@State may 2014 - Summer Education

Crash Course in Summer Learning

students studying on grass

Summer may have a long-standing reputation as a relatively slow, unproductive time of year, but for students looking to play catch up or even get ahead in degree completion, it’s a great time to ramp up academic acceleration. San Diego State University doesn’t shut down when summer arrives. In fact, SDSU offers an array of options for students who want to use those extra long summer days boosting brainpower.

Stay Class-y

For those looking to earn units over the summer, San Diego State University offers three summer sessions, including two 6-week sessions and one 13-week session. Hundreds of courses are available for both on-campus and online class formats, so you’re covered whether you’ll be traveling or spending the season in America’s Finest City.

Registration opens on May 5 for the first 6-week session, which begins May 21. The 13-week session, or T1, also begins May 21. The second 6-week summer session begins July 7. If you’re planning to work this summer, make sure to consider your work schedule when deciding which session to enroll in and how many units you can reasonably take on.

Master A Language

Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg made headlines in 2010 when he challenged himself to learn Mandarin. You may not grab the attention of CNN by committing your summer to learning one of today’s most critical languages, but you may just impress yourself along with your personal and professional networks.

Registration is now open for SDSU’s summer intensive critical language courses. You can earn between four and 20 units of foreign language credit in Arabic, Persian (Farsi), or Russian through the SDSU Language Acquisition Resource Center, also known as the LARC.

SDSU’s expert instructors will guide you in achieving practical language skills and cultural awareness through conversations, games, writing, multimedia, and other activities based on today’s latest language learning theories and practice.

The unique intensive format allows you to participate in the equivalent of up to two years of language study in one summer. Each course meets on campus at SDSU for approximately two and a half weeks, offering five to six hours of interactive instruction Monday through Friday.

Classes meet according to the following schedule:

Session 1: May 28 - July 2
  • Arabic 101/102, 201/202, 9 am-2 pm
  • Persian 101/102, 201/202, 9 am-2 pm
  • Russian 100A/100B, 200A/200B, 9 am-3 pm
Session 2: July 9 - August 13
  • Arabic 101/102, 201/202, 9 am-2 pm
  • Persian 101/102, 201/202, 9 am-2 pm
  • Russian 100A/100B, 200A/200B, 9 am-3 pm

Study Abroad

Three short months separate that last final exam of the spring semester with the first syllabus of the fall semester. Deciding how to make the most of that precious time can be a tough call. Luckily, SDSU students don’t have to choose between seeing the world and furthering their education. Some will be studying marketing in Scotland as an exchange student, while others learn ecology by exploring the farms, forests, lakes and caves of Nicaragua. Another group of students will be spending 10 days in Jamaica to gain a unique perspective of women’s issues, culture and politics.

Visit the new Aztecs Abroad database to get information on more than 330 study abroad opportunities throughout the year. Although the application periods for many summer study abroad programs have passed, check with the International Student Center, the College of Extended Studies, or your academic department to see what other opportunities may still be available.