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College Courses for High School Students

Strengthen your college application, stand out among other applicants, and get a head start on your college education—all while you're still in high school.

Why Enroll in College Courses While Still in High School?

Insider Access to a Personal College Advisor

You'll benefit from having a dedicated college advisor who will assist you in selecting courses that align with your educational goals and personal needs. Plus, you'll be taught by the same expert faculty members who teach in our highly ranked academic programs, helping you feel more prepared for college and knowledgeable of how course topics apply to the real world. 

Flexible & Convenient Courses

You won't have to forego any aspect of your high school experience to get a jumpstart on your college career. That's because all of our courses are offered online and do not require you to meet on a certain day or time. You'll have the flexibility to complete coursework whenever it's most convenient for you, but still have the support you need for academic success. Your advisor can discuss with you and your family how we develop your personal success plan.

Cutting Costs and Accelerating Your Career

Courses for high school students are offered at a significantly reduced tuition rate. And by getting a jump start on general education requirements, you can begin to take your programmatic coursework when you officially start at Widener (or any college of your choosing) and potentially graduate early!

  • Reduced tuition rate: $500 per course

Courses Available to High School Students by Term

SUMMER I 2023 (7-week courses from May 15, 2023 to June 25, 2023)
 
UALH 220 – HEALTHCARE AND THE LAW (3 Credits) 

This course covers interrelationships of law and medicine. Topics include the legal organization of health care providers, status of the doctor-patient privilege, the patient’s ‘Bill of Rights,’ analysis of a malpractice case, law of criminal insanity, restrictive covenants in employment contracts, and the definition of death. Emphasis will be placed on the developing national policies and practices relating to the delivery of health care. ALLH 220 may be used as a prerequisite for APSU 350 with written permission from the dean. Prerequisite(s): No Prerequisite. 
  
UESC 109 – INTRODUCTION TO WEATHER AND CLIMATE (3 Credits) 
This course is designed to provide a descriptive survey of weather and climate for nonscience majors. Subjects include composition and structure of the atmosphere, solar and terrestrial radiation, temperature, atmospheric stability, forms of condensation and precipitation, pressure and wind systems, severe weather (thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes), weather analysis and forecasting methods, air pollution, the changing climate, world climates, and optical phenomena in the atmosphere. Credit will not be granted for both this course and ENVR 209 - Meteorology/ PHYS 209 - Meteorology. Prerequisite(s): No Prerequisite.  
  
UHIS 100 – WESTERN CIVILIZATION I: ANCIENT WORLD TO 1300 
A study of select themes in historical development from ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations through Classical Greece and Rome to the Later Middle Ages. A humanistic analysis of the traditional and popular elements in social behavior. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisite. 
 
UPSY 105 – INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY (3 Credits) 
A general introduction to scientific psychology, including biological psychology, development, learning, memory, psychological disorders, and social psychology. Psychology majors must receive a “C” or better in this course to satisfy psychology major requirements. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisite. 

SUMMER II 2023 (7-week courses from June 26, 2023 to August 4, 2023)
 
UALH 115 – INTRODUCTION TO PATIENT CARE (1 Credit) 
This course is designed to prepare Widener-Crozer DMS students for clinicals. It combines an understanding of the elements of patient care with hands-on experience in handling, patient transfer, managing critical situations, infection control, emergency medical situations, ethics and law, first aid, communicating with patients, HIPAA, and sterile techniques. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisite. 
 
UANT 105 – INTRODUCTION TO CULTURAL DIVERSITY (3 Credits) 
This course introduces students to the study of human cultural diversity. By examining different cultural systems from around the world, students learn concepts and methods for investigating why humans think and behave the way they do. This course provides students with the competence to live and work with people from different cultural backgrounds. It also enables students to see the world through a different cultural “lens” and reflect critically on the cultural beliefs and practices that govern their own lives. Topics include race, ethnicity, nationalism, language, gender, sexuality, religion, warfare, political organization, economic systems, migration, healing, kinship, marriage, and the family. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisite. 
 
USOC 105 – INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY (3 Credits) 
A general introduction to sociology covering empirically based theoretical insights on social groups, culture, institutions, social organization, stratification, deviance, social movements, and social change. The development of a sociological perspective through the application of core concepts, such as the sociological imagination and the social construction of reality, formulates the basic framework for this course. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisite. 

FALL I 2023 (7-week courses from August 28, 2023 October 17, 2023)
 
UIS 101 – INTRODUCTION TO PERSONAL COMPUTERS (3 Credits) 
This course introduces microcomputer applications as tools for productive automation of work. It introduces the computer system and the operating system. It instructs the student in the rudiments of three popular software application – word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation graphics. CSCI or CIS students may not take this course. Prerequisite(s): No Prerequisite. 

 
UPHI 120 – SYMBOLIC LOGIC (3 Credits) 
This course is a rigorous examination of the theory and methods of symbolic logic. Students do problems and proofs in both sentential logic and first-order predicate logic, using truth tables, logic trees, and INT/ELIM systems of natural deduction. Special emphasis is placed on developing skills in translating sentences from natural language into symbolic notation. This course is especially useful for majors in computer science, mathematics, engineering, and any discipline in which knowledge of formal systems is important. Prerequisite(s): No Prerequisite. 
 
