Why Enroll in Summer School at Concordia?

Over the last couple of years, Concordia has ramped up its summer school program substantially – and our students have been loving the variety of classes and delivery styles. With a ton of encouragement from our students and administration, the faculty have come up with a stellar selection of classes delivered in several creative styles.

For example, I used to teach my Event Planning class as a traditional summer school class – approximately three hours every weekday for a month. I heard repeatedly from students that they would love to take the course, but wanted to spend as much of the summer as possible traveling, interning, or working. Some brainstorming with students and colleagues led to the creation of the first intensive summer school course at Concordia two years ago.

Starting the day after graduation, I meet in the classroom with my students from 9 to 5 for a full week. After the intensive week is over, the students scatter around the country pursuing their own interests, but completing assignments and staying connected via a class Facebook page. And then at the end of the summer, we reunite to reflect on our experiences and deliver final presentations.

I realize that the full week together at the beginning sounds kind of intense. That’s because it is. But it’s amazing how deeply and quickly the students can progress in a subject when the distractions of other classes and pressures subside. Within hours, we become a community of learners that sometimes take weeks to achieve in a classroom during the regular academic year.

For those of you who prefer a more traditional learning style, Concordia is still offering plenty of opportunities – in fact, more than ever! And for those of you who would prefer an entirely online course, professors are offering almost 30 this summer on topics ranging from Political Communication to Harry Potter.

So why should YOU take a summer class? Most of the summer school classes aren’t offered during the regular academic year because your professors’ schedules are already booked. Summer is when we have the freedom and flexibility to offer a much wider selection of courses using whatever creative approach would work best. The small class sizes give you the chance to develop a much closer relationship with your professor and classmates. And the Concordia campus – whether you are experiencing it in real life or virtually – is never more lovely than in the gorgeous Minnesota summer.

As spring keeps steadily marching along, start thinking about which summer school courses make the most sense for your interests, career goals, and scheduling needs. The full list of nearly 100 courses is available online and any of your professors would be happy to help you find the right match for you and your summer needs.

Guest blog post by Dr. Kirsten Theye