By Amanda Gonzalez Garcia
Ever wondered what classes you should take? This happens to all of us, especially during that time at the end of the semester when you have to enroll for next semester’s courses. Current and past students have lots to share with The Buccaneer about their favorite courses. Hear more about them below.
Andrea Flores Sophomore, Forensic Psychology
“The most interesting course I have taken is abnormal psychology with Dr. Eric Reznik. It is very interesting because you get to study the unusual patterns of behaviors and emotions that can be translated to a mental disorder. Some of the disorders can be anxiety disorders, PTSD, OCD, mood disorders, personality disorders, etc. This study is to understand how it can create a disturbance in a person's daily activities. This course has increased the passion I have for my major.”
Wendy Ponce Class of 2016, B.S. in Forensic Psychology. Currently pursuing a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at CBU
“I took the forensic psychology course with Dr. David Feldman (now teaching at NSU) and honestly it was the course that put me on the path to specialize in that field. The course really focused on a different population that is more so overlooked as being able to “recover.” This is on the range of working with serial killers, the psycho and sociopath population. Also, there was a focus on different career paths that can be taken such as working in the prison system, which I actually did right after I graduated from Barry. I became a probation officer. It pushed me to work and learn from the population that is often “thrown in prison and forgotten about.” After Barry, I went on to pursue a master’s degree specifically in forensic psychology because I wanted to learn more and conduct research within that realm. Now that I’m in my doctorate degree I also have the forensics concentration and hope to open my own private practice and also continue to work with the forensic population within my career.”
Marquee Warner Senior, Biomedical and Forensic Photography
“The most interesting course I have taken at Barry is biology of crime with Dr. Laura Mudd. As someone who is obsessed with true crime and forensic science, this class is so fun! The class is very hands on and fun to attend. We get to recreate blood spatter marks using fake blood and get to test fake bodily fluids. This class is essential to my major. Everything that we learn in the course, I will end up using during my career. Every time I walk outside of that classroom, I know I am on the right career path and that is very rewarding.”
Sara Kurz Sophomore, Graphic Design
“I think the most interesting course I’ve taken at Barry thus far has been the Potter’s wheel course with Professor Bryan Hiveley. I have never done ceramics before taking this course last semester, and I can say it’s changed my life for the better. Obviously, it’s not an easy class, but when devoting your time and effort, it becomes lots of fun. I’m no longer in a ceramics course because it doesn’t fit into my schedule, though I do still devote time to go into the ceramic studio to make more plates, vases, mugs and more because to me it is 100 percent therapeutic. I think this class has helped with my time management skills and makes me an overall more creative fine art student.”
Maria Stampolkou Class of 2022. Bachelor's in Criminology. Currently pursuing a master’s in accounting at Barry
“The most interesting course I’ve taken at Barry was Theories of Deviance with Dr. Fernando Perez. The class included sociological, biological, cultural, psychiatric, behaviorist theories that made me understand deviant behavior and why people do what they do. The concept of deviance was interesting to me because it’s very complex. What one group considers acceptable, another group might consider deviant. This class has contributed to my growth not only as a student but as a person, too. I constantly catch myself using the theories I have learned in class in my daily life trying to explain others’ behavior. On a daily basis, I think about the reasons behind people’s actions. If someone constantly acts in a way that I believe is impolite, I try to normalize the behavior by trying to understand the person’s past and maybe find out the reasons for his impolite behavior.”