International Students Apply Early

We advise all international students who require an I-20 from Stanford to apply as early as possible.

Apply now
Summer Session
Request infoApply now

Teach During Summer Quarter: Create a New Course

Interested in developing a new course?

Some departments review new courses developed by graduate students. Reach out to your faculty advisor to understand your department’s process for new courses before utilizing the resources described here. You’ll want to start preparing your ideas and submit them to your department before they finalize their Summer course proposal materials in mid-November. 

Got an idea for a course? 

We're looking to you to create new courses that will appeal to our diverse student population. 

Areas of interest and exploration include:
  • Psychology, and other courses with a component of self-discovery
  • Neuroscience
  • Sustainability
  • Global issues and courses with a global perspective
  • Pre-Med, biology, and health
  • Technology, entrepreneurship—especially those with no coding skills required
  • Innovation
  • Broad based, intro-level courses with no prerequisites
  • Courses that have a hands-on research or experiential element
  • Courses that use data analysis in the social sciences or humanities
one male student and two female students looking at two laptops smiling

Need more inspo? 

Check out these past courses—designed by Stanford graduate students!
  • SOC 129D: Food, Sustainability and Culture
  • CSRE 123: Beyond Incarceration: Imagining a World Without Prisons
  • COMM 102S: Deception and Technology

Want to brainstorm some course ideas?

Schedule a 1-hour 1:1 consultation with CTL. You’ll meet with a Graduate Teaching Consultant (GTC) over zoom or in-person at a time that works for you. Here's your chance to develop three short course descriptions and titles to share with your department. 

Schedule a 1:1 consultation

Imagine your course here!

Have an idea, but want to refine it?

We survey our Summer Session students to learn what interests them most. Let's work together to create a thought-provoking title or inspiring description so that students will be sure to enroll. Email Nicole Berkin nberkin@stanford.edu and we'll get started on your dream course.

Email Nicole
A group of students sit on the steps together.

Next Steps

  1. Inquire within your department and determine if they welcome new course proposals. Once you've received confirmation from your department, prepare your proposal.
  2. Submit your course proposal directly to your department. Your department will submit course proposals to Summer Session by Wednesday, November 12, so it’s important to express your interest in teaching as early as possible
  3. Proposal decisions shared with departments. 

Please note that even if your proposed course is not selected, there may be opportunities for you to TA or teach a course this summer.