Upcoming Arts Courses You Don’t Want to Miss
Don’t miss these Fall 2022 and Winter 2023 gems.
Being an Arts student at the University of Alberta gives you a lot of freedom to take courses outside of your major/minor program. There are tons of different departments/programs with interesting and diverse subjects to study under the umbrella of our Faculty, BUT you can only claim 120 credits total for your entire degree. Thankfully though, with so many interesting subjects, you’re bound to find some specific courses that feel perfectly catered to your interests and timetable.
Today we figured we’d share some courses that our Faculty of Arts team and the folks from our various departments are super excited about. They’re all coming up in the Fall 2022 and Winter 2022 Terms so you should be able to register for them right now if you’re a currently enrolled student!
Title: Economics of Religion
Instructor: Junaid Jahangir
Dates + Times: Tuesdays from 6:00 PM — 9:00 PM
If you read the title of this course and thought “huh? how are religion and economics related at all?”, just enroll in this course. Seriously, you’ll thank us later.
“Religion continues to maintain its influence in our socio-economic and political spheres; this course will evaluate rational choice models of Economics to explain why this is. We will investigate the impacts of religion on economic development and on the economics of the family. This course will complement students’ studies in the sociology, psychology, theology, or history of religion.”
Title: Futures Studies
Instructor: Junaid Jahangir
Dates + Times: Tuesdays from 6:00 PM — 9:00 PM
Wow, a course all about the future, that’s amazing! Oh wait, this course is about Future*s*, that’s even cooler! Futures refer to the broad practice of predicting changes in economic and material conditions, and can be applied to anything from investments to the mass-production of physical goods.
“You can use your education to push for meaningful change in the world! An interdisciplinary approach to current issues, including climate change, economic inequality, pandemics, and conspiracy theories. Students will learn about planning for surprises, trends for plausible futures, and strategies to achieve goals for desired futures through advocacy and policy change. No prerequisites needed!”
Title: Behavioural and Experimental Economics
Instructor: Valentina Kozlova
Dates + Times: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 AM — 12:20 PM
“Introduction to experimental methods in economics, with focus on laboratory studies of economic behaviour. Prerequisites: ECON 109, ECON 281 and 299 or equivalent.”
Title: History of Alchemy in South Asia
Instructor: Dagmar Wujastyk
Dates + Times: Tuesdays from 11:00 AM — 1:50 PM
“Explore the history of alchemy in South Asia, from the writings of medieval alchemists to the role of alchemical thought in public health care today.”
Title: The History of East Asian Pop Culture
Instructor: Brian Gold
Dates + Times: Wednesdays from 2:00 PM — 4:50 PM
“Pop culture permeates global culture. Common pop culture categories are visual entertainment (movies, TV), music, comics, games, and sports. The last half century has seen the rise of distinctive Japanese, Korean, and Chinese global pop culture. This includes Japanese “cute culture”, manga, the “Korean wave” (including BTS, Squid Game, etc.), and HK martial art cinema. Starting in Edo Japan, this course will trace the history of the development and influence of pop culture across the region, and its increasingly global “soft power” influence.”
Title: Introduction to Sanskrit
Instructor: Dagmar Wujastyk
Dates + Times: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 9:30 AM — 10:20 AM
This course is the perfect starting point for anyone who is looking to learn Sanskrit without any prior experience, and can help fulfill your Arts language requirement along with SANSK 202! Join a supportive learning environment and explore the beauty of the Sanskrit language which has existed and thrived for thousands of years.
Title: Mock-Documentary: Fakes and Fictions from Orson Welles to YouTube
Instructor: Florian Mundhenke
Dates + Times: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 AM — 10:20 AM
Normally, in academia, one often deals with the separation (and separate development) of fractal and fictional texts. This seminar wants to go in a queer direction and devote itself to the confusions, overlaps, and hybridizations of these two spheres. It involves many different media and forms of representation from the beginnings of Orson Welles’ radio play War of the Worlds to iconic mockumentaries such as This is Spinal Tap and The Blair Witch Project to new forms of fake video blogging (e.g., loneygirl15).
Title: Daoism and Chinese Civilization
Instructor: Daniel Fried
Dates + Times: No scheduled time yet.
