Summer classes
By Clare Shreve
While some students are at the pool, others return to the classroom.
The first summer classes begin two weeks after final with the last of them wrapping up Aug. 6. But class only four days a week complete with smaller class sizes and in some cases field experiences, isn't too rough.
Some classes are considered easier when taken during the summer, while others keep up the pace with in and out of class learning experiences.
The dynamics of a summer course are typically more relaxed, creating a fun and enjoyable atmosphere, despite still being at school.
?BIO 392 Stream Ecology
Chemical compositions, pH levels, turbidity and aquatic invertebrates make up much of what is offered in the stream ecology course.
The class will steady its focus on the ecology of streams in the Pacific Northwest. Biology professor Christopher Kodadek teaches the course.
"You have to experience nature," Kodadek said. "You can't just learn it from a book."
And experience is what students will gain with a daytrip to the Columbia River Gorge, where students will study different streams while riding along on inflatable rafts. Kodadek was quick to note that this is "not a white water rafting experience."
Although stream ecology used to be offered in conjunction with a fresh water quality course, there seemed to be too much information for one summer to get through, so the courses split.
The stream ecology course is not the standard six week summer class, it takes up a full eight weeks in order to give students a chance to comprehend the material, Kodadek said.
As an added bonus, this class doubles as a course requirement for those majoring in environmental policy and ethics.
ENG 492 Shakespeare in Ashland
"I know Shakespeare is a dead white guy, but he knows his stuff," said the likeable yet sassy high school teacher from the famed teen movie, "10 Things I Hate About You."
Summer is the only time this course can be taught, because of its correlation with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland.
It's co-taught by Ed Bowen, professor of performing and fine arts, along with Jeff Gauthier, professor of philosophy.
By bringing these two worlds together, an all-round approach to the texts of Shakespeare is expected.
Because the class is co-taught, the class can be taken as either an upper division English course or for metaphysics credit.
Either way, throughout the course, which has been taught at UP for almost 10 years, students will read four plays, which the festival dictates.
The draw for the class seems to be reliant on the trip to Ashland, although the class asks for an additional $250 to pay for tickets, lodging and transportation.
"The trip consists of a few days of intensely talking about Shakespeare," Gauthier said.
The plays are seen, discussed and enjoyed the sixth and last week of classes. ?
POL 318 Politics and Film
As the course description states, "film is a vehicle for exploring political issues."
Screening films, reading related articles and in-class discussions guide the course into an interesting direction, exploring the themes of representation, mobilization and rebellion in film.
Lauretta Frederking, political science professor, is excited to offer this course again, as well as having "even smaller class sizes."
"Extended class time with more frequent meetings brings more consistent, fluid exchange of ideas in a class," Frederking said. "Because of the longer meeting time, we can watch a film and explore the political themes together."
But note that this is not a fine arts class; it's listed under politics for a reason, it explores politics through the medium of film, rather than the film itself.
"For me, film is a vehicle for us to understand political science more fully and through dimensions that are not traditionally the focus in our studies," said Frederking.
With more continuous class time and smaller class sizes, summer is the time for this type of exploration.
?THE 205 Biblical Traditions
During the school year, "Bib Trad" is one course that many students begrudge taking.
However, since it is a graduation requirement, all undergraduates have to go through the process of Chicago style, Old and New Testament.
Rather than suffering through a semester worth of biblical texts, take six weeks off during the summer and soak up the Old and New Testament in their most abridged versions.
"I won't be able to focus on it during the year," said sophomore Adrienne Carlson, who plans on taking the course over the summer in order to lighten her academic load next fall.
One bad reason for taking Biblical Traditions during the summer is thinking you're getting out of writing that comes with this writing intensive class.
"It's going to be labor intensive no matter when you take it," Russell Butkus said. "It's a 14 week course compressed into six weeks."
On average, Butkus said the only difference between his class during the school year and during the summer, is that the summer course leaves out the mid-term assignment. For students, this means writing ten to twelve pages less during the summer.
"I don't cut back on anything during a six week course," Butkus said. "It's a lot of work, there's not way around it."
