Whittier College Undergraduate Summer Courses

Whether you need to stay on track or get ahead for graduation, lighten the load of your regular semesters, or you just want to take a really interesting class during the summer, Whittier College offers online courses during the summer.

This is a great opportunity for you to continue your Whittier education during the summer, at a fraction of the cost, from anywhere in the world. In addition, these courses may be used to satisfy Lib. Ed. and/or major/minor requirements.

Members of Whittier College faculty teach Summer Program courses. All courses satisfy requirements for Whittier College academic credit and may be applied toward degree requirements. The maximum number of credits for which a student may register during the summer is 13. All courses are transcripted using semester credit hours.

Enrollment Information

Whittier College students

  1. Summer registration opens on April 20, 2020. 
  2. Register using My.Whittier.edu, Registration tab, Add and Drop Classes link, unless otherwise noted.
  3. Use the Registration Fee Assessment link at the bottom of the Add or Drop Classes page to see your balance due.
  4. Use the Credit Card Payment link at the bottom of the Registration Fee Assessment page to pay your fees. Alternatively you may submit payment to the Business Office located in Mendenhall.

Students Visiting from other Institutions

  1. Complete an Application for Non-Degree Admission which is available at the Registrar’s Office front desk in Mendenhall.
  2. You will be notified of admission via email and provided additional registration instructions.

Add/Drop and Withdrawal Schedule for Summer Undergraduate Enrollment

Instructors may drop students for non-attendance through 25% of class duration. It is the student's responsibility to drop classes before published deadlines. Classes not dropped by the deadline are subject to grading and full fee liability.

Add/Drop Schedule

1st day of class: Last Day to Add/Drop without “W"
6th day of class: Last Day to Drop with a “W"

No withdrawal or leave of absence is granted during the last week of any course

Fee Payment and Refund Schedule for Summer Undergraduate Enrollment

Fees

Online courses: $683 per credit

On-campus courses: $1,004 per credit

Fees must be paid in full before the class Start Date unless otherwise noted above. Some classes have early registration and payment deadlines. Enrollments are canceled for non-payment of fees by the deadline. Late payment and registration reinstatement incurs a $100 penalty.

Refund schedule

  • 100% of fees are refunded for classes dropped on the 1st day of class
  • 90% of fees are refunded for classes dropped on the 2nd day of class
  • 80% of fees are refunded for classes dropped on the 3rd day of class
  • 70% of fees are refunded for classes dropped on the 4th day of class
  • 60% of fees are refunded for classes dropped on the 5th day of class
  • 50% of fees are refunded for classes dropped on the 6th day of class
  • After day six (6) 0% of fees are refunded

Transcripts for Summer Classes

Please refer to the Registrar's Office Transcript page for information on how to order an official transcript of your Whittier College coursework.

Summer 2020 Course Description

ART 204: Digital Photography Workshop

Instructor: Danny Jauregui

3 Credits
Satisfies COM3 Lib Ed requirement

This course will acquaint students with the fundamentals of digital photography including traditional and experimental uses of image editing software.  Emphasis will be placed on visual communication of ideas through the medium of digital photography. Instruction will cover topics such as digital camera operations, basic image correction, digital image manipulation, and will also cover fundamentals of composition and 2-D image organization. The assignments will include consideration of the cultural/political impact of digital manipulation, the relationship between subject and photographer, and the historical implications of photographic objectification.  Students should have access to a digital camera, tablet, or camera phone to complete course assignments. No prerequisite, however previous enrollment in Art 100, 101, or 210 is recommended.  

BSAD 309/INTD 309: Finance and the Brain

Instructor: Fatos Radoniqi

4 Credits 
Satisfies CON 2 Lib Ed requirement 

This course explores how individuals make financial decisions. We study how to minimize financial decision-making errors by examining various psychological biases that we are susceptible to. Biases and simplifying "rules of thumb" are ever present in our real‐life decisions, whether we're choosing which car to buy or deciding whether to gamble. We also learn about financial decision-making through the lens of neuroscience, examining the role of emotion, the reward system, and reinforcement learning. The course focuses on personal finance and is intended to guide students towards better spending, saving, and investing decisions. We aim to answer two questions: What are the deep “irrational” forces driving financial behavior, and what can be done to better manage them.

