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Explore the Summer 2026 Course Offerings

Explore our diverse range of academic offerings designed to inspire, challenge, and expand your intellectual horizons. Whether you're looking to deepen your expertise in a specific field, explore new areas of interest, or engage with world-class instructors, our courses cater to a variety of academic goals. Browse through our list to discover the opportunities awaiting you this summer, and take the next step in your academic journey at Yale.

2026 Course Search

Displaying 161-180 of 233 courses

Ancient Empires

NELC S1190 (CRN: 30118) | Learn More

Instructors: Kevin van Bladel
Dates: Session B, June 29 - July 31, 2026
Course Mode: In-Person
Meeting Times: TTh 9.00-12.15
Distributional Requirements: Humanities
Eligibility: Open to pre-college and college students

In-person Course. Introduction to the history and cultures of the ancient empires of the Near East (Middle East), focusing on the period from the Assyrian and Persian Empires to the establishment of Islam (ca 900 BCE–ca 750 CE). Use of ancient primary sources critically to create a historical narrative and to understand the modern appropriation of ancient history for political and other purposes. An introduction to the geography of southwestern Asia and a survey of languages, Iranian and other religions, and some ancient literature from a variety of cultures. Events covered in this course contributed decisively to the demography of the present-day Near East and the social characteristics of its people, from the distribution of language communities to the variety of Near Eastern religions. 1 Credit. Session B: June 29 – July 31. Tuition: $5480.

Neurobiology

NSCI S3200 (CRN: 30217) | Learn More

Instructors: Haig Keshishian
Dates: Session A, May 25 - June 26, 2026
Course Mode: In-Person
Meeting Times: MWF 10.00-12.15
Distributional Requirements: Science
Eligibility: Open to pre-college and college students

In-person Course. Introduction to neuroscience, divided into 3 course modules: 1) Cellular neurophysiology, addressing the excitable properties of neurons and the function of synapses, 2) Systems neurobiology, examining neural circuits as they relate to the functional properties of the nervous system, with each system that is addressed examined in detail, and 3) Neural development and plasticity, examining the cellular and molecular mechanisms governing neural development, plasticity, and the establishment of memory. Prerequisite: Intro level Biology (Bio 1010-1040 or BIOL 1050 and BIOL 1060). One semester of college-level Chemistry strongly recommended. Interested high school students must show score of 4 or 5 on AP Biology or a 6 or 7 on IB Biology. 1 Credit. Session A: May 25 – June 26. Tuition: $5480.

Introduction to Philosophy

PHIL S1110 (CRN: 30119) | Learn More

Instructors: Daniel Greco
Dates: Session B, June 29 - July 31, 2026
Course Mode: In-Person
Meeting Times: TTh 9.00-12.15
Distributional Requirements: Humanities
Eligibility: Open to pre-college and college students

In-person Course. Introduction to the history and methods of philosophical reflection and inquiry. Exploration of several perennial philosophical issues and the distinctive ways of addressing these issues through a close reading of historical texts and group discussion. Readings include selections from the works of Plato, Aristotle, Hume, Kant, Mill, and twentieth-century philosophers. 1 Credit. Session B: June 29 – July 31. Tuition: $5480.

Moralities of Everyday Life

PHIL S1116 (CRN: 30120) | Learn More

Instructors: Paul Bloom
Dates: Session B, June 29 - July 31, 2026
Course Mode: Online
Meeting Times: TTh 4.00-6.00p
Distributional Requirements: Social Sciences
Eligibility: Open to college students only

Online Course. The modern science of moral thought and moral action explored through disciplines such as cognitive science, social and developmental psychology, neuroscience, behavioral economics, and analytic philosophy. Empathy and compassion in babies and young children; emotional reactions to family, friends, and strangers; the origins of prejudice and bigotry; sexuality, disgust, and purity; punishment, revenge, and forgiveness; the relationship between morality and religion. For college students and beyond. 1 Credit. Session B: June 29 – July 31. Tuition: $5480. Technology Fee: $85.

