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There’s no denying that traditional semesters filled with thoughtful coursework and real-life engagement experiences are the foundation of a great college experience. But, if you have an appreciation for jumping into a single topic for a shorter period of time, an intersession course is probably for you.

Nestled between the fall and spring semesters, winter intersession is a weeklong semester that allows students to participate in a single course or Immersion experience following the holidays—just before the majority of the student body returns to campus. You can earn course credit and participate in any intersession course regardless of your major.

Check out four reasons why intersession courses are a must-try.

1. You can learn helpful, practical skills.

In Job Market Boot Camp, a collaboration with the Center for Career & Life Planning, students learned about resumes and interview tactics. They even had a real-life networking “mocktail” party with Rollins alumni to help them learn how to win friends and helpful career connections.

2. You can try something completely new.

While Chinese calligraphy may not be new to everyone, Chinese professor Li Wei designed this course with the beginner in mind—no prior Chinese language skills necessary. Students learned about fundamental techniques and the aesthetic values.

3. You can take your coursework out in the field.

Sometimes a field study can literally take you into a field. This year, Assistant Professor of Biology Bobby Fokidis took his Animal Conservation intersession students to habitats near Cape Canaveral, where they got to observe and study Florida’s diverse species of fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds.

4. You can get a whole new perspective when you look at something familiar from different angles.

The popular Netflix series, Orange is the New Black (OITNB) is a timely conversation starter for a lot of topics in sociology, including hierarchies of race, social class, gender, and sexuality. In Assistant Professor of Sociology Amy McClure’s course, students analyzed how OITNB reflects reality and deviates from it. True to the Rollins way, small class sizes are perfect for in-depth discussion among people of different backgrounds and majors.

Check out all of the intersession courses that were offered in January:

Biology of Marine Animals
Animal Conservation
Applied Inorganic Synthesis
Intro to Chinese Calligraphy
Job Market Boot Camp
Popular Culture Everyday Life
Practical Economics
The Great Recession
Classroom & Instruction Design
Learning from Anne Frank
Heroines in Sci-Fi Films
Stories of Rock & Roll
Writing Workshop for Beginners
Writing Microfiction
Writing for Publication
The Cinematic Superhero
A.I. vs. I.Q.
Nature in U.S. Thought
Disney and the City
Basics of U.S. Political Economy
Hot Issues in U.S. Politics
Film and the Politics of Sport
Art and the Brain
Mind in the Machine
Careers in Psychology
Robots, Gods, Body Technologies
A Sociological Study of OITNB
Spanish Conversation
Rollins Feminist Camp NYC
Dramaturgy: Piece of My Heart

• Biology |
• Academics |
• Amy McClure