Featured Photo by Chris Curtis
Story by Taylor Bentley
In today’s job market there seems to be no shortage of growing, niche industries that demand unique skill sets and knowledge.
In turn, colleges and universities across the country, Middle Tennessee State University being one of them, offer a wide range of unique – and sometimes unusual – courses. These courses allow students to explore passions and interests beyond the usual academic offerings, with topics ranging from wine, gardening and even the supernatural.
Sunken Continents, Lost Tribes, and Ancient Astronauts
This course examines popular pre-history theories and controversies like the lost city of Atlantis, Bigfoot, extraterrestrial visitors and how archaeologists respond to them. Inspired by paranormal conspiracy shows like “Ancient Aliens” and “Finding Bigfoot,” Kevin Smith, a professor and director of anthropology at MTSU, introduced the course in late 2020.
“While we were online during COVID, the class seemed to be a fun little respite for students,” Smith said. “It got pretty popular after the first semester, and I think that was because talking about Bigfoot is more interesting for students than a lot of other, frankly boring anthropology topics.”
Vegetable Gardening
As a plant and soil science course, Vegetable Gardening teaches students the basics of home and commercial vegetable production, including fertility, diseases, insects of vegetables and more. During the lab portion of the class, students can get their hands dirty by planting vegetables in the campus greenhouse.
“We planted stuff like carrots, radishes and kale,” said Miriam Al-Hilli, a senior fermentation science major. “I know everybody looked forward to the lab days. It was definitely one of my favorite classes at the time.”
Wine Science and Industry
For this fermentation science course, students must be at least 21 to enroll. Here, they learn about the science behind wine, including grape production and fermentation, and its marketing worldwide.
“Wine Science is for sure one of my favorite classes this semester,” Al-Hilli said. “Learning about wine is actually really interesting, but I think a lot of other people in the class like it for other obvious reasons. Sometimes, we get to do a little taste testing.”
Beginning Pilates
At MTSU, students can exercise mentally and physically for college credit. In this physical education course, students learn about the fundamentals of pilates and participate in group exercises, focusing on posture and body movements. The course can help students unwind says Pilates instructor Angela Ramos.
“I understand life can be really stressful for these kids,” Ramos said. “I’m happy I can help them relax between classes and teach them how to care for their bodies. I don’t think you get that with other classes, which is what I think makes our class so unique.”
Comic Book Illustration
For students interested in art, MTSU offers a six-hour studio course in comic book illustration. From sketching initial concepts to inking and coloring, students learn how to create visually appealing and engaging comics.
“I’m really glad I chose comic book illustration as one of my electives,” said Lindsay Hayes, a junior visual arts major. “The class is super laidback, and we get to come up with stories to make comics out of and sketch and color them. It’s really cool.”
Psychosexual Adjustment
A one-of-a-kind course, Psychosexual Adjustment explores human sexuality throughout history, modern developments, preferences and fetishes and treatments for sexual disorders. These sometimes-taboo topics make for a popular course among psychology students.
Interactive Media Applications
In this interactive media course, students learn about popular social media apps like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and more. Students explore the latest social media trends and create content on various platforms.
“It’s unique because not every school has a class that teaches you about TikTok.” said Emma Cromwell, a sophomore in media management. “It’s really fun and one of those classes where you don’t mind doing big projects. I’d be on my phone anyway, so why not?”
Archaeology of Salt
Many people may not know the role salt played in the evolution of human society, but they can learn in MTSU’s Archaeology of Salt course. Students learn how salt is produced, distributed and used in different parts of the world. Paul Eubanks, a professor of anthropology, began teaching the course in early 2017.
“Salt has been a vital resource for us for millennia, and people don’t think about it very much,” Eubanks said. “We’re one of the few universities in the state, and I believe in the country with an entire class dedicated to it.”
Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion
MTSU’s anthropology department also offers a course in the supernatural. Here, students can learn about sorcery, cults, religious healing and interpretations of myth across civilizations and time periods.
“No, we don’t teach you how to cast spells,” Richard Pace, an anthropology professor and creator of the course at MTSU, said. “But we do dive deep into the history of witchcraft and magic around the world and we try to look for the meanings behind it. It can be very magical.”
To contact Lifestyles Editor Destiny Mizell, email lifestyles@mtsusidelines.com. For more news, visit www.mtsusidelines.com, or follow us on Facebook at MTSU Sidelines or on X at @MTSUSidelines.
