Students Line Up At the Door for A Seat in . . .

Some college courses are in high demand because the topic interests students or the professor is particularly dynamic. And sometimes the reasons are more difficult to pinpoint.

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Catholic University, Washington:

Popular classes include "Green Architecture," "Medical Engineering," "Web Programming and Design," "Philosophy and God." "Chemistry in Our Lives" is a course for non-majors covering such topics as nature, air pollution, global warming, ozone depletion and energy. Associate Prof. Diane Bunce likes to have her students dress up on Halloween as their favorite element.

Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore:

A particularly popular course is "Contemporary International Politics," an introduction to the subject with an emphasis on continuity and change in international politics and the causes of war and peace. Although the school has a reputation as a pre-med factory, international studies was the most popular major last year in the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and second to biomedical engineering overall.

Emory University, Atlanta:

Students say Associate Prof. Dwight Andrews's love of jazz and excitement about the material in the introductory course "Jazz -- Its Evolution and Essence" are contagious. And even with a workload that would intimidate a graduate student, Prof. Ken Stein's "The Arab-Israeli Conflict," an introductory survey course, draws in students.

University of California at Berkeley:

"General Astronomy," a description of modern astronomy designed to attract non-majors, is called by some at the school "the best undergraduate class ever." It is taught by famed astronomer Alexei Filippenko, who has been voted "Best Professor" on campus five times.

Trinity Washington University:

Among the popular courses are the 300-level "Editorial Cartooning," created after a professor attended a seminar on humor at an academic conference. Also popular is "International Terrorism," created after Sept. 11, 2001, by two history and politics professors.

George Fox University, Newberg, Ore.:

Faculty try out topics for courses that can become part of the regular offerings if popular. Currently, "Interior Design" and "Sociology of Sexuality" are being offered; the design class has seven students enrolled, and the sexuality class stopped accepting students when it hit its maximum of 25.

George Washington University, Washington:

Students are drawn to political science courses and media courses, not coincidentally because the school is in a city that is at the center of both areas of concentration. English and theater also attract many students. However, getting students to major in math is difficult.

-- Valerie Strauss