As course registration approaches at the end of the month, students begin exploring different class options for the 2026-2027 school year. There is a wide variety of electives that cover students’ interests, but having so many choices can leave students unsure of what to pick. Lucky for you, Nordic has compiled a list of lesser-known electives that all students should know about.
Guitar class (MUG110)
0.5 Art Credits
Orchestra, band, and choir are not the only music electives available! Students can also opt to take guitar lessons. This class requires no prerequisites, so even students with no musical experience can build their guitar skills. Students must buy their own method book.
Sophomore Grace Christenson (she/her) has previously played piano and clarinet, and she wanted to learn guitar as well. Guitar class was a way to broaden her experience with musical instruments.
“You learn different chords and the way that you read music is different than with other instruments, which is interesting to me as someone who already knows how to read music in other ways,” Christenson said. “And we have tests where we play a song of our choice in front of the class, so it’ll give me an opportunity to learn a lot of things that I want to learn.”
Christenson described guitar class as a place where students are able to effectively become a fluent guitar player without much difficulty. She said these skills would add to her hobby with music, especially in the future.
Microsoft Office certification (BMO100)
0.5 C.T.E. Credits
In the Microsoft Office certification course, students learn advanced skills in Microsoft Word and Excel. Many industries value this certification because it proves technical proficiency in essential business software. It would mean prospective employees are up-to-date with current technology and systems, so having a Microsoft office certification increases students’ credibility in the job market. Consequently, this course can boost students’ resumes in the competitive job market and raise their chances of getting hired.
Web Design (BWE110)
0.5 C.T.E. Credits – Up to 5 college credits
Students develop web pages using HTML, CSS and Adobe Photoshop in this course. These web pages can be used for both personal and professional use. Students can also earn up to five college credits for local colleges like Bellevue College, Cascadia Community College or the Lake Washington Institute of Technology.
Sophomore Christy Yu (she/her) looks forward to building her own websites in the class with customizable characteristics.
“If you want to create a website, you just use the really basic Google website format that’s already provided,” Yu said. “You kind of just type things in, but this is something that’s actually how you would create [websites] in the real world.”
Yu said that the class is already diving into the basics of web design. Her first assignment was mostly computer science-related, coding with different apps to create a basic website with different types of formats and text.
“I think it’s definitely a basis for if I ever wanted to start some sort of website or like a company or something that uses web design,” Yu said.
Women’s nonconforming weight training (PWT252)
0.5 P.E. Credits
Women’s nonconforming weight training is a semester-long course designed for young women to get used to gym settings and regimens. Nonconforming weight training refers to following an exercise regimen to improve functional capacity instead of just focusing on increasing muscle mass. Taught by health and fitness teacher Kamille Skinner (she/her), this course puts emphasis on gym safety and proper training techniques.
“This class was inspired by wanting a wider demographic of students feeling comfortable with weight and strength training,” Skinner said.
Skinner also said that weight training is important for women’s mental and physical health. For example, women have an increased risk for osteoporosis, a bone disease where bones become brittle and weak as a result of losing density and mass. Skinner said weight training is highly effective for preventing osteoporosis.
Sophomore Leelah Cruz (she/her) enjoys learning how to regulate herself and listen to her body as she exercises. She said that much of the curriculum is based on preventing injury and keeping a healthy schedule while weight training.
“You have to be able to make sure you have something that not only you can look forward to, but something that you know has an accountable schedule,” Cruz said. “It’s very calming for many people — something that doesn’t change very often. It’s also something that you can see visible results from.”
Cruz also stated that the aforementioned progress isn’t always linear. She believes it’s important for students to listen to the teacher and their own bodies when taking this course.
“I know it may be disheartening to see people maybe look fitter and maybe be lifting more than you. It’s hard to see a lack of representation, especially in gyms, but it’s always important to know that you shouldn’t be doing it for improvement. You should be doing it for your own health.”
Course registration will have plenty of support available. Drop-in lunches with counselors are available in early March for students who have questions about their prospective courses or the course registration process. Additionally, there are Running Start and WANIC information sessions for interested students on March 4th.