Introduction to Political Philosophy

PHIL S1178 (CRN: 30121) | Learn More

Instructors: Paul Franks
Dates: Session A, May 25 - June 26, 2026
Course Mode: In-Person
Meeting Times: TTh 1.00-4.15
Distributional Requirements: Humanities
Eligibility: Open to pre-college and college students

In-person Course. A survey of social and political theory, beginning with Plato and continuing through modern philosophers such as Rawls, Nozick, and MacIntyre. Emphasis on tracing the development of political ideas; challenges to political theories. 1 Credit. Session A: May 25 – June 26. Tuition: $5480.

Philosophy and Technology

PHIL S1183 (CRN: 30122) | Learn More

Instructors: Joseph Lawal
Dates: Session B, June 29 - July 31, 2026
Course Mode: In-Person
Meeting Times: MWF 1.00-3.15
Distributional Requirements: Humanities
Eligibility: Open to pre-college and college students

In-person Course. The last few years have witnessed significant improvements in artificial intelligence and virtual reality technologies. Within our lifetimes, it may become possible to spend time in extremely realistic computer simulated worlds, populated by artificially intelligent agents. This prospect forces us to grapple with a host of important questions, including: whether artificially intelligent agents will ever achieve consciousness and moral status; whether we could survive ‘uploading’ our minds into a virtual reality; whether or not this would be good for us; and whether we can know if we are already living inside a simulation. In this class we will discuss all of those questions, as well as several ethical dilemmas posed by present-day technologies like dating apps and self-driving cars. (Is it immoral to ‘swipe left’ on potential romantic partners based on physical appearance? How should self-driving cars handle ethical trade-offs?) The class will not presume any background in philosophy or technology studies, and will use technological developments as a springboard into philosophy. 1 Credit. Session B: June 29 – July 31. Tuition: $5480.

Lies and Deception

PHIL S3337 (CRN: 30123) | Learn More

Instructors: James Mahon
Dates: Session B, June 29 - July 31, 2026
Course Mode: In-Person
Meeting Times: MWF 1.00-3.15
Distributional Requirements: Social Sciences
Eligibility: Open to pre-college and college students

In-person Course. Introduction to contemporary philosophical debate about the nature of lies and deception. Definitions of lying and deception, including whether all lies necessarily aim to deceive; moral justifications for lying and deceit and their counterarguments; ways in which the moral arguments against deception of others can apply to self-deception. 1 Credit. Session B: June 29 – July 31. Tuition: $5480.

Energy, Environment, and Public Policy

PHYS S1000 (CRN: 30189) | Learn More

Instructors: Daniel Prober
Dates: Session B, June 29 - July 31, 2026
Course Mode: In-Person
Meeting Times: TWTh 9.30-11.45
Distributional Requirements: Quantitative Reasoning, Science
Eligibility: Open to pre-college and college students

In-person Course. Seminar that covers the technology, use, and impact of energy on the environment, climate, security, and the economy. Emphasis on what drives people's choices and how to transition to renewable energy. Tours of energy facilities on the Yale campus. Prerequisite: completion of high school physics and chemistry. 1 Credit. Session A: May 25 – June 26. Session B: June 29 – July 31. Tuition: $5480.

Energy, Environment, and Public Policy

PHYS S1000 (CRN: 30185) | Learn More

Instructors: Daniel Prober
Dates: Session A, May 25 - June 26, 2026
Course Mode: In-Person
Meeting Times: TWTh 9.30-11.45
Distributional Requirements: Quantitative Reasoning, Science
Eligibility: Open to pre-college and college students

In-person Course. Seminar that covers the technology, use, and impact of energy on the environment, climate, security, and the economy. Emphasis on what drives people's choices and how to transition to renewable energy. Tours of energy facilities on the Yale campus. Prerequisite: completion of high school physics and chemistry. 1 Credit. Session A: May 25 – June 26. Session B: June 29 – July 31. Tuition: $5480.

Hollywood Astrophysics

PHYS S1020 (CRN: 30124) | Learn More

Instructors: Frank Robinson
Dates: Session B, June 29 - July 31, 2026
Course Mode: Online
Meeting Times: MW 10.00-11.45
Distributional Requirements: Quantitative Reasoning, Science
Eligibility: Open to pre-college and college students

Online Course. In this course, students learn how to critically evaluate Hollywood’s representation of aspects of modern physics (relativity, quantum mechanics and modern-day climate change). After being given the background physics and quantitative training required to understand a particular topic, students will typically be shown a movie clip and asked to quantitatively judge the veracity of the physics in the scene. Is it a good or bad representation of what happens according to the laws of physics? Assignments will involve both solving physics word problems and explaining how physics concepts are used in movies. If you claim movies such as “Interstellar” or “The Day after Tomorrow” violate the laws of physics, you need to be able to back up that claim with sound physical reasoning. This is what students learn to do in Hollywood Astrophysics. 1 Credit. Session B: June 29 – July 31. Tuition: $5480. Technology Fee: $85.

