Not Your Typical Summer School

As soon as finals are over in June, most students are ready to shut their laptops, leave campus behind, and not think about school again until September. After months of keeping pace with DU’s fast-moving quarter system, the urge to fully disconnect and embrace summer freedom is understandable—but, as a result, students may overlook one of the University’s most valuable opportunities: summer session. 

DU’s summer courses are more than an extension of the regular academic year; they offer a level of flexibility and variety that can actually make life easier and even more fun. With nine different sessions, more than 200 courses across nine academic units, and options to learn online, in person, or in a hybrid format, students can shape their summer around jobs, internships, vacations, or other summer plans. Luckily, courses are short—some just three or four weeks long—making it possible to earn credit without sacrificing the whole summer.

Whether students want to knock out a requirement, get ahead on credits, explore a new interest, or even study abroad, summer session offers a chance to make academic progress in a more focused, personalized environment. Instead of putting learning completely on pause, students can use the summer to create opportunities they may not have time for during the regular school year.

Getting ahead and learning at your own pace

Liv Kane is a third-year transfer student who is majoring in communications and minoring in psychology as well as mental health and wellness. She’s planning on taking four classes this summer, which she says will help her graduate early. “Since I came in as a transfer student, taking summer classes has really helped me get ahead on credits towards my major and minor—in addition to helping me expand my knowledge and discover my interests and myself,” says Kane.

Kane adds that she actually prefers the pace of summer classes: “We’re able to do our work on our own time. I like having dedicated time when I need to get things done—and still having time to be with my family and travel and do things I enjoy. It’s a better work-life balance.”

Arlo Frost, a second-year student majoring in English and studio art, appreciates the customizable nature of summer courses. Having taken two summer classes previously—an English course that analyzes the Bible as literature and a Native American film course—Frost is planning to take two geography courses this summer to earn credits for their environmental science minor. “This way, during the school year, I can work on my studio art and English classes, and graduate with everything that I want to,” they say.

Like many students, Frost also has a summer job and finds it’s helpful to balance remote classes with their work schedule. “Last summer, I'd get home from work and be able to watch a movie for class or work on a paper,” they say. “I love the flexibility—I got to work and still make progress toward my degree.” 

Meeting new people, seeing new places

The structure of summer courses also allows students to earn academic credit while experiencing another place. This summer, DU is offering 10 summer study abroad opportunities all over the world, plus a closer-by class at Kennedy Mountain Campus.

Max Guerra-Jimenez, a third-year student studying finance, says this is a standout benefit of summer session. Guerra-Jimenez took the popular Organized Walk Down Wall Street course in the Daniels College of Business last year. Students were immersed in a five-day course in New York City, where they learned about the day-to-day responsibilities and activities of financial companies. They were able to meet some of the esteemed professionals behind these companies and tour the New York Stock Exchange.

“You can crank the numbers and make models work in Excel, but the opportunity to meet people and experience the world of finance in person is incredible,” Guerra-Jimenez says. “This is something that you can't get within the four walls of a classroom. You need a plane, a few friends, and a great professor to get this kind of hands-on learning.” 

Across the globe in Prague, Owen Mantelli, a third-year student majoring in political science and minoring in media, film, and journalism as well as leadership studies, had a similar experience. He took a course on leadership in Prague history and found the relationships he built while in the Czech Republic to be a highlight. “There were about seven of us students with two faculty, so it was really tight-knit, and we were able to build a great community,” he says.

For Mantelli, summer classes were appealing because he wasn’t planning to do a typical 15- or 16-week study abroad session during the regular academic year. The Prague leadership course ended up being an ideal alternative. “I was really intrigued by this program because it was short-term and didn’t interfere with my other course plans later on in the year,” he says. Mantelli was able to earn four credits in one week while immersing himself in the historic city.

From exploring a new country or job sector to being able to juggle work and academics, summer session at DU has something for just about every student—and offers unexpected and rewarding outcomes.