When thinking of summer, one may imagine the sun, water, late nights or spontaneous vacations \0xAD--not school.
The months of May, June and July are typically seen as an opportunity to kick back and relax.
Unfortunately, students who attend school during the summer may have a hard time doing this.
Auburn University has made it possible for summer students to enjoy the warm summer months, as well as be productive by providing exclusive courses during the summer semester.
Some of these unique courses are Sports Economics (ECON 3300), Disneyfication (ENGL 4550) and Survey of Popular Music (MUSI 2740).
Sports Economics is an elective course that teaches students how to apply previously learned economic skills to real life and introduces the students to interesting topics in that field.
Taught by Macy Finck, economics professor, the course has been offered for six summer semesters, including this year's.
"The course illustrates how sport functions in our economy, both as a business and a public choice issue," Finck said.
Students choose to enroll will study profit-maximization choices regarding team owners, the economic role of television broadcasting contracts, government choices on sports economics and the economic effects of hosting events like the World Cup or the Olympics.
Principles of microeconomics, a prerequisite for the course, will be offered during the second summer mini-mester.
Another summer course the University is offering students is a class called Disneyfication.
In this course, students will study the ways the "Disney touch" transforms cultural narratives, objects and spaces in accordance to Disney's core values.
The Disneyfication course will be taught by Alicia Carroll, associate English professor.
The course has been offered once before, back in the summer semester of 2011.
"Most of us are used to consuming Disney products, but we don't often stop and think about the way our consumption shapes our identities," Carroll said.
Students will watch films -- including the most recent Disney blockbuster hit "Frozen"-- think critically and analyze popular culture.
"Students gave the course high marks back in 2011 and reported back that they are still thinking about some of the ideas we explored three years ago," Carroll said,
Carroll said she enjoys teaching the course as much as students have enjoyed taking it.
The department of music is offering a first mini-mester summer course called Survey of Popular Music.
Students will analyze music from the early 20th century to the present, from stylistic and social to political perspectives
Howard Goldstein, who has done research with special interests in film and popular music styles, will teach the course.
Because this will be the first summer the course is offered, Goldstein said the music department is working to make the class available to all students by creating a online-learning version of the course.
"The purpose of the course is to provide a survey of important popular music styles within a chronological overview of their history," said Sara Lynn Baird, music professor.
Students in this course will be required to view live or virtual performances and write about the particular performance.
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