Fun 2-unit electives that will bring you to 18 units next Spring
By Lauren Brose ‘15
< CHECK OUT THE SPRING 2020 EDITION >
As a full-time USC undergraduate student, we are provided with 18 units each semester in our flat tuition rate. The average student typically enrolls in four 4-unit classes that satisfy their graduation requirements and let the extra 2 units go to waste. Consider taking a fun elective instead. 2 units at USC costs approximately $2,300! These classes can be taken pass/fail and won’t affect your GPA whatsoever (students are allowed 24 units of pass/fail). I went through the course catalogue and chose the most intriguing 2-unit elective classes USC is offering this spring to over in all disciplines. Learn to play an instrument or try a new form of dance. Whatever it is, have fun! :)
Never feel overwhelmed again! Stress management is my thing. I hate feeling like I have bitten off more than I can chew and have worked on managing stress for years. If you want to jumpstart habits that reduce stress, consider this class.
Course title: PHED 160: Stress Management for Healthy Living
School: Physical Education
Description: Instruction on the effects of stress as it relates to work, sport and academics; coping strategies are discussed and applied through physical conditioning interventions.
Learn the basics of Photoshop! Photoshop is difficult to navigate through but an amazing skillset to learn whether you want a killer Instagram pic or you want to improve your skill in graphic design
Course title: ITP 090x: Introduction to Adobe Photoshop
School: Viterbi
Description: Basic concepts of colors; color calibration tools; scanning, importing and exporting images; painting, editing, fill, and type tools; using layers, masks, filters, and color correction. Not available for degree credit. Graded CR/NC.
Learn to “get pitted, bro.” The 1 unit surf class meets at Santa Monica beach each week and will teach the basics behind surfing including balance, etiquette (so experienced surfers don’t beat you up if you catch them on the inside!) as well as judging surf conditions.
Course title: PHED 115: Surfing
School: Physical Education
Description: Fundamental instruction of surfing skills; water safety and etiquette; wave recognition and forecast interpretation; surf culture; board selection; surf related strengthening and stretching.
Check out the brand new Annenberg Collaboratory courses. Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism is offering 4 two unit courses that are open to all students from all areas of study. They’re “collaborative, cutting-edge, experimental, experiential, interdisciplinary, results-based classes taught in new ways and places.”
Course title ASCJ 420:
- CRUNCH Incubator: Students are split into teams who will then work together to develop a prototype of a product. Each team will receive $2,500 in funding to develop the project and will fund server space, software and hiring additional talent.
The other three courses are definitely worth looking into: “Sport Diplomacy,” “HackLab,” and “Alternate Reality, Reality”
Jam with your professor and take a class totally dedicated to the iconic figures of popular music during the 20th and 21st century. A class on music appreciation? Sounds legit.
Course Title: MUSC 424: Iconic Figures in Popular Music
School: Thornton
Description: Music, life, recordings, and attendant musical, cultural and political influences of a seminal musician or group in 20th or 21st century popular music.
Learn coding! My professor told me that his children are learning how to code in school and they’re only in elementary school! For any student who sees’ themselves working on digital media or website development (or just wants to design their own Myspace profile by scratch), consider learning this trade. It looks amazing on your resume.
Course title: ITP 104x: Web Publishing
School: Viterbi
Description: Web publishing using HTML, CSS and other Web technologies. Concepts and theory of Web site creation, page layout and production. Introduction to advanced topics. (Not available for major credit in electrical engineering or computer science)
Play pretend for 2 hours! I always knew my name wouldn’t be up in the lights, but that didn’t stop me from enrolling in theatre classes over the years. Improvisation helps you with thinking on your toes and is a great way to let loose. Plus, everything is driven by comedy what’s not to love?
Course title: THTR 122: Improvisation and Theatre Games
School: Dramatic Arts
Description: Individual and group exercises to free the actor physically and emotionally and to stimulate creativity, imagination, and self-expression.
Learn to play an instrument! Don’t feel like taking a class that requires more work on your computer? Don’t feel like physical education classes either? Learn an instrument and impress a girl or guy you like by serenading them (haha only kidding… but really though).
Course title: MPGU 120a: Beginning Pop/Rock Guitar
School: Thornton
Course Description: Introduction to the performance technique of pop/rock guitar as well as music theory fundamentals, exploring repertoire by artists such as The Beatles and Dave Matthews.
If you love the Beatles but don’t care for learning to read notes then you can try this course too!
Course title: MPGU 126: Easy Fingerstyle Beatles
School: Thornton
Description: Techniques of classical guitar applied to the study of five to eight Beatles songs, from “Hey Jude” to “Blackbird.” No guitar or music background required.
Course title: MPKS 150a: Beginning Piano
School: Thornton
Description: Techniques of performance, note reading, and basic musicianship. Not open to music majors.
Explore the inner workings of an entrepreneurial mind. Marshall School of Business is offering an elective course that helps students understand the ideas and mindsets that fueled the most successful entrepreneurs and how you too can “take the leap”
Course title: BAEP 470: The Entrepreneurial Mindset- Taking the Leap
School: Marshall
Description: A deeper insight into the entrepreneurial mind, how it approaches opportunities and challenges and gives leadership to an organization.
Launch your startup! It seems to me that startups are launching left and right and I wonder where did they think of that? Who did they talk to? What did they do next? How is it so popular today? This Marshall elective answers all of those questions and sets prospective start up masters on the right path
Course title: BAEP 496: The Digital Startup Launchpad
School: Marshall
Description: Real-life challenge of imagining, prototyping, testing and iterating, building, pricing, marketing, distributing and selling a digital product or service.
Take a class on ballet or hip-hop! Because why not? Challenge yourself… I bet your other classes wont have a final like this!
Course title: DANC 183a:Ballet
School: Dance
Description: Beginning techniques of classical ballet consisting of basic barre and center work; basic body and arm positions, port de bras, allegro and elementary adagio.
Course title: DANC 185: Hip-Hop Dance
School: Dance
Description: Elements of Hip-Hop dance, including technique, movement, musical rhythm, tempo and phrasing required to develop the skills needed to perform this unique dance form.
