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11 strange (and rather wonderful) university courses that actually exist

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To stand out as a university takes a lot; and some are finding ways to be more creative by introducing odd courses to ever-demanding potential students.

Prepare your eyebrows to be raised and your mind to say, ‘What?’ or ‘Really?’ or even 'I want to take this course!', as we round up the strangest courses you can apply and study for at some universities situated around the world:

•    Brewing and Distilling  

This is no joke, there is an entire four-year course dedicated to teaching the art of malting, brewing and distilling beer.

The Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh offers the degree programme with only 30 lucky students able to take the course annually. According to The Guardian, there are plenty of jobs opportunities to graduate students in the UK and abroad in this line of work.

career, brewing beer, university, courses

•    Horology

Why not devote your time to… time. At the University of Birmingham City, horology is tailored to create and train watch and clockmakers.  The three-year course will leave you ticking, as you will be working with renowned watch manufacturers, such as Swatch, Cartier and Louis Vuitton, Moet and Hennessy. Learn how to repair, restore and conserve mechanical and electronic clocks/watches.

•    Puppetry

Relive your childhood days by recreating and studying the art of Puppetry. The three-year full-time course will teach you everything from creating, writing, and performing to changing your voice to match the puppet. According to the prestigious University of London, the BA Honours course has a stellar reputation with most of its graduates going on to work at Cirque du Soleil, the National Theatre, ITV and CBeebies.

puppets, career, university, courses

•    Ethical Hacking

When did hacking become ethical? Well, at the University of Abertay in Scotland, you can learn all about how to hack a computer. The four-year, full-time Honours degree course allows you to explore the latest security flaws and learn how to counteract them. Get inside the mind of a hacker and try to become one.

•    Viking Studies

If you like the series, you’ll love a Masters degree (no jokes) in Vikings and Icelandic sagas. The two-year course, given by the prestigious University College of London gives students the benefit of a third year for their Masters. According to the University of Oslo, graduates will have a good knowledge of Old Norse language, literature, and history, when the course is completed. If you decide to study this course, the university will send you to Iceland to investigate and research the medieval facilities Iceland has to offer.

career, viking, university, courses

•    Harry Potter and the age of illusion

Muggles unite! If you’re studying Education at the University of Durham, you are in luck as second-year students have a module dedicated to Harry Potter. The students have to do assignments, write examinations and even give oral presentations on the wizarding world. The course requires students to read all seven books and have them analyse everything from costumes to peer pressure to rebellion; and even the ideals of manhood.

•    Viticulture and Oenology

It seems difficult to pronounce and probably looks like the most complicated course that ever existed, but ladies… this course is dedicated to everything related to WINE. Oh yes! This course can be taken at the University of Stellenbosch, where you will be taught the science of wine-making and manufacturing magnums. In saying this, I need a glass of wine…

careers, wine, university, courses

•    Parapsychology

Prepare to be freaked out, as Parapsychology is the study of paranormal activity. According to the University of Calgary, the course gives evidence to ‘oddities that cannot be explained’. X-files much? At the University of Edinburgh, the course is a three-year program and you can still take a fourth year to do your Doctorate. Talk about being hauntingly different…

•    The Beatles, Popular Music and Society

This one-year post-graduate course is probably the coolest, not only will you be fully immersed listening to The Beatles' music, but you’ll learn the political significance of this iconic British rock band. The University of Pittsburgh and University of South California offers a 12-month course that includes listening assignments and examinations. The only place to get a Masters degree is at the University of Liverpool (of course), however the course fee is pretty expensive at £4 500 (R89 291.85). In order to do this course, I have to get A Little Help from My Friends.

careers, university, courses, the beatles

Picture: Getty Images

•    Gothic Studies

Although this is post-graduate course, it is quite weird to have a MA in Gothic Studies. According to St. Mary’s University,  the one-year course will teach you why the Gothic world is prevalent in the fields of history, literature, film and art in the past 250 years. Students even have access to a historic Gothic castle in Strawberry Hill, London.

•    Surf Science and Technology

Yes dude, you can actually get a degree in surfing from the Plymouth University. The course is taught at Cornwall College, and won't actually teach you how to surf. Instead, students are given the opportunity to build their own surfboard, and organise and judge surfing competitions. According to the course outline, second year students go on field trips to France and Spain to explore their surfing culture. How cowabunga is that?!

career, surfing, university, courses

All images: Shutterstock, unless stated otherwise.

What do you think about these courses, will you ever study any of them? Tell us about it and comment below.

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