Oklahoma State University students are quite familiar with their Degree Works pages.

Each semester, they scan the degree plan and decide which required, major-related classes to take. But the electives category can present a unique challenge. Out of the many elective options, what classes sound the best?

Fortunately, OSU offers a variety of unique and intriguing courses. From video game analyses to niche historical deep-dives, there is a class for every area of interest. These off-the-beaten-path classes provide an opportunity for students to pursue new topics while honing relevant academic skills.

From Assassin's Creed to Witcher: Medievalism in the 21st Century World

Video games transport players to new worlds. Video games can also transport players to intriguing historical contexts.

By analyzing games like “Skyrim” and “Ghost of Tsushima” and shows like “The Witcher” and “Game of Thrones,” this class helps students understand how modern people interpret the medieval world. Through materials such as developer interviews, historical sources and game analyses, students consider how we understand history onscreen.

“As games have gotten more rich, they've really dug down into historical source material as inspiration,” said Dr. Emily Graham, the designer and instructor of the class. “More people are actually learning information about history from games.”

This class takes advantage of this trend by exploring the ways modern depictions of the medieval world reflect current values and movements. Whether students play video games for hours every day or have never even picked up a controller, they will analyze history through a new lens in this class.

Learn more about HIST 2413 here.

Ghosts, Gods and Monsters

Ghosts, Gods and Monsters is not your grandma’s religious studies class.

Taught by Dr. Glen Fairen, the class teaches the tools of religious studies through the lens of the weird and supernatural. From vampires to ancient Egyptian gods, the topics provide an opportunity to understand the perspectives of various religious and cultural groups.

“We are to religion what criminology is to crime,” Fairen said. “I’m not saying they exist. I’m saying this is what people claim and why that’s important.”

The class is designed to introduce students to religious studies using topics they are already passionate about. Students will obtain information they can use to confuse people at Thanksgiving, but they will also gain a better understanding of how cultures throughout history interpret the balance between good and evil.

Learn more about REL 2213 here.

Popular Fiction

This iteration of Popular Fiction, called Epic Heroes Now and Then from Odysseus to Arthur, brings students into the worlds of the famed classical heroes.

“These stories are resilient, versatile and adaptable, and have stayed with us through all of these different cultural shifts, throughout all of these years,” said Dr. Ryan Slesinger, teaching assistant professor of English. “I hope to provide an opportunity to explore what these heroes tell us about the time in which they were first written down, and how artists in our time use those characters in varying ways to tell us something about the present.”

By analyzing sources like “Epic the Musical,” “The Odyssey,” and “Gawain and the Green Knight,” students will delve deeper into the stories that have long fascinated audiences while gaining analytical skills and deepening their understanding of today’s literature and culture.

Learn more about ENGL 2393 here.

The Story of Lizzie Borden: Axe Murder in American Culture

True-crime enthusiasts have long debated whether Lizzie Borden, though acquitted, actually murdered her father and stepmother with an axe in 1892.

This seminar, offered by the Honors College, goes beyond that dispute to explore why this fascination exists in the first place. The story has been adapted across numerous genres and media (such as poetry, ballet and film), providing fertile ground to discuss the gendered stereotypes and tensions that made the Lizzie Borden case infamous. Through these retellings, students explore the ways the cultural anxieties that shaped the case remain influential today.

“I try not to make the class about whether she did it, or even about why,” said Dr. Stephanie Miller, the class’s instructor. “It’s about why we make up these stories about if and why she did it? Why are we so obsessed with Lizzie Borden?”

Learn more about HONR 2073 here.

Video Game Music

A lot goes into creating a video game, including the background music. Video Game Music explores the idea that music might not simply be decoration.

This class, which is open to non-music majors, gives students the opportunity to analyze the music from the video games they love. They will learn how a game’s atmosphere and appeal can be heavily influenced by intentional musical choices that are distinct to the video game genre.

According to Dr. Igor Karača, professor in the Greenwood School of Music, students enjoy “exploring music and other elements of the game that they never before were aware of as a standalone element. They always take it for granted, but then they realized that part of why they like these games so much is music.”

Whether they be gamers, music enthusiasts or simply in search of a fun class, students will learn to enjoy music from a new perspective.

Learn more about MUSI 3593 here.

International Wine & Culture

Business dinners, book clubs and church services have a common component — wine. But wine is more than just a culinary staple. It is the product of meticulous cultivation, a window into different cultures and the subject of International Wine & Culture.

The class, open to students over 21, goes beyond wine tasting.

“Wine sort of provides a window into the culture and history of different places and people around the world, and that's part of what makes wine fun,” said Dr. Matthew Coyne, a sommelier who is one of the instructors.

Coyne’s favorite part of the class is watching students experience wine in a new way.

“They're a little bit more in the moment, a little more focused on the wine, a little more thoughtful about it. In my experience, they end up learning more and enjoying wine more,” he said.

International Wine & Culture gives students the opportunity to both appreciate new wines and gain an appreciation for the beverage’s cultural and social value.

Learn more about HTM 4723 here.

The World Through Film

Most people don’t need an excuse to watch movies. But it is nice to find a way to make them productive.

The World Through Film provides that advantage. It is an introduction to the history and character of all the languages offered at OSU, an opportunity to practice writing and an excuse to watch great movies.

“The part I really enjoy is that we can watch high-quality filmmaking and then turn it into something productive for the students,” said Dr. Matthew O’Neill, the class’s instructor.

By watching movies like “Motorcycle Diaries,” “Relatos Salvajes” and “Gladiator,” students will watch great cinema from around the world, practice writing and gain a greater world language awareness.

Learn more about LL 113 here.

History of Rock and Roll

Ever wondered about the music your parents listen to?

History of Rock and Roll explores the origin, development and legacy of the beloved genre. The class is open to music and non-music majors. Students will study bands like the Beatles, but they will also dive deeper into the lesser-known players that formed the genre.

This class also explores rock and roll as a window into cultural movements.

“Music is influenced by many different cultures,” said Dr. Mark Perry, associate professor in the Greenwood School of Music. “It didn't exist in a bubble. It didn't exist in a vacuum. So we have to recognize what influenced it and pay homage to that.”

In History of Rock and Roll, students will gain a better understanding of the influences and innovations that shaped the music they know and love today.

Learn more about MUSI 2763 here.

French Culinary Staples

Many people have watched “Ratatouille” and become fascinated by French food.

While French Culinary Staples (thankfully) does not involve any talking rats, it does give students the opportunity to explore the facets of French food and culinary traditions.

It also serves as a foot in the door to French language classes. Students will learn new French words and concepts within the context of food production and consumption.

Students will explore foods like cheeses, wines and breads, and analyze the marketing and consumption habits that distinguish the French culinary experience.

According to Laurielle Prema, lecturer of French, the class gives students “a new perspective on not only another culture but also their own.”

By taking this class, students can join the “Ratatouille” characters in enjoying French food and culture.

Learn more about LL 2503 here.

Story By: Adrienne Frye | adrienne.frye@okstate.edu