Quirky courses, real credits

From hands-on research to real-world internship opportunities, students at UofL have no shortage of ways to make the academic journey their own while working towards a degree.

UofL has hundreds of degree programs for students to choose from to gain a valuable education. But UofL also offers a wide range of courses that go beyond core requirements and traditional learning, offering students a chance to dive into unique topics and explore new interests, no matter how quirky.

With such a diverse mix of interesting classes to choose from, Cardinals are able to mix curiosity with their career goals. Whether you’re interested in learning about dogs in society, reality TV, fairy tales or want to learn to play piano, these courses keep learning fresh and exciting and empower students to step outside their majors and into subjects they may have never considered.  

Check out these one-of-a-kind classes offered at UofL and consider adding one of these hidden gems to your schedule. You might just discover new strengths and perspectives that shape the path to your future.

Creative vibes and culture: For when you want to spark your inner artist or dive into the beats that defined generations.

• Communicating Hip-Hop Culture

Description: Analysis of rap music as a communicative force both within and about hip-hop culture. Topics of study include the origins, development and participants of the culture with special emphasis on rap music as the primary vehicle of communication.

• The Rhythm and Blues Revolution and American Culture 

Description: The history of Rhythm and Blues from its post-WWII origins to the post-Civil Rights Movement era, with particular emphasis on its impact on the U.S. and global popular culture and ideas about race.

• Color Theory and Human Factors in Interior Design

Description: A visual design theory course that explores the use of color theory and human factors/ergonomics information necessary for analyzing and designing the interior environment. 

Life, land and living things: Explore how humans, animals and environments shape each other.

• People and Their Food  

Description: Everyone eats but we eat such different things. This course examines the reasons why, across the globe, we meet our common nutritional needs in so many different ways. We explore food and foodways as products of soil, politics and culture.

• Dogs in Society: An Interdisciplinary Examination of the Human-Canine Connection  

Description: The course examines the evolution of dogs as human partners in society and delves into the relationship of our species with one another. It explores medical, safety, ethical, regulatory and legal issues, including the American with Disabilities Act and municipal approaches to regulating ownership. It considers behavioral adaptations of both species and some cutting-edge research in canine neuroscience. 

• A Global Perspective of Equine Industry

Description: A study of the increasing global scope of the equine industry and the economic, political and social forces influencing growth. Attention will be given to the effects of changing political systems, regulation, taxation, exchange rates, global competition, demographics and other forces.

• Geography of Kentucky

Description: Spatial patterns and processes of the Commonwealth; emphasis on human-environment interaction, population, settlement and economic base.

Talk, trends and TikToks:  Sharpen your persuasion skills, dissect reality TV and see how communication shapes culture.

• Rhetoric from Greeks to Tweets 

Description: The use of persuasion from the time of Aristotle to the current age of mediated communication. Students journey to ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, Enlightenment Europe and beyond to explore perennial questions and possible answers that have contemporary relevance.

• Reality Television

Description: Study of the various genres of reality television, its audiences and the culture in which this programming is produced.

Strategic moves and mind games: Master the art of thinking ahead with game theory — from business negotiations to everyday decisions.

• Game Theory

Description: Introduction to game theory and strategic behavior. Dominance, backward induction, Nash equilibrium, commitment, credibility, asymmetric information and signaling. Applications from economics, politics, sociology and other real-life situations.

Epic tales and page turners: From Shakespeare’s dramas to French mysteries and timeless myths — these classes have all the storytelling you could want.

• Special Topics: Shakespeare 

Description: A study of selected plays of Shakespeare. Historical period: pre-1700.

• The French Detective Story

Description: Exploration of the detective novel genre through study of works by French and francophone authors.

• Greek Mythology

Description: Mythology of Greek gods and goddesses through the study of ancient texts, major sites of worship and ancient representations of these deities.

• The Literary Fairy Tale 

Description: An investigation of the literary fairy tale from the Renaissance to the twentieth century.

Bend, stretch and skill up: Try something new, from learning your first piano chord to mastering the downward dog.

• Piano for Beginners

Description: Introduction to basic techniques of practical piano playing. Students do not need prior experience with the piano or with music.

• Introduction to Yoga

Description: This course is designed to introduce the foundation poses of Yoga, the basics of healthy posture, simple breathing techniques and progressive deep relaxation skills.

To learn more, check out the full undergraduate course catalog here. And don’t miss the drop/add hunger games. The last day to add a class is Friday, Aug. 22. Fun classes like these tend to fill up quickly or are only offered during specific semesters. If you miss out this time, keep track of the schedule of classes to know when it will be offered again and snag your spot.