The Coolest Classes at Emory

Emory University is known for its academic excellence across several fields, but perhaps it’s best known for its research in the health sciences. But did you know that Emory offers a wealth of academic experiences that include liberal arts, pop culture, social sciences and performance?

In this blog post, we’ll review a few cool classes you may take during your academic career at Emory University.

The Globalization of Gospel Music

With roots firmly planted in African musical traditions, the gospel sound has resonated through both sacred and secular artists. The profound influence of Black sound has shaped the very fabric of American popular music.

This course (MUS_OX 213), which is offered through Emory’s Oxford College, delves into the history of gospel, exploring how communication ignites social engagement through symbolic forms. It traces the genre’s journey from church sanctuaries to city neighborhoods and hip-hop stages, spotlighting the artists who have forged these multi-genre connections.

Literature and Video Games

This course (GER 277) will make you see two areas in a very different light. Students set off on an exploration of three seminal literary movements from the past two centuries – detective fiction, realism, and modernism – and examine how their structures are adapted by contemporary digital games.

Armed with a deep understanding of these literary masterworks and their modern gaming counterparts, students develop their own narrative-driven games, allowing them to push the boundaries of storytelling in the digital age.

Special Topics: Fundamentals in Moral Leadership

Beyond the health sciences, Emory is known for its tradition of moral leadership, volunteerism and community outreach. This course (IDS 385) provides students with a comprehensive introduction to moral leadership, exploring how it translates into real-world applications.

At its core, this course aims to help students identify and build upon their inherent leadership abilities, equipping them with invaluable skills for self-development that will serve them throughout their lives–no matter what academic or career path they choose. By exploring moral leadership in depth, students will gain a deeper understanding of what it means to lead with integrity.

Future of Specialty Coffee

Offered at the Goizueta Business School, this course (OAM 464) allows students to explore the interplay between markets on the one hand, and culture and society on the other. This course focuses on a connected set of issues that define the past, present, and future of the global specialty coffee market.

This course dives into everything from where coffee comes from, the wages people earn to grow and process the beans, to the practices that are used to cultivate the coffee plants that house those beans. As an optional supplement, students have the opportunity to join professor Peter Roberts on a trip to Guatemala to gain firsthand insight into sustainable coffee production.

Academic Study Abroad

Emory’s semester abroad programs (OISP 990A) offers three options: full immersion, island-style, and a hybrid of the two. Full immersion allows students to enroll directly in a local university, allowing them to experience the host culture. The island-style experience provides a more familiar setting, where students take courses alongside other U.S. students. The hybrid option blends elements of both, offering a balance between cultural integration and familiarity.

Regardless of the chosen program, students will have the opportunity to enroll in a full course load, earning a minimum of 15 Emory credits. Perhaps most significantly, students can utilize their full financial aid, ensuring that this experience remains accessible–no matter where in the world they might go.

Freshman Seminar: Contemplate, Create, Debate

Perhaps you want to dive into the arts in a whole new way–or maybe you’ve always appreciated the disciplines. Most importantly, students will have the unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience across diverse artistic genres, including music, theater, visual arts, and dance.

By the semester’s end, students will emerge with a profound understanding of the relationship between artistic expression, philosophical inquiry, and contemporary discourse, allowing them to forge their own paths as informed creators in modern society.

Come visit!

Ready to check out Emory University and learn more about its unique course offerings? You can visit in-person or virtually through guided or self-guided tours. To find out how, go to our Admission page.