Extended Studies offers exciting opportunities to discover new passions and gain new skills. Our experiential learning programs extend beyond typical educational courses, allowing you to learn the kinds of adaptable skills that will serve you for a lifetime.
Courses
Fall 2021 Catalog Policies
- Extended Studies and their instructors reserve the right to move any course listed in the Fall 2021 Catalog to an online format at any time before the start of or during the course due to COVID concerns.
- Extended Studies reserves the right to cancel classes and to make changes when warranted.
- Courses may be canceled due to minimum enrollment not being met.
- Participants will be notified via their email listed on their original registration for the course if courses are cancelled by Extended Studies.
- If payment has been made for a canceled course, a full refund will be assessed.
- To cancel registration from a course, a student must notify Extended Studies, in writing, at least two days prior to the course start date (unless otherwise specified).
- Non-attendance or non-payment does not constitute a cancellation and/or refund.
- All cancellation requests must be in writing to the Extended Studies Office, extendedstudies@western.edu.
- Emergency cancellations will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the Extended Studies director and participant.
- Extended Studies must be notified, in writing, within 15 days of the incident occurring in order for a cancellation or refund to be reviewed.
Extended Studies
Taylor Hall 303, 1 Western Way, Gunnison, CO 81231
(970) 943-2885
extendedstudies@western.edu
western.edu/academics/extended-studies/
RAPTOR ECOLOGY
NON-CREDIT: $90 Course Fe
Instructor: Jeffrey J. Ewert
Date: Class- 09/14-10/26
Days: Tuesdays
Time: 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Students study the anatomy, physiology, morphology and field identification of major Colorado raptors (birds of prey). This includes lectures of key points of major raptor groups: Falcons, Accipiters, Buteos, other occasional species and some select common owl species. Through both lectures and observations, each student learns to identify raptors, raptor habitat and niche. Students also learn how to properly record field observations in a field notebook as a part of the class requirements.
SENIOR YOGA
NON- CREDIT: Session 1 $90 Course Fee, Session 2 $52 Course Fee
Instructor: Sherrill Stenson
Date: Session 1: 10/05 – 11/16, 2021; Session 2: 11/30 – 12/21, 2021
Day: Tuesdays
Time: 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Location: Taylor Hall 117 – Yoga Room
Study this gentle therapeutic approach to help students guide their bodies into a state of ease and balance. Using simple movement, breathwork and imagery, this yoga class eases pain and renews strength. Your instructor has 25 years of yoga teaching experience and is a Yoga of the Heart Certified instructor and Cardiac and Cancer teacher training graduate.
SPANISH FOR BEGINNERS
NON- CREDIT: $115 Course Fee
Instructor: Karen Immerso
Date: 09/22 – 11/17, 2021
Day: Wednesdays
Time: 5:15 – 6:30 p.m.
Location: Taylor Hall 200
This eight-week session is an introduction to the Spanish language. It introduces students to basic vocabulary and conversation with other adults in an active and fun learning environment. It is designed for the beginner second language learner who has never studied Spanish or wants to review from the very basics. The class includes activities, speaking practice and some homework assignments. Opportunities for interaction with native speakers may take place. No text required; hand-outs will be used.
SPANISH FOR BEGINNERS: Crested Butte
NON- CREDIT: $115 Course Fee
Instructor: Karen Immerso
Date: 09/21 – 11/16, 2021
Day: Tuesdays
Time: 5:15 – 6:30 p.m.
Location: Crested Butte Community School
This eight-session class is an introduction to the Spanish language. It introduces students to basic vocabulary and conversation with other adults in an active and fun learning environment. It is designed for the beginner second language learner who has never studied Spanish or wants to review from the very basics. The class includes activities, speaking practice and some homework assignments. Opportunities for interaction with native speakers may take place. No text required; hand-outs will be used.
SPANISH FOR ADVANCED BEGINNERS
NON- CREDIT: $115 Course Fee
Instructor: Karen Immerso
Date: 09/22 – 11/17, 2021
Day: Wednesdays
Time: 6:45 – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Taylor Hall 200
This eight-session class is for advanced beginners and intermediate Spanish Language Learners interested in reviewing and expanding their vocabulary, gaining a greater understanding of grammar, and speaking conversationally with other adults in an active and fun learning environment. The class includes activities, speaking practice and some homework assignments. Opportunities for interaction with native speakers may take place. No text required; hand-outs will be used.
SPANISH FOR ADVANCED BEGINNERS: Crested Butte
NON- CREDIT: $115 Course Fee
Instructor: Karen Immerso
Date: 09/21 – 11/16, 2021
Day: Tuesdays
Time: 6:45 – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Crested Butte Community School
This eight-session class is for advanced beginners and intermediate Spanish Language Learners interested in reviewing and expanding their vocabulary, gaining a greater understanding of grammar, and speaking conversationally with other adults in an active and fun learning environment. The class includes activities, speaking practice and some homework assignments. Opportunities for interaction with native speakers may take place. No text required; hand-outs will be used.
