Welcome to Boston University Summer Term High School Programs. Instructors who are teaching with us in the summer can find a variety of useful resources in this section.
If you have any questions, please email summerhs@bu.edu.
Summer Challenge
Overview:
Summer Challenge is a 2-week residential program open to rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Students can choose 2 seminars from a list of 19 (full list and descriptions found here). Each is designed to expand their academic horizons through lectures, discussions, individual and group work, project-based assignments—even field trips. Small class sizes give students the opportunity to receive individual attention from instructors.
Expectations for Instructors:
- Syllabus: Instructors must email a copy of their syllabus to bentleyw@bu.edu by Tuesday, May 27. The exception is for PhD students, whose deadline is 3 weeks before their program begins.
- Attendance: Students are required to attend all classes in full. Excused absences can only be granted by our office, and we will communicate with you if we are aware of any. If students are sick, they must notify our office and be escorted to SHS by our Program Assistants. Instructors are expected to take attendance no more than 10 minutes into class and contact the High School Programs office regarding any missing students. Please use the Summer Term Student Absence Form or call 617-353-1378 to report absences.
- Communication: Instructors should communicate with Summer Challenge leadership about any conflicts or issues that arise with their students, including tardiness and/or absences. We have a temporary summer office in Questrom and can be easily reached there or by phone/email.
- Off-campus travel: Instructors must let the Summer Challenge Program Manager know of any planned off-campus travel/field trip no later than Tuesday, May 27. We will help support these events by providing staff if necessary.
- Letter of Evaluation: As the program is non-credit, students do not receive grades. In lieu of grades, instructors must write a short, page-long evaluation letter for each student. The deadline to submit these letters to us is in your employment contract and must be adhered to.
2025 Calendar:
Session 1:
Classes Begin: June 16
Classes End & Final Presentations: June 27
*Note: In observance of Juneteenth, classes will not be held on June 19, 2025.
Session 2:
Classes Begin: July 7
Classes End & Final Presentations: July 18
Session 3:
Classes Begin: July 21
Classes End & Final Presentations: August 1
- Morning seminars are held from 9:30am – 11:30am and afternoon seminars from 1pm – 3pm.
- Final presentations are held on the final Friday of the course and are one hour in length. Morning seminar final presentations are from 9:30am – 10:30am and afternoon seminar final presentations are from 11am-12pm.
Working with Minors:
Boston University is committed to maintaining a safe environment for all members of the University community. As a member of the community who has direct contact with minors (either monitored or unmonitored), you are responsible for acting in accordance with the provisions of BU’s Protection of Minors (PoM) Policies. To aid us in fulfilling our obligation to protect the students under our care, we ask you to observe the following policies:
- You will be asked to complete forms authorizing a CORI/SORI background check. These will be submitted through a secure website directly with Creative Services Inc., BU’s eternal vendor that performs background checks. After submitting your documentation via the portal, you are required to complete your Massachusetts iCORI form in-person. This process involves verification of a government-issued identification (such as a license, passport, or state identification card) by the Associate Director or other Summer Term authorized staff member. Only after this verification is complete will your iCORI be submitted for review.Full-time BU faculty and students need only complete a background check once every three years. All others must be background checked annually.
- All personnel must complete a brief, online Protection of Minors training via United Educators, and email the certification of completion to the Summer Challenge Program Manager. PoM training must now be completed annually by all personnel.
Academic Immersion (AIM)
Overview:
Academic Immersion (AIM) is a 3-week residential and commuter program open to rising high school juniors and seniors. Students get the chance to do a deep dive into one of 4 subjects that fascinates them—all while engaging in hands-on, experiential, intensive study in medicine, experimental psychology, creative writing, or business.
AIM: Introduction to Medicine is a premedical program that combines classroom work in the sciences with experiential learning activities that include simulations, lab work, and explorations of different medical fields.
AIM: Introduction to Experimental Psychology combines classroom work in the psychological sciences with the experience of conducting research. Students will learn to design and carry out their own research experiments.
AIM: Creative Writing gives students the opportunity to develop their writer’s voice in a supportive, inspiring environment. They learn formal techniques in multiple genres and participate in workshops that build confidence and sharpen skills.
AIM: Business is a new track offered in partnership with BU’s Questrom School of Business. This track combines interactive lectures, case studies, and local field trips. Students work in teams to design and carry out their own New Product Development (NPD) Business Plan. At the end of the program, each team will present their work to their peers as well as selected BU Questrom School of Business faculty.
Expectations for Instructors:
- Syllabus: Instructors must email a copy of their syllabus to buaim@bu.edu no later than 2 weeks before the program begins.
- Attendance: IStudents are required to attend all classes in full. Excused absences can only be granted by our office, and we will communicate with you if we are aware of any. If students are sick, they must notify our office and be escorted to SHS by our Program Assistants. Instructors are expected to take attendance no more than 10 minutes into class and contact the AIM Program Manager regarding any missing students. Please use the Summer Term Student Absence Form or call 617-353-1378 to report absences.
