Make Penn Part of Your Summer Plans, Choose from Over 300 Courses On Campus and Abroad

Ah, summer. Hiking in the mountains, lazing around on the beach, going to class. Going to class? Sure, why not? Choosing a summer class or two from the more than 300 that Penn Summer offers is a great way to fulfill some of your requirements, take a course in a field about which you’ve always been curious, or ease your schedule for the rest of the academic year. 

The Penn campus is a beehive of activity during the summer. You'll likely find that some of your favorite professors stick around to teach during one of the three summer sessions, and you'll be joined on campus by hundreds of visiting students from around the globe who flock to Penn just for the experience.

Take a look at the featured courses for summer, or take a browse through our online course guide to find the classes that will make this summer one to remember. 

Some Featured Courses for Summer 2012

The Splendor of Rome
12-Week Session: May 21-August 10
Rome once ruled the entire Mediterranean world, and its legacy looms large in western civilization. Many aspects of Roman architecture, art, engineering, religion, and law persist today. This course will examine Roman civilization and accomplishments through the lens of their great monuments and achievements: the Colosseum, the Circus Maximus, the city of Pompeii, villas, baths, and aqueducts, among others. Primary sources in translation, slides, and video will assist in our examination of the splendor of Rome.

Arts of Japan
6-Week Summer Session II: July 2-August 10, 2012
This course will introduce the major artistic traditions of Japan, from the Neolithic period to the present, and teach the fundamental methods of the discipline of art history. Our approaches will be chronological, considering how the arts developed in and through history, and thematic, discussing how art and architecture were used for philosophical, religious, and material ends. Special attention will be given to the places of Shinto, the impact of Buddhism, and their related architectures and sculptures; the principles of narrative illustration; the changing roles of aristocratic, monastic, shogunal and merchant patronage; the formation of the concept of the "artist" overtime; and the transformation of tradition in the modern age.

Introduction to Mass Media and Society
6-Week Summer Session II: July 2-August 10, 2012
How might we think about the legal, political, economic, historical, and "cultural" considerations that shape what we watch on TV, read in books, stare at in billboards? What ideas are relevant for examining the enormous changes in the mass media system and the consequences of those changes? The aim of this course is to begin to answer these questions by acquainting you with the workings of American mass media as an integral part of American society.

1968 Student Protests Around the Globe
6-Week Summer Session I: May 21-June 29, 2012
The mere mention of 1968 conjures up images of rebellious students facing off against police. At the end of a tumultuous decade, which saw a nuclear arms race and the escalation of the Vietnam War, youths in Mexico City, Chicago, Paris, West Berlin, Prague, and Beijing protested political conditions and demanded social and cultural reforms. But what exactly enraged young people around the world and led them to the streets to challenge authority? This course examines the politics, protest strategies, and youth cultures of the student movements against the backdrop of the global Cold War. We will devote special attention to the historical significance of student protests: was 1968 a watershed moment, or did domestic unrest perpetuate the status quo of the Cold War? Exploring topics that range from generational conflict and counterculture to race and gender, this course aims to improve students’ ability to analyze textual and visual sources critically, write clearly and coherently, and articulate their thoughts confidently in front of others.

Sociology of Media and Popular Culture
6-Week Summer Session I: May 21,-June 29, 2012
Relying on a variety of sociological perspectives, this course seeks to examine media and popular culture in everyday life and in a broader social context. There will be a particular emphasis on the social organization of the mass media industry, the relationship between cultural consumption and status, and the social significance of leisure activities from sports to shopping.

See all the 2012 courses >