Summer school isn’t just for students in the K-12 levels. As the weather grows warmer, college candidates and students might find this an opportune time to make progress toward their degrees. Summer research and study abroad programs might also provide academic credits.
During the summer months, many individuals are able to reduce some of their career and family responsibilities and make room for personal pursuits. Parents might have more time on their hands while the children are at summer camp. Teachers who have the summer off from work might want to use the time to accrue credits toward advanced degrees. In some areas, even high school students have opportunities to experience campus life while earning college credits.
Colleges, universities and technical schools offer an array of summer courses and programs from which to choose. Boston University alone offers more than 700 summer courses in more than 70 academic subjects, according to the institution’s summer website. Through a “pre-college” program, NYU (New York University) allows high school juniors and seniors within commuting distance to take credit-bearing classes alongside college students and participate in non-credit writing workshops to enhance their writing skills. They can also attend workshops where they learn about college applications and admissions, as well as on and off campus activities.
Adults who travel during summer vacations might find that online college courses are best suited to their needs. For example, individuals who have planned long road trips may find that their travel time can be used to do schoolwork. Innovations to technology can enable these students to access web-based lectures or complete online assignments using their cell phones or other portable devices, such as the iPad. Furthermore, some students may not even need an Internet connection to get ahead on their schoolwork. Many schools online are now formatting their course materials to make them available on handheld readers, such as the Kindle or the Nook.
Oregon State University for summer 2010 offered more than 150 distance learning courses in more than 35 subject areas. At the University of Massachusetts-Boston, more than 100 of the institution’s 600-plus undergraduate and graduate courses were offered to distance learners. The Sociology and Anthropology Departments at UMass, as it’s known, have also partnered with the Universities of Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands for a four-week Caribbean Studies Summer Institute where students can earn sociology and anthropology credits while learning how history, economics and more have influenced the Caribbean.
Several summer study abroad programs provide opportunities to earn academic credits while traveling. NYU’s study abroad programs are offered by different schools and might include travels to places such as Asia, South America, Western Europe and the Middle East. NYU’s School of Arts & Sciences, for instance, this year hosted summer study abroad programs in Beijing, Prague, London and Paris, while the Gallatin School of Individualized Study offered summer study abroad programs in Florence, Berlin and the Republic of Ghana in West Africa.
» Read more: Summertime is Exactly the Right Time For Distance Learning Degree Programs
