The Daily Pennsylvanian recommends five classes based on data from Penn Course Review.
Credit: Chenyao LiuAhead of advance course registration for fall 2025 opening on March 24, The Daily Pennsylvanian compiled a comprehensive list of recommended courses based on data from Penn Course Review, a course evaluation program for students created by Penn Labs.
Each class comes with positive reviews and a difficulty rating of less than 2.1.
CIMS 1004: World Film History
World Film History — taught by either Meta Mazaj or Anat Dan — surveys cinematic trends and movements across time and place, from German Expressionism all the way to Korean New Wave. According to Path at Penn, the course also examines how the framing of world cinema "reveals [the] gendered, racial, ethnic, economic and political nature of transnational processes."
World Film History has an average difficulty rating of 1.76 on Penn Course Review. The class meets on Tuesday and Thursday at either 10:15am or 5:15pm, and has a required recitation section on Fridays.
CRIM 1000: Criminology
As an introductory course to criminology, CRIM 1000 examines the science behind law-breaking and enforcing, as well as the institutions shaping these approaches to crime.
Meeting on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1:45 to 3:15pm, CRIM 1000 has a difficulty rating of 1.81, and also counts for the Society sector requirement in the College. Penn is also set to debut a master’s program in applied criminology and police leadership in fall 2025.
CIS 1070: Visual Culture through the Computer's Eye
This Computer and Information Science class combines visual studies with machine learning, aiming to apply data science to the analysis of visual art. Enrolled students will develop their own datasets while exploring novel computer processes. The course has a difficulty ranking of 1.30, and is co-taught by Ian Verstegen and Konstantinos Daniilidis.
Students will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:45 to 3:15pm, and the class has a maximum enrollment of 25 students.
URBS 1060: Race & Ethnic Relations
Taught by Tukufu Zuberi, this course examines the cultural and socio-political forces of race and ethnicity in the United States, with a specific focus on immigration, residential segregation, and interracial relationships.
With a difficulty rating of 1.88, Race & Ethnic Relations meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:45 to 2:44 p.m. The course counts for the College’s Cultural Diversity in the U.S. requirement and is cross-listed between the Sociology, African American Studies, Asian American Studies, and Latin American Studies departments.
PSYC 0405: Grit Lab
This Stavros Niarchos Foundation Paideia course — which has been described as an “overwhelming success” by past sections — is designed to help students develop skills for goal-setting and achievement. In fall 2025, the class will be taught by Angela Duckworth, and structured around different experiments, including journal-keeping and passion projects. Enrollment in the course requires a submitted application by April 3.
Grit Lab is cross-listed with the Operations, Information and Decisions department, and most recently had a difficulty rating of 0.98. The course meets on Wednesdays from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Advance course registration ends April 7.
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