From myths to honeybees: Electives at The College offer something for everyone
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at ASU offers a diverse lineup of fall electives designed to spark curiosity and complement any major
With fall registration underway, ASU students can tap into a diverse lineup of courses at The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences that illuminate history, science and beyond — all while strengthening their academic journey. Photo courtesy Meghan Finnerty
There’s no shortage of courses to take at The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University.
The college, known as the academic heart of the university, offers a wide range of electives perfect to supplement any discipline. Whether it’s learning about history through a mythical lens or the mighty impact of bees, there are endless opportunities to explore your interests.
As fall course registration begins, take advantage of the different elective opportunities available to learn something new or enhance your degree.
Humanistic approaches to culture and history
HST 194: Mythical History: Spartans, Crusades and Lost Cause: Students will be introduced to the discipline of history in two ways: the birth of historical writing out of a "mythological" background in ancient Greece, and by looking at three case studies of the way that history remains perpetually liable to "mythical" distortions through stories surrounding topics such as the city-state of Sparta in the ancient world, the Crusades in the medieval era and the famous "myth of the Lost Cause" of the U.S. Civil War.
SLC 202: Exploring Cultures: Words, Images, Stories: Approach the study of cultures and history through an artistic perspective. The course teaches methods of inquiry that enable students to formulate their own research questions and draw on their individual backgrounds, regardless of the language, country, period or artistic medium they focus on.
RELATED: ASU course explores culture through an interdisciplinary lens
ENG 294: Children’s Literature and Popular Culture: Examine children’s and young adult literature through a popular-culture lens and learn how the genre has changed within and beyond the U.S. Students can explore this form of literature’s impact and how its purposes and meanings have changed over the years.
Explore the natural world
BIO 194: The Art of the Bee: Explore the fascinating world of bees and their impact on the planet. Bees are responsible for the evolution of a vast array of brightly colored flowers and engineering the niches of a multitude of plants, animals and microbes. Students will also learn the fundamentals of honey bee biology.
LIA 194: Discovery Seminar: Corals as living laboratories: This seminar dives into how corals and their algae partners create colors, proteins and powerful natural compounds that not only keep them alive, but also inspire innovation in medicine, technology and climate research. Students will discover how reefs are built, the impact of rising ocean temperatures and what scientists are learning about them.
PSY 224: Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience: Gain insight into topics surrounding brain activity and the techniques used to measure it. Students will develop a better understanding of neurophysiology and the perceptual and motor processes before investigating neural responses that are related to attention, memory and cognitive control.
Impactful social research
ASM 201: Epidemics and Outbreaks: Develop a background in epidemiologic methods for the control of conditions such as infectious and chronic diseases, mental disorders, community and environmental health hazards, and unintentional injuries. Students will also learn more about the quantitative aspects of epidemiology, from data sources to the evaluation of association and causality.
GIS 202: Drones to Satellites: Observing Earth from Above: Seeing the Earth from above has a profound effect on how the planet is viewed. Students will learn more about Earth observation through the use of flying technology such as drones, airplanes and satellites. Uncover how images and data of the Earth are acquired from above and how they can be processed and interpreted.
AIS 294: Rolling the Dice: Indian Gaming and Sovereignty: This course examines the rise of Indian gaming as a catalyst for economic development, political sovereignty and cultural revitalization in Indigenous communities. Students will explore key legal frameworks, including the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) and tribal-state relations. Through Indigenous perspectives and case studies, learn how gaming shapes contemporary Indigenous governance and nation-building.
Explore the full fall 2026 course catalog for The College here.