Academic Courses

Each summer, students from around Northeast Ohio stretch their intellectual horizons at US.
Our Academic Courses offer both University School and non-University School students the opportunity to learn from our expert faculty. Students can get a head start with credit offerings or discover something new in non-credit courses.

Art & Design

List of 2 frequently asked questions.

  • FabLab Art

    Coed, Grades 9 - 12

    Dates: June 10 - July 12
    Time: 8:00 - 9:10 a.m.
    Location: Hunting Valley Campus
    Tuition: $490.00

    This course is devoted to hands-on fabrications of projects related to art, technology, design, and engineering using our state-of-the-art equipment, including a 3D Printer (plastic), laser cutter (cardboard and wood), and CNC plasma cutter (steel). Through class demonstrations and individual attention, each student will complete several design projects that will challenge them to think more creatively with an emphasis on personal expression and originality. 

    The Fab Lab Art class allows students to explore their ideas using the tools and techniques found in a digital fabrication lab while earning a full semester elective credit in art. All materials are supplied and all the projects can be taken home at the end of the course. Directed by Enrique de la Mata. No class 6/19, 7/4 and 7/5.

  • Painting

    Coed, Grades 9 - 12

    Dates: June 10 - July 12
    Time: 9:10 - 10:20 a.m.
    Location: Hunting Valley Campus
    Tuition: $490.00

    Learn the fundamental techniques of watercolor painting and explore different paintings while developing new skill sets with confidence. We will cover composition, color theory, and a variety of paint application techniques. Through class demonstrations and individual attention, each student will complete several art projects that will challenge them to think more creatively with an emphasis on personal expression and originality, while earning a full semester elective credit in art.  

    No experience is necessary, just a willingness to try new things, push your creativity to new levels, and be the best artist you can be. All materials are supplied, and all the projects can be taken home at the end of the course. Directed by Enrique de la Mata. No class 6/19, 7/4 and 7/5.

Economics

List of 1 frequently asked questions.

  • History of American Capitalism

    Coed, Grades 10 - 12

    Dates: June 10 - June 21
    Time: 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
    Location: Hunting Valley Campus
    Tuition: $1400.00
     
    This one-semester, half-credit course utilizes a series of readings to analyze the history and development of the American free enterprise system with a focus on management. We begin with a brief look at the emergence of a capitalistic economy in Manchester, England, in the early 19th century. Students study the growth of the modern American corporation beginning with the railroads in the late 19th century.

    We then take a detailed look at the automotive industry in the first half of the 20th century through a comparison of the management of General Motors, Ford, and Toyota. We examine management trends in the second half of the 20th century with a study of McDonalds’ franchise system, Ken Blanchard's One Minute Manager, and Jim Collins' Good to Great. We conclude the semester with Tony Hsieh’s Delivering Happiness-Zappos and Catherine Turco’s The Conversational Firm with a look at managing the “digital native employee.”

    The course will study/practice real-world scenarios and require business professional protocol from students daily. No class 6/19.

    Directed by Celena Roebuck

Health & Wellness

List of 3 frequently asked questions.

  • Health

    Boys, Grades 9 - 12

    Session I - Five Weeks 
    Dates: June 10 - July 12
    (No class on 6/19, 7/4, 7/5)
    Time: 8:00 - 9:10 a.m.
    Location: Hunting Valley Campus
    Tuition: $490.00

    Session II - Three Weeks 
    Dates: June 10 - June 28
    (No class 6/19)
    Time: 9:10 - 11:10 a.m.
    Location: Hunting Valley Campus
    Tuition: $490.00

    This course introduces safety and first aid, personal care and body systems, disease and disorders, coming of age, wellness, orientation to the fitness center, chemicals and your mind, healthy and safe relationships, mental and emotional health, and human development and sexuality. Various outside experts present on topics. Students will be certified in CPR/AED/First Aid. This course fulfills the freshman health requirement.

  • Health - Virtual

    Boys, Grades 9 - 12

    Dates: June 10 - July 12
    (No class 6/19, 7/4, 7/5)
    Time: 8:00 - 9:10 a.m.
    Location: Online
    Tuition: $490.00

    This virtual course introduces safety and first aid, personal care and body systems, disease and disorders, coming of age, wellness, orientation to the fitness center, chemicals and your mind, healthy and safe relationships, mental and emotional health, and human development and sexuality. Various outside experts present on topics. Students will be certified in CPR/AED/First Aid. 

    Please note that this course will be taught online, with some elements requiring time on campus with the instructor. This course fulfills the freshman health requirement. No class 6/19, 7/4, 7/5.

  • Summer Mindfulness Program: Enhancing Leadership and Performance

    Boys, Grades 7 - 12
     
    Session I: Mindfulness: A Practice for Peak Performance
    Dates: June 24 - June 27
    Time: 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
    Location: Hunting Valley Campus
    Tuition: $275 per week; or $450 for two weeks; *flex-schedule discount pricing below
     
    Backed by scientific research in brain development, this introduction to mindfulness will offer techniques to foster focus, resilience, and emotional intelligence. Students will learn habits to improve concentration and skills to cope with stressful situations. They will develop leadership skills through participating in group activities, discussing readings, and journaling. This program is a comprehensive introduction to mindfulness, beneficial as a standalone experience.
     