This course will explore the origins and ideas of Daoism, as well as its influence on historical and modern Chinese society. Note that this course will be delivered fully online, so if you’re looking for an interesting and informative course that will fit neatly into your schedule this is your best bet!
“Daoism is a philosophy, a religion, and a way of life that arose in the 6th century BCE in what is now the eastern Chinese province of Henan. It has strongly influenced the culture and religious life of China and other East Asian countries ever since.” (source)
Title: Japanese Language and Society
Instructor: Yoshi Ono
Dates + Times: Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:00 PM — 7:20 PM
Those who have only ever spoken one language rarely need to consider the ways that they may include or exclude particular words, phrases, dialects, and more in conversation or written communications with others. In this course, learners will explore the ways that language intersects with Japanese society, and how, in this context, settings like business or LGBTQ communities may differ. This is a late evening class, so those who may work during the day will be able to comfortably attend even after a break for dinner!
Title: Buddhist Art and Visual Culture
Instructor: Walter Davis
Dates + Times: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:00 PM — 3:20 PM
All about Buddhist art and visual culture, this East Asian Studies course fuses concepts from that discipline and History of Art, Design, and Visual Culture to provide a unique experience for students. Also note that if you’ve completed at one course in EASIA, HADVC, or another humanities discipline at the 200+ level you can have this course’s prerequisites waived! Woohoo!
Title: Modern Japanese Literature in Translation
Instructor: William Carroll
Dates + Times: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:00 PM — 3:20 PM
In the western world, modern writers like Stephen King or George R. R. Martin are household names for their works of written fiction, but have you heard of world-renowned Japanese writers such as Murakami Haruki or Yoshimoto Banana? If not (and honestly even if you have), consider enrolling in EASIA 346! This course is a must for literature lovers, and will give you a better grasp of the modern Japanese literature landscape.
Title: Landscape & Soundscape in East Asian Cultures
Instructor: Jeffrey Roberts
Dates + Times: Mondays from 2:00 PM — 4:50 PM
Interested in learning about landscape and soundscape in East Asian cultures? Check out EASIA 429 offered in Fall 2022! Explore Daoist and Buddhist aesthetics and their influence on music, painting and poetry in Chinese and Japanese traditional arts. Learn about the creative process by practicing it in class using technology and field recordings to create compositions using local Alberta soundscapes. No music or technology background required!
Title: Religions of Asia in Media
Instructor: Patricia Sauthoff
Dates + Times: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 3:00 PM — 3:50 PM
“Literature, film, art, textiles, music, and entertainment have long shaped religion through the transmission of ideas, teachings, and other messages. We will explore Asian religions through historical and contemporary culture to gain fresh perspectives on traditions and the study of religion.”
Title: Introduction to Methodology, Theory and Practice of Classical Archaeology
Instructor: Margriet Haagsma
Dates + Times: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 AM — 10:50 PM
Although this is another archaeology-related course that won’t let you live out your gun-slinging Indiana Jones fantasies, it will give you some really amazing background around how classical archaeology was conducted and how it shapes our current understanding of archaeology as a field!
“Classical archaeology is the study of the material culture — the artifacts, sites, monuments, and landscapes — of the ancient Mediterranean world. While we focus principally on the civilizations of Greece and Rome, other areas, notably Egypt and the Near East, can also form an important part of the concentration.” (source)
Title: Roman History
Instructor: Christopher Mackay
Dates + Times: Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays from 11:00 AM — 11:50 AM
“The roman empire was the most successful multi-ethnic empire in antiquity, stretching from Scotland to Iraq, from Mauretania to Romania. Find out how the system succeeded for four hundred years, and then collapsed within a few deceased. Not open to students with credit in CLASS 281, 378 or 379.”
Title: The Art of Roman Britain
Instructor: Kelsey Koon
Dates + Times: Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:00 AM — 9:50 AM
“What factors influence the development and styles of art? How are new artistic approaches synthesized? And how can we use art to access the mindsets and experiences of ancient people? This course addresses the techniques, traditions, and styles that appear in visual art from Britain during the Roman period, c. 55 BCE-410 CE.”
