The summer months are coming quickly, and many parents are looking for activities for their high school student that are both enjoyable and educational. For the second year, Villanova is running a Pre-College Summer Academy for high school students – who are over the age of 13 (typically rising 10th, 11th and 12th graders) who will be applying to college in the next couple of years.
Offered 100% online to students across the country, the program is made up of two, one-week sessions. Students can choose to take a course in each session or only attend one of the sessions. Within each session, there are two exciting courses to choose from that are created and taught by dynamic Villanova faculty.
Offered through Villanova’s College of Professional Studies (CPS), this program provides high school students with the opportunity to learn about a specialized topic, build an entirely new network of peers and faculty mentors, as well as enhance their college applications and resumes.
Christine Kelleher Palus, dean of the College of Professional Studies, says, “CPS is a place that opens doors to education for all ages. It’s a thrill to be able to create new courses tailored specifically to high school students. This unique learning experience is meaningful and impactful, shaping students as scholars and as young people. It is a perfect summer activity as they prepare to head off to college in the near future and explore what they are called to do.”
Become a socially responsible leader: Increase Commitment & Motivation by Developing Your Values-Based Mission & Vision
July 12 -16
Students will learn how to develop the skills and process to be a socially responsible leader, so they can have a greater impact on their high school community, future college, and eventually the workplace. Developing the emotional intelligence to understand and articulate values and ethical concerns is an important first step in shaping a socially responsible leader’s mindset.
Free Speech in Schools
July 12 -16
This course will explore controversies about free speech in schools following the Supreme Court’s view that neither students nor teachers shed their First Amendment rights at the schoolhouse gate. After introducing the basic Supreme Court case law, students will discuss classic theories of freedom of expression and then consider the applications of these theories to the school setting by exploring social media, hate speech, extra-curricular activities, and the politics of education.
Mathematics & Codes
July 19-23
Cryptology, or more colloquially, mathematics and codes, is the study of creating encrypted messages or codes (“encoding”) and translating encrypted codes back to their native language (“decoding” or “hacking”). A highly interactive course, students will study the history of codes, address ethical concerns, create their own codes, decode encrypted messages, as week as propose new methods of encryption.
The Art of The Book of Kells, a Hands-On Creative Immersion in the Golden Age of Irish Manuscripts (6-8th Century)
July 19-23
Students will learn the history and practice of the calligraphy and decorative work found in the masterworks of early medieval Ireland. From the earliest known manuscript Usserianus Primus to its culmination in the tour de force Book of Kells students will learn the insular script and how the word and image became one in a unique Irish expression. A hands-on art course, students will make pages which will be bound into a small book of their own design using the letterforms and decorative devices of early Ireland as they developed in five of the notable manuscripts of the period.
The Pre-College Summer Academy is accepting applications now and is offering a discount to students who apply before June 1. Space in the courses is limited, so explore the program webpage and enroll today!
Villanova University’s College of Professional Studies provides an academically rigorous education to high achieving adults who are balancing educational and professional aspirations with life’s commitments. High-rigor, high-touch, high-flex and high-tech, CPS offers learners of all ages an academically challenging and collegiate educational experience that is transformative. Explore programs at cps.villanova.edu.