Pre-College Summer Programs and Courses

This course is a broad introduction to the fields of medical and mental health interpreting. Modules will include: (1) Three-way communication: managing role expectations and interpersonal dynamics; (2) Basic interpreting skills and techniques in a healthcare setting; (3) Ethical principles, dilemmas, and confidentiality; (4) Elements of medical interpreting; (5) Elements of mental health interpreting; (6) Trauma-informed interpreting: serving the refugee population. The course is taught in English, and has no foreign language pre-requisites.

This online course is primarily delivered asynchronously; however, your instructor has scheduled a regular synchronous session each Monday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., and may schedule additional live interactions as well. Please refer to your syllabus for these opportunities and for important course deadlines.

This course will provide a fundamental understanding of the mammalian nervous system, with an emphasis on how molecules, cells, circuits, and systems in the brain work to promote behavior and cognition. Topics covered in this course include the function of nerve cells, signaling between brain networks, basic neuroanatomy, and the neural bases of movement, sensation, and memory. This course is designed for any student who has an interest in the range of disciplines we call neuroscience.

This online course is primarily delivered asynchronously; however, your instructor may schedule live interactions as well. Please refer to your syllabus for these opportunities and for important course deadlines.

This course will provide a fundamental understanding of the mammalian nervous system, with an emphasis on how molecules, cells, circuits, and systems in the brain work to promote behavior and cognition. Topics covered in this course include the function of nerve cells, signaling between brain networks, basic neuroanatomy, and the neural bases of movement, sensation, and memory. This course is designed for any student who has an interest in the range of disciplines we call neuroscience.

This course is scheduled to run Monday through Friday between 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Novel developments in the field of artificial intelligence have recently delivered staggering improvements nearly in any field imaginable. Machine learning models which detect and classify latent features of text, image and sound helped us read ancient scrolls we have not been able to read, improve cancer detection techniques and design better self-driving cars. Machine learning models also became better at producing new text, image and sound. ChatGPT is reaching level of competence which urges us to watermark its output and Dall-E is recreating any image to text in any style requested. The complexity of these models rivals and even surpasses their human counterparts at times. At other times, however, these models also behave shockingly incompetently. Self-driving cars struggle with unfamiliar situations, which give rise from absurd to dangerous situations. The detection models perform significantly worse on groups of individuals lying outside their training data. ChatGPT4 does not sound less confident when it makes up an answer than when it provides accurate information. These failures range from being merely amusing to threatening the very existence of humanity. With its promises of new heights and threats of new lows, machine-learning-based AI raises new and hard ethical issues. This course aims to introduce you both to the basic concepts in machine-learning-based AI as well as the hard ethical questions they raise from a philosophical perspective.

This course is scheduled to run Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.

A writing-intensive course (W) engages students in multiple writing projects, ranging from traditional papers to a wide variety of other forms, distributed throughout the term. Assignments include a mix of high and low stakes writing, meaning that students have the chance to write in informal, low-pressure--even ungraded--contexts, as well as producing larger, more formal writing assignments. Students engage in writing in the classroom through variety of means, including class discussions, workshop, faculty/TA lectures, and class materials (for instance, strong and weak examples of the assigned genre). Expectations are clearly conveyed through assignment descriptions, including the genre and audience of the assigned writing, and evaluative criteria. Students receive feedback on their writing, in written and/or verbal form, from faculty, TAs, and/or peers. Students have at least one opportunity to revise.

