Rhodes College invites high school students to take part in the Rhodes Summer Academy, a two-week residential program offering a credit-bearing, immersive learning experience on our campus. This program—open to rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors—combines college-level coursework, co-curricular learning opportunities, and a vibrant residential experience, all in the setting of our historic architecture and nationally recognized facilities.
Courses are taught by passionate and experienced faculty members, with Summer 2026 classes set to run June 21 – July 2. Whether you’re curious about the fundamentals of game design or economics, passionate about science or medicine, or ready to develop your skills as a writer or artist, the Rhodes Summer Academy will challenge and inspire you to think creatively and collaborate with peers who are similarly driven to grow and succeed.
The Rhodes Summer Academy empowers high school students to explore new ideas, build essential skills, and experience the academic excellence that defines Rhodes College. By immersing students in college-level courses that are both practical and inspiring, the Academy helps young scholars develop confidence in their abilities and prepares them for their next chapter. Living on campus in a vibrant and supportive residential community, students experience life in college residence halls, engage meaningfully with all parts of the beautiful Rhodes campus, and form lasting friendships with peers from around the world.
Choose from unique, hands-on classes that blend real-world application with critical thinking and collaboration.
Personalized instruction means you’ll be known, challenged, and supported as you take on new academic challenges.
Experience inspiring leadership and instruction from our world-renowned faculty, on a top-ranked campus.
The stunning Rhodes College campus, with its Collegiate Gothic architecture, green courtyards, and cutting-edge labs, provides the perfect backdrop for exploration and creativity.
Students register for one course during the two-week program. Each course will meet daily for two sessions—one in the morning and the other in the early afternoon. Afternoons and evenings will then provide students with opportunities to attend workshops and special lectures, take advantage of the college’s world-class facilities, engage in stimulating co-curricular activities, and even receive college prep advice from knowledgeable members of the Rhodes faculty and staff.
In Crafting Stories, you will study elements essential to writing sophisticated literary narratives, both fiction and nonfiction. We’ll study published stories and practice skills in characterization, plot, effective imagery, and sharp syntax. You will write several exercises in each genre, receive class and instructor feedback, and complete a story in each genre. We will end the course by creating zines (small magazines) of student work.
Every writer has a singular voice—as poet Mark Doty puts it, “a perceptual fingerprint.” This course will help you find your own artistic fingerprint.
This course is designed to teach through active learning many of the foundational principals of chemistry. Each day, we will have a target set of concepts to address, and every class period will involve a mixture of lecture, discussion, and problem solving. Mornings will be spent in laying out the importance of each topic, its applications to everyday life, and the solving of problems associated with those concepts. And in the afternoons, each lab is designed to allow students to further explore the topics from the morning class through a hands-on approach. Most of the labs are designed to be inquiry-based, allowing students to arrive at their own conclusions. No previous experience in chemistry is required.
Contemporary culture is awash in digital media, whether we like it or not. In this course, we’re going to be looking “under the hood” at the underlying analog concepts and techniques that enable these digital technologies surrounding us. We will take a very broad view of “Analog,” “Digital,” and “Art,” and we will embrace "Intro" as meaning “quick dives into many topics of interest.” Along the way we’ll look at, listen to, and experience a momentous heap of relevant creative works.
Economics is everywhere—all around us, and sometimes hidden in the most surprising and unexpected places. This course explores fundamental economic principles at work in ordinary life and shows how they provide an extraordinary set of tools for asking questions and telling stories about the world around us. No prior knowledge or experience required.
In this course, students will learn how to analyze, design, and make video games. In each day’s morning session, we will examine how these games’ four core components—gameplay (the rules), narrative (the story), visuals (the art), and audio (the sound)—work together. The goal is to understand how these elements combine to create a specific experience that will help us shape our game development. Then, in the afternoon sessions, students will learn programming fundamentals (like conditional flow control, iteration, functions, data structures, and object-oriented design) as they build a video game demo using a dedicated video game engine (Godot) and learn in a hands-on way about user interfaces, graphics, and game logic. (No prior knowledge or experience is required.) By the end of the course, then, students will have designed and built their own individual game demo to go along with the knowledge they have acquired about such games more generally!
