Online Summer Undergraduate Courses

This course is a comprehensive study of the Spanish language focused on the continuing development of students’ communicative abilities and their knowledge of Hispanic cultures. Students will expand their use of basic structures of Spanish with a special emphasis on more difficult grammatical and vocabulary aspects, and further improve both their oral and written skills. Students will sharpen their critical thinking skills and listening abilities utilizing movies and written texts. This course combines an extensive use of an online component with class participation and three exams. Upon successful completion of this course, students will have acquired extended complex language tools that facilitate proficiency in Spanish and its use in various professional contexts. There is no final exam. May not be taken satisfactory/unsatisfactory. No new enrollments permitted after the third class session.

Prerequisite: AS.210.212 (Spanish Elements II) or appropriate Spanish placement exam score.

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 is a comprehensive study of the Spanish language focused on the continuing development of students’ communicative abilities and their knowledge of Hispanic cultures. Students will expand their use of basic structures of Spanish with a special emphasis on more difficult grammatical and vocabulary aspects, and further improve both their oral and written skills. Students will sharpen their critical thinking skills and listening abilities utilizing movies and written texts. This course combines an extensive use of an online component with class participation and three exams. Upon successful completion of this course, students will have acquired extended complex language tools that facilitate proficiency in Spanish and its use in various professional contexts. There is no final exam. May not be taken satisfactory/unsatisfactory. No new enrollments permitted after the third class session.

Prerequisite: AS.210.212 (Spanish Elements II) or appropriate Spanish placement exam score.

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 is a thorough review of the Spanish language focused on the development of students’ communicative abilities and their knowledge of Hispanic cultures. Students will both expand their knowledge of the basic structures of Spanish, with special emphasis on more difficult grammatical and vocabulary aspects, and further improve on oral and written skills. Students will increase their critical thinking skills and listening abilities utilizing movies and written texts. This course combines an extensive use of an online component, class participation and three exams. Upon successful completion of this course, students will have acquired more complex language tools to become proficient in Spanish and its use in various professional contexts. There is no final exam. May not be taken satisfactory/unsatisfactory. No new enrollments permitted after the third class session.

Prerequisite: AS.210.311 (Advanced Spanish I) or appropriate Spanish placement exam score.

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.

A workshop devoted to the art and science of a funny story well told. Students will analyze comic fiction, film, and classic television, and create their own short, comic works. They'll learn the basics of screenplay format and scene design, and hone close observation and critical thinking skills. This course satisfies the Film and Media Studies screenwriting requirement.

This course is scheduled to run Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday between 5:15 p.m. and 7:45 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.

Intermediate Spanish I is a comprehensive study of Spanish designed for students who have attained an advanced elementary level in the language. The course is organized around a thematic approach to topics relevant to contemporary Hispanic culture. Students will practice the four language skills in the classroom through guided grammatical and creative conversational activities and through the completion of three comprehensive exams. Outside of class, students will complete extensive online assignments and write three major compositions (as part of the three exams). In addition, students will broaden their knowledge of Hispanic culture by viewing a Spanish-language film and by reading several literary selections. Successful completion of Intermediate Spanish I will prepare students for the next level of Spanish (Intermediate Spanish II).There is no final exam. May not be taken Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory. No new enrollments permitted after the third class session.

Prerequisite: AS.210.112 (Spanish Elements II) or appropriate Spanish placement exam score.

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.

Intermediate Spanish I is a comprehensive study of Spanish designed for students who have attained an advanced elementary level in the language. The course is organized around a thematic approach to topics relevant to contemporary Hispanic culture. Students will practice the four language skills in the classroom through guided grammatical and creative conversational activities and through the completion of three comprehensive exams. Outside of class, students will complete extensive online assignments and write three major compositions (as part of the three exams). In addition, students will broaden their knowledge of Hispanic culture by viewing a Spanish-language film and by reading several literary selections. Successful completion of Intermediate Spanish I will prepare students for the next level of Spanish (Intermediate Spanish II).There is no final exam. May not be taken Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory. No new enrollments permitted after the third class session.

Prerequisite: AS.210.112 (Spanish Elements II) or appropriate Spanish placement exam score.