    Session II: Mindfulness Habits for Leadership and Performance
    Dates: July 8 - July 11
    Time: 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
    Location: Hunting Valley Campus
    Tuition: $275 per week; or $450 for two weeks; *flex-schedule discount pricing below
     
    Our second session builds on the first (which is encouraged but not required) and delves deeper into mindfulness applications. This program emphasizes advanced mindfulness techniques and their role in leadership and team dynamics. 
     
    *Flex Schedule Discounts:
    One-Week Morning Practice (9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.): $175
    One-Week Afternoon Practice (12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.): $150
     
    Two-Week Morning Practice (9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.): $300
    Two-Week Afternoon Practice (12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.): $250
     
    Directed by Kevin O’Brien 

SAT Preparation

List of 1 frequently asked questions.

  • Preparing for the Digital SAT

    Coed, Grades 10 - 12

    Dates: July 1 - July 12
    Time: 10:20 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
    Location: Hunting Valley Campus
    Tuition: $180.00


    This class prepares students for the new Digital SAT. Students will learn effective approaches to each type of exam question (logical completion, Standard English, logical transition, sentence function, etc.) found on the new verbal modules of the Digital SAT. Students will also learn a triaging approach to the verbal modules, answering easy questions first before returning to harder ones and learning to use the digital test tools, such as the flagging and elimination tools, to move quickly and efficiently through the test. Efficiency and familiarity are proven score boosters. No class 7/4 and 7/5.

    Directed by Lee Fallon

Math

List of 1 frequently asked questions.

  • Calculus AB Accelerator

    Coed, Grades 9 - 11

    Dates: June 10 - July 19 
    Time: 9:15 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.
    Location: Hunting Valley Campus
    Tuition: $1,525

    This course covers the material listed in the College Board syllabus for AP Calculus AB. It consists of a study of limits, differentiation, integration, differential equations, and applications. The course will meet for four hours per day for six weeks. Evaluation is by means of homework sets, quizzes, tests, and a final exam. The final exam will consist of an AP exam which will be graded on the AP scale. University School students who take this course are required to earn a score of 4 or above on the final exam in order to qualify to take AP Calculus BC during the following school year. Prerequisite: Pre-Calculus (Accelerated or Honors), or Honors Math 3. No class on 6/19, 7/4, 7/5. 

Science

List of 4 frequently asked questions.

  • Stream Ecology

    Coed, Grades 9 - 12

    Dates: June 10 - 21 
    Time: 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
    Location: Hunting Valley Campus
    Tuition: $1,400

    According to the EPA, 90% of Ohio's watersheds are impaired, which occurs when excess sediments and nutrients enter streams and when habitats are changed during construction or by removing vegetation. In this field-based course, you will learn how to evaluate the geology and biology of streams in the Chagrin River watershed. You will measure water quality using chemical tests, sample macroinvertebrates and fish as water quality indicators, and perform a qualitative habitat evaluation index (QHEI) to measure the stream’s ability to support well-balanced fish communities. You will learn how to interpret the rocks, sediment, and soils that streams flow through. Finally, you will learn how to use a laser level, laser target, and other instruments to measure a stream’s shape, depth, water flow, and sediment sizes to assess the stability of the stream.

    Students will practice techniques using streams on our campus and travel by van to a larger stream in the Canyon Lakes Development in Bainbridge Township to collect data for an ongoing study of McFarland Creek. Attendance throughout all sessions is required to earn course credit (0.5 credits).

  • Introduction to Biology

    Coed, Grade 9

    Dates: June 10 - July 12 
    Time: 9:15 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.
    Location: Hunting Valley Campus
    Tuition: $1,400

    This accelerator course covers the foundational topics and laboratory skills typically included in the yearlong course. Students who successfully complete this course take Chemistry as a freshman and are required to take AP Biology as a sophomore or junior. No class on 6/19, 7/4, 7/5.

    To be considered for enrollment in this course, please review the additional details in this document:  Summer Science Self-Assessment, and complete the form. The completed Student Self-Assessment should be sent to Dr. Sara Laux at slaux@us.edu. Enrollment will be facilitated upon acceptance into the class.

  • Introduction to Chemistry

    Coed, Grades 9 - 10

    Dates: June 10 - July 12 
    Time: 9:15 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.
    Location: Hunting Valley Campus
    Tuition: $1,400

    This accelerator course covers the foundational topics and laboratory skills typically covered in a yearlong course. Students who successfully complete this course the summer before freshman year typically take Biology as a freshman and are required to take AP Chemistry as a sophomore or junior.  Students who successfully complete this course before their sophomore year are required to take AP Chemistry in their sophomore or junior year. No class on 6/19, 7/4, 7/5.
     
    To be considered for enrollment in this course, please review the additional details in this document: Summer Science Self-Assessment, and complete the form. The completed Student Self-Assessment should be sent to Dr. Sara Laux at slaux@us.edu. Enrollment will be facilitated upon acceptance into the class.

