2024 Exploration Courses

Program Schedule

Exploration Courses are offered asynchronously. This means students will not have set required times to attend "live" class sessions. However students should not mistake this flexibility with a self-paced course. Each course will include discussions, lectures, readings, and assignments that will need to be completed by specific deadlines. 

Each course has between 30-40 hours worth of content that may be offered over two, three, five, or ten weeks depending upon the course and semester. Be sure you consider carefully how this course fits into your schedule and other commitments. Students should plan to log in to their course regularly to participate in activities, engage with the material, and complete assignments. 

Instructors will schedule optional synchronous office hours each week for students to check-in and ask questions about course content.

Exploration Courses are an excellent opportunity for students to:

  • Experience growth in key college readiness skills such as time management, self-reflection, and communication.
  • Build confidence when interacting with professors, peers, and other professionals.
  • Discover opportunities for educational and personal enrichment outside of the classroom.

Course Materials

Any required text will be noted in the course descriptions below. If a text is not listed, then expect instructors to share course materials via Canvas, WashU's learning management system. Students will need to have a computer and Wi-Fi, and access to a camera and microphone. We do not recommend the use of a cell phone only to participate in these courses. Students will set up a WUSTL key username and password which allows them access to courses on Canvas.

WashU 2FA Enrollment

Passwords are increasingly easy to compromise. They can often be stolen, guessed, hacked or phished – even without you knowing. WashU 2FA—a two-factor (or two-step) authentication service provided by Duo, an industry leader in cybersecurity services—adds a second layer of security to a WUSTL Key account when accessing the many WashU systems, which contain sensitive personal information. A smartphone or tablet with the Duo Mobile app installed is required to use this new and preferred verified push method of multi-factor authentication.

Summer 2024

Students interested in enrolling in summer courses should submit a registration form, copy of their transcript, and signed parent liability waiver and release to our office by May 3, 2024

Space is limited to no more than 15 students in these courses, so we encourage students not to wait until the deadline to submit registration materials.

Submit Your Registration Request

Biological Basis for Human Disease (L43 035)

June 17-July 12, 2024

Please note, this course is full and we are no longer accepting registration requests.

Have you ever wondered how a normal cell becomes cancer?  Where does a virus go inside the body to cause symptomatic infection?  Why is insulin a life-saving treatment for millions of people around the world?  The answers to these questions (and more) are rooted in the biology of human health and disease.  This course will provide a foundational framework to better understand the pathophysiology of human disease, incorporating elements of molecular biology, genetics, microbiology, immunology, and pathology.  This multi-disciplinary approach is specifically designed for students interested in the biological sciences or those interested in pursuing a future in the health sciences. A copy of the 2023 syllabus is available here.

Prerequisite: high school biology.

MEET THE INSTRUCTOR Dr. ANTHONY SMITH

Case Studies in Biology: Climate and Health (L43 030)

June 10-July 12, 2024

Please note, this course is full and we are no longer accepting registration requests.

As scientists, we take a lot of STEM classes, including biology, chemistry, physics, and math. But we often don’t have time to connect all of this information together. That’s where case studies are so incredibly helpful especially to organizations such as the CDC and World Health Organization. This course will use real world examples to help teach students about the scientific process and how theories and hypotheses are developed. Sometimes the answers aren’t clear, and even experts can’t agree. Using case studies focused on climate and it's connection to health, we will analyze data and apply biology concepts to learn about how to form a solid argument, supported by evidence from published research. This is your chance to learn how to conduct systematic literature reviews and meta-analyses to analyze scientific controversies and develop your own theories. Students with an interest in both biology and environmental science are welcome. A copy of the 2023 syllabus is available here.

Prerequisite: none.

Meet the instructor Dr. Sarah Chavez

Introduction to Environmental Science (L43 025)

June 10-July 12, 2024

Please note, this course is full and we are no longer accepting registration requests.