LIFE BALANCE
NON- CREDIT: $77 Course Fee
Instructor: Erica Rasmussen
Date: 09/23 – 10/21, 2021
Day: Thursdays
Time: Option 1: 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.; Option 2: 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Location: Taylor Hall 226
This course is to help you create goals and take action-steps toward having more life balance. Course instructor Erica Rasmussen is a certified Oola Life Coach. Oola is short for Ooh-la-la… the French expression that describes what life feels like when you’re happy, growing and looking forward to what the world has in store for you. Oola means living life firing on all cylinders—joyful, wholehearted, and ready to take advantage whenever good times and opportunity appear. Upon completion of the course, participants will have created a personalized plan to have more balance in the 7 F’s of Oola: fitness, finance, family, field (career), faith, friends and fun!
BECOME A BETTER MARKETER
NON- CREDIT: $77 Course Fee
Instructor: Erica Rasmussen
Date: 9/23 – 10/21, 2021
Days: Thursdays
Time: 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Taylor Hall 226
Interested in improving your marketing skills? Using a collaborative approach, this course will specifically address the group’s desired goals regarding marketing messaging, platforms, concepts and more! Course instructor Erica Rasmussen has a multitude of experience in cross-channel marketing initiatives ranging from local nonprofit efforts to national corporate campaigns and is excited to work with this class to help you learn more about your goals in the complex realm of marketing!
LEADERSHIP AT THE EDGE: ADVANCED LEADERSHIP PRACTICES FOR COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION
CREDIT: ROE 510: 1 Credit, $165+ $200 Course Fee
NON-CREDIT: $200 Course Fee
Instructor: Paul Duba, MPA, PCC, ACC
Date: 09/23-10/28
Days: Thursdays
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Leadership is a practice that requires the courage to ask others to imagine a different future with you. Sometimes the future is easy, a matter of helping others make progress toward reliable results through practiced execution. But for problems without easy answers, leadership requires us to help others commit to a path of discovery, an invitation to join in collaboration and innovation, where curiosity and being “OK not knowing” are important steps along the way to new knowing. Leadership at the Edge is a course for those who want to understand this road less travelled; what leaders do (and teams need) to reach for breakthrough results. This course is hands-on, highly experiential, and built to help you grow your team’s collective ambition, creativity and motivation. This course is for leaders in business, banking, education, hospitality, civic and non-profit organizations. For those whose teams must perform in the face of uncertainty, change and complexity, this course will help build your reach and influence as a leader.
INTRODUCTION TO FLY FISHING
NON- CREDIT: $90 Course Fee
Instructor: Jeffrey J. Ewert
Date: 09/12-10/04
Day: Mondays
Time: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Materials: Students should bring their own fly rod and reel, some rods are made available by instructor.
Learn the basic fundamentals of fly-fishing including equipment, rods, rod weights, line types, leaders, tippets, flies and accessories. Learn the value and application of using waders, polarized sunglasses, vests, etc. Learn the use of all this equipment, including an emphasis on casting instruction, application and types of flies and knots, as well as reading waters for trout with emphasis on presentation to enable the student to begin to fly -fishing successfully on local waters. This enables the student to practice the art of fly-fishing in some of the West’s best fly-fishing waters right here in the Gunnison basin!
UAV (DRONE) IMAGE ACQUISITION
NON- CREDIT: $65 Course Fee
Instructor: Philip Crossley
Date: 09/17 – 09/25
Day: Friday and Saturday
Time: Fridays, 7:00-9:30 p.m., Saturdays, 8:30-11:45 a.m.
Location: Kelley Hall 116
Students will learn about the context in which UAV flights are planned and carried out (FAA regulations, Safety and Risk Management), the basics of operating a consumer grade photography and mapping UAV, and how to plan a mapping photography mission using several different applications. Each student will plan and fly at least one photography mission and complete the course by processing the images into an orthophoto mosaic appropriate for use in air photo interpretation or promotional materials.
Instructor: Stephanie Niemi
WCU Academic Credit: EDUC 510, 1 credit, $100.00
Dates: 10/7/21 – 5/12/22
Students will read two books covering topics about race and gender: White Kids: Growing up with Privilege in a Racially Divided America and Gender: Your Guide: A Gender-Friendly Primer on What to Know, What to Say, and What to Do in the New Gender Culture. And then students will be given a choice to read: Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You, Dreamland Burning, or Born a Crime. Topics will include racial inequality in America, white racial socialization, and gender and sexual diversity in schools. During each discussion session, students will discuss educational strategies to best support students and systemic strategies to create a diversity-friendly and gender-friendly community.
