Do you need to fill some elective spaces on your schedule, but don’t know what to take? Do you want to experience classes from different departments outside of the basic gen-ed requirements? Are you just bored and curious about what MTSU has to offer? If so, read below for a list of the eleven most unusual electives at MTSU! These classes have no prerequisites and are open to all majors, and they’re anything but your stereotypical electives.

Psychosexual Adjustment

(PSY 4600): Because what college student wouldn’t want a class called “psychosexual adjustment” on their transcript? This class explores human sexuality throughout history, modern developments, preferences and fetishes, and treatments for disorders. 

Themes in Literature and Culture: Tolkien and Rowling

(ENGL 2020): That’s right, all you Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings fans: there is actually a class at MTSU that focuses solely on those two fandoms. Better yet, it’s a general education requirement, so you have a totally legit reason to spend a semester re-reading your favorite obsessions! Get out your wands and your magic rings and go for it.

Scuba Diving

(PHED 2121): Yes, MTSU actually has a class that will teach you how to scuba dive! This two-credit-hour test requires that students pass a swimming test (for obvious reasons). If you’re looking for an elective that’s way cooler than the yoga all your friends are taking, try out scuba diving!

Criminal Theory

(CJA 2100): Time to take your Law and Order obsession to the next level with this elective! Study the psychological and sociological causes of crime, and the different processes used by the justice system to deal with it. With a focus on crime and its perpetrators, this class promises to be anything but boring.

Psychology of Happiness and Well-Being

(PSY 4460): Has the semester got you stressed? Why not take a class on “well being, life satisfaction, and stress-resistant personality styles”? This class isn’t just unusual, it’s likely to be very beneficial to most students.

Vegetable Gardening

(PLSO 3360): Whether you’re trying to lead a greener, more organic lifestyle, or you just want a hands-on course to get your hands dirty, this is the class for you. This combined lecture/lab course teaches the basics of vegetable gardening for both personal and commercial purposes.

Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion

(ANTH 2740): Channel your inner Harry Potter while learning real-world lessons about “sorcery, cults, and interpretations of myth”. Learn the ancient origins and modern-day practices of actual witches and wizards. Don’t worry, no Potions required!

Political Campaign Management 

(PS 3340): If you have big dreams of going for the White House one day, channel Frank Underwood and go for this class. This hands-on course divides the class into groups, or “campaigns”; each group picks a candidate and spends the semester in a heated race against the other teams. There are even unexpected “scandals” that pop up along the way, making each team join together to get their candidate to the top.

Make-Up Design and Creation

(THEA 3100): This theater-oriented class teaches the basics of makeup for stage and film, as well as hair and wig design. It also has a lab component to give students hand-on experience with different makeup techniques.

Fundamentals of Horsemanship

(HORS 2400): Another unusual physical elective, this horsemanship class will teach students the basics of riding, caring for horses, and using basic equine equipment. This is the perfect class to reignite your middle-school horse obsession, and it’s reputed to be a great stress-reliever, due to the therapeutic nature of working with these gentle giants.

Interview Communication

(COMM 3340): This class isn’t just hands-on, but it’s also an elective that will be incredibly useful to students from all majors. Focusing on how to handle different interview techniques, this course lets students role-play and practice playing both the interview and the interviewee. It does require junior standing, but that’s more beneficial because it ensures that the skills you learn in this class will be fresh in your mind when you enter the job market after graduation.

If you’re interested and want more information about any of these classes, click here to go to the MTSU course catalog.