Students will be introduced to the fields (biology, geography, sociology, economics, natural resource management, chemistry, and geology) used in understanding both the workings of the natural world and human interactions with our environment. Learning will take place through recorded lectures, asynchronous assignments and discussions, short videos, and optional synchronous office hours. Topics include: human population growth, energy resources, land and food resources, water resources, air pollution, global climate change, and human health and toxicology, as well as a review of ecology and species diversity. Sustainability is a unifying theme throughout the course, as is an understanding of the linkages between ecosystems. This understanding will give students a greater appreciation for and better stewardship of the world in which they live. A copy of 2023 syllabus is available here.

Prerequisite: at least two years of high school science including biology.

MEET THE INSTRUCTOR Dr. KATE HANES

Metacognating Mario: Learning and Video Games (L43 034)

June 10-July 12, 2024

Although we often associate education with school-based activity, human beings learn in multiple environments beyond the formal classroom. Video games, while often dismissed as frivolous entertainment, provide one such example of a significant experiential learning context: individual players develop skills in the pursuit of goals, collaborate with each other to advance their theorizing about the game's mechanics, and display deep engagement and persistence in the face of frustration despite a lack of extrinsic rewards. Among the questions encountered in this course will be: What kind of understanding is built through game play? How might games teach us about ourselves as learners? In what ways might the skills involved in learning to play a game transfer to learning in other contexts? What pedagogical lessons might teachers take from game designers? Throughout the course, readings and activities will promote rigorous, critical analysis of both games and theories of learning. A copy of the 2022 syllabus is available here.

Prerequisite: none

Required text: What Video Games Have to Teach Us about Learning & Literacy, 2nd Ed. by James Paul Gee

MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR DR. LISA GILBERT

Personal Narrative (L43 023)

June 17-28, 2024

Please note, this course is full and we are no longer accepting registration requests.

Objects. Photos. Scripts. These are some of the ingredients that we will include, as we write a collection of personal narratives in this two-week online course. As you focus your projects around that single object, a collection of photos, and a script in the first week, you’ll receive comments from other students on your writing. During the second week, you’ll expand one of these pieces with an eye to the Common App essay prompts. As you experiment with these genres of personal narrative writing, you’ll develop your ability to tell your stories and to share them with others. The course will culminate with your ePortfolio—a collection of your personal narrative writing and reflections on them. If you’ve ever wondered how to put a moving moment in your life into words, join us this this summer! A copy of the 2023 syllabus is available here.

Prerequisite: two years of high school English.

Meet the Instructor Dr. Kate Bloomquist

Set in Stone? Monuments, Memory & Public History (L43 031)

June 17-July 5, 2024

This course is designed to provide students with a historical perspective of the centrality of monuments and memory to nation building. The course walks students through an analysis of recent actions to bring down statues/monuments. The course is divided in three parts allowing for the scrutinization of the cultural importance of statues in the crafting of national memories, their place in public spaces, and the debate over their permanence after a society adopts a critical review of the past. A copy of the 2022 syllabus is available here.

Prerequisite: none

MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR DR. DIANA MONTANO

 

Spandex, Spangles, and Stripes: Race, Gender, and the American Superhero (L43 036)

June 17-July 12, 2024

What does the popularity and ubiquity of superheroes in film and television say about contemporary US culture? According to philosopher Umberto Eco, superheroes represent the quintessential American myth. From their rugged individualism, protestant work ethic, moral exceptionalism, and grandeurs of greatness, superheroes personify American liberalism. In this course, we will complicate Eco’s claim by examining how the superhero as a character, genre, and industry has both reflected and critiqued discourses on national identity, citizenship, and globalization, especially in relation to race, gender, and sexuality. Centering graphic novels, movies, and TV shows, this course will explore how political tensions and cultural values have played out in the bodies, stories, and responses to American superheroes, including Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, the X-Men, and the Avengers. A copy of the 2023 syllabus is available here.

Prerequisite: none.

Meet the instructor Dr. René Esparza

Fall 2024

Students interested in enrolling in fall courses should submit a registration form, copy of their transcript, and signed parent liability waiver and release to our office by August 19, 2024

Space is limited to no more than 15 students in these courses, so we encourage students not to wait until the deadline to submit registration materials.

