Students enjoy the benefits of online summer courses

  Monday, July 11, 2016 2:00 AM
  News

Pittsburg, KS

When Pitt State junior Ali Noyes was offered a summer internship at the University of Kansas Cancer Center, she knew it was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up.

Then again, she was also hoping to take a couple of summer classes at Pitt State during the summer to help lighten her course load for the fall and spring semesters.

Enter the university’s ever-increasing option of online summer courses.

This year, Pitt State offered a record number of online summer courses. Of the more than 450 courses offered for the summer session, more than 156 were online. PSU officials said 1,508 students took at least one online course this summer.

Noyes, who is taking Epidemiology and Money and Banking online this summer, said she appreciates the number of online courses offered by Pitt State.

“I like taking summer classes because it allows me to be able to focus on a few classes really well rather than balancing 15 to 18 credit hours like I have every semester since I began college at PSU,” Noyes said. “The classes I’m taking this summer will help me finish on time because they are electives that are only offered one time in the fall, and they do not fit into my ideal fall course schedule.

“Also, because the classes are online, I’m able to take full advantage of my internship opportunity in Kansas City while also taking classes at Pitt,” she said.

Pitt State Provost Lynette Olson said online courses are becoming increasingly popular with students.

“Online courses are very important and popular because they allow students the flexibility to continue their education from wherever they spend the summer,” said PSU Provost Lynette Olson. “Many of our students return to their hometowns during the summer, and offering online courses means they can continue their Pittsburg State education with familiar Pittsburg State faculty.”

Lena Pinkston, a senior majoring in Communication, is taking International Marketing and Mass Media Management online this summer. She said she enjoys that online summer classes seem to “go by quickly.”

“Even though it’s a little more challenging in the summer because the time period is shorter than a full semester,” she said, “I really like that the summer courses are condensed and go by quickly. You learn a lot in a short amount of time, and it does challenge you in many ways.”

Jake Cloninger took advantage of online courses this summer to complete his general studies degree just in time to start his new job in the Kansas City area later this month.

“I got married at the end of May and then started moving to Kansas City,” he said. “So it would not have worked with my schedule to take traditional, in-class courses. My instructors were great and just gave me a timeline of how the summer was going to go so I would not have any surprises and I could complete the assignments and exams at my own pace.”