When getting prepared to register for classes make sure you have a long list of general education courses you are interested in. Do your research long before your time slot to register. Classes will fill up quickly, and as a freshman or even a sophomore, the best classes are gone in a snap. Look for classes that may fill more than one general education requirement. The less of these classes you make yourself take, the more time you will have to pursue a minor, a second major, or maybe - just maybe - you'll be able to take that bowling class your senior year!
Below are several courses that have either been deemed easy, or very useful.
ADV 300 – Introduction to Advertising
Perhaps the easiest course on campus. The major bulk grade is based on five or six "projects," most of which can be completed in under an hour. Homework assignments are few and far between and are also easy to complete. Best of all, there are no tests. You don't really need to go to class, but the teacher, Steve Hall, does a very good job at keeping the course fun and interesting. Lots of watching ads and seeing guest speakers with real-world experience. One problem with this course is that you will not fulfill any gen ed requirements.
ANTH 175 - Archaeology and Pop Culture
Help fulfill what is generally the most boring General Education credits through this class which uses the Indiana Jones trilogy, The Emperor's New Groove, and other contemporary pop culture to investigate how ancient events and accomplishments are interpreted, appropriated, and represented in contemporary society. Were the Great Pyramids really built by aliens? Where does the lost city of Atlantis currently rest if it indeed existed? Answer all these questions in an entertaining class that requires only a few multiple choice and true/false tests. (History & Philosophy)
GEOG 101 - Geography of Developing Countries
The Geography of Developing Countries is another lecture/discussion based course. It is difficult to find an easier course than this one. The material in the course can be quite entertaining if you are interested in social studies and learning about other nations. The only difficult aspect of the course is the required book reading. Many students blow off the reading, which then comes back to haunt them on the otherwise easy midterm exam and final. And yes, those are the only tests for this class.
The discussion section of this course is also relatively simple and does not usually require participation. The only difficult portion of the discussion section is memorizing all of the countries in Asia, Africa, and South America. All of the other assigned homework is generally quite simple and not very time consuming.
GEOL 118 - Natural Disasters
One of many interesting classes that helps knock out a few hours from the General Education requirements. As a geology class the focus is generally on the cause, risk and outcome of earthquakes, volcanoes, and meteorites. However, the class goes beyond the science of these events to look at human interactions and our response to such disasters. And who doesn't like watching video clips of impending disasters such as lava flows and falling highways? (Physical Science)
NPRE 101 – Introduction to Energy Sources
This course is only offered in the spring and is taught by an actual professor. It satisfies Physical Sciences, and Quant Reasoning II gen-eds, which is nice. Prof. Ruzic promises on the first day of class (after his dramatic entrance) that he will blow something up each day. The class does not require much work, and tests are relatively easy if you go to class. The information learned is interesting and applicable in everyday life. This really is a course everyone should take before they graduate. (Physical Science; Quant. Reasoning II)
PHYS 140 – How Things Work
This is a class that many underclassmen take to get these requirements out of the way (if they can get in). The lectures are pretty interesting with many experiment exhibitions and all lectures are posted online. The labs are also entertaining and you can get most of your homework answered by your TA. The exams can be pretty difficult, but old exams are not hard to find and the class has a heavy curve in the end. (Physical Sciences; Quant. Reasoning II)
PHYS/GLBL 280
One of the easiest classes to get your AC requirement out of the way. It does require work, in the form of a weekly writing assignment, however going to class is not required. Attendance at the discussions gives you a 5% grade boost, plus the grading scale is 85-100 A, 70-85 B, 55-70 C. (Advanced Composition)
PSYC 100 (section X) – Intro Psych
All other sections of PSYC 100 require much more work. This is taught by a professor who clearly agrees. Five exams, all multiple choice. Experiments are required, but that is the case for all PSYC 100 classes. Also, the professor does not grade with pluses or minuses. You have to do good on the tests, but most of the people in the class receive and A or B. (Behavioral Sciences)
RST 130 – Sports Management
Another easy course for when you need to pick up some credit hours. This course examines a lot of different aspects of sports such as marketing, ownership, and simple sports economics. There is little required for this class in terms of homework and assignments. The midterm and final can be a tad challenging if you have not prepared enough, but with a little effort you can get an ‘A’.
STAT 100 (with Fireman) – Statistics
This is generally a pretty easy course. At first it is ridiculously easy, but then gets progressively harder but nothing that is not manageable. Prof. Fireman is more than willing to provide help, and all lecture notes are posted online—you do not need to go to class. At the end of the semester, you get a great deal of points for having the notes filled out. (Quant. Reasoning I)
CLCV 115 (Literature & the Arts / Western Culture)
A great class for any student to take and clear out some gen ed requirements. CLCV 115 is a 3-hour credit that involves both a lecture twice a week and a once a week discussion. The lecture portion of the class is quite entertaining and typically involves learning about one of the classic Greek Gods and a related myth involving them. The exams pertaining to the lecture section are quite simple if you remember the plots and characters in the myths. The discussion section is a bit trickier since many TA’s require participation. The discussion portion of the class also requires reading (The Illiad and The Odyssey) and a couple papers involving the two texts. While this class may seem daunting with both the lecture and discussion, the class is built for you to succeed if you put forth the necessary time and effort.
HORT 105 - Vegetable Gardening
Vegetable Gardening. Dare I say more? This course consists of a twice a week lecture and once a week lab. Vegetable Gardening, while it does not accomplish any Gen Ed requirements, is a great class to take as an upperclassmen when you are no longer burdened by Gen Eds. While the lectures may not always be exciting (each week focuses on a different type of vegetable), the class is pretty easy. There is only a midterm and a final and a portion of each is completed as a group. However, many students do not study at all for the exams and wind up paying the price.
The lab portion of the class is unlike any others and is just what you would expect, you garden. While planting seeds and observing their growth may not always seem fascinating, it is quite easy and unlike any other class you will take during your college career.
*Note- An extra credit paper is usually offered at the end of the semester. The research and write-up will not take more than a couple hours and the extra points can soften the blow if you messed up on the midterm or if you want to cruise through the final.
KIN 109 - Basketball Section
With good registration status and a prayer, you can enjoy a semester of basketball for one hour of credit. And enjoy you will. While each instructor is different, the class typically consists of a couple weeks of ‘drills’ (dribbling, lay-ups, passing, etc.) and then the rest of the semester playing games. If you are worried about your grade, then think back to how you did in PE during high school. If you were able to pass the skills tests and the easy exams back then, you can do well now. Here is a hint for a guaranteed question on the midterm: James Naismith was the inventor of basketball.
