Winter Break this year is not only a time for family, friends and festivities. For some students, it also marks the opportunity to take unique courses at the University.
As of this week, 170 students are signed up for the brand new January Term, and 62 more students are registered for study abroad courses.
"We are right in the middle of what we aimed for," said Milton Adams, vice provost for academic programs. "We deliberately tried to start off very small to handle problems as they come up."
Adams said he expects the University will offer a wider variety of classes and more classes abroad in the coming years.
"Once we get through the pilot, I expect the program to grow," Adams said.
The University will consider student course evaluations and professor feedback to strengthen the program, Adams said.
Politics Prof. David Waldner will teach a politics seminar titled "Nation Building in Iraq: Past, Present and Future." The class filled up by 9 a.m. on the first day of registration.
"The January Term is an excellent opportunity to teach a more focused, specific and contemporary class I would not normally teach during the semester," Waldner said.
The class will demonstrate how the political science students study in the classroom has application to real-world events, Waldner said.
"One vision I have is to demonstrate the relevance of social science," Waldner said. Students will "bring new insights to bear on intriguing problems."
Waldner said the number of students who chose to take a course during the January Term is a testament to the motivation of the University's students.
"I am impressed students are going to give up part of their break to take this interesting but demanding class," Waldner said.
Spanish Prof. David T. Gies will teach one of three courses offered abroad. Gies' class, "The Cinema in Spain, Spain in the Cinema," will be taught in Valencia, and it will introduce a group of 12 students to the art of Spanish film.
"I am excited about this opportunity to take students and do this kind of work in an intense, almost laboratory setting," Gies said. "This is a highly motivated group of students."
The students will experience Spanish culture firsthand in a way that is not possible in the classroom. Host families will house the students, and the class will visit local Spanish museums, Gies said.
"The course is in situ, which adds a whole dimension," Gies said. "We are going to speak only in Spanish the entire time."
Gies said the Spanish department plans to expand the number of courses offered in the coming January terms to include destinations such as Chile and Argentina.
Choral Director Michael Slon will take a majority of the University Singers on a concert tour of the Southeast during the term. The students will perform in five cities, and they will participate in workshops at high schools at some of the sites.
"Students will get a firsthand perspective of participating as performers on a daily basis," Slon said. "I think they will really internalize the music in a way they could not otherwise."
Slon said the first portion of the class will focus on the scholarly aspect of music. Students will study composers and different musical periods. During the second part of the class, students will learn how to adjust to different concert venues on the tour.
Whether students are debating current events, viewing films in Spain or touring around the United States, the January Term is a unique time for students to devote their energies to a single topic, Slon said.
"When we remove all other activities that demand students' attention, they can just enjoy the music," Slon said.
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