I wish Brandeis had an academic department that offered classes relating to surviving in unusual circumstances. There would be a slight possibility of saving the lives of Brandeis students and alumns. The research done by faculty or students could likely help save the lives of other people. Even without saving any lives, it would be an interesting thing to put in promotional material that could differentiate Brandeis from other colleges and universities.

Here are some ideas that I had for classes the new Survival Department could offer:

Introduction to Survival

Finding, Extracting, Purifying, and Storing Water

Introduction to Foraging Edible Fungi

Introduction to Hunting Trapping Musketry and Riflery Bows, Atlatls, and Slingshots, Oh My Carcasses: Butchering, Smoking, Salting, and Tanning

Emergency Psychology (cross-listed in Psychology)

Introduction to Self-Defense Defense Against Humans Defense Against Predatory Animals

Making Tools

Finding and Making Shelter

Creating and Maintaining Fire

Making String, Rope, and Cloth

Emergency Signaling

Emergency Medicine Medicinal Herbs

Readjusting to Civilization (cross-listed in Psychology and Sociology)

I think even one class along these lines would make Brandeis a much more interesting place and could make a Brandeis education much more valuable. Also, if anybody even thinks that a class helped them to save their life, they might be more likely to donate money to Brandeis.