This is only for registering for academic credit on the course through WCU. Please register for the course first, through the Crested Butte Community School, by contacting Jennifer Read, jread@gunnisonschools.net.
Additional Information
Extended Studies reserves the right to cancel classes and to make changes when warranted. Participants will be notified if classes are cancelled and will receive a full refund.
Drops from a course will result in a refund if they occur prior to the week before the start date (unless otherwise specified). Non-attendance or non-payment does not constitute a drop. All drop requests must be in writing to the Extended Studies Office.
The following information pertains to Western’s Extended Studies policies and procedures that affect enrollment in Extended Studies courses. It is the student’s responsibility to be familiar with these policies, and unless otherwise specified, they apply to all programs and courses. In order to be dropped from a course at no charge, an individual must notify the Extended Studies office, in writing, of the cancellation at least a week prior to the course beginning. Emergency situations will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Outdoor Programs
Fuel your passion for the outdoors.
Extended Studies gives you the opportunity to earn credit while participating in valuable learning opportunities provided by our contract partners. You can embark on field expeditions, explore new cultures, attend leadership trainings and acquire new certifications.
Rising to the Occasion
Student Tanner Saucerman ascends to the summit of Mt. Henry on a hike lead by Instructor Paul Tame.
International Education
Become a student and citizen of the world.
Explore our extensive network of programs and partnerships that will provide you with opportunities to learn around the world. Take courses abroad to learn new skills and study diverse cultures. Meet people from other countries, learn new customs—maybe even a new language—all while earning credit toward your degree.
Global impact
Energy Management students install solar panels in Peru during an international education course.
Mapping the future
Lake Fork Valley Conservancy president, Harvey DuChene, shows students around Lake City’s newest river protection projects.
Online Course Center
Develop professional skills from anywhere.
In partnership with ed2go, Western offers online open enrollment programs designed to provide the skills necessary to acquire professional level positions for many in-demand occupations. Designed by a team of professionals from each respective field, our instructor-facilitated, web-based learning programs can be taken from the comfort of your home or office at times that are convenient for you.
Remote connections
Our extensive online course offerings allow students to work anywhere there is an Internet connection.
Gain the knowledge and skills you need to excel.
Career Step is a leading online education company focused on the allied healthcare market. They specialize in medical transcription and editing, and medical coding and billing training.
The Career Step online training courses have been developed in conjunction with industry experts and employers and are designed to help you gain the knowledge and skills you need to be successful in your chosen career. We offer both full career training programs and smaller continuing education and skill development courses. Each program requires approximately 640 hours of coursework. Students have one year to complete the coursework at their own pace. There is an option for a four-month extension, if needed, for an extra fee.
Get a step ahead
Career Step has trained more than 50,000 students and made more than 700 placements with companies.
Wednesdays at Western
Join us for outdoor adventures during Wednesdays at Western.
Explore the trails and mountains around the Gunnison area mountain while learning about the area from local guides and experts. These hikes not only take participants into beautiful wilderness settings, but also teach backcountry skills and natural history along the way.
Explore and learn
Wednesdays at Western are opportunities for students to explore our extraordinary surroundings while learning skills and natural history along the way.
Teach A Course
Teach a course through Extended Studies at Western.
Extended Studies offers a wide variety of courses throughout the year, ranging from writing, yoga, computers, business and professional classes. Fall courses begin in September and spring courses begin in February. In the summer, courses are part of the Summer Teacher Institute.
If you would like to teach a noncredit course in the fall or the spring, please submit your course proposal using the “New Course Proposal” form. Return this completed form to Anne Chavez, Program Manager, by email to archavez@western.edu. Please email Anne to discuss new community interest course ideas. In addition to the form, be sure to include your resume and transcript and/or any certifications that will show your qualifications for subject matter. Instructors who have already had a course approved and would like to offer it again should complete the “Repeat Course Form” for each catalog in they wish to offer their course.
Please make sure your forms are complete with all requested information and attachments or catalog inclusion is not guaranteed.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Courses by non-Western faculty to who desire to offer undergraduate credit to current Western students are not available for new set up through Extended Studies.
If you would like to teach a 500-level non-degree seeking graduate level course or offer an off-campus undergraduate course for credit, please email Kirky Lokie, Director of Extended Studies to discuss your course and for more information. Kirky can be reached at klokie@western.edu. You may submit your graduate level course proposal using the “Graduate Credit Course Proposal” form. For undergraduate level off-campus courses, please use the “Special Programs Course Proposal” form.
If you would like to discuss a new course idea in person, please send us an email message with a brief description of what you would like to teach and we can set up a time to meet to find if it will be a good fit. We look forward to hearing from you!
Department Information
Extended Studies
Department Director
Kirky SwiftDirector of Extended Studies
Program Assistant
Deanna ClarkProgram Assistant
Campus Location
Western Colorado University
Taylor Hall 303
1 Western Way
Gunnison, CO 81231
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