Students often desire to learn more about an unusual topic but feel apprehensive, stressed with other classes or unqualified.

Some private schools including Smith College, Oberlin College and Bethany College offer interterm courses that give students the opportunity to take non-mandatory, non-credit courses between the end of the holidays and the beginning of the spring semester.

Interterm courses allow students and faculty about three weeks to indulge in a risk-free, stress-free class, and have some fun while learning something unusual. According to a recent CNN.com article titled “Schmoozing 101 lightens course load,” Smith College offers courses in fencing, money management and paranormal phenomenon.

Greg Warden, associate dean for Academic Affairs in Meadows School of the Arts and art history professor, said implementing interterm classes begins with asking two questions: Is there a demand for interterm classes? Are there faculty members who want to teach these classes?

“I don’t know if anyone has ever looked to see if there was a demand,” Warden said.

He advised that a student organization, such as Student Senate, conduct a survey or perhaps use their fees to coordinate a committee to explore student interest in interterm courses.

He also added that there are always faculty members that love what they do and would enjoy teaching a condensed course for fun.

“It’s much more fun to teach without the hassles of grading and attendance,” Warden said.

Meadows School of the Arts already offers non-credit art classes for adults and children during the semester. These courses range from $50 to $600 and include studies in communication, performing and visual arts. Warden doubted that many university students enrolled in these courses.

Ashley Elder, a junior business major, said she enjoys her painting class, but would love to take a drawing class.

“I think it would be a great way to relax, but it’s difficult to find time during the semester with all of my required courses,” she said. “Interterm classes would really help students become more well-rounded before they leave SMU.”

Chris Cagle, a senior political science major, agreed interterm classes sounded interesting and said the opportunity to take a business class would have been helpful during his course work at SMU. But despite his interest, he also brought up a concern regarding payment for interterm classes.

“If SMU charged as unreasonable rates as they do for regular classes, I wouldn’t dream of taking a class for no credit,” Cagle said.