This course provides an introduction to Western political theory, focusing on theories and practices of power and authority. We will examine the extent to which it is possible to describe, theorize, and make visible how political power operates, and power's relationship to authority, knowledge, truth, and political freedom. A strong tradition of political thought argues that people's consent is what makes political power legitimate. But what if one of the most insidious workings of power is its ability to prevent us from telling the difference between consent and coercion? Can power allow certain authorities to effectively brainwash people? If so, does that mean that those who obey authority should no longer be held politically responsible for their actions? Does the coercive power of norms and conformity prevent any robust practice of freedom? What role (if any) should state power play in negotiating questions of morality, religion, and sexuality? Lastly, we will be haunted by a related question: can political theories of power make people free, or are those theories implicated in the very coercion they profess to oppose? Classes will be a combination of lectures, critical discussions/debates, film screenings and presentations. Throughout the term, you will sharpen your ability to formulate coherent written and spoken arguments by organizing and supporting your thoughts in a persuasive manner. An important part of this skill will include the ability to wrestle with complex and controversial political problems that lack any single answer. The stakes of these problems will be brought to life by the political examples we will study and made legible by looking through the theoretical lenses of diverse thinkers.

This course is scheduled to run Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday between 1 p.m. and 3:20 p.m.

A writing-intensive course (W) engages students in multiple writing projects, ranging from traditional papers to a wide variety of other forms, distributed throughout the term. Assignments include a mix of high and low stakes writing, meaning that students have the chance to write in informal, low-pressure--even ungraded--contexts, as well as producing larger, more formal writing assignments. Students engage in writing in the classroom through variety of means, including class discussions, workshop, faculty/TA lectures, and class materials (for instance, strong and weak examples of the assigned genre). Expectations are clearly conveyed through assignment descriptions, including the genre and audience of the assigned writing, and evaluative criteria. Students receive feedback on their writing, in written and/or verbal form, from faculty, TAs, and/or peers. Students have at least one opportunity to revise.

This course follows the actuarial Exam P syllabus and learning objectives to prepare students to pass the SOA/CAS Probability Exam. Topics include axioms of probability, discrete and continuous random variables, conditional probability, Bayes’ theorem, Chebyshev's Theorem, Central Limit Theorem, univariate and joint distributions and expectations, loss frequency, loss severity and other risk management concepts. Exam P learning objectives and learning outcomes are emphasized.

Prerequisite: Calculus II.

A flexible weekly schedule accommodates all student schedules and time zones, and courses include pre-recorded lectures, notes, and interactives to help students learn the material. Assessments include computer-scored items for immediate feedback as well as instructor-graded assignments for personalized learning. Students have access to instructors through email or individual reviews, and weekly instructor-led synchronous problem-solving sessions are recorded for viewing at any time. Students should expect to work a minimum of 5-10 hours per week.

This course will provide a practical introduction to mathematical proofs with the aim of developing fluency in the language of mathematics, which itself is often described as “the language of the universe.” Along with a library of proof techniques, we shall tour propositional logic, set theory, cardinal arithmetic, and metric topology and explore “proof relevant” mathematics by interacting with a computer proof assistant. This course on the construction of mathematical proof will conclude with a deconstruction of mathematical proof, interrogating the extent to which proof serves as a means to discover universal truths and assessing the mechanisms by which the mathematical community achieves consensus regarding whether a claimed result has been proven.

A flexible weekly schedule accommodates all student schedules and time zones, and courses include pre-recorded lectures, notes, and interactives to help students learn the material. Assessments include computer-scored items for immediate feedback as well as instructor-graded assignments for personalized learning. Students have access to instructors through email or individual reviews, and weekly instructor-led synchronous problem-solving sessions are recorded for viewing at any time. Students should expect to work a minimum of 5-10 hours per week.

Do we all see colors the same way? How did so many "good" people support the Nazi party? Do crossword puzzles really stave off Alzheimer's Disease? This course tries to answer these questions and many others, providing a comprehensive overview of the scientific study of the mind. We'll explore topics such as perception, language, memory, decision-making, creativity, love, sex, art, politics, religion, dreams, drugs, brain damage and mental illness, grappling with deep and long-standing controversies along the way: differences between the sexes, the relationship between mind and brain, causes and consequences of racism, human uniqueness (or not) within the animal kingdom, nature vs. nurture, good and evil, consciousness. Appropriate for anyone wanting to know who and what we are as human beings (or who noticed that psychology is now on the MCAT).

