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House courses add flair to undergraduate education**
For those who feel there's something missing from their undergraduate curriculum, or for those wanting to add a little spice to their courseload, house courses may prove to be the perfect answer to their needs. House courses--half-credit, pass-fail courses taught by students--have become quite popular among students as a way to explore subjects not covered by traditional courses.
"My house course is the only place in the undergraduate curriculum where I can learn about the practical aspects of the trial system," said Trinity junior Matt Richardson, who is enrolled in a house course entitled "American Courtroom: Theory and Practice."
House courses date back to 1969, a year in which the undergraduate curriculum of Trinity college underwent considerable changes.
"House courses were created to help bridge the gap between students' academic and residential lives," said Ellen Wittig, associate dean of Trinity College, who helps handle the administrative work behind house courses. "They're a way for students to take a more active initiative to their undergraduate education."
To start up a house course, a student must submit a syllabus, lesson plans and a list of course texts to the committee that reviews all undergraduate courses . They must also submit the recommendation of a University professor.
Some of those that create and teach house courses said they would rather be students of the subjects they teach. However, because such subjects are not taught by teachers, they wound up playing professor.
"For the administration, house courses are a good way to see if there is enough interest to start up a full credit course taught by a professor," said Engineering sophomore Imron Aly, who teaches the "American Courtroom" class.
House courses are characteristically less demanding and rigorous than regular classes. They usually meet once a week, and reading and assignment loads are lighter than they are for full-courses. However, the work is expected to be done, and attendance is often mandatory in order to pass the course.
"I don't want to be a huge authority figure standing at the front of the class, so assignments and attendance are other ways to make people take the class seriously," said Trinity senior Katherine Baker, who teaches "Women, Eating and Society."
Assignments may be more creative than typical assignments as well. For example, in Baker's class, students have traced a day in the life of a person with an eating disorder, surveyed men and women on eating patterns, and created collages that show the media's portrayals of women's bodies.
Above all, house courses offer a classroom environment that is more relaxed and less intimidating than the average course. Rather than having a clear-cut authority figure presiding over a class dictating volumes of notes, house courses seem to promote a more egalitarian exchange of ideas between teacher and students.
"It gives you a lot more insight into what other students think," said Engineering sophomore Michelle Fahey. "I think part of that is because the teacher is just like another student. There's definitely been more discussion in my house course than in any other course I've ever taken at Duke."
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