Collegiate Times

After a short but much-needed break from finals, students taking summer classes are getting settled back into the work routine.

But with more opportunities and online options than in years past, many students are finding it easier to take classes while also doing other things over the summer.

This summer, 9,354 students are enrolled in 2,457 on-campus classes as well as 308 online courses, said Michael Herndon, director of university summer sessions.

“Many people see it as an opportunity to get ahead and ensure that they graduate in the timeframe that they desire,” Herndon said. “Online classes also offer more flexibility and employment opportunities, allowing students to fulfill their financial goals as well as their academic goals.”

Some students also prefer the smaller class sizes that provide a lower student-to-teacher ratio and more opportunities for individualized attention.

 “I’m trying to get into graphic design, a restricted major,” said rising sophomore Libby Rosebro. “I’m trying to get the prerequisite classes over with. It’s been good so far, although I already feel swamped with the work.”

Others, such as junior transfer student Kevin Hummell, “just need to catch up.”

Herndon said the most popular classes to take over summer are classes that fulfill the basic requirements of the Curriculum for Liberal Education, a university-wide standard.

Summer classes are also offered at the graduate level.  This summer, 1,427 students are enrolled, according to Jacqueline Nottingham, director of graduate admissions and academic progress.

“We see an influx of people who have been part-time students during the year, and a lot of high school teachers take recertification classes here to keep up with their accreditations,” Nottingham said.

Summer classes and recertification courses make the most sense for teachers who work during the year, she said.

“Many graduate students also do it to keep in progress with their  curriculum. People are just making the best of their life circumstances,” Nottingham said.

Herndon said the number of students taking summer classes is expected to grow because more students typically sign up for second session classes as that deadline approaches.

“In 2009 we saw a drop in enrollment, but the really promising thing about the number this year is that it already exceeds the total from last year,” he said.

Though summer classes offer some advantages, Herndon reminded students not to take it too easy. “I don’t want students to think that summer is less rigorous than fall or spring. In many cases classes are taught by the very same professors,” Herndon said.

A version of this article appeared in the May 27 issue of the Collegiate Times.