CWU is offering a six week course to current and future students. The courses will be online and count towards academic credit which will be reflected on official transcripts. 

“Offering the six week program at the end of the term offers alternatives to students who may have dropped a course at the beginning of the term but still want to have a full load and continue onto their path to graduation without losing time,” Associate Provost for Undergraduate and Faculty Affairs Gail Mackin said.

This program is for non matriculating students, or non degree seeking students, meaning they would not be enrolled at CWU to obtain a degree. Students in this program only attend certain classes. After taking those classes, they can apply to be full degree seeking students and count some of the credits earned to the classes towards  a specific degree. 

The courses chosen for this program are considered general education and appeal to a wide range of students. For enrolled students, paying for classes would count towards spring credit hours. Students who are not enrolled would pay for the classes along with a $40 fee because they aren’t enrolled.  

“We worked with the colleges and departments to figure out who would be interested in teaching these courses. Then we narrowed it down to six courses. The idea was to pilot it with the interest of the college and departments and the faculty,” Ediz Kaykayoglu, interim associate provost for extended learning and outreach and executive director of the office of international studies and program, said. 

The courses offered are HUM 102, IT 165, IT 202, PHIL 104, PHIL 101 and RELS 101. 

Bruce Palmquist, a professor in the physics and science education departments, said, “I like the idea that the classes can be a mix of full time students, young people, but also include people from the community…it diversifies CWU’s course offering, but it can also diversify the student population in some classes that are typically taken by 18 to 22-year-olds.” 

Palmquist said his content for the shortened class is more concentrated. He is able to work with new material in an online setting he would normally only use in a face-to-face class. As a result, Pamquist was able to use his program and make the changes necessary because of the small class.

“We are really happy with the outcome of the students, and their interests are really important for us,” Kaykayoglu said . 

Mackin said a six week period is much more appealing to a working student than 10 weeks since they can focus on the classes intently and then move on to the next. 

Palmquist said he hopes his students gain an interest in astronomy. If his students continue to use an astronomy app on their phone or read an article about it when the class is over, he would consider that a success. 

“There is the potential for both online and in person. It really depends on the demand and the nature of the course. At this point we will continue online until we recognize that students are interested in a face-to-face program,” Mackin said.