When choosing classes for the new semester, students may become bored with the same endless lists of calculus and English literature. For those who want an added splash of color to their otherwise gray schedules, UH offers some interesting class options.
Many students in the Bauer College of Business may have heard of professor Carlos Ortega’s Entrepreneurship course, ENTR 3310. The course teaches the fundamentals of entrepreneurship in an applicable way, giving students the opportunity to think outside the box in assignments such as a flash mob on campus or gaining views via YouTube for their work. The class, available in both the fall and spring semesters, is offered to any student in the entrepreneurship program or the global business minor.
While college isn’t all fun and games, UH does offer an introductory Gaming and Casino Management class, HRMA 3357, with an ancillary course, HRMA 6357, as an elective. Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management Professor James Wortman teaches the class both semesters to all students.
Carl Lindahl offers the senior special topics seminar, Festival, Ritual, Folk and Society, ENGL 4396. This course is accessible through the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences and is offered to all students. Lindahl, a nationally recognized scholar of folklore, brings students to the ancient corners of the earth to explore and analyze folklore.
“The opportunity to study festival as a living phenomenon in the diverse cultural atmosphere of Houston is a special trait of this course. And the opportunity to look at living festivals while studying festive behavior from literary and folklore sources is a unique combination that has not, to my knowledge, been offered at other colleges,” Lindahl said.
“As a folklorist I have written books on living festivals as well as books on festive dimensions of literature, so I am excited about the opportunity to combine these complementary interests in one class.”
For wine enthusiasts of junior standing who are 21 years old and up, Professor Kevin Simon’s Wine Appreciation class, HRMA 4344, is a must-take. The class, offered in the fall and spring semesters, is the prerequisite for the California Wine Experience class, HRMA 4366, a five-day trip in May held in California’s famed Sonoma and Napa Valleys.
“(My) favorite students are the ones who know nothing about wine,” Simon said.
Simon and his students have VIP access to the area’s wineries, learning everything from soils to grape varieties, making the class a true hands-on experience.
College is about new experiences and breaking out of one’s comfort zone. There are many classes at UH that defy expectations and can teach a new skill, thrust students into new environments and give students a whole new perspective on the world around them.
