Coolest classes at Carthage
12 classes you didn’t know you could take at ǿմý
College is the time to explore all of your interests — and that doesn’t stop at clubs, sports, and activities! At Carthage, you can take classes that you might not have known existed. Whether you want to learn about ballet, game development, or insects, Carthage has you covered. Here is a list of 12 of the coolest classes offered at Carthage.
1. Choral Pedagogy for Instrumentalists
In Choral Pedagogy for Instrumentalists, students are taught an overview of methods and materials for teaching vocal music. The course works to provide students with classroom experience through choral classroom observations.
“My favorite class so far has been Choral Pedagogy for Instrumentalists, which is taught by Professor Peter Dennee. As someone who has never been in a choir before, this class teaches about the fundamentals of a choir classroom and relates it to many of the familiar principles in a band classroom. It allows us to sing in a very supportive environment. I find it very interesting learning about the many components that go into teaching choir, and I am glad I am taking this class. It is helping me feel more prepared for a future in teaching.” — Madison Bazylewicz ’26, music and music education major
2. Entomology
Are you looking to get hands-on experience when it comes to the study of arthropods? Then the Entomology course is perfect for you! This lab studies of the structure, function, life cycles, economic impact, and taxonomic classification and identification of arthropods, with an emphasis on insects. The course comprises lectures, labs, field trips, and insect collection.
“I’m taking Entomology, a class focused on the study of insects, and it’s a blast. Most people are afraid of bugs, but it’s truly fascinating how different they are from us. I’m also interested in the invertebrate side of paleontology, so learning about the modern analogs of prehistoric invertebrates is very helpful.” — Maverick Leer ’26, biology major
3. Game Development I
Students interested in learning the craft of game development and creating their own games should take Game Development I! Reaching far beyond the multibillion-dollar gaming industry, the lessons of video game development increasingly translate to disparate fields requiring simulation, training, and easy-to-use interfaces. Students are introduced to the game development and design process and will build games representative of various genres.
“Game Development I has to be my favorite class so far. It was the first experience I’d ever had working with a game engine, so I was always so excited to go to class and learn more about Unity. Getting your game to work and then being able to play it is such a unique and fun experience.” — Matty Michel ’26, computer science and game development major
4. Geology of the National Parks
In Geology of National Parks, students learn about highlights of geological features in U.S. National Parks formed by igneous activity, mountain building and uplift, glaciation, weathering and erosion, wave action, and groundwater, as well as human impacts on sustaining national parks.
“My favorite class here so far was the Geology of the National Parks with Professor Joy Mast. I absolutely love the national parks here in the U.S., and I love rocks, so a class that I got to spend each day learning about those two topics in tandem was perfect for me. The class allowed us to explore around 40 national parks, and how they each changed and formed since the earth began to become the natural beauties that they are today. While being centered on geology, the class is still very accessible to anyone outside of the geoscience major.” — Josh Maraldo ’26, geoscience major
5. Introduction to Healthcare Professionals
Introduction to Healthcare Professionals focuses on the different aspects of the healthcare field. Through professional conversations and the exploration of career pathways, students learn about what career works best for them.
“This class and the insightful talks from healthcare professionals helped me explore different career paths and solidified my decision to become a physician assistant. Hearing firsthand experiences and advice from professionals in the field gave me a clearer understanding of what to expect and what steps to take moving forward. It was an incredibly valuable experience that provided clarity and motivation for my future career.” — Fedor Barilov ’27, allied health science major
6. Introduction to International Relations
Those interested in global powers and how they interact with one another, Introduction to International Relations is for you! This course is open to all students and offers an introduction to the major concepts and theories in international politics and their application to the events of the postwar world, particularly the Cold War and the North-South conflict. Attention is also given to disruptive forces in the international community, such as the nuclear arms race and ethnic conflict, as well as those forces that contribute to world order.
