Summer Courses & Workshops
Earn 3 credit hours in 2 weeks!
The Station offers several courses each summer at the advanced undergraduate/graduate level dealing with the special biological features of the Southern Appalachians and with areas of study that are appropriate for investigation at a mountain field station. Credit for all courses is available through either UNC-Chapel Hill or Western Carolina University. Students may take courses for credit through these institutions and then transfer the credit to their own school. It is the responsibility of students taking courses for academic credit to request credit transfer to their home institution from the credit-awarding school (WCU or UNC-Chapel Hill); this can be done by making a request through the Registrar’s office at the students’ home institution.
In addition to our regular summer courses, HBS often schedules one-week workshops that are tailored for non-traditional students. These workshops provide opportunities for in-depth study of special topics of relevance to the southern Appalachians and are open to the general public. Workshops, costs, and additional information can be found on this page below the course offerings. Special events and occasional one-day educator workshops are also offered for teacher recertification credit (science CEU), or for NC Environmental Education Criteria II credit, by the Nature Center.
2013 Schedule
Courses
Vascular Plants of the Southern Appalachians (May 13-25)
Biology of Southern Appalachian Fishes (May 20-June 1) This class is full.
Southern Appalachian Mayflies, Stoneflies, & Caddisflies (May 27-June 8)
Conservation Biology of Amphibians (June 3-15)
Southern Appalachian Mayflies, Stoneflies, & Caddisflies (June 10-22) This class is full.
Principles of Conservation Biology (June 17-29)
Forest Ecosystems of the Southern Appalachians (July 1-13)
Field Methods in Medical Entomology (July 9-20)
Terrestrial Arthropods and Their Role in Southern Appalachian Ecosystems (July 15-27)
Conservation Genetics of Salamanders (July 29-Aug. 10)
Workshops
Observing and Exploring Nature Through Art and Science
Journaling Nature a Day at a Time (May 6-10)
Sharing the Stories of Science (for science educators) (July 1-5)
Small World: Drawing Insects and Other Small Organisms (advanced drawing and watercolor) (Aug. 12-16)
Bryophyte Identification (May 13-17) This class is full.
Literary Journeys through the Western North Carolina Landscape: An exploration in cultural and natural history through fiction, non-fiction, and poetry (July 1-5)
Grasses, Sedges, and Rushes of the southern Appalachians (Aug. 12-16) This class is full.
Links
Costs
course fee: $700 per two-week course ($600 for students from HBS member institutions in good standing)
workshop fee: $350 per workshop ($300 for students from HBS member institutions in good standing)
course credit fee: summer courses can be taken for 3 semester hours credit and workshops can be taken for one hour credit.
Courses are offered for 3 semester hours of credit through UNC-Chapel Hill (undergraduate credit) or Western Carolina University (undergraduate for current WCU students only; or graduate credit for all students).
Workshops may be taken for one semester hours of credit through Western Carolina University. The fee is $85 per workshop plus a $50 application fee for non-WCU students.
Undergraduate credit:
UNC-Chapel Hill (non-UNC students may transfer credit): $55
Western Carolina University (WCU): $55 (for current WCU students only)
Graduate credit:
WCU: $85 per course plus an additional $50 application fee that applies to non-WCU students (for a total of $135)
Housing fee: $75-125 per week, depending on accommodations (optional)
Financial Aid: The Highlands Biological Foundation, Inc. offers limited financial aid, typically a subsidy for a portion of the course fee, available to qualified students. Contact the Station at 828-526-2602 for further information.