This online course is primarily delivered asynchronously; however, your instructor may schedule live interactions as well. Please refer to your syllabus for these opportunities and for important course deadlines.

Introduces students to basic sociological concepts and perspectives, and applies them to a variety of topics including family, work, and the dynamics of class, gender, and racial/ethnic inequalities in the United States and globally.

Gain a broad understanding of surgery, including historical milestones in the field, surgical anatomy, pre- and post- operative patient care, subspecialties within the field, and surgical technology. Complete daily modules, including lecture content and activities which provide opportunities to apply your understanding of course materials. This program is designed to engage your interest in a diverse set of medical careers ranging from surgery and nursing to biomedical engineering. Additional course supplies are required, estimated cost is no more than $50, plus shipping.

This self-paced program is primarily delivered asynchronously; however, your instructor may schedule live interactions as well. Please refer to your syllabus for these opportunities and for your important program deadlines.

Prerequisite: Background in Biology is strongly recommended.

Required Texts and Supplies: There are two required textbooks for this program, and you will need to purchase lab supplies with an estimated cost of $20-$50, plus shipping. Details about the materials you need are available within your course syllabus and the Summer at Hopkins organization Canvas site.

Gain a broad understanding of surgery, including historical milestones in the field, surgical anatomy, pre- and post- operative patient care, subspecialties within the field, and surgical technology. Complete daily modules, including lecture content and activities which provide opportunities to apply your understanding of course materials. This program is designed to engage your interest in a diverse set of medical careers ranging from surgery and nursing to biomedical engineering. Additional course supplies are required, estimated cost is no more than $50, plus shipping.

This self-paced program is primarily delivered asynchronously; however, your instructor may schedule live interactions as well. Please refer to your syllabus for these opportunities and for your important program deadlines.

Prerequisite: Background in Biology is strongly recommended.

Required Texts and Supplies: There are two required textbooks for this program, and you will need to purchase lab supplies with an estimated cost of $20-$50, plus shipping. Details about the materials you need are available within your course syllabus and the Summer at Hopkins organization Canvas site.

Gain a broad understanding of surgery, including historical milestones in the field, surgical anatomy, pre- and post- operative patient care, subspecialties within the field, and surgical technology. Complete daily modules, including lecture content and activities which provide opportunities to apply your understanding of course materials. This program is designed to engage your interest in a diverse set of medical careers ranging from surgery and nursing to biomedical engineering. Additional course supplies are required, estimated cost is no more than $50, plus shipping.

This self-paced program is primarily delivered asynchronously; however, your instructor may schedule live interactions as well. Please refer to your syllabus for these opportunities and for your important program deadlines.

Prerequisite: Background in Biology is strongly recommended.

Required Texts and Supplies: There are two required textbooks for this program, and you will need to purchase lab supplies with an estimated cost of $20-$50, plus shipping. Details about the materials you need are available within your course syllabus and the Summer at Hopkins organization Canvas site.

The digital design course explores two-dimensional graphics as visual communication. Students will be introduced to basic design principles and elements, learn graphics tools used in the design industry, and develop and apply creative strategies to solve design problems in their everyday lives. This unique course will address the students’ direct needs through real-life design problems they face. Students will be asked to bring design challenges and tackle the issue both independently and collaboratively. Design challenges may include building print and web visual presentations, producing information brochure and posters, developing off and online portfolios, creating a resume to business cards. The course will offer both analog and digital design processes, graphics software tutorials and techniques, and basic introduction to design history, vocabulary and concepts. Attendance in first class is mandatory.

