January 18, 2018
East Texas Baptist University administered one-week and two-week Mini-Term courses, beginning on Monday, December 11 and concluding on Friday, January 12. More than 170 students were enrolled in nine courses, including December, January, and Winter terms.
"I enrolled in Professional Communications with Mr. Jeffrey Sorrels. I decided to take the Mini-Term because it allowed me to balance my course load in the Spring and it is cost effective," ETBU senior Political Science major McKayla Hendrix shared. "This was the first Mini-Term I have taken, but I enjoyed it. Mr. Sorrels was able to keep us involved and the eight hours each day went by quickly."
Mini-Terms enable students to increase credit hours without taking additional classes during the regular Fall and Spring semesters and provide students with ETBU's flat tuition rate. During the Mini-Term, students are tested daily by professors on their knowledge of the subject material to ensure that they gain the same educational benefits as full-length classes.
"I taught the two-week Severe Disabilities Mini-Term to offer our students a chance to enrich their knowledge in special education," ETBU Dean of the School of Education John Sargent said. "The pace was swift, but I included case studies and project-based activities to engage students. As it was a small class, we had a unique opportunity for in-depth discussion and developed a community of scholars."
The ETBU faculty creatively designed the curriculum to involve students in the content. Students learned through interactive discourse, experience, and reflection. With courses such as God in the Movies and Kinesiology Special Activities: Ski Trip to Colorado, students were provided with diverse and innovative opportunities to grow in their fields.
"The most memorable part of the Sport and Recreation Tourism Mini-Term with Dr. Laci McRee was visiting the Dallas Cowboys Stadium," ETBU senior Kinesiology major Zach Griffin confessed. "I have been there before, but we were able to tour the headquarters and learn how the facility functioned. I also enjoyed the dynamic of our group. Traveling with one another and reflecting on our experiences gave us a chance to know each other well."
Mini-Terms are offered during August, December, January, Spring Break, and May. To review class schedules and learn more about the benefits of Mini-Term offerings, visit etbu.edu/schedule or call 903.923.2000.