New college students love to choose their own classes. But since graduating on time is still the goal, core classes like English and biology will always have their rightful place in a semester schedule. For fun (and just in time for Halloween), let’s check out some of the spooky and “outside-the-box” courses available to some students. They may really surprise you. (Course offerings change from year to year, so check each school’s current course catalog for availability.)
Navigate Through This Article:
Actual Fun and Weird College Courses
1. Witches and Wizards: From Hecate to Harry Potter
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Harry Potter fans, this one’s for you. In UW–Madison’s Witches and Wizards: From Hecate to Harry Potter (RELIGST 280), students trace stories of witches and wizards from 16th- and 17th-century England all the way to modern fiction.
Offered through the religious studies department, the class tackles a deep question: where does religion end and magic begin? Along the way, students explore how these stories have shaped debates about magic, belief, and what counts as real.
2. Bones, Bodies, and Disease
Tulane University
Have you ever heard of paleopathology? It’s the scientific study of ancient diseases, trauma, and health conditions through the examination of fossils, mummified soft tissues, and skeletal remains. This anthropology course (ANTH 3750) at Tulane is ideal for students who want to learn about healthcare through a unique lens. It covers how scientists spot injury and disease in bones, teeth, and mummified tissue, along with ancient medicine, surgery, diet, and health trends throughout human history.
3. Magic and Witchcraft in Early Modern Europe
Salem State University
Are you curious about the witch hunts of history? At Salem State University, you can take an entire class, HST 445, dedicated to the “witch craze” of 16th- and 17th-century Europe. Offered by the history department, this course explores witch hunts in their historical context, with a look at religious, social, intellectual, economic, demographic, and political factors of the era—including the role of the Reformation and the Scientific Revolution.
4. Global Horror Media
The University of Texas at Dallas
UT Dallas’s Collegium V Honors program has offered a reading course that surveys scary films and TV from around the world, including South Korea’s Train to Busan, Indonesia’s Satan’s Slaves, Mexico’s Tigers Are Not Afraid, and the British film His House. Students keep weekly “horror journals” and explore how the genre reflects each culture’s deepest anxieties.
5. The Undead South: Horror and Haunting in U.S. Southern Literature
Dartmouth College
If you’re a Dartmouth student and you love a good ghost story, sign up for The Undead South. Offered by the English department, this course examines horrors and hauntings through classic Gothic literature, as well as contemporary media. The class explores everything from mourning and funerary practices to lost causes and heroes.
6. Horror Studies
Texas A&M University
Aggies who love a good scare can take horror seriously—for college credit. Cross-listed in English and Film, ENGL/FILM 366 traces horror from its roots in Gothic literature all the way to modern film. Students study major writers and filmmakers, then dig into how real events and social movements shape what scares us. Expect a watchlist that ranges from Freaks and Peeping Tom to Alien, Poltergeist, and Scream.
7. Monster: Conceptions and Misconceptions of the Monstrous in Fiction and in Bioscience, in Medicine and in Art
Rice University
This unique offering at Rice University combines bioscience with the humanities, and it’s co-taught by a bioscientist and a comparative literature scholar. A memorable class assignment asked students to create wearable works of art based on their interpretation of the course material, which was photographed and displayed in an exhibition at the Rice Moody Center for the Arts.
8. American Apocalypse: Disaster and Dystopia in Hollywood Film
Utah State University
If end-of-the-world stories are your thing, consider signing up for this course on disasters and dystopias (FILM 3320). This class surveys Hollywood films in the disaster and apocalypse genre. You’ll discuss films depicting alien invasions, war, famine, disease, and other scenarios.
9. True Crime Podcasts
University of Texas at Austin
Are you a true crime aficionado? Then this unique journalism class (J 330M) is for you! Students break down true crime podcasts with a focus on ethics, sensitivity, and storytelling. If you’re already an avid listener, you’ll learn to look at your podcast list from a whole new perspective—and knock out some college credits along the way.
10. Neuroscience of Zombies
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Neuroscience and zombies? Strange bedfellows, but a fascinating combination. This popular honors seminar uses zombies as case studies to teach core neuroscience principles and research, exploring how damage to the brain can affect behavior and personality. Along the way, you’ll learn about truly weird real-world examples, like a virus that can make a person terrified of water and a parasite that makes mice lose their fear of cats. The class has even included a zombie walk.
11. Vampire: Blood and Empire
University of Pittsburgh
If you attend the University of Pittsburgh AND you can’t get enough of vampires, then consider this class on vampires (SLAV 0880). You’ll take a close look at vampirism in stories, novels, and films from different time periods across various cultures including Russia, Poland, France, England, and the U.S.
12. Early American Horror
Columbia University
It’s probably no surprise that long before modern horror authors like Stephen King, the U.S. had a dark side. This Columbia English seminar (ENGL UN3660) delves into our country’s earliest scary stories, from Puritan writers to Gothic fiction. Students explore subjects like haunted houses, doppelgängers, and sentient machines. The course also connects those early tales to today’s horror films, showing how modern movies still borrow from them.
13. Witches and Witchcraft in the Early Modern World
Georgetown University
Contrary to popular belief, Salem is not the only connection to witch hunts. This history seminar goes much further, exploring witchcraft beliefs from Iceland to the Kingdom of Kongo to colonial New Spain. Co-taught by two history professors, the course uses trial records, plays, music, and material objects to encourage students to dig deeper into what people think about good and evil and what that reveals about deeper fears.
