This intensive three-week course offers high school students a hands-on, college-level introduction to Anatomy and Physiology, exploring the structure and function of the human body’s major systems. We invite you to explore the wonders of anatomical structures and their physiological functions, and to discover how body systems interact to maintain balance, respond to stress, and support life.

Through interactive lectures, group activities, laboratory investigations, and real-world case studies, students will examine the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, nervous, and endocrine systems. This course emphasizes the interconnectedness of body systems and encourages critical thinking about health, disease, and performance.

Students will build foundational knowledge in human biology, develop observation and problem-solving skills, and gain experience in a simulated college classroom and lab environment, an ideal primer for future studies in healthcare, sports science, medicine, or biology.

This intensive course takes you inside the science that drives modern medicine, exploring how drugs work at the cellular and molecular level to transform patient care. You’ll follow the complete journey of a drug—from its initial discovery and design, to how it’s administered, to how the body ultimately breaks it down. Along the way, you’ll uncover how drugs alter the activity of their molecular targets to produce therapeutic effects, and investigate essential topics such as drug toxicity, interactions, ethical questions in drug development, and the promises and challenges of next-generation therapies.

Through interactive lectures, small-group problem solving, and case studies, you’ll analyze real-world examples like insulin therapy, aspirin metabolism, opioid treatments, and groundbreaking innovations such as CAR T-cell therapy. The experience culminates in a team-based final project where you apply your new expertise to a specific medical condition and its treatments. 

Do rats laugh? Do dogs pretend? Can birds use tools? While it has traditionally been assumed that animals are not capable of thoughts, emotions, or anything comparable to human intelligence, researchers working with animals from rats and bats to wolves and whales now have an impressive and growing body of evidence, both scientific and anecdotal, that strongly challenges those earlier suppositions.

This course surveys the fascinating field of cognitive ethology—the study of animal minds—and explores questions of what animals think and feel, the complexity of their thought, and the depth of their emotions. Students examine cutting-edge research from fields such as cognitive neuroscience, psychology, endocrinology, and ethology that support the theoretical ideas first proposed by Darwin, who is often credited as the first scientist to seriously study the emotional lives of animals. Darwin’s ideas were later advanced by Donald Griffen, the “father of cognitive ethology,” whose big questions about animal consciousness laid the groundwork for the explosion of research we see today. What we are learning about animal sentience is transforming our understanding of non-human animals, creating impetus for new research into how they experience the world, each other, and possibly themselves.

In this seminar-style class, students read and discuss the research of ethologists such as Marc Bekoff, Konrad Lorenz, James Gould, Jane Goodall, Franz De Waal, and E.O Wilson. These pioneering researchers fundamentally changed our understanding of the animal mind, shedding new light on the extraordinary and diverse abilities of our fellow species to learn, problem-solve, use tools, express emotions, and even mourn their dead. What’s more, we are learning that animals communicate complex information in ways we could never have imagined.

A field excursion to the Wolf Conservation Center offer participants an opportunity to observe animal behaviors up close, emulate observation techniques used by scientists in the field, and speak to experts about their research. This first-hand experience provides context for the material covered in class, and gives rise to important questions and rich, stimulating discussions. Students also have an opportunity to explore the broad array of academic and career paths that relate to cognitive ethology, including evolutionary biology, animal behavior, conservation biology, psychology, philosophy and ethics, cognitive neuroscience, science writing, and animal law.

Course requirement include assigned readings of scientific literature and excerpts from books on animal cognition, daily participation in class and small-group discussions, and a final project that demonstrates students’ understanding of the course concepts and content.

Laptops are required for this course. Class participants are required to pay approximately $100 for class supplies and trips.

There is a growing interest among high school students in healthcare careers, yet few have structured opportunities to explore medicine before college. This course addresses that gap by combining foundational science with practical clinical reasoning and ethical considerations, helping students understand not only how the body works, but also how clinicians think—all in an accessible online format.

By using real clinical scenarios, evidence-based discussions, and interactive virtual sessions, students see how basic science translates into patient care—making the learning experience applied, memorable, and relevant.

The course aligns with Columbia’s commitment to academic excellence, interdisciplinary learning, and social responsibility by including topics such as health disparities, cultural competence, and ethics.

Students leave with:

• A deeper understanding of human physiology and pathology
• Early exposure to clinical thinking
• Professional insights into careers in medicine and healthcare
• Improved teamwork, presentation, and critical thinking skills

This immersive course introduces high school students to the growing and impactful science of rehabilitation and specifically the field of Physical Therapy. Students will explore how movement science, clinical care, and biomechanics come together to restore function, enhance performance, and improve quality of life across the lifespan. Whether you're interested in sports, healthcare, or human biology, this course provides a strong foundation in how the body heals and adapts through rehabilitation.

Becoming a physician—mastering the intricacies of the human body and working to heal when illness occurs—has long been considered a noble pursuit, but it’s not all guts and glory. It takes a particular kind of mind; one that can focus on the smallest details while keeping the big picture in sight. A doctor must see the forest and the trees.

This course is an investigation into how different types of physicians think within their discipline and what it means to be a doctor in today’s society. The course includes asynchronous work, which students are expected to complete between class sessions.

Potential topics to be discussed include the following:

• Logic and reasoning
• Evidence-based medicine
• Human psychology and its influence
• The crossroads of media, myth, and medicine
• Ethics
• Malpractice
• Medicine's history and future
• Medical School and Residency

Participants gain a deeper knowledge of the medical world as well as what it takes to think like a doctor—and acquire mental tools that can be utilized in any aspect of life. Please note that the field of medicine is far reaching and each class will vary depending on the instructor and their scope of knowledge and work within this vast field.

Modern biology is transforming how we understand ourselves, our environment, and the future of life on Earth. In this course, students explore the core principles of molecular biology, genetics, and evolution, and investigate how these concepts shape advances in medicine, agriculture, and ecology.

Beginning with the structure and function of DNA, RNA, and proteins, students build a foundation for understanding how cells operate and how genetic information drives biological systems. They then apply this knowledge to pressing real-world topics such as genetic engineering, cancer biology, immunology, biotechnology, and virology. Mini-units on bioethics and climate biology invite students to consider the broader implications of scientific discovery, connecting biology to social, historical, and economic contexts.

Through interactive lectures, group discussions, online labs, and multimedia activities, students gain both scientific literacy and insight into how biological innovation influences the world around them.

Please note, this course does not include a wet lab component. 

Approximately a third of the material covered in this course will already be familiar to students who have taken AP Biology.

Have you ever wondered what goes into helping athletes reach their full potential or recover after a life-changing injury? Sports physiology is the science behind movement, endurance, and strength. From personal trainers and exercise physiologists to strength and conditioning coaches, athletic trainers, and even researchers developing cutting-edge technology, sports physiology professionals work on the front lines of human performance and health. Whether you are passionate about fitness, health, or helping others succeed, sports physiology offers countless opportunities to make an impact.

Over three weeks, you will delve into the science of sports and exercise, exploring biomechanics, nutrition, muscle physiology, and the psychology of performance. You will discover how the body adapts to physical activity, the role of recovery and injury prevention, and how innovations like wearable technology and data analysis are transforming the sports industry. From training regimens for elite athletes to health interventions for everyday individuals, you will examine how sports physiologists contribute to improving performance, well-being, and longevity.

By the end of the course, you will have a clear understanding of the foundational principles of sports physiology and the career possibilities it offers. Whether you aspire to work in fitness coaching, athletic training, rehabilitation, or research, this course will give you the knowledge and inspiration to pursue your goals in this dynamic and rewarding field.