From comic book superheroes and culinary chemistry to popular hoaxes and the urban soundscape, the University of Toronto has no shortage of courses that employ non-traditional subjects to spark new ideas, challenge assumptions and offer fresh lenses through which to study science, society and culture.
Here are seven unique courses being offered at U of T during the 2026-27 academic year:
1. Science of the Modern Kitchen
Ever wonder what's actually happening when bread rises, onions caramelize or a sauce emulsifies? If so, "Science of the Modern Kitchen" promises to be a key ingredient in a fascinating term.
Designed for students without science backgrounds, this course explores the chemistry behind food and cooking. Topics include the scientific method, molecular structures and interactions, and the reactions that shape the taste, smell and appearance of food. Classes feature cooking demonstrations, recipes and ingredient breakdowns that bring lecture concepts to life.
"[The course] explores how chemistry changes food while it is prepared in the kitchen, but also how chemistry influences other aspects of daily life," says course instructor Haissi Cui, an assistant professor in the department of chemistry in the Faculty of Arts & Science. "Participating ... will not only make you a better cook but also give you a (literal) taste of the transformative power of chemistry!"
2. Selfies and Society
Love them or loathe them, selfies have become a defining form of communication in the digital age, used for everything from politicians' carefully curated branding to regular users who simply want to put their best (virtual) foot forward.
This U of T Scarborough course invites students to explore how selfies shape and reflect ideas about self-esteem, body image and digital narcissism, while considering broader implications about digital technology, surveillance and monetization of online activity.
Joseanne Cudjoe, assistant professor, teaching stream, in U of T Scarborough's department of arts, culture and media, says the course "uses the selfie as a mechanism to explore identity, representation, digital culture and how our increasing reliance on digital technology is reshaping society.
"I believe that the course resonates with students because selfies are such a part of their everyday lives and, in an image-driven society, they get to critically examine the crucial role platforms, their ownership and their algorithms play in identity performance."
3. Science Fiction for Engineers
Science fiction has long imagined technologies that later became reality. But what can engineers learn from the genre today?
This course, offered by the Institute for Studies in Transdisciplinary Engineering Education and Practice in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, unpacks the connections between engineering and fiction through topics ranging from AI to terraforming.
"Science Fiction for Engineers is a course for everyone who has read a story that makes them want not just to travel to the stars, but to help build the spaceship to get us there," says Shai Cohen, assistant professor, teaching stream, who teaches the course alongside sessional lecturer J. Coplen Rose. "It is also for anyone who sees a technological innovation being abused and wants to yell out, 'Haven't you read this book? Didn't you watch the movie? This is dangerous!
"We will be looking at a large number of [science fiction] stories and seeing how they relate to engineering - how they inspire us, how they warn us, what they tell us about where we will go and about where we have been."
4. Murder and Other Deathly Crimes: Anthropological Perspectives
From true crime podcasts to news broadcasts and TV shows, murder is a perennial source of public interest and fascination even if it garners relatively little attention in scholarly literature.
First offered in 2021 , this Faculty of Arts & Science course explores murder through the lenses of anthropology, cultural studies and film studies, with students probing social dimensions of murder and developing an understanding of what constitutes murder in different historical and cultural contexts.
"This course completely changed my perspective on murder and crime," says one student who was part of the first cohort of the course. "Looking at murder from an anthropological perspective opened my eyes to all of these problems in our society."
5. Music & Noise in Cities
From boisterous bars and nightclubs to construction sounds, honking vehicles or even people taking phone calls on the sidewalk, cities are characterized by noise and music - both desirable and unwanted.
"Music & Noise in Cities" investigates the relationship between urban life and sound through ethnographic and sociological case studies of musical genres and the cities they emerged from. Students examine cultural policy, urban soundscapes and the ways people compete for and co-exist in sonic spaces. A key feature of the course is exploring the diverse musical life of the Greater Toronto Area.
"In this class, students don't just read about the city or listen to recordings," says Farzaneh Hemmasi, an associate professor of ethnomusicology in the Faculty of Music. "In two assignments, they are required make recordings of the urban soundscape in connection to course themes. These recordings will then become part of the Toronto Urban Sounds Project."
6. Heroes and Villains: Religion, Role Models & Cautionary Tales from Marvel and DC
Why are some fictional characters understood as role models? What differentiates heroes from villains? And how do narratives around Batman, Spider-Man or Wonder Woman compare to religious ideas of heroism?
Offered by the department for the study of religion in the Faculty of Arts & Science, "Heroes and Villains: Religion, Role Models & Cautionary Tales from Marvel and DC" uses stories from pop culture - particularly the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC film franchise - to explore notions of morality, virtue and human behaviour.
"Superhero films present differing ethical approaches for the audience to consider, while also providing opportunity for community building among fans," says Sarah Gallant, an assistant professor, teaching stream, who designed the course in 2024.
"Students analyze these superhero narratives as well as the many ways that fans engage with these narratives. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, we consider examples of material culture produced for mass consumption as well as artwork created by fans themselves."
7. Fantasies, Hoaxes and Misrepresentations of the Ancient World
This course from U of T Mississauga's department of anthropology delves into major hoaxes, misleading claims and examples of "bad archaeology" in pop culture.
Students will evaluate cases ranging from fabricated discoveries and attempts to distort history to outrageous claims designed to promote racist agendas and generate profit. In doing so, they will develop an understanding of why sensational stories - from ancient aliens to lost civilizations - often garner more attention than the evidence merits.
"You get to talk about ancient aliens, and conspiracy theories and why people believe them," said one student of an earlier version of the course when it was taught by a different instructor. "It was just a really fun course."