University Physics

PHYS S1800 (CRN: 30125) | Learn More

Instructors: Mehdi Ghiassi-Nejad
Dates: Session A, May 25 - June 26, 2026
Course Mode: Online
Meeting Times: MTThF 9.30-10.45, TTh 11.00-12.00
Distributional Requirements: Quantitative Reasoning, Science
Eligibility: Open to pre-college and college students

Online Course. A broad introduction to classical and modern physics for students who have some previous preparation in physics and mathematics. Topics include Newtonian mechanics, gravitation, waves, and thermodynamics. May not be taken for credit after PHYS 1700. Prerequisite: MATH 1120 or completed AP AB Calculus with a score of 4 or 5. May be taken concurrently with MATH 1150 or 1200. Enrollment limited to 50 students. 1 Credit. Session A: May 25 – June 26. Tuition: $5480. Technology Fee: $85.

University Physics

PHYS S1810 (CRN: 30126) | Learn More

Instructors: Mehdi Ghiassi-Nejad
Dates: Session B, June 29 - July 31, 2026
Course Mode: Online
Meeting Times: MTThF 9.30-10.45, TTh 11.00-12.00
Distributional Requirements: Quantitative Reasoning, Science
Eligibility: Open to pre-college and college students

Online Course. A broad introduction to classical and modern physics for students who have some previous preparation in physics and mathematics. Topics include electromagnetism, special relativity, and quantum physics. Prerequisite: PHYS 1700, 1800, or PHYS 2000 and MATH 1120; may be taken concurrently with MATH 1150 or MATH 1200. Cannot be taken for credit after PHYS 1710. 1 Credit. Session B: June 29 – July 31. Tuition: $5480. Technology Fee: $85.

Introduction to American Politics

PLSC S1222 (CRN: 30127) | Learn More

Instructors: Christina Kinane
Dates: Session A, May 25 - June 26, 2026
Course Mode: Online
Meeting Times: TTh 7.15-9.00p
Distributional Requirements: Social Sciences
Eligibility: Open to pre-college and college students

Online Course. Introduction to American national government. The Constitution, American political culture, civil rights, Congress, the executive, political parties, public opinion, interest groups, the media, social movements, and the policy-making process. 1 Credit. Session A: May 25 – June 26. Tuition: $5480. Technology Fee: $85.

The United States Congress

PLSC S2227 (CRN: 30128) | Learn More

Instructors: Amir Fairdosi
Dates: Session B, June 29 - July 31, 2026
Course Mode: Online
Meeting Times: TTh 7.15-9.00p
Distributional Requirements: Social Sciences
Eligibility: Open to pre-college and college students

Online Course. This is a survey course on the United States Congress. We will explore such questions as: What are the causes and effects of political polarization? How would term limits affect policy outcomes? What is the effect of money on Congress? Where do/should constituents fit in in all this? How does Congress interact with the President and the bureaucracy? How does one run for office? Why is Congress’s approval rating lower than any other institution in the country? The course is divided into two parts. In Part I, we discuss the theoretical and historical foundations of legislative government the United States. In Part II, we move beyond theories of legislating and on to the way Congress operates in practice. 1 Credit. Session B: June 29 – July 31. Tuition: $5480. Technology Fee: $85.

First Amendment, Freedom of Speech, and the Ethics of Law

PLSC S2228 (CRN: 30194) | Learn More

Instructors: Karen Goodrow
Dates: Session B, June 29 - July 31, 2026
Course Mode: Online
Meeting Times: MW 10.00-11.45
Distributional Requirements: Social Sciences
Eligibility: Open to pre-college and college students

Online Course. This course will address the First Amendment and freedom of speech, focusing on the ethical implications of restrictions on free speech, as well as the exercise of free speech and contemporary issues involving free speech. Course topics and discussions will include the "fighting words" doctrine, hate speech, true threats, content regulated speech, freedom of speech and the internet, and the so-called "right to be forgotten". By the end of the course, students will be able to recognize the role free speech plays in American society as analyzed through competing societal interests. Students will be able to analyze how these competing interests are weighed and measured in the United States as compared with other countries. 1 Credit. Session B: June 29 – July 31. Tuition: $5480. Technology Fee: $85.

