Find Your Next Favorite Class

HIST 2624 / APS 4094: The Appalachian Trail in Virginia

Explore the history of Virginia through the Appalachian Trail while working with real data, archival sources, and community partners. Contribute to multimedia storytelling projects and connect local history to broader regional impact.
📍 In-person with experiential learning opportunities, including optional field trips
💬 No prerequisites
🎓 Open to all majors | Pathways: 1A and 5A

HD 1034: The Connection Project

Build meaningful connections with other students through guided conversations and small-group activities. Explore what shapes belonging, relationships, and community at Virginia Tech.
📍 In-person
💬 No prerequisites 
🎓 Open to all majors | Great for students interested in connection and student life

HD 2314: Human Sexuality

Explore the diversity of human sexuality through biological, psychological, and social perspectives. Examine how identity and experience are shaped by factors like culture, gender, and relationships.
📍 In-person
💬 No prerequisites
🎓 Open to all majors | Pathways: 3 

HD 3984: Parenting Across Contexts

Examine how parenting practices and parent-child relationships develop across different family and cultural contexts. Learn about evidence-based approaches to supporting healthy development from infancy through young adulthood.

📍 In-person
💬 No prerequisites
🎓 Open to all majors | Great for students interested in families, development, or human behavior

ARBC 2774: Arab Culture and Civilization

Take a journey through the Arab world—its people, traditions, and modern life. Explore a fascinating region and learn about the cultures that shape it today.
📍 Online, asynchronous
💬 Taught in English – no prerequisites
🎓 Open to all majors | Pathways: 2 or 3

CHN 2734: Beyond Bubble Tea — Chinese Culture through the Ages

Explore the richness and diversity of Chinese culture from antiquity to the present. Discover how historical traditions continue to shape modern society.
📍 Online, asynchronous
💬 Taught in English – no prerequisites
🎓 Open to all majors

CLA 2444: Ancient Greek and Roman Mythology

Explore the stories of gods, heroes, and epic adventures from the ancient world. Discover why these myths continue to shape modern storytelling—from classical texts to popular series like Percy Jackson.
📍 Online, asynchronous
💬 Taught in English – no prerequisites
🎓 Open to all majors | Pathways: 2

FL 2744: AI and Global Languages

Discover how artificial intelligence is transforming language, culture, and global communication. Explore the opportunities and ethical challenges of AI through hands-on experimentation in a multilingual world.
📍 Online, asynchronous
💬 No prerequisites – no prior language or coding experience required
🎓 Open to all majors | Pathways: 2 or 5A

FR 1105: Elementary French

Begin your journey into the French language while exploring the cultures of the French-speaking world. No prior experience needed—just curiosity and a willingness to learn.
📍 In-person, MWF 12:20–1:10 PM
💬 No prerequisites
🎓 Open to all majors

GER 1105: Elementary German

Begin learning German while exploring everyday life and culture in German-speaking countries. No prior experience needed—just curiosity and an interest in language and culture.
📍 In-person, MWF 12:20–1:10 PM or 1:25–2:15 PM
💬 No prerequisites
🎓 Open to all majors

ITAL 1105: Elementary Italian

Start learning Italian while discovering the language, culture, and traditions of Italy. Perfect for beginners with no prior experience.
📍 In-person, MWF (multiple sections available)
💬 No prerequisites
🎓 Open to all majors

JPN 2744: From Atom to Akira — Japan’s Pop Culture

Explore Japanese pop culture through anime, manga, and video games. Examine how these media reflect identity, history, religion, and globalization while shaping Japan’s global influence.
📍 Online, asynchronous
💬 Taught in English – no prerequisites
🎓 Open to all majors

RUS 2734: Introduction to Russian Culture and Civilization

Explore Russian culture through the lens of Stalinist society, including propaganda, satire, war, and everyday life. Examine how culture both reflected and shaped a complex historical period.
📍 In-person, MWF 1:25–2:15 PM
💬 Taught in English – no prerequisites
🎓 Open to all majors

SPAN 2764: Introduction to Latino American Studies

Explore contemporary topics in Latin American and Latino/a/x communities, including pop culture, identity, and social justice.
📍 Online, asynchronous
💬 Taught in English – no prerequisites
🎓 Open to all majors | Pathways: 2 and 3

PPE 2894: The PPE Gateway Course

Explore how philosophy, political science, and economics intersect to shape the world around us. Learn to make decisions that are economically sound, ethically defensible, and politically feasible while engaging big ideas about justice, cooperation, and democracy.
📍 In-person, MW 4-5:15 PM 
💬 Sophomore standing required – open to all majors
🎓 Pathways: 2 or 3 

RLCL/HUM 1704: Ghosts 

Why do people believe in ghosts? Explore how the paranormal reflects cultural values, fears, and social issues—from history and literature to questions of identity, power, and belief.
📍 Online 
💬 No prerequisites
🎓 Open to all majors | Pathways: 2 or 3

UAP 1024: Leadership, Service, and Public Problem Solving

Are you the next leader who will help solve today’s biggest challenges? Explore how leadership, service, and public policy shape real-world decisions—and discover whether a career in public service is right for you.
📍 In-person
💬 No prerequisites
🎓 Open to all majors | Great for students interested in public service, policy, or leadership

UAP 3264: Artificial Intelligence for Policymakers

Explore how artificial intelligence is shaping policy, law, and society. Learn how AI systems work, examine issues like bias and ethics, and consider how technology impacts areas like the economy, education, and democracy—no technical background required.
📍 In-person, TR 12:30–1:45 PM
💬 No prerequisites – no coding or technical experience required
🎓 Open to all majors | Especially relevant for students interested in policy, law, communication, or global issues

STS 2664: Technology Ethics

How should we think about the role of technology in our lives? Explore ethical questions around innovation, use, and impact while examining how technology shapes—and is shaped by—society, culture, and history.
📍 In-person
💬 No prerequisites
🎓 Open to all majors | Pathways 2 

WGS 1114: Introduction to LGBTQ+ Lives

Explore LGBTQ+ identities, histories, and contemporary issues through interdisciplinary perspectives. Examine how culture, politics, and society shape diverse experiences and communities.
📍 In-person
💬 No prerequisites
🎓 Open to all majors | Pathways 2 

WGS 1824: Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies

Examine gender, power, inequality, and social movements across historical and global contexts. This interdisciplinary course introduces key ideas and questions that shape the field of gender studies.
📍 Multiple formats: in-person, hybrid, and asynchronous options
💬 No prerequisites
🎓 Open to all majors | Pathways 2 or 3

WGS 2114: Feminist Theory

Discover how feminist theory offers new ways to understand the world. Develop critical thinking skills while exploring how ideas about gender shape social and political issues.
📍 In-person
💬 No prerequisites
🎓 Open to all majors | Great for students interested in social justice, advocacy, or critical thinking

WGS 3004: Topics in Feminism — Decolonizing Sexual and Gender Identities

Explore how gender and sexuality are shaped by culture, history, and power. This course examines these ideas through a decolonial lens, drawing on global perspectives and feminist thought.
📍 In-person
💬 Prerequisite: WGS 1824
🎓 Open to all majors | Ideal for students interested in global perspectives and social justice