Maymester Course Proposals
Overview | Eligibility | Process & Timeline | Proposals | Resources
OVERVIEW
Maymester courses offer students innovative and experimental approaches to a wide range of academic topics. Courses satisfying major and/or AXLE requirements are especially appealing, as are those which might help satisfy the Immersion requirement. In addition, Maymester courses afford opportunities to explore out-of-the-classroom, supplemental activities, such as field trips and excursions, as enhancements to the student experience. Because of the time-intensive delivery of the course content, students can take only one Maymester course each year. Courses are offered domestically or internationally; in the past, A&S has offered courses in the U.K., Spain, Italy, France, Greece, Israel, Peru, and other countries.
ELIGIBILITY
In general, junior tenure-track faculty are not permitted to offer Maymesters or summer courses. In addition, faculty who have been on leave the semester before or after Summer Sessions are usually not permitted to offer Maymester and summer courses, as a condition for receiving research support during their leave.
PROCESS & TIMELINE
The deadline to submit a 2024 Maymester course proposal is October 18, 2023.
The process for proposing Maymester and Summer Sessions courses aligns with the process to propose fall and spring courses:
- Prior to October 1, 2023: Ensure that your department chair/program director approves the course before submitting a proposal. Confirm the course number.
- October 1: If proposing a new course, submit course information to the Curriculum Committee through the PARC form. It will then go through the normal course approval process (Curriculum Committee, Faculty, and A&S faculty). This only applies to new courses; those proposing existing courses do not need to submit through PARC.
- October 18: Submit course proposals to lydia.k.abell@vanderbilt.edu by 5:00 p.m.
- First week of November: The A&S Dean’s Office will notify you if your proposal is approved. NOTE: New courses cannot be promoted or announced until after they are officially approved.
- November 15: Maymester Abroad Information Fair in Sarratt Promenade. Faculty with approved courses are required to participate in the information fair. More information will be shared closer to the date.
- January 11, 2024: GSF Scholarship application deadline.
- January 31, 2024: Maymester application deadline.
- February 15, 2024: Maymester commitment deadline.
Please contact Dean Roger E. Moore (roger.e.moore@vanderbilt.edu) with questions.
PROPOSALS
Maymester course proposals must include:
Maymester Program Proposal Cover Sheet
Cover sheets provide an overview of what the course will cover. They will be posted in the “Courses” section of the Summer Sessions website for students to explore. See a cover sheet template.
Syllabus
The syllabus should include detailed course policies and expectations, as well as a course calendar with daily readings, assignments, and clear information about field trips. Please see sample Maymester syllabi here and here.
Itinerary
The itinerary should include travel dates, destinations (start and end dates for each), transportation, lodging, meals, and excursions/activities. For each itinerary item, indicate whether the cost is included or not included in the program fee.
Be sure to vet lodging, restaurants, modes of transportation, and excursions for quality, location, and safety—whether through personal knowledge (preferred) or online.
Note that Maymester courses adhere to the Vanderbilt Travel Policy.
Safety Plan
The safety plan should include emergency information and procedures, such as contact information for faculty and TAs, local emergency services, embassies/consulates, lodging, and local hospitals. For questions about the safety plan, contact Isabelle Crist at the Office of Global Safety.
Budget
Each Maymester must be able to meet its own budget; that is, all costs associated with the course must be anticipated by the estimated budget. Any course that is unable to meet its own expenses or attract the required minimum number of students will be canceled. See a sample budget template.
A proposal budget must include:
Expenses Covered by Program Fee:
- Transportation expenses
- Instructor airfare to/from destination
- TA (or supplemental faculty/staff) airfare to/from destination
- Bus/rail/taxi/ride share (to/from destinations, activities, and excursions)
- Lodging expenses (hotels, hostels, etc.)
- Instructor lodging
- TA or supplemental faculty/staff lodging
- Student lodging
- Food expenses
- Instructor meals/snacks
- TA or supplemental faculty/staff meals/snacks
- Group breakfasts, lunches, and dinners
- Program expenses (activities and excursions)
- Entrance fees
- Excursion fees
- Tour company expenses
- Miscellaneous (instructor and TA or supplemental faculty/staff expenses only)
- Instructional supplies
- Postage
- Laundry
- Medical
- Cell phone
- Gratuity
- Other expenses
- Licenses
- Certifications
- Gear
Expenses Not Covered by Program Fee:
Include a list of expenses not calculated in the program fee. Examples include student airfare to/from destination, certain meals, cell phone/SIM card, medical, and visas. Students need as much clarity as possible from the beginning about which expenses are covered and which are not so that they can make informed decisions about whether to participate. Please be clear about what is not covered, especially meals that will be the student’s responsibility.
Note: IDS taxes and other university or college budget elements, tuition fees, instructor and TA salary, total variable and fixed expenses, and program fees will be calculated to determine the projected Maymester program cost per student. Minimum student group size is 12; maximum group size is 20. Faculty should recruit more than the minimum number to account for attrition in enrollment. We always see attrition, which we collectively will do our best to manage, but any course not meeting its break-even enrollment number, even after it has been approved, can be canceled. Courses may also be canceled at any time for one of the following reasons: (1) not approved by department chair or Dean’s Office; (2) unapproved budget and itinerary; (3) unapproved changes to budget or itinerary; or (4) insufficient enrollment.
We strongly encourage instructors to engage a fellow faculty member (or in some cases a TA or staff member) to accompany the trip. The complications of travel with students post-Covid are such that having an additional, qualified adult to assist with logistics and other matters is desirable. Please consult Dean Roger Moore for more information about the selection of additional support.
Please try to be as comprehensive and realistic in your cost projections. Once a course proposal is approved and course promotion has begun, it is difficult to make any substantive changes.
RESOURCES
- Due the ongoing and ever evolving need to monitor health and general safety, we urge you to consider working with a third-party provider. These providers offer reliable support for you and your students and facilitate much of the planning for courses. More information is available through the Global Education Office.
- Payment Services can assist with questions about contracts with third-party providers as well as reimbursements.
- The Office of Global Safety is your primary partner for all questions and concerns related to student traveler health, safety, and security. This includes physical health, mental health, identity-based concerns, and group dynamics. Please contact the Office of Global Safety for guidance on creating a safety plan for your proposed course.
- World Travel can assist with travel arrangements for faculty and students. Staff can also advise faculty on a range of travel-related issues.