The Mount Rushmore of Classes to Fill CUA Gen-Ed Requirements
Image Courtesy of The Catholic University of America
By Anthony Curioso
This is an independently submitted op-ed and does not reflect the views of The Tower.
As a senior who will be just over 70 days from graduation at the time of this article’s publication, I am grateful to have already completed all of my personal required classes within CUA’s liberal arts curriculum, also known as “gen-ed” requirements, as well as the more specific classes that are prescribed for my major. Additionally, on several occasions, I have decided to take random elective classes that provided extra credits for the semester in which I took them.
However, I understand that many CUA students, particularly underclassmen, still have a lot of work ahead of them before they can claim to have fulfilled all their requirements, or they may need advice on random elective classes to take to fill extra credit space. As such, it would stand to reason that they may need guidance on which courses they might like to take to meet these requirements.
As evidenced by this thread from Gamespot, it has become increasingly common for people—especially in the U.S.—to create their personal “Mount Rushmore” lists of various topics, from celebrities and fictional characters to world leaders and political figures. In that spirit, I thought it might be fun to create my own “Mount Rushmore” list of classes that I’ve taken that would likely either fulfill at least one requirement from CUA’s liberal arts curriculum, or would be a great class to take as a random elective. For each of these courses, I am paraphrasing the official course descriptions and adding my own insights from taking each course.
MUS 135: Mary in Art and Music Through the Ages (Typical Instructor: Ben-David Warner)
Requirement(s) I took this class to fill: Random Elective – No Specific Requirements Fulfilled.
Requirement(s) most people take this class to fill: Explorations in Fine Arts
When it is typically offered: Both fall and spring semesters; formerly met on Tuesdays and Thursdays for 75 minutes each, but in Fall 2025 and Spring 2026, this class has met only on Tuesdays for two-and-a-half hours.
When I took it: Fall 2025
This course takes a deep dive into the history of art and music pieces created in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from antiquity to the present day. This course typically includes a visit to the National Gallery of Art, where Professor Warner will lead a guided tour of the Marian depictions on display. Since the National Gallery was closed for much of the semester when I took this course due to an extensive government shutdown, my classmates and I received a tour of the chapels and Marian depictions in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. This tour was co-led by the regular National Shrine tour guides and Professor Warner.
This course is tailored for individuals with little or no prior knowledge of music or art. It includes detailed explanations of relevant terminology used to describe the music and art pieces discussed in class.
ENG 330: Memoir (Typical Instructor: Dr. Taryn Okuma)
Requirement I took this class to fill: Any Course from the English Department (a requirement specific to my major, which I had not filled yet before taking this course)
Requirement(s) most people take this class to fill: Explorations in Literature; Courses towards the Writing minor; Upper-level English Department course for English majors
When it is typically offered: No specific pattern; most recently offered in Fall 2025, Spring 2024, Fall 2020, and Fall 2018. As for the meeting times, the class most often meets on Mondays and Wednesdays for 75 minutes each day.
When I took it: Fall 2025
This class offers students the opportunity to read memoirs in a wide variety of formats, from confessional to autobiographical, and to take a deeper dive into more contemporary pieces. Additionally, students respond to a different short-form (1-2 double-spaced pages) writing prompt each week, write extremely short (1-2 paragraphs) in-class responses to a question about one or more of that week’s reading(s), and submit two longer-form essays (7-10 pages), one at the midterm and one at the end of the semester. For each of the writing exercise homework assignments and the two longer-form essays, students work collaboratively to read and provide feedback on one another’s work.
HSTR 204: The Church in Dialogue with Contemporary Culture (Instructor Changes)
Requirement I took this class to fill: Honors Program Course Substitution for Second Theology Class
Requirement(s) most people take this class to fill: Honors Program Course Substitution for Second Theology Class; Honors Program Theology Track; Honors Program Liberal Arts Track
When it is typically offered: Both fall and spring semesters; meets twice per week for 75 minutes each.
When I took it: Fall 2023
This course provides an in-depth exploration of the Church and its relationship with modern society. In recent years, various instructors have taught this course, each bringing their own perspective to the theme. Regardless of the instructor, this course is one of four theology courses exclusive to students in the Honors Program. Each instructor is required to dedicate part of the semester to discussing the Second Vatican Council document, Gaudium et Spes, and its implications for contemporary society. Like the other three theology courses available to upperclassmen in the Honors Program, this course fills up very quickly every year. As a result, the Honors Program requests that students interested in enrolling in this or any other Honors theology course complete an interest form and consult with Honors staff for registration approval through Cardinal Station; the staff consultation is necessary for all Honors students enrolling in Honors Program courses.
ART 229: Cell Phone Photography (Typical Instructor: Matthew Barrick)
Requirement(s) I took this class to fill: Random Elective – No Specific Requirements Fulfilled.
Requirement(s) most people take this class to fill: Random Elective, Media Department Elective (for media majors)
When it is typically offered: Spring Semester; meets twice a week for 2.5 hours each time.
When I took it: I’m taking this one right now!
This course focuses on a device that people use daily—their cell phone. It teaches enrolled students how to take high-quality photos with their phones and how to use computer and mobile app programs to edit them. The goal is to help students create the strongest possible compositions that fit within the specified assignment prompts given each week. Students upload all photos for the weekly assignments to Google Drive, as well as a random photo taken every calendar day—including weekends and CUA holidays—of whatever they see fit. In class meetings, we spend approximately one-third of the time reviewing what people have submitted for the previous week’s assignment, one-third of the time practicing new skills, and one-third of the time discussing and practicing what we will do for the upcoming week’s assignment. My favorite aspect of this course by far is seeing the interesting things people have done for each week’s assignment.