This course is scheduled to run Tuesday and Wednesday between 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Watercolor is simultaneously the most accessible of all painting media and the most misunderstood. This course provides experience and instruction in observational and expressive watercolor techniques, materials, concepts, and vocabulary. Topics to be reviewed include line, perspective, value, texture,composition, color, and pictorial space. There will be an introduction to contemporary practices in watercolor, as well as experimental and abstract exercises, collage, and conceptual work.

This course is scheduled to run Tuesday and Wednesday between 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Vector spaces, matrices, and linear transformations. Solutions of systems of linear equations. Eigenvalues, eigenvectors, and diagonalization of matrices. Applications to differential equations.

This course is scheduled to run Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, between 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

Prerequisite: Grade of C- or better in AS.110.107 (Calculus II For Biological and Social Science) or AS.110.109 (Calculus II For Physical Sciences and Engineering) or AS.110.113 (Honors Single Variable Calculus) or AS.110.202 (Calculus II) or AS.110.302 (Differential Equations and Applications), or a 5 on the AP BC exam.

Vector spaces, matrices, and linear transformations. Solutions of systems of linear equations. Eigenvalues, eigenvectors, and diagonalization of matrices. Applications to differential equations.

Prerequisite: Grade of C- or better in AS.110.107 (Calculus II For Biological and Social Science) or AS.110.109 (Calculus II For Physical Sciences and Engineering) or AS.110.113 (Honors Single Variable Calculus) or AS.110.202 (Calculus II) or AS.110.302 (Differential Equations and Applications), or a 5 on the AP BC exam.

A flexible weekly schedule accommodates all student schedules and time zones, and courses include pre-recorded lectures, notes, and interactives to help students learn the material. Assessments include computer-scored items for immediate feedback as well as instructor-graded assignments for personalized learning. Students have access to instructors through email or individual reviews, and weekly instructor-led synchronous problem-solving sessions are recorded for viewing at any time. Students should expect to work a minimum of 5-10 hours per week.

Mathematics for Sustainability covers topics in measurement, probability, statistics, dynamics, and data analysis. In this course, students will analyze, visually represent, and interpret large, real data sets from a variety of government, corporate, and non-profit sources. Through local and global case studies, students will engage in the mathematics behind environmental sustainability issues and the debates centered on them. Topics include climate change, natural resource use, waste production, air and water pollution, water scarcity, and decreasing biodiversity. The software package R is used throughout the course.

This course is scheduled to run Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, between 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

Prerequisites: Comfort with algebraic expressions and functions. No prior experience in coding is required.

This course is designed for students of all backgrounds to provide a solid foundation in the underlying mathematical, programming, and statistical theory of data analysis. In today's data driven world, data literacy is an increasingly important skill to master. To this end, the course will motivate the fundamental concepts used in this growing field. While discussing the general theory behind common methods of data science there will be numerous applications to real world data sets. In particular, the course will use Python libraries to create, import, and analyze data sets. 

Prerequisites: There are no mathematical prerequisites for this course although prior knowledge of calculus, statistics and/or programming can be helpful.

A flexible weekly schedule accommodates all student schedules and time zones, and courses include pre-recorded lectures, notes, and interactives to help students learn the material. Assessments include computer-scored items for immediate feedback as well as instructor-graded assignments for personalized learning. Students have access to instructors through email or individual reviews, and weekly instructor-led synchronous problem-solving sessions are recorded for viewing at any time. Students should expect to work a minimum of 5-10 hours per week.

Learn the basic knowledge and techniques related to surgery, internal medicine, pediatrics, emergency medicine, and biomedical science by participating in interactive lectures and labs. You and your fellow high-school students will explore new aspects of this critical field at one of the nation’s leading institutions as you are taught and guided by experts in the field of medicine. Additional course supplies are required, estimated cost is no more than $50, plus shipping.

This self-paced program is primarily delivered asynchronously; however, your instructor may schedule live interactions as well. Please refer to your syllabus for these opportunities and for your important program deadlines.

Prerequisite: Background in Biology is strongly recommended.