ECON 290: The Bitter Side of Chocolate

Instructor: Alma Bezares Calderon

3 Credits
CON1
Satisfies CUL 6 Lib Ed requirement 

Cocoa and chocolate have a long history. Considered by some as a healthy food and by others as a sinful but exquisite experience, chocolate is one of the most beloved treats. Still, chocolate production has a bitter side that few people recognize: exploitative practices and child labor abuse, wars originated by the control of cocoa plantations, asymmetrical trade practices and dubious marketing campaigns. In this course, we will use a multi-disciplinary approach to explore the role of chocolate in human history, its economic and cultural importance across time, and the complex structure of the global cocoa-chocolate value chain, with particular emphasis on its governance, its environmental impact and the local effects for the producers, located mostly in the African continent. The students will be able to develop their writing, analytical and research skills by exploring the broader issues related to the production of chocolate and will be able to translate their knowledge to a wider setting, identifying general issues in economics and in the political-economy of other value-chain structures that exist across the world. 

EDUC 290: Depictions of Education: Intersectionality and Inequality in Mainstream and Documentary Films

Instructor: Amina Humphrey 

3 Credits
Satisfies CUL 4 Lib Ed requirements

Using a comparative and social justice-approach, the goal of this course is to analyze the historical and contemporary portrayals of education in mainstream and documentary films in various settings in the United States of America. This includes rural, urban, and suburban settings. Black Feminist Theory, Critical Race Theory, and Critical Media Literacy are the theoretical/conceptual frameworks used to discuss, analyze, and critique the following: (1) education (2) the power and purpose of film, (3) intersectionality, (4) oppression, (5) empowerment, and (6) transformation.

ENGL 120: Why Read? How to Leave Home

Instructor: Jonathan Burton

3 credits
Satisfies the COM2 Lib Ed requirement

This course offers the opportunity to explore the nature and value of literature and to think about how literature can matter in our lives and the world at large. It gives students a chance to use literature to contemplate some of the great questions of life: "Who am I?", "What is my place in the world?", "What is the good life?", and "What does it mean to be human?" 

FILM/THEA 290: Acting for the Camera

Instructor: Gil Gonzalez

3 credits
Satisfies the COM 3 Lib Ed requirement

Acting for the Camera introduces performers through concepts used to prepare self-recorded audition pieces to be used in film, television, commercial, and theatre auditions. Focus will be on the development of an audition portfolio and pieces to be used for auditions, be they in-person or virtual submissions. Additionally, the development of a performance resume, headshot, and discussions of the craft of acting for the camera will be explored in the course.

INTD 140: Disease and Immunity: Friends and Enemies

Instructor: Sylvia López-Vetrone

4 credits
Satisfies the CON2 Lib Ed requirement 

Have you ever wondered how our bodies are able to fight off new diseases? Why some people get sick all the time and others don’t? Why infectious diseases have the power to shape communities, countries, and the wider global landscape? Then this course is just for you! During this five-week course we will learn and discuss how our immune system develops and works, how our unique genetic makeup plays a role in that development, and the ways in which our immune system recognizes and protects us from invading pathogens. Understanding the unique interactions between our bodies and disease, will allow us to begin to explore how this unique relationship has impacted the development of human society over history, and into our present day, and how we are harnessing this information to help us better fight diseases from within our own bodies and prepare for fights against new and emerging diseases. 

INTD 265: Nanotechnology and Society

Instructor: Serkan Zorba

4 credits 
Satisfies the CON 2 Lib Ed requirement

Ready for Nanotech Revolution?
COVID-19 might have put a temporary hold on humanity's march into the future. However, convergence of very powerful emerging technologies such as nanotech, AI, and biotech will propel us into the future faster than we might imagine.

Technological Singularity on The Horizon
Transistor technology, which is at the size of bacteria, revolutionized modern technology and modern life. Nanotechnology is technology at the size of viruses. The implications of that are momentous and far-reaching.

Every Aspect of Human Life Will Be Impacted
How should society participate in the emergence of this new technological era? Should we submit to technological determinism, rely on social determinism, or forge some other prospect? We will embark on a quest to learn about this emerging technology and explore its societal “hidden” dimensions.

INTD 279: Disasters

Instructor: Ralph Isovitsch

3 credits
Satisfies the CON 1 Lib Ed requirement

This course will explore the scientific and human dimensions of disasters. Topics will include modern disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the San Francisco Earthquake, historical disasters like the explosion of the Krakatoa volcano in 1883, and potential disasters like global warming.

