Spending an extra two weeks in Syracuse for a class might not be as bad as it sounds.

Every May, University College at Syracuse University runs MAYmester, a two-week session following commencement weekend, during which students take an intensive three-credit course for four hours Monday through Friday.

MAYmester, which will run from May 17-28, offers students an opportunity to wrap up their final credits to graduate and a chance to stay on campus after everything has calmed down.

‘We advertise MAYmester as a way for students to take three credits in the summer and still be home by Memorial Day,’ said Kay Fiset, director of credit programs at University College. ‘And that does seem to be the reason why many students take the courses.’

Kiset said 714 graduate and undergraduate students participated in MAYmester last summer, and the number of participating students changes very little from year to year.

Participating students have more than 45 courses to select from, whether they need to take a required course or an elective.

‘Schools, colleges and/or departments determine which courses can be offered in the MAYmester format,’ Fiset said.

Some schools at SU, such as the School of Architecture and the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, do not offer courses during MAYmester. Other departments may choose not to offer certain courses because of practical concerns.

‘Courses with a lot of material to master or memorize, such as math and science, are not suitable for MAYmester,’ Fiset said.

The brief, intense nature of MAYmester appeals to students who struggle with focusing on a subject for a whole semester.

‘This way, students can concentrate wholly on one topic for the two-week period,’ Fiset said. She said evaluations have shown that some students like that focus.

Some courses, such as HUM 400: ‘The Evolution of Book Publishing: From Paper to Pixel,’ are selected topic courses with a specific, narrow focus. But others are regular courses in which students can benefit from the immersion aspect, Fiset said.

‘Since classes last four hours a day, faculty combine lectures with discussions, small group work, movies or whatever else will keep the students interested,’ she said.

There is a chance the workload will transcend the two weeks, as instructors have the option of assigning reading prior to the first class and are encouraged to make final papers due after the conclusion of MAYmester.

Michael Weiss, a sophomore accounting and finance major, is taking SOC 367: ‘Sociology of Sport’ during MAYmester.

‘It’s a way to boost my GPA and take care of a class that is part of my core requirement but isn’t related to my major,’ he said.

Additionally, Weiss will continue to work at Starbucks, where he also works during the regular school year, to make some extra money before heading home for the summer. He will also be able to wrap up his responsibilities as president of the Hillel Jewish Student Union.

‘I’m excited about MAYmester,’ he said. ‘It’s a great way to get a class done quickly and spend a little extra time in Syracuse while it’s out.’

Other students, such as senior entrepreneurship major Zach Gorman, are participating in MAYmester to get the last credits they need to graduate. Gorman will be taking MHL 500: ‘The Music of Radiohead’ for his final two credits.

‘I’m excited to take a class that’s so different from the usual classes,’ he said.
Although the two weeks of MAYmester are the only things standing between him and his diploma, he is not upset.

‘They’re offering so many classes that, even though campus will be a lot emptier, there should still be stuff to do,’ he said. ‘It will be cool to hang out here for a couple of weeks.’

ertocci@syr.edu
 

Published on May 3, 2010 at 12:00 pm