The Spartan Early Start Program (SES) is an opportunity for incoming undergraduate first-year and transfer students–those students admitted to MSU for Fall 2023 or Spring 2024–to take MSU classes in July/August 2023 before starting their first official semester at MSU.
SES reduces the cost of up to, two courses during MSU’s second summer session running Wednesday, July 5, through Friday August 18, 2023, to $150 per credit. This opportunity means you can take a 3-credit class for $450 or a 4-credit class for $600.
We hope that this opportunity will:
- allow you to explore an area of personal or academic interest;
- provide you with an opportunity to experience online learning environments; and
- help you advance toward graduation more quickly by taking a class or classes early.
Not all summer classes are included in this program, so please review the approved course list page for available options. Classes have limited space in them, so we place students in each course on a first-come, first-served basis until courses are full. All eligible classes are online and may be synchronous (set time and dates) or asynchronous.
**Note: MSU may decide to cancel classes if they do not fill to a minimum capacity of ~15 students.
You can find additional information below and on the FAQ page. To apply, please fill out the online form, and if you have questions about the SES program—please email the SES team.
Eligibility
All newly admitted students, first-year and transfer, to MSU for Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 semesters are eligible for this program. Participation in this program will not influence or change an individual’s term of admission nor is this opportunity available during Fall 2022.
We strongly encourage you to inform your academic advisor about your participation in this program during New Student Orientation to avoid needing changes to your academic-year schedule, and if possible, you should consider working with your advisor to discuss the best choice for the courses during your New Student Orientation advising meeting.
We also suggest that you consider any advanced credits (e.g., community college, AP, or IB credit that you may bring to MSU as you consider course options.
Finally, please consider if you have access to the right technology to complete the online course. Most course offerings online at MSU suggest the following technology:
A broadband (high-speed) internet connection is recommended. Most computers manufactured within the last four years will meet your needs. Students need a Windows machine with Internet Explorer 8.x; or Firefox 3.x or a Macintosh, with Firefox 3.x. Minimum screen resolution of 1024×768; Minimum 56K modem connection to internet. Students’ computers should be able to play videos and have a microphone for class participation and assignments at times.
Application
To apply for this program, follow these steps:
Step 1: Review the list of eligible courses from the SES course list;
Step 2: Consult with your academic advisor and/or the SES college guides;
Step 3: Select the one or two classes that you want to take;
Step 4: Complete the SES online application (application closes at 11:59 p.m. on June 15, 2023); and
Step 5: Check your MSU email for confirmation and additional information.
Before you apply, we recommend that you review the PDF application, your major requirements online and on the College Guides, and review the information on the FAQ page.
When applying you will need to know the following information:
- Your MSU netID (email address before the @ symbol) and student number (PID);
- Information about any advanced credits (e.g., dual-enrollment, CLEP, IB, or AP) credit you are bringing to MSU, and for transfer students, you should know if you completed the Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA); and
- The course code, number, and section of the class(es) you are applying for (e.g., WRA 101, section 203).
We recognize that students may not know their AP test scores at the time of application, and we will work with you to address that situation. If you have transfer credit, please make sure you have submitted your transcripts to MSU. Do not wait until you meet with you advisor to submit this transfer information. You can also reference the SES 2023 College Guides for recommended courses.
If you want to view the application before starting an application, please view a PDF version; do not login to the online application until you are ready to apply. Please do not apply more than once, as you will delay the process. If you need to make a change, please email the SES team.
Once we receive your application, we will review your information and do our best to ensure that the selected class(es) are appropriate.
- If they are, then we will enroll you in the course(s) and notify you via your MSU email.
- If the classes you selected become full or seem inappropriate for your academic plan, we will contact you via your MSU email and/or application phone number. Please start checking your MSU email regularly.
Once you have been accepted, please view the Accepted Students Information page for your next steps. You can see your enrollment(s) in the MSU Student Portal: student.msu.edu. If you have made an error or would like to change your selections, please email us at ses@msu.edu. If you want to withdraw, you can drop yourself from the class or email the SES team.
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