INTD 290-01: Disasters in Film: Reality vs. Fiction

Instructor: Christina Scott

3 credits
Satisfies the CON 1 Lib Ed requirement

Students will examine the natural, physical, and psychological sciences behind natural disasters, and explore how Hollywood sensationalizes these events. They will explore psychological theories, including Terror Management, which will help them better understand their own expressions and responses to life threatening natural disasters. They will have a strong understanding of what is “fact vs fiction” when preparing to survive an imminent natural disaster in their lifetimes. For example, students will study plate tectonics and their role in earthquakes contrasting with the Hollywood film San Andreas (2015).
 

INTD 390: The Beatles: Transatlantic Culture, Society, and Politics

Instructor: José Ortega

3 credits 
Satisfies CUL 6 Lib Ed requirement 

This course will evaluate, analyze, and historicize The Beatles as artists, cultural symbols, and musical icons.  Their career spanned the turbulent 1960s, providing us with a unique opportunity to gauge the articulation between music, society, and politics during a critical decade in recent history. By examining the diverse origins of their music we will consider how transatlantic communities and cultures influenced the development of “Beatlemania” in an increasingly globalized world.  

MUS 071: Music in History

Instructor: Alexandra Grabarchuk

3 credits
Satisfies CUL 5 Lib Ed requirement 

This course is designed to help the musically inexperienced gain a better understanding of the elements of music from a listener’s perspective, its evolution throughout history, and its current place in a changing society. Emphasis is placed on identification of genres, as well as social and political trends affecting musical development.

PHIL 190: Media Theory, Culture, & Technology

Instructor: Albert Rodriguez

3 credits
Satisfies CUL 6 Lib Ed requirement 

This course will examine the rapidly changing multimedia environment in a way that makes us more literate and critical consumers and producers of culture. Through an interdisciplinary approach the course defines "media" broadly as including, oral, print, photographic, cinematic, and digital cultural forms and practices. 

PHIL 290 [210]: Africana Philosophy

Instructor: Michelle Switzer

3 credits
CON1
Satisfies CUL 1 Lib Ed requirement

Africana Philosophy covers the philosophies of African peoples and persons of African descent who are indigenous to continental Africa and the many African Diasporas worldwide. This course considers forms of reasons marked by colonialism and racism, and diasporic consciousness from the Global South concerning liberation, the meaning of being human, and human relationships beyond colonial paradigms. After a comprehensive introduction to Africana Philosophy, we study the philosophical literature which analyzes an important historical figure and philosopher, Franz Fanon. 

PLSC 110: American Government and Politics

Instructor: Sara Angevine

3 credits
Satisfies CUL 4 Lib Ed requirement

How does the American government actually work? Who governs, how does American politics work, and who are we in this process? This is an introductory course on American Government that will advance your knowledge of civics, as well as provide you with a platform to engage in critical analysis of democratic principles and how they are practiced. We will examine the institutional structures, political actors, and vital constitutional debates that shape and define American government and politics. You will deepen your understandings of the ideas, interests, institutions, and individuals that define America. By exploring the historical development and founding of the United States, discussing major debates about the structure of our republican form of government, and connecting the three branches of government to contemporary politics and elections, students will deepen their individual and collective sense of citizenship. In doing so, we will explore how the people, whether they be lobbyists, judges, citizens, activists, and/or policy-makers, work within the current American political system to achieve their objectives. In this class, we will also pay special attention to the role of identity politics and analyze how global factors affect American political decisions. In this online format over the summer, students will also be learning how to engage as netizens and critically analyze the public of the worldwide web.

PLSC 140: Comparative Politics

Instructor: Deborah Norden

3 credits
Satisfies CUL 6 Lib Ed requirement

This course compares different political systems from across the world and across time.  We look at how different democracies are organized, and how that impacts both representation and stability.  The course will also explore fascism, populism, revolution, and authoritarian governments.  Major themes in the class include alternative forms of legitimate authority, how political systems change, and the tension between sometimes stagnating stability and the unpredictability of strong leaders. 

PLSC 262/ENST 301: Environmental Policy

Instructor: Jeffrey Hanlon

3 credits

History and development of environmental policies in the US within the context of federal, state, and local public institutions; Examination of key environmental policy domains including water use, air pollution, urbanism, land use, agriculture, endangered species conservation, energy development, and climate change.  

