This summer I graduated from BYU with a degree in neuroscience. (Disclaimer: just because I studied brains doesn't mean I have one.) I recently moved back home to start classes at the University of Houston. The motivation behind this post is probably all the saudade I've been feeling after leaving Provo.
I took 60+ classes at BYU. These are my top 15, in order:
15. HONRS 150 - University Writing (Honors)
"Processes of writing, reading, and research with an emphasis on argumentation and rhetorical analysis."
This was actually the first class I attended on my very first day of college. It's been a while, but I do remember learning that writing can actually be enjoyable (an attitude I didn't have in high school). A highlight was tracking down and speaking with an artist who has several sculptures on BYU's campus; it was for a paper I wrote analyzing one of his works. Plus we met in the Maeser Building, which is classy.
14. DANCE 180 - Beginning Social Dance
"Traditional and popular ballroom dance; also social skills."
One of the biggest regrets about BYU I have is that I didn't give myself enough time to take more dance classes. BYU's dance program is fantastic - I highly recommend this class.
13. NEURO 481 - Neuroscience Laboratory
"Exposure to classical/modern experiments in neuroscience."
This was one of the final classes in my major; I found it enjoyable (not something typically associated with BYU labs). Highlights were preparing/staining slides of brains and helping with research on lab rats.
12. FLANG 330R - Advanced Language & Culture: Guarani
"Study of target language culture(s) using interpersonal, presentational, and interpretive skills in the target language."
This class was a blast - I hung out with mission buddies and talked about Paraguay. Seriously, how many other universities teach Guarani classes!? Unfortunately I didn't have as much time as I wanted to dedicate to this class, so I don't remember much... but I got 16 credits from the language exam! (Bragging note: I used inter-library loan for a project in this class. The book was about vikings in Paraguay.)
11. BIO 370 - Bioethics
"In-depth lecture and small group discussion of varied bioethical issues. LDS Church positions emphasized when appropriate."
The small lab groups in this class were awesome - I had an amazing TA, and we watched a relevant episode of Star Trek about every other week. The subject matter was fascinating; if the lecture portion of this class had been better, I would rank it much higher.
10. PSYCH 370 - Sensation and Perception
"Sensory basis of perception and principles of perceptual organization."
Fascinating class - particularly relevant to me as half the lectures were about vision. It helped me appreciate how incredible our senses are and how we interact with the world around us. And the professor was goofy (in a good way).
9. PWS 340 - Genetics
"Genetic mechanisms, their fundamental nature, interactions, and applications to human affairs. Genetics in quantitative terms. Extensive practice in problem solving."
Wow - such a cool class. The professor was hilarious and I loved learning about genetics, even though the class met in the MARB. It just clicked with me for some reason, and I did very well. If I had the chance to start college all over again, I might choose genetics for a career path.
8. NEURO 360 - Neuroanatomy
"Functonal anatomy of the human brain and spinal cord, including surface and cross-sectional gross anatomy, microscopic anatomy, and sensory, motor, and integrative systems' circuitry."
I believe my professor for this class is the best lecturer/educator I've ever had. Deeply intriguing, very useful course material. I feel like this class prepared me more for the field of neuroscience than the initial class for my major. Also, we dissected sheep brains!
7. SPAN 329 - Survey of Hispanic Linguistics
"Introduction to linguistics of Spanish: phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, history of the Spanish language, philology, dialectology, sociolinguistics, and psycholinguistics."
Passionate teacher + small class size + cool subject matter = terrific course. A lot of foreign-serving returned missionaries think "I just got back from my mission, and I have no idea what to do with the rest of my life, but I speak another language now, so I think I'll major in linguistics." According to my Career Explorations teacher, that doesn't usually work out too well. However, my love of linguistics was developed before I served a mission, and I seriously considered it as a major.
6. PHY S 100 - Physical Science
"Conceptual lectures and demonstrations of the most significant and universal laws and models describing the physical world by faculty from the Physics and Astronomy, Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Geology departments."
This is one of the easiest classes I've ever taken. Frankly, I think I could have tested out of this class because I covered all the material (and in more depth) during high school. I took it because it was a required general education class, and at the time I didn't know what I was going to major in. (Later I took more advanced classes needed for my major that would have waived this class.) But I love the physical sciences! My professor for this class was not LDS, but did a better job than most of my LDS professors at incorporating spiritual topics into the course material. Physical Science 100 ranks so high because during the last half of my time at BYU, I worked as a TA for this class, and I loved every minute of it (except maybe grading homework). My coworkers became close friends, and teaching the students in this capacity was probably the most meaningful educational experience I had at BYU.
4 & 5. PSYCH 111 - General Psychology and PSYCH 210 - History of Psychology
"Basic course in modern scientific psychology."
"Overview of psychological thinking from Ancient Greece to the present. Emphasizes a critical stance toward the assumptions and implications of major psychological theories."
These classes are ranked so high not because of the subject, but because of the teacher (same for both). He ties for my number one favorite professor ever. Any attempt to describe how great his teaching philosophy and style were would do them injustice. It's enough to say that he significantly shaped my worldview and approach to science in general.
3. MUSIC 201 & 202 - Civilization: Music (Honors)
"History of civilization from Greek antiquity through the present day, primarily from perspective of musical literature and the arts; exploring fundamental questions in human experience; examining formative events in history; understanding value of important texts."
This is basically one class spread across two semesters, so I'm counting it as one on this list. These were the most challenging classes of my freshman year, but I loved them. (Some of the tests took ~5 hours to complete, no joke.) Perhaps I'm peculiar in that I'm a science major who values and loves the humanities. For a long time I considered majoring in music.
2. PDBIO 220 - Human Anatomy (with lab)
"Structure and function of the human body. Lab included."
This class is notoriously challenging, but also regarded as one of the best classes offered at BYU; I agree. The complex miracle that is our bodies fills me with gratitude, awe, and humility. The cadaver lab was a reverent place; I considered it holy ground as we studied the literally selfless gifts of the deceased. I think I heard that BYU has the largest anatomy program with a cadaver lab for undergraduates. I'm realizing this is a huge blessing as I'm encountering people at optometry school who had to work with animal cadavers or none at all.
1. IHUM 260 - Humanities of Latin America
"Achievements of Latin American culture regarding art, philosophy, literature, and music from the pre-Columbian era to the present."
The professor for this course ties as my most favorite professor (see numbers 4 & 5) - he had an equally important influence on my perspective of life and learning. Also, he's probably the coolest teacher and most "in touch" with students that I can think of. Again, more humanities (which I love), just focused on a specific culture (which I love). Sometimes I think I chose the wrong major - despite the large number of humanities students studying in the class, I had the highest grade through most of the semester. I learned how to appreciate literature in this class. Also, the requirements for this class forced me to get a Twitter account. (Follow me! @danmcintosh5) We had weekly writing assignments for this class that we posted to a personal blog. Click here to see my blog!
I did not include Men's Chorus on this list, even though I technically took this "class" for four semesters. The BYU Men's Chorus is the country's largest male collegiate choir. It's not an academic course, so I didn't put it in the list. But if I had, it would be in 1st place, along with the director as my favorite teacher. My membership in this choir was the most emotionally and spiritually meaningful experience at BYU. Much of my testimony is built on what I learned from singing in that choir. I feel like being in the choir helped prepare me more for my mission than my Mission Prep class did. I was blessed to be able to sing in General Conference twice, take trips to Las Vegas and St. George, and sing beautiful music with my brothers.
