If you’re new to Portland State, you may still be looking for a few classes to take. You might need some time to fill, you might need a class that corresponds to your major or maybe you just want to take something interesting. Whatever the case may be, there’s a good chance PSU has something for you. Here’s a list of a few classes offered during the fall 2014 term that you may not know about.
GRK 330U – Ancient Greek Literature
If you’re into the culture and mythology of Ancient Greece, this class is perfect for you. If you want to delve into the wrath of Achilles in The Iliad or if you want to follow the adventures of Odysseus through The Odyssey, you will be thoroughly pleased with the powerful literature of the ancient Greeks. And you don’t have to know Greek to take the class! All the texts are already translated for you. As the course description says, the course will cover literature from eighth century B.C. through the classical period, covering “epic, historical, dramatic, and philosophical texts.” For those of you who are working on a cluster, notice the U next to the course number–this class counts toward the Interpreting the Past cluster.
CRN: 14444 Days: MWF Time: 2:00–3:05 P.M.
ART 254 – Typography I
Maybe you’re interested in art. Or maybe you’re interested in more obscure forms of art like typography. By definition, typography is the style and appearance of printed matter. This course is open to those who aren’t art majors as well. As the description says, the course will focus on typography as both a “medium and message.” You’ll learn about typographic history and how typography is an important part of media today. The recommended prerequisites for this class are ART 118 and ART 120.
CRN: 10177 Days: TR Time: 9:00–11:50 A.M.
BST 362U – African Prehistory
If you’re working on a Global Perspectives or an Interpreting the Past cluster, you might want to consider taking this black studies class. African Prehistory revolves around studying and analyzing prehistoric cultures of Africa. You will delve into written records, the origin of humans and early civilizations. The course is also set later in the day and only takes place once a week, which is optimal for those seeking a class outside of their morning routines and for those who have a tight schedule.
CRN: 15748 Days: T Time: 5:30–9:10 P.M.
ED 150 – Teaching as a Career
A lot of people who go to college aspire to become teachers themselves. If you’re one of those people, this may be a great course to start off with. Due to the title of the class, the course is pretty self-explanatory. In this class, you will explore and analyze the difficulties and privileges of teaching the youth of America, ranging from children to young adults. You’ll analyze what problems lie in teaching and the process of learning. You will also explore why teaching and learning are important and what their purposes are.
CRN: 11097 Days: R Time: 10:00–11:50 A.M.
FILM 370U – Supernatural Horror 1970–Present
If you consider yourself an avid movie-goer and you want to learn more about the art of film, you should consider taking a film course. This course would be great for people who are big fans of horror. With the craze that Paranormal Activity caused, it’s no wonder that a class like this would be taught. Take this course and learn about supernatural horror movies and why they’re so popular, and also why they made a major resurgence in the last decade. This course will count toward the Popular Culture cluster.
CRN: 15013 Days: T Time: 6:00–9:35 P.M.
WR 212 – Intro Fiction Writing
There are tons of people who aspire to be writers or to become better writers. Those of you who want to write fiction and are looking for a class to help you develop some skills should take an intro to fiction writing course. In Intro Fiction Writing, you’ll have a chance to present your work to a class of other writers. More likely than not, you will workshop your pieces and get a lot of feedback that can help you grow as a writer. It’s never too late to try and hone your skills!
CRN: 14285 Days: MW Time: 2:00–3:50 P.M.
UNST Courses
Freshmen are going to want to choose their University Studies course wisely because it’s something that they will be taking all year long. Freshman Inquiry courses can be very engaging and fun–I know mine was. Here I’ll provide a short list of the Freshman Inquiry, or FRINQ, courses that are being offered during the fall 2014 term. Make sure you sign up for a mentor session as well.
UNST 101A – Race and Social Justice
CRN: 13814
UNST 107A – Portland
CRN: 13834
UNST 114A – Ways of Knowing
CRN: 13842
UNST 121A – Design and Society
CRN: 13878
UNST 124A – Sustainability
CRN: 13886
UNST 131C – Work of Art
CRN: 13910
UNST 134A – Life Unlimited
CRN: 13934
UNST 137A – Globalization
CRN: 15301
UNST 141A – Power and Imagination
CRN: 14993
