By Shelby Williamson, senior communication specialist in the Office of Marketing and Communication
Summer is a time for adventures — and Summer Studies at Marquette University provides students the opportunity to explore interests they might not be able to delve into during traditional semesters.
Taking courses over summer is also a great way for students to catch up on credits or get ahead, says Dr. Jenny Watson, associate dean of the Graduate School and academic liaison for Summer Studies.
The first session of Summer Studies is already underway, but there is still time to sign up for the second session. Those interested must register online by July 1. The second session begins July 11.
“Summer Studies classes are taught in an accelerated format: a semester course in just six weeks,” Watson adds. “This means that if students take two, six-week courses over the summer, they can complete an entire year’s worth of a discipline in one summer. What’s also appealing is that by taking just a couple of courses, students can focus on one or two subjects rather than dividing attention across multiple disciplines like during the regular academic year.”
More than 400 courses and sections are being offered online and on campus across all disciplines — except for the Opus College of Engineering, which typically requires its students take part in internships or practicums over summer.
“There is a wide range of courses offered,” Watson says. “There is something for everyone.”
Additionally, Watson says Summer Studies is offering more Marquette Core Curriculum courses this summer than in previous years to provide more options outside of fall and spring to better meet the high demand for Core courses.
Summer Studies classes take place online and on campus and are also offered at a reduced rate — $780 per credit.
Online classes, Watson says, give students the flexibility to work from wherever they may be and study at times that work for them. On-campus classes are wonderful for students to engage more directly with faculty or to focus on hands-on lab work.
Perhaps one of the biggest benefits of taking summer classes through Marquette, Watson says, is students do not have to worry about transferring credits or whether their work will count toward their programs. A Marquette summer class counts the same as a class taken in fall or spring at Marquette. The credits are the same and they appear the same way on transcripts.
Some students, she adds, consider taking courses at a community college down the street from their home over summer. The problem some students encounter is that credits from other schools don’t always transfer to Marquette. It is safest for students to take classes through the school from which they are getting their degree.
“Here, you know what you’re getting and what you’re working toward,” Watson says. “You know that you will have great faculty and you will continue to get the Marquette learning experience.”
More information about Summer Studies is available online.