One of the biggest draws of college is that you get to take all kinds of wacky and interesting classes on things that you would never be able to study in detail otherwise. We at the Clog did some research and created a list of the most unique classes offered in recent years, so you can get a taste of what UC Berkeley has to offer. So, without further ado…

English 176: “Literature and Popular Culture: The Sitcom”

This class analyzes 70+ of our favorite sitcoms through a critical lens, exploring ideas of female sexual autonomy, the impact of the architecture of the sitcom set and how the form elicits such strong desire in audiences.

American Studies 102: “American Themescapes”

This class explores the consciously created environments in which Americans interact and analyze their meaning of American life. Topics explored include Disneyland, Las Vegas and national parks.

Education 183:”High School, The Movie”

This class examines movies about high school, how they create youth culture and their intersection with democracy. It also compares the representations of high school with its reality and how these combine to create the typical high school experience.

Sociology C167: “Virtual Communities/Social Media”

This class is highly applicable to modern life as it explores the role of social media in society and how we create connections and communities online. It includes assignments like breaking a social media norm and analyzing reactions to such breaks in norms.

English 125E: “The Contemporary Novel”

In this class, the most recent Pulitzer Prize-winning novels are analyzed in terms of both their literary merit and how each winning novel reflects American values. Winning novels are also compared with the finalists from their respective years and students are assigned to attempt to understand why the Pulitzer was awarded to the winning novels over their competition.

BONUS: Integrative Biology XB33: “The Age of Dinosaurs”

This Fall Program for Freshmen class explores the history of dinosaurs and the impact they had on the world. You’ll also get to learn all about the lives of dinosaurs in terms of their actual bones, evolution, reproduction and more!

UC Berkeley is a unique place to study to say the least. The UC Berkeley college experience is definitely heightened by the variety of classes we have the opportunity to take. Hopefully these classes give you an understanding of what UC Berkeley is all about!