Title: Imperialism in the Ancient World
Instructor: Kelsey Koon
Dates + Times: Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:00 AM — 9:50 AM
Imperialism is a word that comes up quite often in Arts courses like political science or sociology, especially in settler contexts like Canada, but the concept of imperialism is not exclusive to our modern world. This course examines the imperialist powers present throughout the ancient world that set the stage for today’s globalized world, from the Achaemenid Persian Empire to the Roman Empire.
Title: Topics in Archaeology: Rebuilding Rome
Instructor: Bethany Brothers
Dates + Times: Wednesdays from 2:00 PM — 4:50 PM
This course will serve as an examination of Severan history, art, and architecture. If you’re interested in this subject or the topic of archaeology at all and have a fair amount of History/Classics credits already completed, this course is made for you!
Title: Musical Life Today
Instructor: Brian Fauteux and Fabio Morabito
Dates + Times: Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:30 AM — 10:50 AM OR Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:00 PM — 3:20 PM
Open to anyone and every one, this exciting new music course will take you on a journey of expression and discovery regardless of your existing musical skills/knowledge. With 2 separate sessions taught by the same duo, you have 2 chances to fit this great course into your schedule!
“Music 186 is a brand new and innovative course that is open to all u of A students and doesn’t require previous knowledge of music. Part of a broader move away from Western supremacy in our music curriculum, it offers foundational knowledge steering clear of typical biases about what(good) music is. It explores how people engage with music across different localities and cultures, considering engagements of all kinds: from practicing for a concert to whistling at the bus stop or dancing at a community drum circle.”
Title: Happiness in Indian Philosophy
Instructor: Neil Dalal
Dates + Times: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 AM — 10:50 AM
“What does it mean to be happy? How can we live a happy life? If these questions puzzle you, PHIL 301 is the right course for you! You will explore the nature of happiness in Indian philosophies and engage introspective philosophical practices to better understand happiness.”
Title: Introduction to Philosophy of Mathematics
Instructor: Katalin Bimbo
Dates + Times: Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays from 2:00 PM — 2:50 PM
“What sort of existence do numbers, triangles, manifolds and functions have? How can we acquire beliefs and knowledge about these objects? What makes mathematics “unreasonably effective” in its applications? If you’re interested in learning to think philosophically about mathematics, PHIL 367 is the course for you!”
Title: Film & Philosophy
Instructor: Jennifer Welchman
Dates + Times: Tuesdays from 2:00 PM — 4:50 PM
“What do you see when you watch a film? Can you feel real emotions for fictional characters? Can documentaries be objective?
Interested to think philosophically about film? PHIL 383 “Film & Philosophy” is for you! Offered in Fall 2022, Wednesday 2:00–5:00 pm. Enroll now!”
Title: Exercises in Translation: English Into Spanish
Instructor: Odile Cisneros
Dates + Times: Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays from 11:00 AM — 11:50 AM
“A practical workshop in translation from English into Spanish. Explore translation theory and practice! We tackle a variety of textual genres as well as grammar and lexical difficulties. Includes CSL!”
Title: Introduction to Writing Centre Practice
Instructor: Anna Chilewska
Dates + Times: Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:00 PM — 5:20 PM
“Introduces students to the primary themes of interdisciplinary writing studies and collaborative learning necessary to successfully work as peer writing coaches in a university writing centre. Building on the foundation of theory, the course guides students through coaching sessions to synthesize an appropriate coaching practice. Prerequisites: *6 selected from 100-level ENGL or 100-level WRS (or consent of instructor).”
Title: Beginners’ Irish I
Instructor: Brigita Gallagher
Dates + Times: Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:00 AM — 9:50 AM
Study Irish language and culture! This course is intended for students with no previous knowledge of the language and designed to develop basic skills: listening, reading, speaking, writing, and intercultural competence.
Note: not to be taken by students with native or near native proficiency.
Interested in exploring all of the different courses offered by the Faculty of Arts? Check out our entire course catalog, separated out by subject, right here. If you find yourself gravitating towards a particular subject, check out our degree guides here as well and chart out your course to convocation!
This article was written by Logan Bourdon, who serves as the Student Engagement and Outreach Specialist for the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Arts Undergraduate Student Services (USS). Logan graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alberta in 2020 and has spent the past 4 years working in student services, community engagement, and communications. Logan wishes he took the Sanskrit class- even though French was also a pretty good time.
