The Most Unusual University Modules Around the World and Why They Matter

Comic Book Publishing is a module featured in MCAD’s course, Comic Art, which teaches students about the production and promotion of a comic book in print or in digital publishing. 

The module covers technical demonstrations in scanning, prepress procedures, printing and marketing collateral – ideal if you’re looking for a career in publishing.

Part of the School of Art, Architecture and Design, the master’s level module, Forgetting of Air, looks at the medium of air and how it is understood by the body and the mind in different contexts. 

The course aims to help students read into the cultural construction of the senses and the effect this has on the way we view architecture; understand the relevance of a critical, philosophical problem in the development of aesthetics in architecture and understand how the built environment is perceived.

The ichthyosaur fossil at Nazarbayev University

Paleontology – the study of prehistoric life based on fossils -- might not sound like the strangest module out there, but an unusual situation arose in the module recently when Nazarbayev University was asked to rescue an ichthyosaur fossil, found in a Jurassic formation of the Uralsk region in Kazakhstan.

Laurent Richard, Associate Professor from Nazarbayev University’s School of Mining and Geosciences, said: “The fossil of the ichthyosaur, an extinct marine reptile, is 90 per cent complete, including the head, fins, ribs, and vertebrae.”

He added: “The fossil will be reassembled by the undergraduate Geology students and displayed in the school.”

Involving undergraduate students in this conservation effort “will develop a sense of responsibility among the students” said Richard, “as they are participating in a conservation effort to keep the geological patrimony of Kazakhstan within the country.”

Part of their Viticulture and Enology course, Cornell University offers a course in winemaking theory and practice which helps students understand the non-fermentation aspects of wine production.

Although this might not be a class you look forward to taking after a heavy night out, this course is useful if you’re looking to become a viticulturist (an expert in the scientific study of grapes and their production for wine and food) or an enologist (an expert in the science of wine). 

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So, why are unusual courses so popular amongst students? Slade explained how the unusualness of these modules can help students stand out to future employers. 

He said: “Students taking these courses demonstrate their curiosity, their ability to think outside of the box, see issues from multiple perspectives, and show the breadth of their learning on their degree program.”