Spring 2025 Courses
a collection of official, student-led courses about unique academic topics. all courses count as electives (unless otherwise stated) and are open to all students in every college.
SPAN 197: Merengue and More: Latino Dance Lessons and Artist Study
1 Credit | Wednesday 4 PM - 5:15 PM
Designed and Instructed by Victor Frolenko & Elana Laing
About the Course
Emotions have a way of sticking to memory that most other things don’t. By incorporating exciting, artistic, and socially meaningful content, students are given something to remember. This class focuses on dance and music styles, which can then be broken down into two parts; dance instruction and lyrical analysis. Throughout the semester, students will be educated on the different Latin Social Dance styles, and the popular songs that can be danced to those styles. Students will also have the chance to connect with the community, and create artistic works of their own.
COMM 197-001: Introduction to Formula One
1 Credit | Monday 4:40 PM to 5:30 PM
Designed and Instructed by Jason Agnoli & Ayaan Umar
About the course
This course will explore the fast paced world of the pinnacle of motorsport. Students will discuss and analyze the history, science, politics, and strategy of Formula One. Whether you're a superfan or have never seen a Grand Prix, this course will cover everything you need to know to be a top fan.
Spring 2024 Student Instructors
Spring 2024 Courses
COMM 197-001: Introduction to Formula One
1 Credit | Mondays, 4:40-5:30 PM
Designed and Instructed by Chase Adler & Jason Agnoli
About the course
This course will explore the fast paced world of the pinnacle of motorsport. Students will discuss and analyze the history, science, politics, and strategy of Formula One. Whether you're a superfan or have never seen a Grand Prix, this course will cover everything you need to know to be a top fan.
HIST 197-001: Entertainment Media
1 Credit | Mondays, 3:35-4:25 PM
Designed and Instructed by Maddie Smith
About the course
In this day of age, history is told in ways other than just textbooks; in this course, we will observe how the entertainment media we consume on a daily basis inadvertently teaches us about the past.
Spring 2023 Student Instructors
Fall 2023 Courses
COMM 197-001: Introduction to Formula One
1 Credit | Mondays, 4:40-5:30 PM
Designed and Instructed by Chase Adler
About the course
This course will explore the fast paced world of the pinnacle of motorsport. Students will discuss and analyze the history, science, politics, and strategy of Formula One. Whether you're a superfan or have never seen a Grand Prix, this course will cover everything you need to know to be a top fan.
HDFS 197-001: Navigating Your 20’s
2 Credits | Mondays and Wednesdays, 1:25-2:15 PM
Designed and Instructed by Scott Rochman & Adam Turk Karan
About the course
Adulting is hard! Whether it's financial decisions, interpersonal relationships, or finding a healthy balance between work and our personal life, there are so many topics to navigate as we transition into adulthood. Join us as we learn together from guest speakers and hands-on activities and prepare for our next step in life.
CED 297-002: Exploring Sustainability in Local Food Systems
3 Credits | Fridays, 1:25-4:55 PM
Designed and Instructed by Vancie Peacock
About the course
Exploring Sustainability in Local Food Systems is a hands-on, experiential learning-based course where you will learn and practice hands-on regenerative farming at the Ross Student Farm, take a behind-the-scenes tour of Penn State’s Housing and Food Services, visit community gardens and food pantries, take a seed-saving workshop, and more!
Previous Courses
Fall 2023
HDFS 197: Navigating Your 20’s
COMM 197-002: Introduction to Formula One
CED 297-002: Exploring Sustainability in Local Food Systems
SPring 2023
HDFS 197: Navigating Your 20’s
ENG 197: Rhetoric & Rap
COMM 197-001: Bioethics in Media
COMM 197-002: Introduction to Formula One
Fall 2022
COMM 197: Introduction to Formula One
APLNG 297: The Language of the Internet
MUSIC 297: The Art of Collaboration
MUSIC 297: "Play it Again:" The Role of Music in Video Games
SPring 2022
AFAM297: Anti-Blackness in America
THEA 297: American Musical Theatre History: 9/11 to COVID-19
CAS 297: Period Talk: The Impact of Stigma on the Menstrual Equity Movement
WMNST 197: Girls on Film
PHIL 297: Capitalism and Schizophrenia
PHIL 297: Colonialism and Violence
COMM 197: Introduction to Formula One
ENGL 197: Critique and Kid Cudi: Analyzing Hip-Hop
CRIM/WMNST 197: Domestic Violence in the LGBT Community
COMM 197: Bioethics in Media
IST 297: Conversations with Interactive Media
FaLL 2021
AFAM297: Anti-Blackness in America
ANTH 197: Museum Repatriations
GER 83: Dutch Culture: Art, History, and Society
CMLIT 97: Fanfiction as a Literary Genre
AFR 297: Neocolonialism in Africa
ANTH 197: Rural-Urban Migration
ENGL 197: Abolition: For Liberation
WMNST 197: Girls on Film
ANTH 197: The Social Strategy of “Survivor”
SPRING 2021
BA 397: Act Now for a Sustainable Future
CED 497: The Impact of Drug Cartels on Development in Rural Latin America
EDUC 197: Supporting Students’ Mental Health
ENG 197: Unpacking the Cultural, Ethnic, and Racial Diversity in Disney Films
MUSIC 297: Music and the Mind: An Introduction to Music Psychology
RLST 197: The Roman Liturgy Since 1900
THEA 497: American Musical Theatre History: From 9/11 to COVID-19
WMNST 197: B.B.W.: The Miseducation and Underrepresentation of the Big Black Woman
FALL 2020
CAMS 197: Church and State in Pre-Islamic Iran
ENGL 197: The Horror of Writing
GER 83: Dutch Culture: Art, History, and Society
RSLT 197: Introduction to the Goddess
SPRING 2020
ANTH 197: Bias in the Healthcare System
CAS 197(c): Criticism and Kanye
CAS 197(d): Legal Reasoning and the LSAT
CED 497: Humane Economics
Workshop Series: Digital Product Design