Required Text and Supplies: There are no required textbooks for this program, but you will need to purchase lab supplies with an estimated cost of $20-$50, plus shipping. Details about the materials you need are available within your course syllabus and the Summer at Hopkins organization Canvas site.

Learn the basic knowledge and techniques related to surgery, internal medicine, pediatrics, emergency medicine, and biomedical science by participating in interactive lectures and labs. You and your fellow high-school students will explore new aspects of this critical field at one of the nation’s leading institutions as you are taught and guided by experts in the field of medicine.

Prerequisite: Background in Biology is strongly recommended.

Required Text: There are no required textbooks for this program; all readings and video resources will be made available to you throughout the program.

Learn the basic knowledge and techniques related to surgery, internal medicine, pediatrics, emergency medicine, and biomedical science by participating in interactive lectures and labs. You and your fellow high-school students will explore new aspects of this critical field at one of the nation’s leading institutions as you are taught and guided by experts in the field of medicine.

Prerequisite: Background in Biology is strongly recommended.

Required Text: There are no required textbooks for this program; all readings and video resources will be made available to you throughout the program.

Learn the basic knowledge and techniques related to surgery, internal medicine, pediatrics, emergency medicine, and biomedical science by participating in interactive lectures and labs. You and your fellow high-school students will explore new aspects of this critical field at one of the nation’s leading institutions as you are taught and guided by experts in the field of medicine. Additional course supplies are required, estimated cost is no more than $50, plus shipping.

This self-paced program is primarily delivered asynchronously; however, your instructor may schedule live interactions as well. Please refer to your syllabus for these opportunities and for your important program deadlines.

Prerequisite: Background in Biology is strongly recommended.

Required Text and Supplies: There are no required textbooks for this program, but you will need to purchase lab supplies with an estimated cost of $20-$50, plus shipping. Details about the materials you need are available within your course syllabus and the Summer at Hopkins organization Canvas site.

Learn the basic knowledge and techniques related to surgery, internal medicine, pediatrics, emergency medicine, and biomedical science by participating in interactive lectures and labs. You and your fellow high-school students will explore new aspects of this critical field at one of the nation’s leading institutions as you are taught and guided by experts in the field of medicine. Additional course supplies are required, estimated cost is no more than $50, plus shipping.

This self-paced program is primarily delivered asynchronously; however, your instructor may schedule live interactions as well. Please refer to your syllabus for these opportunities and for your important program deadlines.

Prerequisite: Background in Biology is strongly recommended.

Required Text and Supplies: There are no required textbooks for this program, but you will need to purchase lab supplies with an estimated cost of $20-$50, plus shipping. Details about the materials you need are available within your course syllabus and the Summer at Hopkins organization Canvas site.

Is the mind identical to the brain? Is the mind (or brain) a computer? Could a computer reason, have emotions, or be morally responsible? This course examines such questions philosophically and historically. Topics include the history of AI research from 1940s to present; debates in cognitive science related to AI (computationalism, connectionism, and 4E cognition); and AI ethics.

This course is scheduled to run Monday, Wednesday, and Friday between 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

This online course is primarily delivered asynchronously; however, students must attend a 90-minue online discussion session each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM . Your instructor may schedule additional live interactions as well. Please refer to your syllabus for these opportunities and for important course deadlines.

Establish a foundation for an advanced study of neuroscience in research and medicine. Your curriculum will cover university-level cellular, network, and behavioral neurobiology using engaging evidence-based educational models that encourage enthusiasm and uninhibited critical thought. Additional emphasis will be placed on familiarizing you with the laboratory and research methods useful in a scientific career.

This self-paced program is primarily delivered asynchronously; however, your instructor may schedule live interactions as well. Please refer to your syllabus for these opportunities and for your important program deadlines.

Prerequisite: There are no prerequisites, but a background in biology is helpful.

Required Text: There are no required textbooks for this program; all readings and video resources will be made available to you throughout the program.