USOC 105 – INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY (3 Credits) 
A general introduction to sociology covering empirically based theoretical insights on social groups, culture, institutions, social organization, stratification, deviance, social movements, and social change. The development of a sociological perspective through the application of core concepts, such as the sociological imagination and the social construction of reality, formulates the basic framework for this course. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisite. 

FALL II 2023 (7-week courses from  October 23, 2023 to December 12, 2023)
 
UALH 111 – MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY (3 Credits) 
Allied health, like any other professional discipline, has its own specialized lexicon. Those in the various fields of allied health must understand this shared language not only to interact with other professionals but also to carry out career responsibilities. In this entry-level course, students learn and practice medical terminology—from anatomy and physiology to diagnostics and technology. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisite. 
 
UALH 115 – INTRODUCTION TO PATIENT CARE (1 Credit) 
This course is designed to prepare Widener-Crozer DMS students for clinicals. It combines an understanding of the elements of patient care with hands-on experience in handling, patient transfer, managing critical situations, infection control, emergency medical situations, ethics and law, first aid, communicating with patients, HIPAA, and sterile techniques. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisite. 
 
UCOM 130 – MASS MEDIA & SOCIETY (3 Credits) 
This course examines the historical evolution and the present-day structure and composition of the mass media and its related industries. It also briefly examines the impact of mass media on individuals and society and introduces students to mass communication research. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisite. 
 
UENG 101 – READING, THINKING AND WRITING (3 Credits) 
Success in college calls for curiosity, engagement, and a willingness to be challenged, as well as having a strong foundation in reading, writing, and thinking. First-year students at Widener begin their college career with ENGL 101, a course designed to prepare undergraduates for serious academic inquiry, full participation in the intellectual life and mission of the university and sustained self-directed learning throughout the curriculum. Students have the opportunity to select a section of ENGL 101 focused on a particular theme or topic. Through a variety of challenging reading and writing assignments engaging with the topic of choice (including a common reading), students become more careful and discerning readers. They will express insights and craft sustained arguments supported by carefully chosen evidence from primary and secondary material, and they will strengthen their ability to ask questions, evaluate, and synthesize complex information and draw conclusions. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisite. 
 
UIS 105 – INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION SYSTEMS (3 Credits) 
An overview of computer information systems and computer science. This survey course introduces computer hardware, software, procedures, systems, algorithms, and human resources and explores their integration and application in business, science, and in other segments of society. The fundamentals of problem solving and programming in a high-level programming language are discussed and applied. 
 
USOC 245 – RACE, HIP HOP & SOCIETY (3 Credits) 
This course explores the contemporary emergence of rap and hip-hop culture. The course engages students in listening to music, viewing DVDs, and reading books and articles related to rap, hip hop, and cultural values. Societal issues of social control and freedom of speech are examined. Students explore these issues with the intent to broaden their sociological imaginations.
Prerequisite(s): USOC-105 

FULL FALL 2023 (15-week courses from August 28, 2023 to December 15, 2023) 

UED 101 – INTRODUCTION TO TEACHING (3 Credits) 
Intended for students who want to learn more about the teaching profession, this course has been designed to provide an opportunity to explore and to experience the nature and role of a classroom teacher as facilitator for learning, as classroom manager, and as decision maker. Through class discussions, school visits, field trips, interaction with practicing teachers, and field placements, students witness first- and what a good teacher does. The duties, responsibilities, and preparation of the classroom teacher is emphasized concurrently with an examination of the foundations of education. As part of this course, students participate in field experiences inside and outside of regularly scheduled class times, which enable them to relate the course content to teaching. All students must have required clearances before the semester begins.  
Prerequisite(s): No prerequisite. 
 
UESC 103 – PLANET EARTH (3 Credits) 
A course designed to expand one’s awareness of science in general with particular emphasis on the geosciences. The principal topics include study of Earth, its oceans, resources, and climate; Earth as compared to other planets in our solar system, and the fate of planet Earth. This course is for non-science majors. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisite. 
 

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How to Enroll in College Courses

You'll need to submit an application first. Our application is free and takes just a few minutes to complete.

  • Have a recent copy of your high school transcript ready to upload. 
  • Complete the application at go.widener.edu/apply by choosing Continuing Studies and High School Student. 

Once you apply, we'll be in touch to assist you in enrolling in courses that will put you on the inside track to success.

Apply Now

Start Exploring Widener for Your College Experience

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Browse Our Programs

With your gen eds already banked, dive into a major that interests you. Graduate early. Or use the time to study abroad, gain more on-the-job experience, or delve into cutting-edge research. You'll graduate with the confidence to launch your career.  

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Earn a Bachelor's + Master's in 4 Years

Take advantage of the credits you've accrued in high school by using your four years at Widener to accelerate to a master's degree—earning you a job advantage, higher compensation, and the skills to advance your career.  

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Tuition & Financial Aid

You want the best fit—and the best education you can afford. Through scholarships, grants, and financial aid, we make this possible.

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Student Experience

You’ll know it when you feel it. The sense of belonging. The thrill of shared purpose. The excitement of life in a community that feels like a second family. Take a sneak peek of student life at Widener. 

Get in Touch

Have questions? Feel free to email or call our Center for Graduate & Continuing Studies for more information. Provide your contact information and one of our advisors will call you!