MC’s May and Summer Term courses will be offered remotely

April 6, 2020

May Term and Summer Term courses at Maryville College will be offered through distance education and not in classrooms on campus.

Administrators announced that registration for both terms was open and shared a new date for the start of May Term:  May 11.

As a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, Maryville College closed its facilities to the public on March 19 and moved instruction to online and other distance-learning formats. Spring semester classes resumed March 30 following an extended Spring Break that allowed faculty and staff to prepare for distance learning.

“While we strongly believe in the value of face-to-face education and in the residential experience for students, we have had to adapt our academic program to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 disease while still supporting students’ educational goals,” said Dr. Dan Klingensmith, vice president and dean of the College. “Following the guidance and forecasts of health experts and government officials, we believe continuing our distance education model through the summer is the most responsible decision we can make right now.”

Three international travel-study courses (to the United Kingdom, New Zealand and the Netherlands) planned for May Term were cancelled last month.

Klingensmith said only two other courses, Biology Field Camp and Wilderness First Responder, have been cancelled because they require group collaboration and travel. One course originally scheduled for May Term has been moved to Summer Term. Other adjustments may be announced later, he said, and more summer courses may be added. He urged students to regularly check the website in the next several weeks for updates.

Housing is not an option for May Term but a decision about summer school has yet to be made, according to the dean.

In total, the College is offering 25 online classes this May and summer. Students also have the option of choosing among 25 other online courses offered through the College’s partnership with Acadeum/College Consortium. In this arrangement, the courses are developed by instructors at other institutions but judged equivalent to MC courses by MC faculty members. Six of the College’s eight academic divisions have approved classes in Acadeum’s 2020 slate of courses.

“May Term and summer courses ensure that the vibrant intellectual life of the College exists on a year-round basis,” Klingensmith said. “These courses are the perfect opportunity, not only for our returning students, but also for non-Maryville College students in the local community to continue their studies during the summer.

“Taking advantage of course offerings is a good way to catch up or get ahead on credit hours and/or course requirements,” he added.

Registration opened April 2

Online registration for May Term and Summer Term 2020 courses opened April 2, and students are encouraged to begin making plans to enroll in general education or major-specific courses.

May Term classes begin May 11 and conclude May 29. Three sessions of summer courses will follow, with two sessions beginning June 1 and a third beginning July 6. Depending on the courses taken, the sessions last five or 11 weeks.

Students will register by class level and will find their registration window start time on Self-Service. Students must talk with an advisor prior to registration and must have a completed Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 schedule before the conclusion of the Spring Semester.

Students can register online for summer courses through June 1.

Some courses are open to dual enrollment students in their junior or senior years of high school. Non-degree seeking individuals may also be permitted to enroll in some courses. For details, visit maryvillecollege.edu/apply.

Six May Term courses offered

MC students may register for these classes:

Civil War, Emancipation and Reconstruction with Dr. Aaron Astor — This his class provides an examination of the causes, course and consequences of the American Civil War, with a special emphasis on the process of emancipation and Reconstruction. The course requires students to weigh structural factors behind the Civil War, actions and experiences of particular leaders and participants, multiple perspectives of participants, and the contingent and haphazard nature of historical change in 1860s America.

Inferential Statistics with Dr. Jeff Bay — Prerequisite:  STA 120.  Topics include Interval estimation, hypothesis testing, analysis of variance, basic experimental design, nonparametric statistics and chi-square tests.

Latin America with Dr. Doug Sofer — Prerequisites:  FRS 140, LIT 270 or 290, and Junior standing.  An examination of the peoples and customs of a particular culture that lies outside of the traditionally understood “Western World.” The course integrates geography, history, social institutions, religion, and the arts.  The course seeks to foster intercultural understanding, global perspective and appreciation for the breadth, diversity and richness of the human experience.

Philosophical and Theological Foundations of Ethical Thought with Dr. Jesse Smith — Prerequisite:  Senior standing.  A senior capstone, interdisciplinary course which considers the ethical dimension of the human experience, including historic and contemporary ethical frameworks designed to engage the students’ ethical stances. Students reflect on general education, major courses of study and chosen vocation. Special concern to address service, global citizenship, and responsibility for the common good.

Principles of Human Nutrition with Dr. Kristin Riggsbee — Focus is on optimal nutrition for energy, growth and health. The course includes information regarding the functions and interactions of vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Assessments, analysis and appropriate interventions are addressed.

Physiology of Exercise with Dr. Jeremy Steeves — Prerequisites: EXS 217 and EXS 218.  Study of the physiological principles related to exercise and human movement to include health and sport-related components of physical fitness.

Summer courses span disciplines

Nineteen courses across seven academic divisions are being offered through distance education this summer. They include:

American Christianities with Dr. Phillip Sherman — This course explores historical and contemporary forms of Christian belief and practice from the colonial period to the present, with special attention to how Christianity engages larger cultural questions around gender and race. The course meets the US Pluralism requirement.

American Sign Language I with Mr. William White — An introduction to American Sign Language using concepts related to people, places and objects within the immediate environment. Emphasis is placed on appropriate language and cultural behaviors in various situations with students learning grammar in the context of communicative activities. Laboratory classes are used to expand expressive and receptive skills.

American Sign Language II with Mr. William White — A sequel to ASL 110 which is designed to encourage students to talk about people in a more abstract way and learn to narrate events that occurred in the past. Students learn appropriate cultural behaviors for directing and maintaining attention as well as strategies for controlling the pace of conversation and resuming conversations after an interruption. Laboratory classes are used to expand expressive and receptive skills.

