UW-Madison Summer Session

This page is intended as a resource for campus faculty, academic planners, and other staff who may have questions about procedures and issues that may be handled differently in the Summer Session.

October Summer Session Deans' meeting documents

About Summer Session

UW-Madison Summer Session classes and programs are attended by a diverse group of students for a variety of reasons.  Approximately 90% of students attending in the summer are continuing degree-seeking students; the remaining 10% are returning adults, including

  • professionals in a range of disciplines such as teaching, human services, engineering, business, and many others;
  • people considering or in the midst of a career change; and
  • summer visitors from another college or university who want to pick up another class before returning to their home institution.

Continuing Studies’ Role in Summer Session

The Dean of Continuing Studies serves as the campus Summer Session Dean, and Continuing Studies provides support to summer sessions including administrative and budget, academic, student services, and marketing support.  

In addition, each school/college has a designated Summer Dean, who coordinates summer offerings at the school/college level. 

Continuing Studies oversees the campus summer instructional budget, and administers several special summer funding initiatives.

In many ways, the summer session operates in the same ways as the fall and spring academic terms. 

Summer Handbook for Faculty and Staff

The Summer Handbook, available in late September, is an academic planning reference for summer deans and department chairs, teaching faculty and staff. The guidelines outlined in the Summer Handbook serve for the overall campus. Schools and colleges have additional procedures for developing their summer programs.

Summer Handbook for faculty and staff

Session Codes for Summer 2013

Advisor Resources

Advisor Resources for Summer Session provides the advising community with summer session codes, credit load information, key summer deadlines and more.

Online Course Development Funding

Continuing Studies has resources available (including instructional design, online production, and other staff expertise) to develop and deliver transformative distance learning opportunities which will help campus best serve students.   Priority is given to courses, that when developed online, will provide increased flexibility for students, shortened time to degree and increased institutional capacity. 

University Summer Forums

The historic University Summer Forums provide a unique setting for intergenerational learners throughout the campus and community to explore and discuss compelling and timely topics.  They offer schools and colleges the chance to showcase the expertise of UW-Madison faculty/staff and renowned guest speakers.  Continuing Studies provides funding for instructional costs and course expenses as well as assistance with course logistics.  Proposals are solicited each fall for the next summer session.