  • Introduction to Physics

    Coed, Grades 11 - 12

    Dates: June 10 - July 12 
    Time: 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
    Location: Hunting Valley Campus
    Tuition: $1,400

    This accelerator course covers the foundational topics and laboratory skills typically included in a yearlong course. Students most often take this course before their junior or senior year, although some have opted to complete the course prior to their sophomore year. Students who successfully complete this course are required to take AP Physics. No class on 6/19, 7/4, 7/5. 

    To be considered for enrollment in this course, please review the additional details in this document: Summer Science Self-Assessment, and complete the form. The completed Student Self-Assessment should be sent to Dr. Sara Laux at slaux@us.edu. Enrollment will be facilitated upon acceptance into the class.

Writing & Grammar

List of 5 frequently asked questions.

  • Awesome Essays: How to Take Your Academic Writing to the Next Level

    Coed, Grades 7 - 12

    Dates: June 10 - June 21
    Time: 9:10 - 10:20 a.m.
    Location: Hunting Valley Campus
    Tuition: $180.00

    This course will equip students with a variety of proven strategies for writing more focused, eloquent, and compelling paragraphs and essays. Students will write extensively and receive fast, personalized, one-on-one feedback from an experienced writing instructor. Attention will also be given to building vocabulary, recognizing and avoiding common grammar mistakes, and producing writing that is more intellectually engaging. No class 6/19.

    Directed by Jack Somers


  • Creative Writing

    Coed, Grades 7 - 12

    Dates: July 1 - July 12
    Time: 9:10 a.m. - 10:20 a.m.
    Location: Hunting Valley Campus
    Tuition: $180.00

    This course will give students the opportunity to write creatively both for themselves and in preparation for competitions such as JustWriteOhio and Scholastic Art & Writing. Focusing on the art and craft of several literary forms, students will examine and discuss their classmates' work and established writers' work as they compose poems, flash fiction, and longer narrative work and will be encouraged to develop his or her own literary aesthetic as a reader and as a writer. Classes will be conducted by workshop, and students will revise their writing from the recommendations of classmates and the instructor. Although this course is writing intensive, related reading assignments will include published examples of the assigned literary forms. No class 7/4 and 7/5. 

    Directed by Lee Fallon

  • Flash Fiction: The New Frontier in Creative Writing

    Coed, Grades 7 - 10

    Dates: June 10 - June 21
    Time: 10:20 - 11:30 a.m.
    Location: Hunting Valley Campus
    Tuition: $180.00

    Over the past ten years, perhaps no type of creative writing has gained more traction and popularity than “flash fiction” –– short stories under 1,000 words in length. Flash fiction is a fun and challenging form for writers. It forces them to choose their words carefully, edit mercilessly, and work through the complexities of a single story in a relatively small space. In this course, students will read a variety of flash fiction stories and learn a host of techniques for writing their own gripping flash fiction. Students will receive detailed feedback from an experienced writing instructor and published flash fiction author, and they will get a chance to constructively critique their classmates’ work. No class 6/19.

    Directed by Jack Somers

  • Good at Grammar: Grammar for Success in High School

    Coed, Grades 7 - 10

    Dates: June 24 - June 28
    Time: 10:20 - 11:30 a.m.
    Location: Hunting Valley Campus
    Tuition: $90.00

    This course is designed to provide students with a head start in their study of grammar in high school. We will review basic concepts of grammar, including parts of speech and parts of a sentence, correctness in punctuation, mechanics, and usage, and how to apply our knowledge of these grammatical concepts to write more effectively in English and history classes and improve verbal scores on standardized tests.

    Directed by Ashley Worthington

  • Preparing for AP Writing

    Coed, Grades 10 - 12

    Dates: July 1 - July 12
    Time: 11:30 a.m. - 12:40 p.m.
    Location: Hunting Valley Campus
    Tuition: $180.00
     
    This course is designed to provide students with a head start in their AP English courses, both the AP English Language and Composition exam and the AP English Literature and Composition exam. We will become familiar with both exam formats, including the categories of multiple-choice questions and essay prompts, and will take several practice exams. While we will work to become familiar with the types of multiple-choice questions and learn strategies of approach and time management, special emphasis will be placed on essay writing, including the synthesis essay, rhetorical analysis, poetry analysis, and the “open” questions of each exam. No class 7/4 and 7/5.

    Directed by Lee Fallon
Questions? Contact summer@us.edu or 216.371.6809.

Shaker Heights Campus

20701 Brantley Road
Shaker Heights, Ohio 44122
JUNIOR K – GRADE 8
Phone: 216-321-8260

Hunting Valley Campus

2785 SOM Center Road
Hunting Valley, Ohio 44022
GRADES 9 – 12
Phone: 216-831-2200
University School serves over 850 boys in Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 on two campuses in suburban Cleveland, Ohio. The School’s mission is to inspire boys of promise to become young men of character who lead and serve. Dedicated faculty, rigorous curriculum, and experiential programs foster intellectual, physical, creative, and moral excellence. University School is a diverse and inclusive community where each boy is known and loved. 
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