Share
As undergraduate registration approaches, whether you’re looking to satisfy a Core Curriculum credit or major requirement, or just want to try something new, there are a wide array of classes offered this fall. From friendship and mindfulness, to art and metalworking, here are just a handful of classes to explore before locking in your schedule:
PHIL 288: Culture and Civilization: Friendship, Romance, and Technology
Instructor: Peter Bergeron, lecturer in the Department of Philosophy
What does it mean to truly connect with someone in today’s world? Peter Bergeron’s course explores how relationships are shaped and impacted by technology, and examines the nature, causes, and potential future development of human culture. The course counts toward Tier 2 Philosophical Knowledge credit.
For Bergeron, understanding the importance of friendships early in life guides his approach to the class. “As an undergrad, the value of vibrant friendship was cemented in my experience and understanding,” he said. “Since then, friendship and the practices that sustain it, have been at the center of my personal and professional reflections. It’s clear that our contemporary technological culture itself shapes practices that impact our relationships.”
“Much of our lives consists in what we choose to give our attention to,” Bergeron said. “I hope my students come to see how important attention is for flourishing relationships and finding the motivation to reclaim it as a central practice in their daily lives.”
EXCM 112: Yoga and Mindfulness Activity Lab
Instructor: Stacey Lane
Practice yoga, meditation, and mindfulness with instructor Stacey Lane. In this elective course, students have the opportunity to learn about mental and physical well-being and develop proper techniques for yoga postures.
“The course explores the rich, ancient foundations of yoga alongside its modern, evidence-based applications in health and wellness,” Lane said. “To create a dynamic and supportive learning environment, we’ve incorporated unique elements such as sessions with a therapy dog and outdoor yoga flow practices that connect students with nature. My hope is to provide students with tools that support resilience, self-awareness, and balance as they navigate both the challenges and joys of life.”
EXCM 125: Faith, Sports, and Fitness
Instructor: Jaylon Joyner, adjunct instructor in the Department of Exercise Science
Exploring identity, spirituality, and current events, Jaylon Joyner’s exercise physiology class covers the relationship between sports and faith. The Engaged Learning course uses historical context and a theological approach to examine ways to connect the mind, body, and spirit.
Joyner said he teaches Faith, Sports, & Fitness because “those three areas were never meant to be separated but are meant to work together to shape the whole person.”
“My favorite thing about teaching this class is that I get to teach students from a variety of different backgrounds,” he said. “Some students are student-athletes, bodybuilders, fitness fanatics, and regular students who are simply interested in learning more about the topic.”
FNAR 123: Metalwork and Jewelry I
Instructor: Susan Franker, instructor in Fine Arts in Jewelry
In Susan Franker’s Metalwork and Jewelry I course, students learn how to shape metals, express ideas, and use hand tools. As a popular fine arts elective, this class often appeals to students interested in design, jewelry construction, and art.
For Franker, the interest in jewelry making started early.
“I got into metalwork and jewelry with my grandfather when I was young and was fascinated with stones and shiny objects,” she said. “I hope students gain problem-solving skills and a creative outlet they take with them in the future. I love seeing the challenge the students face working with new tools and equipment and their satisfaction of creating something beautiful from those skills.”
BIOL 110: Liberal Arts Biology
Instructor: Michael Burns, associate professor in the Department of Biology
Appreciation for science isn’t just limited to science majors. Taught by Michael Burns, this Tier 2 science class made specifically for non-science majors covers topics ranging from AI to extraterrestrial life to the bacteria growing under your desk.
“The class starts with the stories that surround us and questions that regular people have (e.g. should I worry about microplastics in my food?, what’s actually going on with climate change? etc.) and works backward from there to cover specific biological content,” Burns said. “At the end of the class, my hope is that students leaving will be more informed and curious citizen scientists.”
CLST 272: Heroes & the Classical Epics
Instructor: Edith Livermore, lecturer in the Department of Classical Studies
Edith Livermore teaches a Tier 2 Literary Knowledge class focused on classical heroes and ancient epics. Following the significance of heroes in ancient epics and their reflection of audience values, CLST 272 explores what it means to be a hero and what that says about society.
According to Livermore, “this class embodies the very heartbeat of human communication throughout the ages.” Not only does she feel passionately about the topic, but she has found “that every student who takes this course finds that he or she or they enjoy it, find it deeply meaningful, and most of all learn more about themselves and their sacred place in our shared humanity.”
ANTH 317: Explore Chicago: Research in Culture and History
Instructor: Noah Butler, teaching professor in the Department of Anthropology and director of the Ricci Scholars Program
Want to learn more about the city Loyola calls “home”? Noah Butler’s Writing Intensive and Engaged Learning anthropology class examines the culture, history, diversity, and community across Chicago’s neighborhoods. With a focus on practicing research and experiential learning, students can receive their writing intensive and engaged learning credits with this course.
“What better way to learn about Chicago than by being in Chicago, to learn about Anthropology than by doing Anthropology,” Butler said. “The course weaves together historical, social, and cultural perspectives, focusing on neighborhoods as important sites of everyday life.”
Explore the course catalog to find more classes available at Loyola and review the registration access schedule to ensure a smooth registration.
