Written by: Gage Dansby
With the end of the fall semester just around the corner, advising and class registration has begun to creep into the forefront of students’ minds.
If you’re a freshman reading this and have not yet gotten the memo from your advisor, the week of advising and registration is where you meet with your assigned advisor to determine what classes you will register for next semester. Inevitably, this will come with thoughts of how many credit hours you should take, what major you’ll decide to pursue, and determine any electives or distribution requirements you should incorporate. You will have needed to make your mind up too. As upperclassmen know, classes tend to run out of spots fast, so if you don’t stay up to register for classes when your designated time slot opens at midnight, you might be out of luck.
Luckily, there are some new course offerings for the Spring 2021 semester that might pique your interest, starting with new classes in the Honors Program. Classes such as Native American Literature, Literary Approaches to Death, and Irish Literature are brand new offerings taught by faculty from the English department. These new courses are part of Adrian College’s effort to increase the number of classes that offer more diverse subject matter and encourage students to learn more about different cultures.
“The US is in the throes of a time of great divisiveness, as is Europe, and indeed the world,” says Dr. Linda Learman, instructor of the upcoming Irish Literature, Film, and the Importance of Place class. “Concerns about borders, culture clashes, authoritarianism, ‘misogyny, and ‘the other’ dominate headlines. Irish literature, from its own unique perspective, often shows us a way to find balance, humor, courage, and strength in times of trouble.”
Dr. Bethany Shephard will be teaching the honors course about Native American Literature, focusing on the literary works detailing the lives and experiences of Native Americans from different cultures and time frames. Professor Renee Collins of the Journalism department will teach Literary Approaches to Death, a course about how authors through the centuries use their writings to cope and grieve with death in different ways.
If you are not an honors student, or the English and literature route is not your cup of tea, there are still plenty of new options to choose from. The Political Science department is offering the topics classes Against the State and Marx/Marxism. The History department features a course on gender and sexuality in U.S. History. E-sports management classes are available in the business department, and the Social Work department will offer a 300 level course on diversity, equality, privilege, and oppression.
If you are interested in registering for any of the classes discussed above, make sure you discuss your course schedule with your advisor and the registrar’s office to ensure that you are qualified and able to take the course.
In the meantime, make sure to look at the Spring 2021 course catalog to see if there are any other courses that interest you. Your new favorite department or instructor could be right around the corner.
The College World 