University of Maine students are now able to register for Summer University, which is what UMaine calls its selection of summer courses offered to students every year. These courses are offered through the Division of Lifelong Learning here at UMaine, and go hand in hand with their Think 30 initiative. Think 30 reminds students to take 30 credits per year in order to graduate in the traditional four years. Unlike last summer, some courses will be available on campus this upcoming summer. However, students will still have the option to take courses remotely as well. Almost every college at UMaine has a course on the list for their students to take, and some important general education requirements are on the list as well, such as Statistics 232 and English 101. Additionally, UMaine offers a variety of courses centered around getting students credit for internships or thesis research they engage in during the summer months.
Third-year electrical engineering student Dillon Rose took a Maine studies course, or MES 101, this past summer to fulfill a general education requirement. As an engineering student who also works part time he says he has trouble fitting general education classes into his busy schedule during the academic year. Even though the class was online Rose says the experience was a positive one overall.
“The class went well for me. We essentially had to read various texts every few days and create discussion posts. This was a good way to stay engaged with the class despite it being entirely remote. Instead of quizzes or tests, our only other grades were from essays that we wrote throughout the summer term,” Rose said.
Time management is key in summer classes, as students are expected to complete three credits within a short period of time rather than a 15-week semester.
“It was definitely more work than a normal class since the term is compressed but if you work on the class everyday then it shouldn’t be overwhelming,” Rose agreed.
Classes are offered in May term, from mid June to mid July, or from mid July to the beginning of the school year.
Jessie Suchovic, a third-year zoology student, shared her experience with taking a summer course at UMaine. She enrolled in BIO 474 or neurobiology with Professor Kass. She chose to take neurobiology over the summer so she could completely focus on the class and not have other distractions that would occur during a traditional semester. Suchovic claims that taking a summer class might be a great fit for you.
“If you have time and put in effort, taking a summer class is [a] good option for people who might need to add a couple credits or free up time during the semester. It is better to only take one summer class per term though because they are time-consuming,” Suchovic said.
With the spring semester underway and summer quickly approaching, now is the time to sign up for Summer University if you are in need of some extra credits. For a list of 2021 summer courses and more information please visit https://umaine.edu/summeruniversity/ for more information.