“My favorite class at Carthage so far has been Introduction to International Relations with Professor Jeffrey Roberg. Prof. Roberg also heads the Model UN, so having him in class helps build on my knowledge of the world and its many factors. I won’t lie, this class is incredibly challenging as it is all new subject content, but his humor and evident love for the topic give me the inspiration I need to complete the coursework. It is definitely a pleasure to be in his class.” — Lorin Bucur ’26, international political economy, Chinese, and finance major
7. Issues of Living and Dying
Death isn’t something that most students think they will study in college, but Issues of Living and Dying will give you the opportunity to think about death and life in a holistic and logical way. In this class, you will focus on issues such as definitions of death, views of suffering, and the grief process. You’ll be pushed to come to your own conclusion as to how death should be viewed, and you can be assured that you will come out of Issues of Living and Dying with a new perspective on life.
“My favorite class so far would be Issues in Living and Dying. In this class, we were able to have candid discussions about death and how to support people in grief, which I think are very important skills and outlooks that can be overlooked. I’m a people-person, so I love to have a discussion about how people think!” — , English and religion major
8. Law and Economics
An interactive course for those interested in the legal side of economics, Law and Economics is an examination of how economic concepts and modeling can be applied to help determine the justification for, and the effects of, various types of laws and contractual arrangements. The problems posed by externalities and other market failure arising in resource, labor, and product markets are discussed, and the legal framework and regulatory environment for addressing these issues is surveyed so alternative approaches might be evaluated.
“Law and Economics has been my favorite class at Carthage so far. We spent the whole semester doing research and writing up a legal memo on real issues that need to be addressed now, and we did so in a very interesting and fun way. I got to learn about a lot of very interesting and pressing issues, and taking this class really opened my eyes to a lot of different subjects I hadn’t really thought about before.” — Colin Graham ’26, economics major
9. Modern Caribbean: From Pirates to the Cuban Missile Crisis
Modern Caribbean: From Pirates to the Cuban Missile Crisis teaches the history of the Caribbean from 1492 to the present. Students discuss important topics such as the Encounter, the Haitian Revolution, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and other contemporary issues in the region.
“Modern Caribbean was my first history class at Carthage and fulfilled the Latin American history course requirement for the major. From Blackbeard to Toussaint Louverture to Fidel Castro, I was able to learn a lot about the Caribbean and form questions for future learning.” — Marcus Lemons ’27, history major
10. Molecules, Cells, and Organisms
This combined lecture and lab is for first-year biology majors and provides them with hands-on original research experience. The course covers biological content from molecules, cells, and whole organisms within an evolutionary framework; research skills appropriate to the research focus; the generation and analysis of data; and presentation of the results for the larger scientific community. The content includes topics such as molecular structures and characteristics, cellular components and functions, gene expression, energy capture and transformation, homeostasis, repair, reproduction, and processes of evolution at these scales.
“I absolutely loved Molecules, Cells, and Organisms, which included the Phage Hunters Lab. This lab was such a fun and unique experience. We began the semester with the sole goal of discovering phage in a soil sample. Bacteriophage is a type of virus that infects a bacterial host cell to replicate and consists of three main parts: head, tail, and tail fibers. Our research specifically hoped to gain high titer lysate from Arnie. We also anticipated extracting large amounts of DNA from our high-titer lysate. The goal was to extract enough DNA to be used in further research on Arnie.” — Emily Chong ’27, biology major
11. Music Theatre Techniques I: Song Analysis
Music Theatre Techniques I: Song Analysis is for students interested in singer-actor performances. The course provides foundational instruction in music theatre performance skills: character development and portrayal, scene study, and audition skills. Students study the history and context of music theatre through the study of performances and develop as performers through this study.
“Music Theatre Techniques with Professor Matthew Hougland has been my favorite. The energy in the class is always so high, and it’s always so fun watching my peers perform in the class. Everyone is always so positive in that class and helps build each other up whenever someone feels down about their performance. I just love the positivity that is always in that class!” — Emma Facault-Miller ’27, musical theatre major
12. Stop Motion Animation
Stop Motion Animation teaches students the basics of animation. By learning the basics of stop motion animations, students create their own animations and learn to use unique materials like paper and clay to create their work.
“My favorite class was Stop Motion Animation. Not only did we make incredible art in that class, but I also learned about more early and traditional forms of animation. The best part was the community of artists we built in that room — a group of peers who have seen each other grow and were excited to see what happened next.” — S. Heard ’27, game development and studio art major