But similar forces are causing the reinvention of the intersession. Practical experience At private schools, this can mean getting practical experiences not available during the school year. Debbie Cebula, special assistant to the dean at the school of arts and sciences, says alumni are central to the courses, giving real-world lessons rarely taught at Hopkins. The school offered three such courses last year - one taught by Hopkins President Dr. William R. Brodie on problem solving, one on financial literacy and one on careers in communications. Courses in biotechnology, media literacy and globalization were added this year and all filled up.
Some students also opt for independent study and more traditional offerings.
In all, about 10 percent of Hopkins undergraduates take intersession courses at no additional tuition. At public schools there is a more pragmatic approach, in part because students pay extra for January courses. They are on course for graduation, and these courses help them move toward that goal. Market forces At UMCP, Robert Hampton, dean of undergraduate studies, says market forces were behind instituting a winter term now in its fourth year. They were going elsewhere to take courses, so we should offer them ourselves.