Women, Politics, and Policy

PLSC S2253 (CRN: 30129) | Learn More

Instructors: Andrea Aldrich
Dates: Session A, May 25 - June 26, 2026
Course Mode: Online
Meeting Times: MWF 1.00-3.15
Distributional Requirements: Social Sciences
Eligibility: Open to pre-college and college students

Online Course. This course explores theoretical and empirical work in political science to study the relationship between gender and politics in the United States and around the world. In doing so, we will examine women’s access to power over time, women’s descriptive and substantive representation in political institutions, the causes and consequences of women’s underrepresentation, the way gender shapes both policy making, and how government policy impacts the lives of women. 1 Credit. Session A: May 25 – June 26. Tuition: $5480. Technology Fee: $85.

Foundations of Modern Social Theory

PLSC S2321 (CRN: 30233) | Learn More

Instructors: Julia Adams
Dates: Session B, June 29 - July 31, 2026
Course Mode: Online
Meeting Times: MWF 9.00-11.15
Distributional Requirements: Social Sciences
Eligibility: Open to pre-college and college students

Online Course. In this concentrated survey course, students explore the writings of the classical Western theorists of social and political life in modernity, as they address problems that still preoccupy us today. Attention to conceptual frameworks, historical contexts, and contributions to contemporary social analysis. Classical theorists include Hobbes, Locke, Montesquieu, Rousseau, Mill, Martineau, Tocqueville, Hegel, Marx, Weber, Du Bois, and Durkheim. 1 Credit. Session B: June 29 – July 31. Tuition: $5480. Technology Fee: $85.

Lies and Deception

PLSC S2336 (CRN: 30222) | Learn More

Instructors: James Mahon
Dates: Session B, June 29 - July 31, 2026
Course Mode: In-Person
Meeting Times: MWF 1.00-3.15
Distributional Requirements: Social Sciences
Eligibility: Open to pre-college and college students

In-person Course. Introduction to contemporary philosophical debate about the nature of lies and deception. Definitions of lying and deception, including whether all lies necessarily aim to deceive; moral justifications for lying and deceit and their counterarguments; ways in which the moral arguments against deception of others can apply to self-deception. 1 Credit. Session B: June 29 – July 31. Tuition: $5480.

Disinformation and Democracy

PLSC S2470 (CRN: 30204) | Learn More

Instructors: Asha Rangappa
Dates: Session A, May 25 - June 26, 2026
Course Mode: Online
Meeting Times: MW 9.00-10.45
Distributional Requirements: Social Sciences
Eligibility: Open to college students only

Online Course. This course explores the evolution of information warfare as a national security threat to the United States. Beginning with the KGB’s use of “active measures” during the Cold War, the course looks at how propaganda and disinformation campaigns became central to the Putin regime and how social media has facilitated their expansion and impact. Using Russia’s efforts in the 2016 election as an example, students will examine how the First Amendment places limitations on the U.S.’s ability to counter such operations in the United States and explore how strengthening critical thinking and American social capital might be effective prophylactics against these efforts. For college students and beyond. 1 Credit. Session A: May 25 – June 26. Tuition: $5480. Technology Fee: $85.

Chinese Foreign Policy

PLSC S3101 (CRN: 30130) | Learn More

Instructors: Daniel Mattingly
Dates: Session A, May 25 - June 26, 2026
Course Mode: In-Person
Meeting Times: TTh 9.00-12.15
Distributional Requirements: Social Sciences
Eligibility: Open to pre-college and college students

In-person Course. Study of the international relations and foreign policy of contemporary China. Topics include war, diplomacy, grand strategy, the military, cyber security, finance, trade, domestic politics, nuclear weapons, and international crises. There are no formal prerequisites, but some basic knowledge of China is assumed, so a background equivalent to having taken one of the introductory courses on China is recommended. 1 Credit. Session A: May 25 – June 26. Tuition: $5480.

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