10 courses to keep an eye on this fall

BIOL 1410 explores topics such as cancer, addiction and Alzheimer's disease, examining how scientific understanding of these conditions continues to advance and inform new approaches to treatment and prevention. Designed for nonscience students, this course helps students navigate recent publications on disease to become better informed about human health - all while gaining Discovery Tier credits in both the Basic Needs & Justice, and Cognition, Language, Memory/Intelligence categories.

COSC 3840 lets students step into the role of a hacker to understand how cybersecurity works when put to the test. With hands-on experience focusing on network defense, vulnerability assessments, cryptography and digital forensics, this course gives experienced computer science students who have previously completed COSC 1360 the opportunity to engage with and experience real-world security concerns.

CHNS 3215 offers a historical look at Chinese cuisine and its interactions with geography, history, social systems and heritage. This course is taught in English and requires no prior knowledge of the Chinese language, allowing students to engage with Chinese culture through lectures, discussions and, of course, tasting.

HIST 3755 examines pivotal moments in sports history and explores the social, political and economic ideas that have emerged from major events and movements in sports. Whether its the Miracle on Ice or the career of Jackie Robinson, this course offers new perspectives on the development of sports and the impact they create on the world around us.

ENGL 3453 focuses on books written in the Romantic period and the questions they ask about nature, the environment and how we view the world around us. The course also offers experiential learning opportunities, including visits to the Urban Ecology Center, where students explore how environmental writing, understanding and appreciation can be traced back to the books we read.

PHIL 2000 focuses on establishing what "good reasoning" is, helping build stronger arguments in both academic and day-to-day settings. Studying political speeches, op-eds, advertisements and legal arguments, this course helps us see how powerful logic can be and the impact it can have when used with purpose.

SOCI 3700 walks through some of the biggest movements of the past century, including the Civil Rights movement, labor movements, women's suffrage and more. Focusing on how individuals and communities have fought for change, this course offers a look at collective action and its place in the world in the past, present and future.

THEO 2200 explores the history of Christianity and the Bible. Focusing on concepts like revelation, faith, tradition and scripture, this course offers an in-depth analysis and discussion of the past and how it led to our knowledge of Christianity today.

PHYS 1009 combines physics and environmental studies to help students understand how human activity has impacted the Earth. Focusing on energy production, population distribution and pollution, this course is perfect for non-science majors who are inspired to learn about the environment and how to make the world a better place.

LLAC 3200 explores how language goes from a part-time hobby to full-time fluency, letting students grow their own language skills and reflect on how others might be best supported in learning their own second language. Combining research, cultural immersion and technology, this course lets students not only understand how learning languages works but also lets them walk away a step closer to fluency in a second language.