St. Mary’s students can sign up for Maymester courses by May 18
By Jennifer R. Lloyd (M.B.A. ’16)
This May, students seeking quick summer credits and intriguing course topics are in luck with a slate of unique course options at St. Mary’s University — from wellness to fairytales.
Maymester 2026 begins Monday, May 18, and ends Monday, June 1. Registration for the term ends Monday, May 18. Below are a few courses from entry-level to grad school that are catching students’ interest this term.
SC 3353: Public Opinion and Propaganda
Faculty: Janet S. Armitage, Ph.D., Professor of Sociology
Description: This fast-paced Maymester course explores how public opinion is shaped, shared and sometimes steered through media, institutions and everyday interaction. We examine what societies believe, value and pay attention to, and dive into public opinion, influence and propaganda, exploring how these differ in both what they are and what they do in real life. Students will work in the “Message Lab” to break down real ads and social media posts to see how they work, then construct their own short, persuasive messages for a specific audience. Students explain whether their message functions as opinion, influence or propaganda and how broader forces like social norms, inequality, ideology and power are communicated in everyday life.
CN 6123 or 8123: Seminar in Counseling: Integrative Wellness in Counseling: Theory, Practice and Research
Faculty: Crystal Morris, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Counseling
Description: Designed for both master’s and doctoral-level students, this seminar examines wellness as a foundational paradigm in counseling, emphasizing integrative, holistic, and strength-based approaches — including positive psychology — to promoting optimal functioning among diverse client populations and counseling professionals. Students will explore theoretical models of wellness, including biopsychosocial, multicultural and developmental perspectives; and critically analyze their application across clinical, school and community settings. Drawing from multiple theoretical orientations, the course bridges wellness philosophy with evidence-based intervention strategies, prevention practices and culturally responsive care that support resilience, meaning-making and overall well-being.
EN 2382: Fairytales, Myths and Folklore
Faculty: Mary Lynne Gasaway Hill, Ph.D., Professor of English Literature and Language
Description: Since the beginning of time, people have gathered to tell stories of magic, fairies, harrowing journeys, horrible beasts and the worlds they inhabit. Fairytales, myths and folklore help us make sense of our world and the challenges we encounter throughout our lives. Based in storytelling practices, we will journey with age-old heroes as they slay dragons, outwit ogres, defy fate and fight (sometimes) hopeless battles, with strength and courage. To explore the universality of these tales in relation to environmental challenges, each student writes original climate change fairy tales. Click here to read tales written by previous classes published in Blume Library’s Digital Commons.
PS 1301: General Psychology
Faculty: Jillian Pierucci, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology
Description: This course will excitingly provide students with a broad overview of the massive field of psychology. Students will study basic principles and learn important findings from various areas of psychology, including: neurobiology, development, psychopathology, sensation and perception, learning and memory, intelligence, emotions, personality and social psychology. This class will give students a taste of what psychology is about and how applicable it is to daily life, including dispelling common myths about the human mind, brain and behavior. The learned psychological principles and theories will give students a better understanding of themselves and their relation to others.
PL 2301: Foundations of Ethics
Faculty: J. Colin McQuillan, Ph.D., Professor of Philosophy
Description: This course develops a set of concepts and skills that form the foundation of objective moral reasoning. Included among those concepts are character, virtue and vice; intentions, actions and consequences; as well as freedom, responsibility and the good. It elucidates upon those moral structures and precepts that are not only implicit in the nature of human consciousness but also necessary for discerning values, the common good, and human flourishing. Students pick the topics discussed in the applied ethics portion of the course.
