From CSI to Sports: McMicken Maymester Offerings Fill Requirements, Pique Interests

If April showers bring May flowers, what do Maymester, May 12-31, courses bring? Opportunities to learn about everything from wildflowers to Grimm’s fairy tales, for students enrolled in University of Cincinnati McMicken College of Arts & Sciences courses.

Maymester class options offer intensified schedules that allow students to complete full courses in just four weeks. They can learn about topics that might not otherwise fit in their schedules while in many cases also fulfilling important General Education requirements.

In the class “CSI Biology,” for example, students will examine real criminal cases—from OJ Simpson to JonBenet Ramsey—as they explore the impact of biological information on forensic investigations. At the same time, they will earn Natural Sciences credits to apply toward graduation.

“Maymester is a great chance for students to spend four weeks studying a topic that intrigues them while making great strides toward graduation,” said Lisa Holstrom, senior assistant dean in the College of Arts & Sciences. “We’re proud to provide an exciting range of options that are really interesting and really practical at the same time.”

In addition to CSI Biology, A&S Maymester classes include:

• Wildflowers and Trees of Ohio: This biological sciences field study class gives students hands-on experience locating and identifying various species of plant life in the region. It counts toward a natural sciences requirement.

• German-American Cincinnati: German heritage has impacted Cincinnati’s history and development, and through this course, students will learn more about the culture and its ongoing presence in the city with the second-largest Oktoberfest in the world. Students will go on field trips to festivals and other cultural activities as they work to fill their historical perspectives requirement. 

• Sociology of Sports: Sports reinforce and challenge important beliefs in society, and this class will explore the contradictions, the family dynamic and much more in this class that acknowledges the importance of sports in education, economy, politics, the media and more.

Students can learn more about Maymester options by visiting OneStop online or perusing options, and free ice cream and frozen treats, on McMicken Commons, noon-3 p.m, Tuesday, April 19.