- Communication: Instructors should communicate with AIM leadership about any conflicts or issues that arise with their students, including tardiness and/or absences. We have a temporary summer office in Questrom and can be easily reached there or by phone/email.
- Off-campus travel: Instructors must let the AIM Program Manager know of any planned off-campus travel/field trip no later than one month before the program begins. We will help support these events by providing staff if necessary.
- Letter of Evaluation: As the program is non-credit, students do not receive grades. In lieu of grades, instructors must write a short, page-long evaluation letter for each student. The deadline to submit these letters to us is in your employment contract and must be adhered to.
2025 Calendar:
Introduction to Experimental Psychology:
Classes Begin: June 30
Classes End & Final Presentations: July 18
*Note: In observance of Independence Day, classes will not be held on July 4, 2025.
Business:
Classes Begin: June 30
Classes End & Final Presentations: July 18
*Note: In observance of Independence Day, classes will not be held on July 4, 2025.
Introduction to Medicine:
Classes Begin: July 21
Classes End & Final Presentations: August 8
Creative Writing:
Classes Begin: July 21
Classes End & Final Presentations: August 8
- Morning seminars are held from 9:30am – 11:30am and afternoon experimental learning activities are from 1pm – 4:30pm.
Working with Minors:
Boston University is committed to maintaining a safe environment for all members of the University community. As a member of the community who has direct contact with minors (either monitored or unmonitored), you are responsible for acting in accordance with the provisions of BU’s Protection of Minors (PoM) Policies. To aid us in fulfilling our obligation to protect the students under our care, we ask you to observe the following policies:
- You will be asked to complete forms authorizing a CORI/SORI background check. These will be submitted through a secure website directly with Creative Services Inc., BU’s eternal vendor that performs background checks. After submitting your documentation via the portal, you are required to complete your Massachusetts iCORI form in-person. This process involves verification of a government-issued identification (such as a license, passport, or state identification card) by the Associate Director or other Summer Term authorized staff member. Only after this verification is complete will your iCORI be submitted for review.Full-time BU faculty and students need only complete a background check once every three years. All others must be background checked annually.
- All personnel must complete a brief, online Protection of Minors training via United Educators, and email the certification of completion to the Summer Challenge Program Manager. PoM training must now be completed annually by all personnel.
Summer Preview
Overview:
Summer Preview is a 1-week residential or commuter program open to rising eighth, ninth, and tenth graders. Students choose from three different weeklong seminars. It’s a great opportunity for them to dig into an area of academic interest or become familiar with an entirely new subject. This summer’s seminars include:
- Creative Writing: Finding Your Voice
- Discovering Biology: Building Blocks of Life
- Introduction to Business: Investing in Your Future
Expectations for Instructors:
- Syllabus: Instructors must email a copy of their syllabus to bentleyw@bu.edu by Tuesday, May 27. The exception is for PhD students, whose deadline is 3 weeks before their program begins.
- Attendance: Students are required to attend all classes in full. Excused absences can only be granted by our office, and we will communicate with you if we are aware of any. If students are sick, they must notify our office and be escorted to SHS by our Program Assistants. Instructors are expected to take attendance no more than 10 minutes into class and contact the High School Programs office regarding any missing students. Please use the Summer Term Student Absence Form or call 617-353-1378 to report absences.
- Communication: Instructors should communicate with Summer Preview leadership about any conflicts or issues that arise with their students, including tardiness and/or absences. We have a temporary summer office in Questrom and can be easily reached there or by phone/email.
- Off-campus travel: Instructors must let the Summer Preview Program Manager know of any planned off-campus travel/field trip no later than Tuesday, May 27. We will help support these events by providing staff if necessary.
- Letter of Evaluation: As the program is non-credit, students do not receive grades. In lieu of grades, instructors must write a short, page-long evaluation letter for each student. The deadline to submit these letters to us is in your employment contract and must be adhered to.
2025 Calendar:
Classes Begin: June 16
Classes End: June 20
*Note: In observance of Juneteenth, classes will not be held on June 19, 2025.
- Morning classes are held from 9:30am – 11:30am and afternoon classes from 1pm – 3pm.
Working with Minors:
Boston University is committed to maintaining a safe environment for all members of the University community. As a member of the community who has direct contact with minors (either monitored or unmonitored), you are responsible for acting in accordance with the provisions of BU’s Protection of Minors (PoM) Policies. To aid us in fulfilling our obligation to protect the students under our care, we ask you to observe the following policies:
- You will be asked to complete forms authorizing a CORI/SORI background check. These will be submitted through a secure website directly with Creative Services Inc., BU’s eternal vendor that performs background checks. After submitting your documentation via the portal, you are required to complete your Massachusetts iCORI form in-person. This process involves verification of a government-issued identification (such as a license, passport, or state identification card) by the Associate Director or other Summer Term authorized staff member. Only after this verification is complete will your iCORI be submitted for review.Full-time BU faculty and students need only complete a background check once every three years. All others must be background checked annually.
