The University of Tennessee has a wide array of electives offered to students in a vast number of topics and majors. With registration open, planning for the spring 2026 semester has already begun.
Listed below are 10 courses for students considering adding something fun and unique to a busy class schedule.
History of Rock — MUCO 120
MUCO 120, also known as History of Rock is a course offered through the Musicology catalog. It is a course centered around the study of rock music, diving into the history that is linked to blues, folk, rock and roll and so on. It is offered both in person and online, and similar courses, such as the History of Country Music class, are offered within the department as well.
American Sign Language — ASL 111
ASL 111 is the elementary level course for American Sign Language. Sign language is a very useful life skill to have, and UT offers many sections for students to take. The classes are smaller sections because they are conducted fully through sign language, giving students access to a more immersive environment. Language is a valuable tool, and this course offers many ways to learn ASL, including videos and immersive lessons.
Grand Theft America — HIST 150
HIST 150 sparked national coverage this year when it was announced that the course would be using the popular video game Grand Theft Auto to explore the history of the United States. While students will not be playing GTA as part of the curriculum, the class will be framed around using the game’s content to understand American history post-Ronald Reagan election in 1980. Themes explored will include immigration and gun culture. The course will be taught by Professor Tore Olsson, who alsotaught a similar class using the video game Red Dead Redemption II.
World Mythology and Greek Mythology — CLAS 224 and CLAS 221
World Mythology is a course number CLAS 224, and Early Greek Mythology is CLAS 221. World Mythology focuses on ancient mythology from numerous locations, such as Greek and Roman myth, Norse mythology and Indian mythology. The myths center around ideas of creation, heroes, lessons and how these stories are adapted. Early Greek Mythology is focused on Greek mythology and class readings typically tie into “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey.” These courses explore the many myths tied to modern ideas.
World Foods — NUTR 216
World Foods is fully online. This course is different from the typical nutrition class — part of the course is to cook different recipes that tie into the ingredients learned throughout the course. Students learn about the culture of different foods and ingredients, the history of dishes and the nutritional value. It is a project-based course, and the recipes you choose to make closely tie into your work.
Introduction to Jane Austen — ENGL 209
Students who enjoy reading and historical writing would find interest in this class, as its focus is around Jane Austen and her work. Jane Austen is a well-known English novelist, with some of her most famous works being “Sense and Sensibility”, Pride and Prejudice” and “Emma.” The class has often brought her work to life by hosting regency era dance classes and viewing adaptations of her novels.
Scuba Diving — PYED 261
Different from a lot of other PYED classes, this class goes beyond learning. This course goes through safety precautions whilst in the water and students can receive their National Association of Underwater Instructors certification at the completion of the course. This class typically only meets once a week, and there is an optional trip offered through the course.
Sports
There are many sports available for classes in the PYED offered when searching through the class catalog. PYED includes activities such as rock climbing, golf, basketball, volleyball, pickleball, ice skating and martial arts. A perk to these classes is that most, if not all, of them take place in the Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Building, even for sports like golf and ice skating. There are many sports to choose from, and the coursework is typically centered around understanding and playing the sport.
Introduction to Pottery — ARTN 222
The School of Art offers courses for non-major students that are introductory courses focused on learning techniques. Introduction to pottery art is one of the classes offered for students who are not art majors. Students learn the pottery process, from wheel techniques for shaping, to glazing and using the kiln to fire the sculptures. Some similar courses offered at introductory levels are painting and drawing.
Photojournalism — JMED 390
Photojournalism is a photography course aimed at teaching students all there is to know about cameras. Students will learn basic camera techniques and the history of photojournalism. Much of the class is hands-on, involving work with cameras, which allows students to learn the concepts behind photography.
