High School Academy Summer Courses

This course introduces students to the essential habits, tools, and university resources that support self-directed learning and academic ownership. By developing time management, problem-solving, and digital planning skills suitable for the undergraduate experience, students begin to balance academic and personal responsibilities while building a sense of belonging and confidence in navigating college life.

This course equips students with practical digital skills and the ability to use them ethically. Students develop proficiency in Microsoft Office, cloud tools, artificial intelligence, and the use of scholarly databases. Students strengthen their ability to locate, evaluate, and cite credible sources while working effectively in a learning community, exploring the tenets of digital citizenship, through collaborative technologies.

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Building on earlier communication skills, this course deepens students’ ability to write and speak with clarity, purpose, and ethical awareness. Through feedback, reflection, and cultural exploration, students examine their own motivation and align their academic efforts with personal and professional goals, preparing for the more advanced coursework to follow. 

This course will focus on the fundamentals of communication in professional, academic and personal environments. Topics will include verbal and nonverbal communication, listening, intercultural communication, conflict resolution, interpersonal communication, advocacy, and group communication. Students will practice oral and written communication skills through the use of multimedia as preparation for effective communication in their personal and professional lives. 

The student will be introduced to the American Criminal Justice System from the perspective of the criminal justice professional. The course examines the historical development and role of the police, prosecution, corrections, probation, parole, and rehabilitation.

This course is an introduction to the American federal and state legal systems. Students will learn about the Constitution and the three branches of government it creates: legislative, executive, and judicial. Topics include jurisdiction, statutes, case law, and specific areas of the law.

This course is an introduction to the principles of management examining their application in public and private, profit and non-profit organizations. Students will explore the areas of employee motivation, group behavior, leadership, strategic planning, organizational design, and career opportunities. Fundamental concepts of management, effective communication competency, ethical dilemmas faced by managers and corporate social responsibility will be explored. 

Horses are at the center of a powerful agricultural industry, with direct, indirect and induced spending totaling over $100 billion dollars each year. This course looks closely at this industry and explores the equestrian culture that surrounds it. Students examine the roles of horses and other equines in our society, the duty of care placed on owners and caretakers, and the impact of the industry on land stewardship. Current events, various values systems, animal rights and welfare, and the history and future of the industry are all considered. 

This course introduces students to common terminology within the medical and scientific professions. Medicine and science use clear and precise terminology globally to communicate within the profession. Terminology can be a barrier to communication among non-professionals and to learning and understanding scientific material. This course breaks down the language of medicine and science into simpler prefixes, roots, and suffixes that are then assembled into various combinations. By the end of the course, students will be able to remember, define, pronounce, spell, and construct thousands of medical terms.