14. The Zombie in History and Popular Culture
University of Colorado Boulder
If you’ve read through the first part of this list, you already know that zombie literature and films are easily found in cultures worldwide. This class at CU Boulder, focuses on zombies in the Caribbean (FREN 1880). You’ll explore how this haunting figure has evolved from colonial Haiti to Hollywood and present-day pop culture, using movies and literary, historical, and scientific documents.
15. The Haunted Screen: Understanding the Horror Film
The University of Arizona
Warning: If you’re a hide-behind-your-hands or close-your-eyes kind of scary movie fan, this course might not be a good choice. This introduction to horror cinema (FTV 150B1) uses analysis and critical approaches of horror films from different cultures to examine the entire genre—all organized around different kinds of monsters. Students will consider the cultural and political perspectives in these films and how the genre connects to changing ideas about identity.
16. Ghosts, Spirits, and Freaks of the Creole World: Bolom soungas ek soucouyants
Harvard University
It’s true. Even Harvard has a spooky side. This class, conducted in French, features novels, plays, tales and stories from the Creole world, centered in the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, and Louisiana. Students explore the preternatural such as spirits, ghosts, and zombies, as well as human-animal hybrids and “freaks” displayed in colonial human zoos.
17. Dracula: History and Legend
The University of Chicago
Bram Stoker’s famous Dracula is thought to be inspired by Vlad III, known as Vlad the Impaler, who ruled Wallachia (in present-day Romania) and fought the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century. As a ruler, Vlad was known for cruelty and ruthlessness. This history course examines Vlad the historical figure and Dracula the literary figure, from early folklore to Stoker’s novel and its film adaptations. For final projects, students create documentaries on the “real” Dracula.
18. Crime and Punishment in Early Modern Europe (1400–1800)
Skidmore College
The history department at Skidmore College offers this 300-level course (HI 315) on crime and punishment across 400 years of European history. Early modern Europe was marked by the Inquisition, religious wars, and other upheavals. The course compares criminal violence to state violence and explores the conflict between individual freedom and authority.
19. The Black Death
University of Rochester
Few events in history were as terrifying as the plague that swept through Europe and beyond in the 1340s and ’50s, wiping out one-third of European people. Rochester’s HIST 119 treats the Black Death as a medical, cultural, and historical event. Students read first-hand accounts from people who lived through it and explore how the outbreak drastically influenced daily life, from Europe to the Middle East.
20. Aliens, Psychics, and Ghosts
University of California, Los Angeles
In this School of the Arts and Architecture course at UCLA, students work to understand how people make sense of others’ stories of aliens, psychics, and ghosts, and how they come to believe what they do about human life, life after death, and other-than-human life.
How do I know what classes I should take in college?
Your first priority is to fulfill core or general education requirements (which all students at the school must take, like language and math), as well as major-specific requirements. There may be multiple courses that can fulfill any given requirement, which means that even when working toward meeting the requirements, you will have some freedom of choice. You’ll also be able to take a limited number of electives throughout your college years. When choosing both electives and courses that fulfill requirements, you should look for offerings that spark your interest and/or complement your academic/professional path.
You’ll be assigned an advisor as an incoming freshman. In order to stay on track toward meeting the requirements and graduating on time, it’s essential to consult your advisor when choosing college classes for each upcoming semester. Expect to make an appointment with your advisor at least once each semester once the next semester’s course schedule becomes available.
Can you choose anything as an elective?
You can choose almost anything as an elective. Note that some courses may have prerequisite requirements, which means you must have taken one or more introductory-level courses first. You can choose electives within your own department or from any other department.
Should I only take easy electives?
It can be tempting to choose only electives that look easy and/or fun—like a course on Harry Potter, for example. (By the way, a Harry Potter-themed class might fulfill a humanities requirement.) However, it’s ideal to choose electives strategically, as well.
Yes, you can have fun with them, but you can and should also use electives to:
- Explore other academic interests.
- Acquire competencies that might complement your major and intended career path.
- Develop skills in topics that may help you meet your post-baccalaureate goals.
For instance, if you’re on a pre-law or pre-med track, you might take courses that complement that goal.
How many college classes do you take per semester?
It can vary somewhat from school to school and program to program. Usually, a full-time undergraduate student can expect to take at least 12 (which equals four three-credit courses) and up to 15 credits per semester. Not all classes are worth the same number of credits. For instance, as a freshman, you may be required to take an intro class on college research or a similar topic, which may only be worth two credits. Similarly, physical education courses may be worth fewer credits.
For university-specific guidance, look for your school’s course load policy and check for any department-specific guidelines.
How do I choose a college major?
This is a tough question because there are so many factors that can contribute to your decision, and some of those factors may be more important to some students than to others. You’ll want to consider:
- Your intended career outcome
- Whether you’ll need to (and want to) pursue graduate education for that career outcome
- Your academic and personal interests
- Your academic strengths and weaknesses
If you’re not quite sure which major is right for you, you should consider KD’s APPLY NOW! Advantage program. “Exploring Majors and Careers” is one of the lessons students (and parents) attend during their 11th grade year. You could also take a comprehensive, science-based Aptitude Assessment, or dive into this blog on choosing a college major.
Need help preparing for college?
At KD College Prep, we specialize in helping middle and high schoolers prepare for success throughout the college admissions process. Explore our test prep programs and college counseling programs or schedule a free consultation to discuss a student’s college prep goals with an advisor.