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.

Intermediate Spanish II is a comprehensive study of Spanish designed for students who have attained a mid-intermediate level in the language or who have completed Spanish 212. The course is organized around a thematic approach to topics relevant to contemporary Hispanic culture. Students will practice the four language skills in the classroom through guided grammatical and creative conversational activities and through the completion of three comprehensive exams. Outside of class, students will complete extensive online assignments and write three major compositions (as part of the three exams). In addition, students will broaden their knowledge of Hispanic culture by viewing a Spanish-language film and by reading several literary selections. Successful completion of Intermediate Spanish II will prepare students for the next level of Spanish (Advanced Spanish I). There is no final exam. May not be taken Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory. 

Prerequisite: AS.210.112 (Spanish Elements II) or appropriate Spanish placement exam score.

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.

Intermediate Spanish II is a comprehensive study of Spanish designed for students who have attained a mid-intermediate level in the language or who have completed Spanish 212. The course is organized around a thematic approach to topics relevant to contemporary Hispanic culture. Students will practice the four language skills in the classroom through guided grammatical and creative conversational activities and through the completion of three comprehensive exams. Outside of class, students will complete extensive online assignments and write three major compositions (as part of the three exams). In addition, students will broaden their knowledge of Hispanic culture by viewing a Spanish-language film and by reading several literary selections. Successful completion of Intermediate Spanish II will prepare students for the next level of Spanish (Advanced Spanish I). There is no final exam. May not be taken Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.

Prerequisite: AS.210.112 (Spanish Elements II) or appropriate Spanish placement exam score.

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.

The second half of IFP, this course delves deeper into the finer points of fiction writing, including tone, description, and point of view; students will also enrich their knowledge of poetic forms and devices, such as figurative language, verse rhythm, and the poetic line. Readings include work by Paley, Mahfouz, Calvino, Lessing, Richard Wright, Plath, Rich, Auden, Li-Young Lee, and others. Students will write and workshop their own stories and poems, and complete a final portfolio. This course is a prerequisite for most upper level courses.

Prerequisites: AS 220.105 (Introduction to Fiction & Poetry I).

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.

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.

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.

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.

This course teaches students to communicate effectively with a wide variety of specialized and non-specialized audiences. To do this, students will write proposals in response to JHU-, Baltimore-, or Maryland-based initiatives that focus on a specific area of interest. Potential topics include initiatives to improve urban sustainability, resiliency, health disparities, social justice, mental health/well-being, government/municipal services, and other relevant areas. The class emphasizes writing clearly and persuasively, leveraging evidence effectively, working with key stakeholders, creating appropriate visuals and infographics, developing oral presentation skills, working in collaborative groups, giving and receiving feedback, and simulating the real-world environment in which most communication occurs. Projects include resumes, cover letters, memos, proposals, technical reports, and slides. This course is open to students in any discipline or major.

This course is scheduled to run Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, between 11 a.m. and 12:30 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 will emphasize close observation and critical thinking. Through weekly screenings and class discussion, students will practice noticing; seeing and hearing with fresh eyes and ears, and taking nothing on screen for granted. And they’ll learn to reflect on and contextualize what they find, drawing evolved conclusions about how film texts communicate ideas and what those ideas may be. They’ll consider all elements of cinematic form; an array of analytical frameworks including genre, historical era, authorship, and modes of production; and representations of gender, race, and class. Regular quizzes, a short oral presentation, and a short written analysis. No prior experience in film studies required; majors and non-majors welcome.

This course is scheduled to run Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday between 5:15 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.

This course provides a fresh look at one of the most critical periods in the history of science – the so-called ‘Scientific Revolution’, spanning a period from approximately 1550 to 1750 – through the lens of colonial studies. It will address classic topics within the history and philosophy of science, such as the rise of observational epistemologies and the globalization of scientific knowledge. By connecting these philosophical concepts to the colonial contexts in which they arose, it will use tools from social history, economic history, and art history. Ultimately, it seeks not only to enrich students’ perspectives on the history of science, but also to inspire them to think about the connections between science and society across time, including in our own moment.