Of particular interest to those students who are curious about the growing field of medical humanities or about the health sciences and medicine more generally, this course will introduce participants to the theories and practices of ancient medicine in the West, beginning with its origins in the Near East, Egypt, and Greece and then tracing its development into Rome and beyond. Through investigation of primary source documents—both written and artistic—students will discover the beginnings of some of the most important fields of medicine, including the diagnosis and treatments of various diseases and ailments, the systematic observation and analysis of epidemics, treatments for mental health, and even early techniques within veterinary science. Special attention will also be paid to ethics and professional conduct, including oaths, the rise of specialized healing spaces—such as sanctuaries and hospitals—and controversial topics such as eugenics and infanticide.
Who Can Apply: High school students in grades 10 through 12.
Duration: June 21 through July 2, 2026
Location: Rhodes College’s historic and modern academic spaces
Credits: Two college credits upon successful completion of a course
Tuition: $2900 (which will include room and board; financial aid will be available)
Early Registration Price: $200 application discount for students who register by March 15.
Self-Directed Learning: You’ll be expected to manage your schedule, engage in discussions, and collaborate on projects—just like a college student.
Immersive Academic Spaces: Classes are held in the celebrated academic halls of Rhodes College, where ideas come to life through discussion and discovery.
A Connected Community: In addition to learning, you’ll take part in campus tours, faculty-led Q&As, and group meet-ups that foster a true sense of belonging.
A Reputation for Excellence: Rhodes College is known for its nationally recognized liberal arts curriculum and dedication to student success. When you study here, you become part of a tradition of inquiry, innovation, and leadership.
An Inspiring Campus: Our campus blends timeless architecture with cutting-edge spaces, creating an environment that inspires bold thinking and lifelong learning.
Students who successfully complete the program will be granted two credits by Rhodes College that are transferable according to the policies of the receiving institution. To transfer these credits to other institutions, students must contact the Rhodes Registrar and request that their transcript be forwarded.
Yes, students will have full access to Rhodes' facilities, including libraries, labs, and recreational areas.
Yes, participating in the Rhodes Summer Academy can enhance your college application by demonstrating your commitment to academic excellence and your willingness to take on challenging coursework. You will also gain new skills, lasting connections, and a deeper understanding of your capabilities.
No. You will have students in grades 10 through 12 in your classes.
The schedule below is representative, although individual course schedules may vary according to the needs of the particular course. In observance of Juneteenth, there will be no classes on June 19. There will be no classes on the weekend, either.
| 8:00–9:00 | Breakfast |
| 9:00–10:00 | Course Instruction |
| 10:00–10:15 | Break |
| 10:15–11:15 | Course Instruction |
| 11:15–1:00 | Lunch/Break |
| 1:00–2:00 | Labs/Workshops/Discussions |
| 2:00–2:15 | Break |
| 2:15–3:15 | Labs/Workshops/Discussions |
| 3:15–4:00 | Free Time |
Students are allowed to take only one course per summer, but eligible students may take additional courses in future years.
The Summer Academy is aimed at providing participants with a true college experience, and our courses are meant to engage and challenge you in ways you would experience in any undergraduate course at Rhodes. Every faculty member has slightly different expectations about work outside of class depending on their particular subject, but students will have ample time to complete any homework at their own individual pace.
In general, courses within the Academy do not require large exams; however, in some classes there will be smaller quizzes along with the other assignments and projects to provide you with the most meaningful academic experience possible.
Students will move into the residence halls on the afternoon of June 21 and move out on the afternoon of July 2. Further details about the residential experience will be provided upon acceptance into the Academy.
Yes! But because of our busy student schedule and our aim to cultivate a true college experience, visits must be scheduled in advance and are limited to the afternoons of Saturday, June 27, and Sunday, June 28. However, Academy students are not allowed to leave campus during those times.
The Rhodes Summer Academy is more than a chance to build your resume—it’s a chance to broaden your world. You’ll walk away with new skills, lasting connections, and a deeper understanding of what you are capable of achieving.
Come spend two weeks with us and discover what makes Rhodes College a place where bold ideas thrive.
