a photo by LAUSatPSU on Flickr.
This post is written by Melanie Versaw, who graduated from the Pennsylvania State University in May 2012 with a BS in Marketing and a BA in Advertising.
As a Penn State graduate, I can honestly say that my education at Penn State was diverse, fascinating, and challenging. There are several classes that I would retake in a heartbeat, but the one that sticks out the most is PHIL 014: Philosophy of Love and Sex.
I majored in both Marketing in the Smeal College of Business and Advertising in the College of Communications, so I had never taken a philosophy class in my life. The great thing about Penn State, though, is that general education classes are required. Thus came my search for a meaningful GH course that would both challenge me and make a lasting impact. Scrolling through the countless courses, I came across PHIL 014 and I was SOLD. Who doesn’t like talking about sex? What I got out of this course, though, was so much more than I ever thought possible.
This class starts out with a bunch of students discussing what we believe the notion of love and sex to be about. Then it digs deeper. You learn about different types of friendship, the history of homosexuality, and how men try to pick up women. The topics are wide and the discussions intelligent. You learn to cherish your friendships and challenge social norms.
Your class experience, however, depends on how much the class is willing to open up and discuss taboo subjects. I’ll admit, some discussions lead to analyzing threesomes or fetishes. But that’s all part of the course.
If you are looking for a great GH course, seriously consider taking this class. You learn so much about theories of love, why we are kind of crazy about sex, and most of all: you learn a ton about yourself.
WARNING: This is a philosophy class and therefore has plenty of readings to be completed. Don’t fret, though. The readings are all incredibly interesting. I promise.
Melanie Versaw currently works in Carmel, Indiana, for Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies as a Marketing Specialist, and she is a lead Penn State recruiter for Ingersoll Rand. She is also a photographer and can be contacted at Mel Versaw Photography. (Twitter handle: @MelanieVersaw)