- All personnel must complete a brief, online Protection of Minors training via United Educators, and email the certification of completion to the Summer Challenge Program Manager. PoM training must now be completed annually by all personnel.
Research in Science & Engineering (RISE)
Overview:
Research in Science & Engineering (RISE) is a 6-week residential and commuter program open to rising high school seniors. Students are introduced to undergraduate-level research projects while previewing college life. The Practicum track of the program combines instructor-led lectures and afternoon labs. In summer 2025, we are offering two subjects of study: Computational Neurobiology and Data Science.
RISE Practicum Computational Neurobiology combines instructor-led lectures and afternoon labs. For four of the six weeks, the labs will be focused on computational neurobiology and will be held in a computer lab in CAS. For two of the six weeks, the students will be doing wet labs; these wet labs will focus on classic introductory neuroscience (basic electrophysiology – like the giant squid axon or earthworm preparations).
RISE Data Science combines instructor-led lectures and afternoon labs with the opportunity to conduct one of several styles of computational research: time series analyses (e.g., forecasting), statistical method benchmarking, or scientific software development. Making use of data from the neurosciences, environmental science, physics, economics, and urban planning, students will learn essential statistical and coding skills. This includes a wide set of computational modeling approaches, uncertainty quantification skills, and frameworks for reproducible scientific computing.
The program concludes with student group presentations on the outcomes of their research projects at a Poster Symposium.
Expectations for Instructors:
- Syllabus: Instructors must email a copy of their syllabus to rise@bu.edu no later than 2 weeks before the program begins.
- Attendance: Students are required to attend all classes in full. Excused absences can only be granted by our office, and we will communicate with you if we are aware of any. If students are sick, they must notify our office and be escorted to SHS by our Program Assistants. Instructors are expected to take attendance no more than 10 minutes into class and contact the RISE Program Manager regarding any missing students. Please use the Summer Term Student Absence Form or call 617-353-1378 to report absences.
- Communication: Instructors should communicate with RISE leadership about any conflicts or issues that arise with their students, including tardiness and/or absences. We have a temporary summer office in Questrom and can be easily reached there or by phone/email.
- Off-campus travel: Instructors must let the RISE Program Manager know of any planned off-campus travel/field trip no later than one month before the program begins. We will help support these events by providing staff if necessary.
- Letter of Evaluation: As the program is non-credit, students do not receive grades. In lieu of grades, instructors must write a short, page-long evaluation letter for each student. The deadline to submit these letters to us is in your employment contract and must be adhered to.
2025 Calendar:
RISE Practicum
Classes Begin: June 30
Classes End & Final Presentations: August 8
*Note: In observance of Independence Day, classes will not be held on July 4, 2025.
- Morning seminars are held from 9:30am – 11:30am and afternoon labs are from 1pm – 5pm.
Working with Minors:
Boston University is committed to maintaining a safe environment for all members of the University community. As a member of the community who has direct contact with minors (either monitored or unmonitored), you are responsible for acting in accordance with the provisions of BU’s Protection of Minors (PoM) Policies. To aid us in fulfilling our obligation to protect the students under our care, we ask you to observe the following policies:
- You will be asked to complete forms authorizing a CORI/SORI background check. These will be submitted through a secure website directly with Creative Services Inc., BU’s eternal vendor that performs background checks. After submitting your documentation via the portal, you are required to complete your Massachusetts iCORI form in-person. This process involves verification of a government-issued identification (such as a license, passport, or state identification card) by the Associate Director or other Summer Term authorized staff member. Only after this verification is complete will your iCORI be submitted for review.Full-time BU faculty and students need only complete a background check once every three years. All others must be background checked annually.
- All personnel must complete a brief, online Protection of Minors training via United Educators, and email the certification of completion to the Summer Challenge Program Manager. PoM training must now be completed annually by all personnel.
Helpful Forms and Links
Below you will find links to required employment forms, training and teaching documents, and helpful links for various BU departments.
Employment and Training
High School Personnel Record Form
CORI/SORI Forms
Protection of Minors Training via United Educators
Instructional Resources
Instructor Training PPT (May 7, 2025)
Instructional Tips from May 2025 Training
Teaching Pre-College PPT (by Deb Breen)
Guide to Writing Student Evaluations
Summer Term Student Absence Form
Technology
BU Email Accounts
Information Services & Technology (IS&T)
Classroom Technology Support
Other Links
Library Services
Parking Services
Campus Maps & Directions
BUWorks
Find a Classroom
Institute for Excellence in Teaching & Learning
Human Resources Protection of Minors Procedures