Calculus I with Dr. Chase Worley — An introduction to calculus using computer technology. Topics include functions, limits, the derivative and its applications, and the definite integral. All topics are presented geometrically, numerically, and algebraically.

Child Trauma and Resilience with Dr. Ariane Schratter — Students will develop a foundation for understanding childhood trauma, post-trauma responses, and approaches to working with children experiencing trauma and stress. We will examine the relationship between trauma and physiological disorders and look at trauma within various contexts including the home, school, and community. We’ll review related issues including bereavement, mental health, recovery and resilience. Ways in which teachers, therapists, and other caregivers work with traumatized populations will be explored. Community engagement with either at-risk populations or programs that support trauma-informed practices is required. Prerequisites: PSY101 and Junior standing

Composition and Speech II with Dr. Scott Steele — Prerequisite: English 110 or placement into the course. This course hones students’ skills in writing and speech, with particular emphasis on strategies and sources appropriate for academic and professional work. It also provides instruction in argumentation and library research that supports students’ completion of an extended researched argument as well as multiple shorter writing assignments and presentations.

Developmental Disabilities (PSY and SOC) with Dr. Zachary Himmelberger — Students will be introduced to contemporary issues surrounding inclusion of people with developmental disabilities. The course will focus on how institutions and individuals work to increase inclusion and reduce stigma. Students will explore these topics as they relate to public policy, education, and attitudes. Prerequisites: PSY101 or SOC101

Early Western Literature Tradition with Dr. Nathaniel Norman — Prerequisite:  Placement into English 110 or higher, or completion of English 108.  A thematic approach designed to deepen understanding of the breadth, diversity and richness of Western culture as well as to develop interpretive and critical skills. Readings include classical, medieval and Renaissance texts. This course fulfills the core requirement in literature.

Educational Technology with Dr. Becky Lucas — This course is often taken in conjunction with Education 301 or 303 and is designed to prepare future teachers to integrate instructional technology into the classroom. Emphasis is placed on preparing students with the necessary skills and confidence to develop and/or select materials to use with a variety of technology-based instruction.

Elementary Spanish I with Dr. Geoff Mitchell — An introduction to Spanish designed to give students the linguistic, cultural, and geographical background necessary to provide for their basic needs when they travel to a Spanish-speaking country. Emphasis is also given to conversing in basic Spanish within well-defined contexts, to reading short passages, and to writing simple sentences in Spanish. Cultural and linguistic concepts are reinforced by means of a variety of practical applications.

Elementary Spanish II with Dr. Geoff Mitchell — A sequel to Spanish 110, designed to increase knowledge of the basic language, culture, and geography of the Hispanic world. Emphasis is also given to increasing students’ capacity to converse, read, and write in Spanish. Cultural and linguistic concepts are reinforced by means of a variety of practical applications.

Excel for Business with Dr. Sharon May — This course fosters development of skills in the creative use of spreadsheets to derive useful information from a variety of business data.   Direct applications will be drawn from various aspects of Finance, Marketing, Accounting, Management, and Human Resources.  The course emphasizes when and how to use particular tools and techniques in solving business problems and making relevant strategic decisions.

Introduction to Film with Dr. Heather McMahon — This class provides a general introduction to film as an art form.  The goal of the course is to enhance student interest in and understanding of the art of film by examining various facets of film-making, film-reception theory and film history.  Through readings, activities, writing assignments and film viewings, students will have the opportunity to apply their knowledge to the analysis of film art.

Introductory Statistics with Dr. Dan Ross — Prerequisite:  MTH 110 or satisfactory performance on the quantitative literacy assessment. The course develops quantitative and computational skills necessary in the collection, organization, and interpretation of data.  Topics include techniques in sampling and data organization, measures of central tendency and dispersion, an introduction to correlation and linear regression, elementary probability, confidence intervals and an introduction to hypothesis testing.  The course is project-oriented and the laboratory component emphasizes the use of calculators, computers and statistically-oriented software. Note:  Recommended for first-year students; available to first-semester Sophomores.

Precalculus Mathematics with Ms. Angela DeLozier — A foundational course in college algebra and trigonometry. Topics include functions, polynomial and rational functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, trigonometric functions, analytic trigonometry, and complex numbers.

Psychology of African-American Relationships with Dr. Terrence Schofield — Fundamental principles of diverse human behaviors and interrelationships will be examined, especially as they pertain to African Americans in the United States. Attention to the aims and socioemotional perspectives of psychology and other topics including motivation, identity, sexual orientation, emotion, learning and cognition, perception, personality, and behavior disorders. Relating psychological principles to individual and social experience as well as other disciplines is a basic objective of the course. Prerequisite: PSY101

Reading & Writing in Content Classrooms with Dr. Alesia Orren — Prerequisites: Acceptance in an educator preparation program, Education 301 or 303, or permission of instructor.  This course focuses on discipline specific literacy development and offers instruction and practice in various strategies designed to integrate and reinforce reading and writing for meaning in all subject areas. Emphasis is on using texts and other printed material to facilitate reading comprehension and concept development.

Maryville College is a nationally-ranked institution of higher learning and one of America’s oldest colleges. For more than 200 years we’ve educated students to be giving citizens and gifted leaders, to study everything, so that they are prepared for anything — to address any problem, engage with any audience and launch successful careers right away. Located in Maryville, Tennessee, between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the city of Knoxville, Maryville College offers nearly 1,200  students from around the world both the beauty of a rural setting and the advantages of an urban center, as well as more than 60 majors, seven pre-professional programs and career preparation from their first day on campus to their last. Today, our 10,000 alumni are living life strong of mind and brave of heart and are prepared, in the words of our Presbyterian founder, to “do good on the largest possible scale.”