Throughout their time at university, most students encounter ‘that one course’ that changed the way they think about things, or maybe even changed their entire degree or career path.
I’ve experienced this before, which made me curious about what ‘that one course’ was for other students, specifically those pursuing different studies. Let’s take a look!
For me, that course was SOCI 3150. I completed the first two years of my degree as a philosophy minor until I changed to sociology, and I was initially unsure about the change. After 3150, I knew I had made the right decision because it was the perfect mix of philosophy and sociological perspective, both of which I really enjoy.
This course made me realize my interests were broader than I ever anticipated, and I even started doing research into Sociology grad schools. This was definitely not in my mind when I began my degree, so I’m really thankful for it.
I have to give a special shoutout to CMST 4000, another fascinating course that made my head spin. This course taught topics such as conspiracy theories, surveillance, privacy, algorithms, and propaganda. Even a year after taking this course, I still think about it all the time, and it really changed the way I view the world.
Haley Winsor, who completed her BSc in 2023, majoring in neuroscience and minoring in biology, said PSYC 3650.
“It gave me a new perspective about mental health that I really appreciated,” she says. “It provided me with ample opportunity to reflect and achieve a greater understanding of various mental health disorders.”
Winsor also mentioned PSYC 3840, stating that “As students, stress is something that we all experience quite regularly, so being able to learn more about it was very interesting for me.” (So true)
Ciara Ivany, who completed her BA in Political Science in 2022, said GNDR 3500.
She says it gave her a new point of view on reproductive justice, as well as a crucial outlook on feminist healthcare approaches and gendered health issues.
“I loved 3500 because it really meshed with my interests and the topics I was focusing on in my major, but it also gave me a new perspective,” she says. “I learned so much and the content was so relevant to current political issues.”
Maria Dunphy, pursuing a BSc in Nursing, said NURS 2002. She emphasizes how interesting the material was as well as how the course was taught. She learned vital skills such as organized note-taking and study methods that she found helpful in other courses.
Karoline Keating, pursuing a BSc, majoring in Biology and minoring in Psychology, said SCI/GNDR 2001.
“This was a super interactive online course with the perfect blend of flexibility and engagement,” she says. “The content was relevant and eye-opening, especially for STEM students.”
“It gave me a new appreciation towards the impact of women in science and their struggles within a male-dominated field. It made me think twice about how I picture a ‘scientist,’ and how grateful I am to be in a university with so many female scientists.”
Anna Feehan, pursuing a BSc in Psychology also said SCI/GNDR 2001, stating that it is the best course she has taken in her degree.
“It’s an important course I think everyone should take,” she says. “It taught about women scientists throughout history and the struggles they faced, highlighting the prevalence of male scientists in the current curriculum, how hard it has been for female scientists over the years, and despite the fantastic discoveries women have made, the fact that we still do not hear their names or learn about them in our classes. It was really eye-opening.”
Emma Dillon, pursuing a BA majoring in Geography and minoring in Psychology, said GEOG 2195. She initially planned to major in Education, however, she enjoyed this course so much that she subsequently switched majors.
“This course was hands-on with little test-taking, which perfectly aligns with my learning style,” she says. “It also got me interested in cartography as a career option, something I didn’t even know I was interested in before taking this course, so it really changed a lot for me.”
Emily Newman, pursuing a BSW (Bachelor of Social Work), said SCWK 2320.
This was a heavy hands-on learning course where a standardized patient was hired for students to interview and counsel. Newman emphasizes the important interview skills she learned during these mock interview sessions, such as when to use silence effectively, explaining the limits of confidentiality, and using open-ended questions. This course was self-graded, and she claims that the tendency to be one’s worst critic allowed her and her classmates ample opportunity for reflection and improvement.
“These are skills I will use as a social worker, but also things I have used and look for daily,” she says. “This course taught me a lot about how I communicate with others. I was initially uncomfortable with things like direct eye contact and silence usage when I began my interviews. This practice has made these concepts more natural to me, and I know that these skills can help grow your relationship and comfort level with a service user, client, or anyone you interact with.”
Martha King, pursuing a BEng in Mechanical Engineering, said ME 8407.
King always had an interest in sustainability and issues of climate change, and this course perfectly meshed her interests with her studies. As well, she was already interested in working in the renewable energy industry, and this course further solidified it.
“The class has a great mix of technical knowledge of different sustainable energy technologies, but we’ve also been looking at different emissions scenario projections, what those mean in terms of increases in global temperatures, climate change, and the energy transition required to meet the different projections,” she says. “Overall, really interesting stuff!”
Well, that was fun!
It’s interesting to see the varying opinions of students in different studies’ learning styles and interests, from hands-on learning to test-taking to heavy reading and writing courses. This is one of the best aspects of university for me, as my courses are fully catered to my interests.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when the semester is in full swing; if you feel bogged down with your workload, ‘that one course’ can make all the difference in the quality of your term, so it’s nice to take a moment to reflect on these positives.
Have a course to shout out? Email me at olharrhy@mun.ca!
