What are some classes everyone should take in college?

FidelCashflow · Apr 25, 2009

Originally Posted by feynmix

+ 1. I would add basic math and physics classes to that too.
If you're not on a science related field, what possible use could you have for physics in everyday life??? If you plan to own your own small business, the most basic accounting course could prove useful.Doing some of the super-easy book-keeping yourself can save you big bucks on your bill from your accountant at the end of the year. That, and perhaps the most basic finance class since this teaches you how interest works. Everyone pays it, but astounding numbers of people don't fully comprehend how long they'll be paying it or how much they'll be paying.

kwilkinson · Apr 25, 2009

Originally Posted by FidelCashflow

If you're not on a science related field, what possible use could you have for physics in everyday life???
I am not in a science related field, but I'm very glad I took physics. I don't use the formulas or the math in my life, but I do make use of the concepts I learned in the class. IMO, physics is the study of the functions of nature and how they work, so I have definitely made use of the knowledge of mass, charge, matter, laws of motion, etc.

Master-Classter · Apr 25, 2009

Another i'll add to the list, is something to do with child development/education. I always thought people should have to get a liscense to have kids (sadly the goverment doesn't agree) - but taking a course or two from the psych department related to development or educational psych taught me a lot about children and I hope will ultimately make me a better parent. It at least helped me keep the kids in line at summer camp.

Reggs · Apr 25, 2009

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

And argumentation.

Definitely

I had the most fun in that class and feel I got the most out of it.

doublebucklemonk · Apr 25, 2009

Check out the offerings in the Speech department, and take something that would involve public speaking. Regardless of what you do in life you will almost certainly have to speak to a group of people sometime.

longskate88 · Apr 25, 2009

Human Sexuality, Philososphy (fun to tell people the way in which they're arguing is improper and thus meaningless ; ). That's about it so far, though I'm majoring in Accounting, so some of that would be good to know for you everyday finances.

rach2jlc · Apr 25, 2009

Depends on your personality. If you are a humanities/qualitative/artistic sort of person, I think taking some quantitative, statistical, or analytic classes are very helpful and useful in the long run. Or, the reverse for more math-minded people.

Challenge yourself to think outside your comfort zone and, in so doing, try to see some of the underlying similarities between radically different schools of thought. Like, maybe how Wittgenstein and Foucault might just be saying the exact same thing, or how art might have an impact on your mathematical proofs.

These classes won't be "fun" or easy, but such self-challenge is a lot more useful and easier when you are in college and nothing much (but a grade) is at stake.

Aperipan · Apr 25, 2009

Any psychology courses in particular? There's an offering for a course on Schizophrenia in the fall quarter at my school but I'll have to take general psych. as a pre-req first.

Lel · Apr 25, 2009

I think that Histories, Philosophy, and Writing classes are good basics that everyone can benefit from.

I'm appalled by how many people seem to lack basic historic knowledge, argumentative/reasoning skills, and the ability to write.

rach2jlc · Apr 25, 2009

Originally Posted by Aperipan

Any psychology courses in particular? There's an offering for a course on Schizophrenia in the fall quarter at my school but I'll have to take general psych. as a pre-req first.

I think it's interesting to see what sort of off-kilter classes they teach, that change by semester, depending on the faculty.

Like, I was in the arts and humanities, but took a course on "Biological Plagues" with a researcher from the med school who was there on grant funding one quarter. Same with "Origins of cancer," except it was with an oncologist who just wanted to teach an undergrad course. Neither had any relevance towards my major, but they were very interesting in learning about important things that also required different types of conceptualization and approach.

Stuff like that is usually the most interesting. Try a physics class on Relativity or a Psych class on the history of Research Methods...

Lel · Apr 25, 2009

I tend to find sociology more interesting than psychology in my experiences, I just learned more "interesting things about people" in my sociology classes while my psychology classes seemed more biology based and scientifically driven.

robbie · Apr 25, 2009

Humanities classes... I would have taken more humanities classes, and fewer history/religion classes.

rach2jlc · Apr 25, 2009

Originally Posted by Lel

I tend to find sociology more interesting than psychology in my experiences, I just learned more "interesting things about people" in my sociology classes while my psychology classes seemed more biology based and scientifically driven.
+1. I agree, which was why I was thinking maybe a HISTORY of some psychology aspect, though sociology probably would be more interesting. Otherwise, as you mentioned, it's going to be a lot of analyzing brainscans.

itsstillmatt · Apr 25, 2009

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

I recommend you take some political science classes. And argumentation.

Argumentation does terrible things to people. You just end up with a bunch of college aged pedants who an make "arguments" while having no knowledge. I've never met a person who actually knew something about a subject who was unable to make a cogent argument concerning it.

Originally Posted by Aperipan

Any psychology courses in particular? There's an offering for a course on Schizophrenia in the fall quarter at my school but I'll have to take general psych. as a pre-req first.

Undergrad psychology courses are for the birds.

kwilkinson · Apr 25, 2009

Originally Posted by iammatt

Argumentation does terrible things to people. You just end up with a bunch of college aged pedants who an make "arguments" while having no knowledge. I've never met a person who actually knew something about a subject who was unable to make a cogent argument concerning it.
I've never taken anything like that. I was just makin a cheap joke at the OP's expense

What are some classes everyone should take in college?

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