10 Unexpected College Courses You Can Take at Bentley

College is a time to focus your interests — and complete those required introductory courses — but it’s also a chance to try something unique and unexpected. Making space in your courseload for topics outside of your major can spark a creative journey or open up space for self-reflection and fun.   

And while all Bentley students graduate with a firm understanding of business, check out these classes that you might not expect to be part of your course options.   

1. EC 375 The Economics of Sports 

You don’t have to be a first-team All-American to land your dream job in the sports industry. Behind the scenes, there are a lot of economic models driving the industry, and this course will help you learn to analyze topics from salary caps and luxury taxes to player issues like racial and wage discrimination, free agency and superstar effects. 

2. EMS 242 Introduction to Photography  

You’ve likely tested out your photography skills on Instagram, but how are your photos interpreted by others? Learn how to effectively communicate through digital imagery by exploring the art of photography, image manipulation and image apps — and creating and editing your own digital photo portfolio.  

3. EMS 362 Wonder Women   

Is the “girl power” of heroic woman characters like Buffy (the Vampire Slayer) Summers and President Barbie challenging notions about gender roles or just reinforcing old ideas about women as servants, caregivers and sex objects? Explore this as you dive into the meaning behind a number of heroic, superheroic and antiheroic women characters in television and cinema. 

4. NAS 340 Oceanography   

Why explore the ocean? It’s home to natural resources that could fuel energy, food and even medical therapies. Immerse yourself in the geologic history of ocean basins, ocean currents, waves, tides, composition of sea water — and consider the natural resources that oceans provide and human impacts, such as pollution in the coastal and deep marine environment.  

5. EMS 364 Sexual Identity and Culture  

From power lesbians to drag queens, representations of gay men, lesbians and bisexuals are now visible throughout popular culture. But when does a novel or film accurately reflect the lives of gay men, lesbians and bisexuals — and when do they simply reproduce stereotypes? Explore how contemporary gay literature and cultural expression in American life since the gay rights movement represents sexual identity in language, the intersection of political and aesthetic goals, and the differences in representations in class, race and ethnicity.  

6. EMS 401 Disney+      

What does it take to rebrand a classic Disney princess or other character to incorporate cultural messaging like gender, race, sexuality and inclusion in films and television? You can tackle cinematic concerns related to animation, effects, casting, costuming, production worker agency and copyright — and evaluate the role of Disney+ streaming platforms and the promotional screen industries to generate awareness.  

7. NAS 318 Global Health Challenges    

How can citizens and health systems prepare for public health risks and identify health care technologies for protecting human health and determining our future quality of life? Learn how to investigate public health from a community-based, global perspective.  

8. EMS 406 Films, Franchises, and Fandom: Superheroes in Popular Culture  

Audiences have challenged Hollywood to tell stories of enhanced heroes who are as equally flawed, fallible and vulnerable as the rest of us — but where perseverance, acceptance and redemption is obtainable. Explore how fans feed this lucrative and successful industry.   

9. MK 346 Luxury Marketing   

Gucci. Chanel. Swarovski. Porsche. Four Seasons. What does it take to create a successful luxury brand? Learn theoretical knowledge and practical marketing and management skills to understand the evolution of luxury brands and the material, symbolic and experiential dimensions of luxury. 

10. NAS 370 Nonverbal Behavior and Judging Others   

How do you process nonverbal communication and cues — like body language — to form first impressions and judgments? Explore the basics of nonverbal behavior and how it influences our interpersonal interactions, particularly in health care and business settings, with an emphasis on first impressions and the role of gender and culture in these perceptions.