Additional courses will be added soon! Registration for fall will open June 7, 2024.

Cancer Biology (L43 033)

August 26-November 1, 2024

Cancer is a leading cause of death around the world, and incidence is rising as the global population ages. In this class, we will look at cancer from multiple perspectives, from cancer biology to epidemiology to therapeutics. We will learn how cancer develops, with a focus on cancer prevention, control, and diagnostics. Students will use published research to learn about cutting edge treatments and ongoing clinical trials to understand the complex nature of the disease, our progress, and the future of oncology. A copy of the 2023 syllabus is available here.

Prerequisite: at least two years of high school science including biology.

Meet the instructor Dr. Sarah Chavez

Spring 2024

Students interested in enrolling in spring courses should submit a registration form, copy of their transcript, and signed parent liability waiver and release to our office by January 8, 2024

Space is limited to no more than 15 students in these courses, so we encourage students not to wait until the deadline to submit registration materials.

Registration for the spring semester has closed.

Genetic Engineering (L43 022)

January 16-March 29, 2024

In this course you will investigate real-world applications of modern genetics. We will use case studies to learn about cutting-edge genetic engineering technologies, pulling from diverse examples from the fields of biomedical engineering, agriculture, evolution, ecology, and pharmacogenomics. You will gain a better understanding of how biologists, engineers, and environmental scientists collaborate to address complicated problems with a multidisciplinary approach. This course is ideal for students looking to gain experience reading scientific literature and reviewing case studies. A copy of the 2023 syllabus is available here.

Prerequisite: at least two years of high school science, one of which should be biology.

MEET THE INSTRUCTOR DR. SARAH CHAVEZ

Personal Narrative (L43 023)

January 16-March 29, 2024

Objects. Photos. Scripts. These are some of the ingredients that we will include, as we write a collection of personal narratives in this ten-week online course. As you focus your projects around that single object, a collection of photos, and a script in the first half of the course, you’ll receive comments from other students on your writing.

During the second half of the course, you’ll expand one of these pieces with an eye to the Common App essay prompts. As you experiment with these genres of personal narrative writing, you’ll develop your ability to tell your stories and to share them with others...all while gaining confidence for writing your college admission essays.

The course will culminate with your ePortfolio—a collection of your personal narrative writing and reflections on them. If you’ve ever wondered how to put a moving moment in your life into words, join us!  A copy of 2023 course syllabus is available here.

Prerequisite: at least two years of high school English.

Meet the Instructor Dr. Kate Bloomquist

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I need to have at home to participate in online courses?

We recommend students have a computer and Wi-Fi, and access to a camera and microphone. We do not recommend the use of a cell phone only to participate in these courses.

You will set up a WUSTL key username and password which will allow you to access courses on Canvas. WashU also requires enrollment in WashU 2FA—a two-factor (or two-step) authentication service provided by Duo, an industry leader in cybersecurity services—which adds a second layer of security to a WUSTL Key account when accessing the many WashU systems, which contain sensitive personal information. A smartphone or tablet with the Duo Mobile app installed is required to use this new and preferred verified push method of multi-factor authentication.

What platform does WashU use for online courses?

WashU uses Canvas for our learning management system. Via Canvas, instructors will also utilize Zoom, Kaltura, and other applications for instruction.

I'm from St. Louis, can I come to campus to study?

Local students enrolled in online courses only are welcome to come to campus but will need to submit immunization information as well as obtain a student ID card before coming to campus. 

What does asynchronous mean? Do I get to just complete the course whenever I want?

For courses that are offered asynchronously, this means that students will have daily/weekly assignments to demonstrate engagement in material rather than viewing live lectures each day. Students are expected to log into the course daily beginning on the first day of class and check their WashU email for regular communication from the instructor.

These courses should not be confused with “on demand” or “self-paced” courses. Students are expected to be engaged participants and complete all assignments by the designated deadlines.

Can I enroll in more than one Exploration Course?

Yes. Students may enroll in up to two courses per semester.