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

This is an introductory Spanish language course. On completion of this course, the students will have acquired the basic communication and grammatical skills necessary for speaking, writing, listening, and reading in Spanish. Students will demonstrate these skills through their performance in class by completing several online assignments and by taking part in three group presentations in addition to two comprehensive exams which focus on the following thematic topics: Greetings, University Life, Family, and Leisure. Students will also be introduced to the culture, history and geography of various Spanish and Latin American countries. The content covered in Spanish Elements 1 is the foundation for all consecutive Spanish courses. A placement exam is required to ensure the appropriate level. Students wishing to retain credits for Spanish Elements I must complete Spanish Elements II with a passing grade. Your enrollment in Spanish Elements I will not be considered for approval until you have emailed the Spanish Language Director.

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 introductory Spanish language course is a continuation of the content covered in Spanish Elements I. On completion of this course, the students will have further developed the communication and grammatical skills necessary for speaking, writing, listening, and reading in Spanish. Students will demonstrate these skills through their performance in class by completing several online assignments and by taking part in three group presentations in addition to two comprehensive exams which focus on the following thematic topics: Food, Sports, Shopping, Travel, and Health. Students will also be introduced to the culture, history, and geography of various Spanish and Latin American countries. The content covered in Spanish Elements II prepares the students for Intermediate Spanish. May not be taken Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory. No new enrollments permitted after the fourth class session.

Prerequisite: AS.210.111 (Spanish Elements I) or appropriate Spanish placement exam score.

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 introductory Spanish language course is a continuation of the content covered in Spanish Elements I. On completion of this course, the students will have further developed the communication and grammatical skills necessary for speaking, writing, listening, and reading in Spanish. Students will demonstrate these skills through their performance in class by completing several online assignments and by taking part in three group presentations in addition to two comprehensive exams which focus on the following thematic topics: Food, Sports, Shopping, Travel, and Health. Students will also be introduced to the culture, history, and geography of various Spanish and Latin American countries. The content covered in Spanish Elements II prepares the students for Intermediate Spanish. May not be taken Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory. No new enrollments permitted after the fourth class session.

Prerequisite: AS.210.111 (Spanish Elements I) or appropriate Spanish placement exam score.

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.

Known as Tinseltown, La-La Land, Lost Angeles, the dream machine that privileges the few and leaves in its wake disillusioned starlets, down-and-out screenwriters, and uncredited extras, Hollywood has seized the imaginations of countless artists, not the least of which being novelists. Over the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, several American writers have produced a small but distinct array of works in the only novelistic subgenre centering an industry: the Hollywood novel. With a grudge against the myth of the West and aesthetic roots in P.T.Barnum’s freak show, this subgenre devotes as much energy to the film industry’s triumphs as it does to the grotesquerie of Hollywood’s failures, exclusions, and false promises. In this course, we will watch a few exemplary films, listen to a radio-play, and read seven short Hollywood novels, including two epistolary novels, a surrealist satire, a fictive memoir, a psychological novel, a work of science fiction, and a novel in the form of a screenplay. We will pursue the following questions: What images of the United States emerge when writers foreground the film industry? What stylistic and narrative strategies do these novels derive from filmmaking techniques and technologies? If Hollywood deals mainly in make-belief, what are the realities that the Hollywood novel claims to unveil? Finally, in a culture increasingly occupied by visual media, how do Hollywood novels position their literariness in relation to cinema?

This course is scheduled to run Monday, Wednesday, and Friday between 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.

"We left what we felt at what we saw," the poet Wallace Stevens once wrote, suggesting writing involves a direct response to our experiences of reality. In this class, we’ll look exclusively at writing which takes on what hasn’t been seen and hasn’t been felt. Through reading works of science fiction, magical realism, gothic literature, and speculative fiction, students will investigate how the unreal can still speak to our experiences and perceptions of the real. Additionally, students will get the chance to craft their own fantastical worlds through regular writing assignments. Tales of time travelers, haunted houses, unreal languages, and reimagined cities will be covered. Readings will include selections from Paul Beatty, Octavia Butler, Italo Calvino, Ursula K. Le Guin, Yoko Ogawa, and Mary Shelley.

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.

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.