Rhodes Summer Programs, commonly referred to as "Maymesters", take place over the summer in May, June, July, or August. Programs may begin as early as the day after Commencement and end before Opening Convocation. Most Maymesters are about four weeks long, though they may take place over as few as two weeks or as many as six weeks. Most Maymesters are international, though several are domestic.
In consultation with the Director of the Buckman Center for Global Engagement, faculty members propose, design, and lead their own Maymesters. It's normal for program development to take about 11 months.
Course Content: Generally, each Maymester's coursework takes place within the academic discipline of the faculty leader. For course titles, descriptions, credits, and Foundations credit, see the Buckman Center's website for current Maymester programs.
Rhodes typically offers 10-12 Maymesters each summer, based on faculty interest and availability. Some programs operate every year; others alternate years or are only offered every several years. New programs are always being developed, thanks to the Buckman International Curricular Development Grants, which provide funds for faculty to travel/research for the development of new Maymesters.
The following is a list of Maymesters offered in the last several years, with an * next to ones operating Summer 2024:
- Ancient Greek Mythology
- Art and Art History: Archaeological Fieldwork in Greece
- Arts and Language Across Spain*
- Buddhism in Thai Society*
- Caesarea City and Port Exploration Project
- Chinese and Political Science
- Classical Music Appreciation in Vienna
- Environmental Archaeology at Ames* (domestic)
- Environmental Field Study in Namibia*
- French Immersion Maymester in Togo*
- Health and Mental Health Disparities in an International Context, The Case of Thailand*
- Healthy Cities: The Political Economy of Urban Policymaking
- Holocaust Travel Seminar
- Intensive Language - German
- Intensive Language - Russian
- International Business Cases and Religion in the Low Country*
- International Studies and Chinese in Taiwan*
- Rhodes in Rennes: French National and Regional Identity and Culture
- Search Abroad in Latin America
- South Africa Maymester: Business and Psychology
- Spanish Immersion in Ecuador*
- Summer School in London*
- Summer Study in Europe
- The Science of Climate Change in Belize*
- The Urban World of the First Christians
- Transformational Ideas in Computing in the UK*