Maymester - Process for Approved Courses
Below is important information for instructors whose Maymester course has been approved. This information is meant to help you plan and run a successful course.
Important Dates | Tips | Travel Planning | Course Promotion | Student Information | Course Standards
Important Dates for 2023-24
- Early November: Instructors are notified of course approvals.
- November 15: Maymester Abroad Information Fair in Sarratt Promenade. Faculty with approved courses are required to participate in the information fair.
- January 11: Deadline for students to apply for a Global Summer Fellows Scholarship.
- January 31: Deadline for students to apply for a Maymester course.
- February 15: Deadline for students to commit to a Maymester course; non-refundable deposits due.
- Mid-February: Instructors are alerted if their course does not have sufficient enrollment and cannot take place.
- Mid-March: Instructors advise students not to purchase airfare prior to this date in the event course does not make.
- By mid-April: Student accounts will be billed when the student is registered for the course.
- By early May: Students must pay the full balance before being allowed to start the course.
- After course completion: Instructors submit final expenses with receipts.
Tips for a Successful Maymester
- After the course is approved, the instructor serves as the primary source of information, including promoting the course to prospective students and responding to student inquiries.
- Seek help from colleagues to promote the course to your majors/minors and other interested students.
- Review student applications and interview prospective candidates.
- In consultation with the Senior Associate Dean Roger Moore, select a faculty member, staff member, or Vanderbilt graduate student who can attend the Maymester course to help with logistics and student support.
- Work with your department/program administrator to make logistical arrangements, such as lodging, partner organization agreements, and excursions.
- Finalize your itinerary with contact information for each day away from campus and share it with the participating students.
- After completion of the Maymester course, be prepared to submit detailed expense reports with itemized receipts. Contact your department or program administrator for additional guidance.
Planning for Maymester Travel
The instructor is responsible for completing all VU Travel documents prior to leaving for the course. The Office of Global Safety will contact instructors regarding pre-departure travel documents.
Instructors and TAs will have the opportunity to enroll in GeoBlue health insurance, a service that Vanderbilt provides for the duration of course-related travel. Only Vanderbilt instructors, TAs, and students are eligible for coverage.
Prior to Maymester travel, meet with students for an orientation to answer final questions, provide a final itinerary, and share resources such as packing lists, anticipated weather forecast, and any other important travel details. Make sure all accepted students have completed the necessary Overseas Study Release Form and Medical Form, which can be obtained from and returned to GEO.
To start building community and esprit de corps among the selected students, please schedule some activities with the students in March and April. These can include dinners or team-building activities, as well as class sessions.
Promoting Your Course
Instructors are strongly encouraged to promote their approved Maymester course to generate student interest and ensure sufficient enrollment. Once a course is approved, it will be posted on the Summer Sessions website. Below are additional ways you may want to promote your course:
- Reach out to students in your classes and in related majors/minors.
- Ask colleagues in your department and other departments to let their students know.
- Attend the Maymester Abroad Information Fair (required for faculty).
- Create flyers and post them in your building.
- Consider promoting the course on your department website, social media accounts, etc.
It is important to promote your course as early as possible, preferably as soon as you know your course approval was accepted in November. The Summer Sessions website will be updated with final Maymester courses for students to review in advance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
Student-Related Information
Funding Opportunities
Vanderbilt offers the Global Summer Fellows Scholarship Program and students are encouraged to apply for this need-based financial aid before the mid-January deadline.
Commitment to Attend
Students who are accepted into a Maymester course are required to submit a “Commitment to Attend.” This commitment represents a good faith promise to attend, an important consideration in determining whether a course has sufficient enrollment and can therefore be offered. We strongly encourage students to commit within 10 days of notification of acceptance. This deadline is necessary in order to accommodate waitlisted students into any vacancies that may occur in the course roster. Students are permitted to withdraw their commitment to the Maymester if GEO is notified before the commitment deadline.
Syllabus, Grading, and Course Evaluations
The same academic and disciplinary standards, policies, and procedures for the academic year apply to Maymester abroad courses, including providing a syllabus to all students, grading and reporting grades, and distributing course evaluations.