INTD 290-02: Science Controversies in America

Instructor: Christopher Emerling

4 credits
Satisfies the CON 2 Lib Ed requirement

The purpose of this class will be to help you to engage with topics that are generally accepted by the scientific community, but controversial in the eyes of many in the American public. These topics may include, but will not necessarily be limited to, biological evolution, anthropogenic climate change, vaccination, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), animal testing and nuclear power. This course is designed to help you to understand the context of these science-public controversies, the basic evidence that supports the scientific consensus, and some of the historical, cultural, psychological and practical reasons that many people in the general public do not accept certain scientific ideas.

BSAD 290: Turning Innovation into Freedom

Instructor: Riki Ichiho

3 Credits  

This course explores the genesis of innovation.  Where, how, when is the seed of innovation created.  What is the root of innovative thought.  Once stumbled upon, how does one legally protect innovation from others?  Finally, how does one turn innovation into financial freedom.

BSAD 390: How to Start Your Own Business

Instructor: Daniel Duran

4 Credits
Satisfies CUL 4 Lib Ed requirement

This course has two key goals. The first is designed to expose you to the challenges and opportunities related to starting and managing your own business. You will be exposed to the realities of transforming an idea into an operational reality. This course has three focus areas: 1) Understanding and applying the ideation process to generate, develop, and communicate new ideas from innovation, to development, to actualization. 2) Understanding and applying the forces of change and innovation to your business idea with a focus on how to effectively manage your own efforts 3) Developing an executive business plan summary that can be shared with potential partners and investors. By the conclusion of this class you should be better prepared to vet ideas, develop a value proposition, add turn that idea into a potential and viable business. 

ENGL 203: Writing Poetry

Instructor: Tony Barnstone

3 credits
Satisfies CUL 4 Lib Ed requirement
Service Learning Course

An introduction to poetry writing, focusing on form and technique. Workshops, outside readings, visits by established poets.

FILM/THEA 170: Fundamentals of Cinema

Instructor: Patti McCarthy

3 credits
Satisfies CUL 4 Lib Ed requirement

This course provides an introduction to the aesthetics and language of film. It also understands film as an artistic expression, an economic product, and a social text. Lectures and discussions are supplemented by class screenings.

INTD 299: Internships

Instructor: TBD

1 to 3 credits available

INTD 299 is intended to support the core learning that takes place while a student participates in an academically-related internship. Course content and assignments will enable students to reflect on their day-to-day, hands-on experience, enhance existing skills, acquire new skills, apply content and theory learned in coursework (major, minor and liberal education), create professional contacts, strengthen their resumes, and learn from professionals in the field.

MATH 80: Elementary Statistics

Instructor: Jordan Hanson

3 credits
Prerequisite: C- or higher in MATH 076 or MATH 079 or 2 or better on the Math Placement Exam
Not open to students who have taken MATH 315
MATH 080 does NOT satisfy the pre-reqs for MATH 085

This course will follow the standard methodology of elementary statistics taught regularly during Fall and Spring semesters. Concepts of descriptive statistics will be presented, including descriptive measures, probability concepts, discrete random variables, and the normal distribution. Concepts of inferential statistics will also be presented, including sampling distributions, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, chi-squared procedures, and linear regression. This version of the course will provide interactive learning techniques designed to augment the online learning experience, and the course textbook will be free.  Time-permitting, the use of computer programming tools to help visualize examples will be covered.

SPAN 120: Elementary Spanish I

Instructor: Doreen O’Connor-Gómez

4 credits
Satisfies the CUL 7 Lib Ed requirement

This class is an introduction to the essentials of the Spanish language:  reading, listening, speaking and writing skills.  Various facets of Spanish-speaking cultures will be analyzed via cross-cultural comparisons. The overall goals of SPAN 120 are seen in terms of students performing linguistic tasks successfully, gaining self-confidence, relying on themselves and classmates, expanding their risk-taking in real-life communicative situations, and gaining an awareness of Latino cultures. The language students practice is realistic - what they would speak in a Spanish-speaking environment. Our online platform will present vocabulary and grammar in action through culture.  This class is designed for students who do not have Spanish language background who wish to learn to begin to speak Spanish on a proficient level.

THEA 372A

Instructor: Jennifer Holmes

3 credits

World Theatre analyzes theatre as literature, performance practice, and cultural artifact.  How do mythical stories evolve and reappear throughout history?  How do theatrical expressions replicate, transform or rebel from existing practices?  How does art hold a mirror up to its society and encourage its audiences to question that society?  Emphasis on the importance of historical and literary research is key in formulating critical analysis of period and production and incorporating these insights into research papers.

