Summer Symposium

The Summer Symposium prepares students to explore in-depth technical topics or problems in a way a traditional school schedule and calendar don't allow.

NCSSM Online offers a summer hybrid program for its rising seniors that integrates online and on-campus components. Rising seniors must register for the Symposium and space is limited. Limited space in the symposium is vailable for incoming juniors during pre-registration.

Purpose

Modeled after the NCSSM residential program's miniterm, the summer symposium allows you to study a specialized topic normally not offered in NCSSM’s semester/trimester curriculum or the curriculum of freshmen and sophomore college courses. The goals: explore a topic that may influence their college or career choices, or better inform them about a societal issue or challenge, especially in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math).

Format

These hybrid courses let you complete 2/3 of the work at NCSSM’s campus, and 1/3 of the work online. These short courses are less intensive than our semester courses, and are modeled on NCSSM’s miniterm and special study option programs.

2013 Symposium courses are listed on the course listing page.

Participation Requirements /Arrival Times

Work equivalent to 11 school days are involved: 5 to 7 are on campus, 4-5 are online.

Internet Access. Participants need internet access and must complete a major graded pre-assignment (online) between June 14 and 22. Participants need internet access and time to complete a graded project or group assignment (online) in July. No participation is required the week of July 4.
Campus Visits. Participants must be available to stay at the NCSSM campus on these dates: All students: Late afternoon Saturday, June 22 to early afternoon Friday, June 28. Students in select courses revisit: Thursday-Friday July 25-26 (evening arrival on the 24th)
Fee Payment. Some courses require a fee for materials (ranging from $10 to $100). The program tuition, most meals, and lodging is provided by NCSSM.

Notation/Credit

The course grade appears on the NCSSM transcript but does NOT earn quality points to count towards the NCSSM GPA (per the school policy on special study options). Prior to 2012, the symposium was noted as a Pass/Fail course. Starting in 2012, the symposium is offered as a graded course that includes additional online pre- and post-event curriculum and assessment. The NCSSM Online students receive an A,B,C,D letter grade and (0.5) NCSSM credit for successful completion of the course.

Drop/Add/Withdrawal

Students may add or change their symposium course through the first day of class; they may drop by the 10th day of class, and withdraw up until the last 3 weeks of the end of symposium, which is July 10 for 2013.

Enrollment Steps

Here are the steps for students...

	Register The symposium is only open to students that already registered during course registration (February for rising seniors, May for incoming juniors).
	Send in the check/purchase the book (by June 3) Students must purchase any books on their own. For all other course expenses, send a check written or credit card payment made to NCSSM SCSSI by June 3and/or purchase the book indicated in the course materials description. Requirements for each 2013 course will be posted on the courses page. By Check made to NCSSM SCSSI and name of student in memo) to NCSSM Online, PO Box 2418, Durham, NC 27715. By Credit Card. The credit card payment URL will be posted here when ready. A small surcharge is added to cover the cost of the credit card processing fee.
	Required Forms To enroll in the symposium, all seniors and incoming junior parents/guardians must have completed the required enrollment forms New Juniors: Your parents should already have completed this in FOCUS as part of joining NCSSM Online. Rising Seniors: Your parents must complete a new emergency contact form on our website. This will happen during May re-enrollment
	Check Your Log-In; Read Syllabus (June 7) Log into the class website (in either the Brainhoney, Moodle, or Canvas platform) and look for further emails from your teacher. Read the syllabus and make sure you are committed to meeting all of the requirements of the course.
	Getting Ready for Campus (late June) Student Life will send you a survey for you to request a roommate, arrival and transportaiton information, things to bring, and let us know what meals you will eat in the cafeteria, Incoming juniors also attending the symposium will attend the ORIENTATION first; the Symposium starts right after the orientation. Specific arrival details will be posted here when finalized.