Summer courses offer students a multitude of different opportunities.
With summer courses, it can help students catch up on credits. For students that might be wanting to live off-campus and need to get to that 60 credit mark, summer classes can make that happen, said Heather Jasmin, educational program coordinator at Keene State.
Additionally, if a student is looking at possibly staying for a fifth year, summer courses can help with that as well.
“It’s a good way to take some classes, not as much pressure,” said Jasmin.
Summer courses can range anywhere from being six to 10 weeks long. Some of the classes can also be Monday through Friday for a couple hours a day, Jasmin added. She also mentioned that because it is shorter than a regular semester, there can be more work to do. Students are, however, able to register for a class that starts in May and then also register for a class that starts in June to break it up.
There are close to 150 courses being offered in the summer of 2023, Jasmin noted. The classes offered are not all just Integrative Studies Program (ISP) courses. Some of the courses offered are also geared towards majors or minors.
Students may find that some of the courses offered during the summer session are not always offered during regular academic semesters. Most of the specialized courses are only offered every once in a while, with some of those offered during the summer, said Jasmin.
However, she said, they do try to encourage ISP courses so that a wide range of students can benefit.
Jen English, assistant program director at the OSHA Education Center, highlighted a few courses that are being offered. A course called outdoor recreational leadership is being offered for the summer. During this course, students would be taken to Maine and would be able to learn skills in leadership, camping and rock climbing, she said.
Another course, public art, is being offered. English said the course would be similar to the student art projects that were done on the grates throughout campus over the past years. Jasmin noted that only a “handful” of classes would be held in person. The majority of the classes offered are either asynchronous or online through Zoom. There is also a selection of classes that would be blended.
This way, students can take them from wherever, Jasmin said. She added that students that might need a place to stay oncampus can apply to live in Pondside 2 for $100 a week for the length of time that they want to stay.
Even though registration for summer courses opens up on Monday, Feb. 20, students can register at any time; although, by April 28, students will have to pay right away, Jasmin said.
Jasmin added that summer courses are often a lot cheaper than regular semester courses.
“For an out-of-state student, you save quite a bit,” said Jasmin.
According to Jasmin, out-of-state students could save approximately $1,812. For in-state students, they could save approximately $316. Jasmin added that there is a payment plan where students can make three separate payments over a period of time. She said that this payment plan is interest free, but there is a $60 application fee.
Jennifer Fritz, director, graduate studies and education, said that financial aid awards carry through for the year, so if there is money left over, it can be put towards summer courses. She said she encourages students to always talk to financial aid about their options.
The Office of Graduate Studies and Extended Education (GSEE), located in the Elliot Center, is the office that is in charge of summer session courses. Students that may have questions about summer courses can refer to the GSEE.
Tim Bruns can be contacted
at tbruns@kscequinox.com
“For an out-ofstate student, you
save quite a bit.”
HEATHER JASMIN
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM COORDINATOR
