South Middlesex Times

The start of a new academic year at Rutgers University presents students with numerous opportunities to explore innovative courses and engage with world-class faculty. The diverse offerings range from tackling global challenges to developing skills for success beyond the university.

Byrne seminars provide first-year students with insights into original faculty research at Rutgers. One such course, "Harry Potter and Potion-Making Science," explores modern medicine-making processes and biomedical research basics. Other seminars include understanding AI and Machine Learning, exploring the concept of play from prehistory to modern sports, and a course on citizenship taught by President Jonathan Holloway.

Rutgers Business School offers "Introduction to Entrepreneurship," focusing on business planning for startup ventures. Another course, "Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship," examines case studies of iconic entrepreneurs like Elon Musk, Taylor Swift, and Oprah Winfrey.

A new minor in Arts Management and Leadership is now available through a collaboration between Mason Gross School of the Arts and Rutgers Business School. This program includes courses in economic literacy, data analysis software, management, teamwork for arts administration careers, marketing, development, grant seeking, and production.

The Eagleton Institute of Politics offers courses that delve into civic engagement principles. These include "Topics in Political Science: Citizenship and Civic Engagement" as part of the Darien Civic Engagement Project taught by Ginger Gold Schnitzer. Other courses include “Talking Politics” by Elizabeth Matto and “Political Campaigning” by Mike Duhaime.

The School of Arts and Sciences at Rutgers-New Brunswick offers a signature course titled "What Defines a Hero?" which examines heroism across cultures through historical figures ranging from Greek epic heroes to modern-day civil rights leaders.

Rutgers Addiction Research Center introduces new courses aimed at building an addiction research training program for underrepresented students. Supported by funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), these courses are designed to prepare students for graduate school in addiction research.

Anthony Tobia from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School uses film depictions in his class “Film Depictions to Learn Elements Related to Mental Disorders” to discuss mental health issues portrayed in movies like Friday the 13th.

Shawn LaTourette, Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, teaches a course on environmental justice at Rutgers Law School. This course covers U.S. environmental law's intersection with civil rights law while exploring recent advancements in environmental justice.

RU-FIT is a one-credit course developed by Rutgers Global that helps international students adjust to campus life in the United States. This fall sees 753 students enrolled in this peer-led initiative aimed at easing their transition into American academic culture.

Gina Marcello's media literacy course "Disinformation Detox" educates students on navigating misinformation within today's media landscape while addressing broader topics such as journalism ethics and democracy.

At Rutgers-Camden’s organized crime-focused course delves into Philadelphia's criminal enterprises' history involving groups like the Italian Mafia and biker gangs.

Creative writing enthusiasts can take a non-credit class with Roxane Gay discussing career paths in writing and publishing industry navigation strategies.

The School of Nursing’s innovative approach involves solving medication dosage mysteries as part of its curriculum designed by Glenn Murphy who published his methodology in Nursing Education Perspectives journal.

Finally, philosophy is taught uniquely through film analysis at Rutgers-Newark engaging students with questions about reality using films such as The Matrix alongside rigorous philosophical discussion.