Summer courses term dates, explanation

By Nick Stollings in Academics, News on Mar 8, 2013 9:13 / comments

Summer school isn’t what it used to be.

If it’s time to gather some more credit hours on the road to graduation or if you’re just looking to gain some more hands-on experience, a summer spent with CU can be beneficial and will feel like anything but school.

Dr. Richard Keen teaches ATOC 1050 in the Duane Physics building October 12th, 2010. ATOC 1050 is one of many courses offered in the summer.

Dr. Richard Keen teaches ATOC 1050 in the Duane Physics building October 12th, 2010. Registration for summer classes began onMarch 6. (Eric McCune/CU Independent File)

If you’re like me, taking classes in the summer sounds like a medieval method of torture devised to ruin summer vacation, but CU has planned their summer accordingly. Class or no class, students need time to do the things other than academics in the summer. Don’t worry, CU has broken the summer term into five separate sections.

The first session, Maymester, runs from May 13-31 this year. Some of the university’s most popular courses are offered in the first summer session.

Maymester is an intensive, one-course, one-month session where an entire class curriculum is taught in just three weeks. Class time is increased to make up for the accelerated pace, but the classes are smaller and more interactive. Students are only allowed to register for one class during this section, and missing a class is ill-advised.

The next four sessions are divided by letter and vary in duration. You can register for any section separately, but not all courses are available during each section. When searching for a course, filter the search by plugging in the specific section you wish to enroll for.

Section A: June 3 – July 5
Section B: July 9 – Aug. 9
Section C: June 3 – July 26
Section D: June 3 – Aug. 9

Another feature unique to a CU summer is the Faculty-in-Residence Summer Term, or FIRST. In its first year, the program invites faculty from universities all around the world to teach summer courses. Non-CU faculty will teach only specific courses and will give students an opportunity to experience a class taught from a worldly perspective.

Specifically selected, featured courses are filtered through a rigorous selection process and offered during the summer term, including some that won’t be offered in fall or spring semesters. These can range from introductory levels to new courses featuring innovative teaching styles.

An in-state student should expect to pay $2,572, while an out-of-state student should expect to pay $6,922 for summer courses, according to the university’s estimated expenses. These estimates include tuition and general student fees.

Why spend money in addition to the regular school calendar to register for summer term?

“Summer class is just a better learning environment,” said Seth Medina, a 21-year-old senior media studies major considering registering for his second year of summer classes. “It’s more relaxed and the professors are more accommodating to your needs.”

Despite Medina’s positive outlook on summer term, some students feel that registration should only be used when credit hours are hard to come by in the regular school year. Jarad Kopciak, a 22-year-old senior film major, is expecting to graduate in May and has never registered for summer term.

“Summer classes have never appealed to me because I’ve never been in need for more credit hours,” Kopciak explains, though he admits summer term would be ideal for ease on the rest of the school year.

Summer registration for CU students began March 6 and is available on MyCUInfo.

Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Nick Stollings at Nicholas.stollings@colorado.edu.