How the Program Works
Students in Community of Scholars enroll in a rigorous three-credit college class that blends a week of online learning with two weeks of traditional on-campus classes. This hybrid format allows students to sample the distinct features of each learning platform. Students choose from one of these courses taught by AU faculty:
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Worlds Apart, Worlds Together: Conflict, Culture, and Cooperation
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Diplomacy and Dictators: U.S. Foreign Policy in an Uncertain World
Online Component:
July 8-July 13, 2013. During the first week, students access lectures and engage in discussion with their professor and peers via a web portal using podcasts and video lectures. Readings and assignments will be available via AU’s Blackboard platform. All online material is accessed at home at hours that suit students’ schedules. During this period, students gain a foundation in the course topics to prepare them for the remainder of the course.
On-campus Component:
July 15-July 26, 2013. (Residential students arrive on July 14.) Students attend class from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., followed by lunch and afternoon activities, including site visits to Washington institutions (such as the State Department, Pentagon, and embassies), guest speakers, Model U.N.-style simulations, and college skills-building workshops taught by AU staff. Upon their return home, students will have an additional week to submit a final paper or project.
Housing:
Dormitory housing is available for the campus segment of the program. AU upperclassmen as well as a senior resident advisor will live in the dormitories and serve as mentors throughout the program. Students will have various dining options on campus, including an all-you-can-eat menu in AU’s main dining facility.
Free Time and Evening Activities:
Students will have free time to enjoy campus life, whether working out at the fitness center or relaxing on the quad or at one of AU’s cafes. Structured evening activities may include barbecues, an evening monument tour, study sessions, museum visits, a baseball game, and the viewing of international films.
Commuters:
We welcome D.C.-area students who wish to commute daily to campus. Our campus is a short shuttle ride from the Tenleytown metro stop. Out-of-town students are also encouraged to live with friends and relatives in the D.C. area and commute to AU. Commuting students are invited to attend all afternoon and evening activities.
Service Project:
The School of International Service recognizes that “service is not a moment, it’s a mindset.” The Community of Scholars program imbibes this service mindset, requiring its residential scholars to participate in a community service project involving the underserved Washington, D.C. community. In addition to gaining a valuable life experience, students will also obtain service hours that may be used to supplement high school requirements.