pet Apparel
We’ve all seen silly dog costumes and clothes. But not all of us have thought of the fact that someone out there has to design these clothes. And some of these pet garments are designer in quality and price. This coat, for example, goes for anywhere between 666 and 776 dollars (depending on the size)! there’s big bucks in pet apparel!
If you’re dying to get into the pet clothing industry, then you have to take Introduction to Pet Apparel at the famous Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. In this class, you’ll learn about the most popular pet forms and body needs, especially those for cats and dogs.
You’ll also get a seasonal fabric guide, create garment sketches, craft mood boards, and more to create t-shirts, dog coats, and designer options. You’ll also learn how to make shoes, leashes, collars, and more with animal safe products and materials.
5. UFOs in American Society
Filed alongside other American history and American studies courses at Temple University in Philadelphia offers a course called “UFOs in American Society.”
They give the following course description:
“American society’s reaction to the UFO phenomenon. Analyzes UFOs and the controversy that has surrounded them by studying the attitudes of various groups toward the phenomenon, including the military, the scientific community, the national UFO organizations, the lunatic fringe, cult groups, charlatans, the entertainment industry, and the press.”
All this class needs now is a field trip to Area 51 and you’ve got the most amazing offering in college today.