All Teacher Education Summer courses will be online.

EDUC 501: Teaching Diverse Learners

  • 3 credits
  • Course Instructor: TBD
  • Monday/Wednesday 1 p.m. - 3:50 p.m. 
  • Pre-req: EDUC 300/500 and CHDV 105
  • Graduate standing only

Provides theoretical and practical knowledge necessary for working with culturally diverse K-12 students, families, and communities. Includes analysis of alternative viewpoints on current educational goals, practices, and issues, as well as methods for building a just, democratic classroom culture. Due to COVID-19, the Certificate of Clearance and fieldwork components are TBD, and will depend on CTC/local school district policies. Individuals taking this course must earn at least a B- in order for the course to count towards preliminary credential.

EDUC 404 & EDUC 504: Second Language Acquisition Methodology 

  • 3 credits
  • Course Instructor: TBD
  • Monday/Wednesday 4 p.m. - 6:50 p.m.
  • EDUC 404 is a requirement for minor in Elementary and Secondary Education
  • Pre-req: EDUC 300/500 or EDUC 401/501

Examines native and second language development in theory and as applied to multicultural/multilingual educational contexts, helping prospective teachers develop a sound understanding of first (L1) and second language (L2) processes. Focuses on the socio-cultural, historical, political nature of language learning in the classroom and how the educational system addresses the needs of English Language (EL) Learners. Due to COVID-19, the Certificate of Clearance and fieldwork components are TBD, and will depend on CTC/local school district policies. Individuals taking this course must earn at least a B- in order for the course to count towards preliminary credential.

EDUC 402* & 502: Literacy Development in Elementary School 

  • 3 credits
  • Course Instructor: TBD
  • Tuesday/Thursday 1 p.m. - 3:50 p.m.
  • EDUC 402 is a requirement for minor in Elementary Education
  • Pre-req: EDUC 300/500 or EDUC 401/501

Research and methodology for delivering a balanced, comprehensive program of instruction in reading, writing, and related language arts areas in linguistically and/or culturally diverse elementary classrooms. Topics include: basic word identification skills and comprehension strategies, literature-based instruction, on-going diagnostic strategies/interventions, content area literacy, and organizing for instruction. Due to COVID-19, the Certificate of Clearance and fieldwork components are TBD, and will depend on CTC/local school district policies. Individuals taking this course must earn at least a B- in order for the course to count towards preliminary credential.

EDUC 403* & EDUC 503: Teaching Content Area Literacy 

  • 3 Credits
  • Course Instructor: TBD
  • Tuesday/Thursday 1 p.m. - 3:50 p.m.
  • EDUC 403 is a requirement for minor in Secondary Education
  • Pre-req: EDUC 300/500 or EDUC 401/501 

Research and methodology for preparing secondary teachers to teach content-based reading and writing skills to all students. Topics include: reading comprehension skills, vocabulary, strategies for promoting oral and written language, phonological/structure of the English language, and writing across the curriculum. Due to COVID-19, the Certificate of Clearance and fieldwork components are TBD, and will depend on CTC/local school district policies. Individuals taking this course must earn at least a B- in order for the course to count towards preliminary credential.

EDUC 429* & EDUC 529: Intro to Exceptional Learners 

  • 3 Credits
  • Course Instructor: TBD
  • Tuesday/Thursday 4 p.m. - 6:50 p.m.
  • EDUC 429 is an approved additional course for minor in Elementary and Secondary Education
  •  Pre-req: EDUC 300/500 or EDUC 401/501

The course provides students with an understanding of the characteristics of children with disabilities such as Specific Learning Disabilities, Emotional Disturbance, Intellectual Disabilities, Traumatic Brain Injury, Other Health Impairment-Attention Deficit Hyper Activity Disorder, and Autism. Students will examine a variety of developmentally and ability-appropriate instructional strategies, resources, and programs used to create inclusive learning environments that enable all students to learn and succeed. Students will analyze Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), Individual Family Service Plans (IFSPs), and Individual Transition Plans (ITPs) for the purpose of making informed decisions aimed at supporting the needs of diverse learners. Due to COVID-19, the Certificate of Clearance and fieldwork components are TBD, and will depend on CTC/local school district policies. Individuals taking this course must earn at least a B- in order for the course to count towards preliminary credential.