Penn Summer Academies
Penn Summer Academies are academically rigorous, subject intensive programs which fuse traditional classroom instruction with experiential learning opportunities. Academies meet Monday through Friday, roughly 9am to 4pm, and include morning lectures and discussion groups complemented by guided laboratory research or relevant field trips. All programs are overseen and taught by Penn faculty or staff, ensuring students are met with a challenging Ivy League curriculum. Programs conclude with a capstone project designed to hone skills learned throughout the four weeks.
Learn more about each of our Penn Summer Academies:
- Art in the City Academy
- Biomedical Research Academy
- Experimental Physics Academy
- Social Justice Research Academy
*Please note: Most programs utilize textbooks or additional course materials which are not included in tuition. These may be purchased independently from the Penn Bookstore or an online retailer of your choice. Students are also encouraged to bring a laptop to class.
Art in the City Academy
July 1 – July 28, 2012
Taught by members of Penn’s Department of History of Art and regional specialists, the goal of this program is to introduce students to the extensive world of the visual arts that lies both on Penn’s campus and in downtown Philadelphia. The focus of the program is on acquainting students with the museums, galleries and historical sites that house works of painting, sculpture and decorative arts that make the nation’s first capital a world-class center for art and architectural study. Students will work with instructors and research professionals to develop weekly projects that may include visual analyses, videos, and web pages.
Morning Lectures and Discussions We begin with morning lectures on specific objects, concepts of art production and study, and contemporary visual culture, with topics including street art, museum art, religious architecture, and art history.
Afternoon Site Visits Afternoons are dedicated to site visits and guided tours of local museums, historic sites, and several of the city’s many murals and works of public sculpture. Site visits may include, but are not limited to:
- Magic Gardens
- Mural Art Tour
- Philadelphia Museum of Art & Rodin Museum
- Institute of Contemporary Art
- Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
- Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Mosque
- Rodeph Shalom Temple
- Independence Hall & Carpenter’s Hall
- Masonic Temple & City Hall
Download: Art in the City Schedule
Biomedical Research Academy
July 1 – July 28, 2012
Taught by members of Penn's Department of Biology and other regional biology teachers, the goal of this program is to introduce you to the experimental basis of biology, including relevance to disease. The focus of the program will be on how we know what we know. Daily morning lectures and discussions on the cellular, molecular and genetic aspects of biology will be followed on some days by guest lectures from scientists and clinicians from Penn’s Department of Biology and from the Penn Medical School. Afternoons will be spent in the laboratory with hands-on experiments that introduce you to the tools and techniques used in biomedical research labs. You will also participate in a small group “journal club” where you will learn to read primary scientific literature on a current topic of interest.
Prerequisites: One year of high school Biology is required for application. One year of high school Chemistry is strongly advised.
Experimental Physics Research Academy
July 1 – July 28, 2012
Taught by members of Penn’s Department of Physics and Astronomy and regional physics teachers, this program combines in-depth lectures and discussions on mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum dynamics, and astrophysics with hands-on experiments to measure the speed of light and a field trip to an amusement park to study the physics of rides using electronic data-logging devices.
Other activities include an afternoon at Penn’s indoor rock-climbing wall to learn first-hand about how best to use friction to counteract the force of gravity as well as a tour of the Franklin Institute planetarium and observatory.
Want to learn more? Visit the Program Director's website or peruse the blog of three former program participants.
Social Justice Research Academy
July 1 – July 28, 2012
The Social Justice Research Academy brings students together with Penn faculty to examine the historical importance and the contemporary relevance of struggles to overcome inequality and injustice.
Morning Lectures and Discussions Attend classes with Penn faculty from several disciplines, including urban/global studies, philosophy, race and gender, economics and community development, politics, law and policy, history, sociology, environment, and public health.
Afternoon Workshops and Site Visits Participate in activities with special guests from community groups, cooperatives, socially responsible businesses, labor unions, political advocacy organizations, environmental projects, urban farms, research institutes, and philanthropies.
The promise of – and the struggle for – freedom is one of the enduring narratives of human society. The faculty will call upon knowledge and experience from many sources:
- past struggles – peasant revolts, slave rebellions, anti-colonial and anti-apartheid independence movements
- present struggles – Arab Spring, Occupy, and ongoing human rights campaigns across the globe
This academy has been designed for students who are interested in:
- society, economy, politics, and environment
- performing research supplemented by photography, video, music, art, or digital design
- developing skills for leadership and organizational development
- completing projects related to freedom, justice, equality, sustainability, peace, and fairness
Program Director: Andrew T. Lamas, J.D.
The course listing presented here is subject to change. Please confirm all information on the the University of Pennsylvania Registrar's website or via Penn InTouch (PennKey required)
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