Interesting classes to take this spring

By: Hugh Brown

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Spring semester is around the corner, and it’s almost time to meet with advisors to make up spring schedules. Next semester, Niagara University is offering a number of courses not previously offered in the fall, and some only offered once every few years.

For English requirements, Dr. Daniel Pinti is offering an English 110 course on graphic novels. The course consists of reading and analyzing graphic novels and writing on them.

The course description states, “students write extensively in this course, arguing for their own interpretations, and applying critical theoretical approaches used by literary scholars. Assigned literary works are diverse and multicultural.”

The Communication studies department has several new courses. Dr. Joseph Sirianni is teaching a course that watches and analyzes episodes of the Netflix show “Black Mirror.” Sirianni is also teaching Film and Culture, a class that watches and writes on horror films.

Dr. Mark Barner will be taking a group to London for CMS360 UK. The class, Media in the UK, will study British film, television, and other forms of media through a trip in May. Email Barner for more information.

Students can also take an introductory foreign language course. Even if you already took a language in high school, it might be beneficial to try a new language to get experience with multiple languages.

NU offers Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Greek, Latin, Arabic, Tuscarora and American Sign Language.

Students who have completed Social Work 100 can take Death and Dying, a course about how people discuss and cope with death.

The course description says, “this course deals directly with the psychological, social, and behavioral dynamics inherent in confronting the issue of death and dying, from both the personal and professional perspectives. Aspects related to euthanasia, refusing life-sustaining medical treatment, factors influencing grief and bereavement among people from diverse populations, and hospice care are some of the topics explored.”

These courses are just few of many that students should keep in mind in their upcoming advisement meetings.