There are many things that you may need to do or want to do over the summer months that don’t involve academics: working, vacationing, catching up with friends, or spending time with family. But many students find that the summer months are a great time to continue to take classes on campus or to continue with classes by studying abroad. Other students will try to find ways to earn credits and stay on track with majors/degrees by taking classes online, at other Ball State locations (Fishers, Indianapolis, etc.) or through other colleges or universities.
Summer on campus... courses are offered in three different terms. Most courses are taken in the 5-week Summer Sessions but some are offered in the 10-week Summer Semester. Students can enroll for either or both sessions and can also take courses concurrently on the sessions and on the semester. To find out which terms the course(s) you are interested in are offered, check Course Planner, making sure you have used the correct drop down menu for the term.
Summer online… courses are a good option for students that don’t have the ability to be on campus over the summer. Ball State offers more than 150 online undergraduate courses through the Internet-based Independent Learning Program (ILP). The enrollment period to count the course toward summer term typically begins at the end of February and lasts through June. To register for ILP courses or to get more information, go to the Services for Current Students web page and select the link for Students Taking Online and Distance Courses under the REGISTRATION heading. After you register for an ILP course, staff from the Online and Distance Program will communicate with you via your Ball State e-mail account. It is important to check this account often.
Summer on other campuses… may be an option for students needing to take classes from a location near home. Taking courses at other schools to have them transfer back to "count" at Ball State is possible, but there are some things to keep in mind. If you have any doubts about the acceptance of credit from that school, contact your academic advisor or the Ball State Office of Admissions at 765-285-8300. In addition, grades in courses must be a "C" or better to transfer. When the course is transferred, the credit counts but the grade is not computed into your Ball State GPA.; that's why you should only repeat a class for grade replacement at Ball State. If you want a transferred course to apply as a specific University Core Curriculum (UCC) course, you should have the course pre-approved by your advisor or at your Advising Center. Some Indiana schools have agreements on acceptance of courses; you can access this information online through the TransferIN website.