From Julia Child to Twilight – UA Interim Term Offers Creative Approach to Learning

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama is giving UA students an opportunity to experience a creative approach to learning through its Interim Program May 10-28.

During the academic short term, the courses will range from pop culture to social media to the more traditional business, science and humanities classes.

More than 125 courses will be taught during the 2010 Interim term, including:

Scientific Glassblowing, gaining technical and practical experience in the art of scientific glassblowing, a chemistry course taught by Richard Smith, rsmith@bama.ua.edu, in 1053 Shelby weekdays from 10-11:30 a.m. and 1:30-4:30 p.m.  Students will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the lab.

Special Topics in Literature: The Twilight Saga, an English course taught by Heather Duerre Humann, duerr001@crimson.ua.edu, will examine all four books in the Twilight saga, weekdays 9 a.m.-noon in 303 Morgan. Students will also read, discuss and watch film adaptations of the literary masterpieces that inspired each of the four installments:  Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” Emily Bronte’s “Wuthering Heights” and Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

“Bon Appétit!”: The Life and Works of Julia Child, an English course taught by Laura Naratil Thrasher, lmnavratil@bama.ua.edu, will study Julia Child’s autobiography, cookbooks and television shows on weekdays from noon-3 p.m. in 309 Morgan. The course will also culminate in student-written cooking shows, which will be filmed for the class.

Knitting:  Not Just for Grannies, exploring the history, art and politics of knitting, a history course taught by Heather Kopelson, hmkopelson@bama.ua.edu, weekdays 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in 253 ten Hoor. Students will learn to knit and analyze knitting as a fascinating window onto the rest of the world. 

Handmade Sounds: Electronic Music in Theory and Practice, a New College course taught by Andrew Dewar, adewar@ua.edu, Monday-Thursday from 1-4:30 p.m., will explore the construction of a variety of simple electronic instruments, learn to play them and perform a concert at the end of the term.

Good Girls, Bad Girls and Gossip Girl: Young Women in Television and Film, a women’s studies course taught by Melanie DeMaeyer, mjdemaeyer@bama.ua.edu, will examine the roles and representations of young women in popular film and television weekdays from 9 a.m.-noon in 241 BB Comer.

African-Americans and Reality Television, a communication and African-American studies course taught by Creshema Murray, murra025@crimson.ua.edu, will conduct rhetorical analyses of multiple reality-based shows centered on the lives of African-Americans, Monday-Thursday, from 9 a.m-12:45 p.m. in 346 Reese Phifer.

Facebook and Twitter: The New Frontier, a mass communication course taught by Mollie Baker, baker@apr.ua.edu, will examine the changing role of social media and its increasing importance for communication professionals weekdays, from 9 a.m.-noon in 334 Reese Phifer. Through hands-on experience, students will gain a basic understanding of various types of social media tools and the importance of strategy when utilizing those tools.

For a complete listing of the 2010 Interim courses go to http://interim.ua.edu/