Overview
The Who, What, When and Where
Students entering grades 10, 11 or 12 in the Fall Semester 2025 are cordially invited to submit the FTC Summer High School Scholars (SHSS) Application to be accepted into this unique program to experience one or more college courses. Students in 10th grade will take interesting college level classes they are curious about, but do not receive college credit. Students in 11th and 12th grade can earn up to six (6) college credits. Please read below to see what students need to do to be considered for this program.
The Summer High School Scholars (SHSS) program is an initiative that provides reduced cost and incentives to most students accepted into the program by the College as long as their SHSS Application is submitted early. The incentive is explained more below. The SHSS Application is available HERE for Summer High School Scholars to submit.
Not only do students get an insider’s view into college life but they learn valuable skills and insights in such fields as Audio, Music, Digital Arts, Multi-Media, and the Performing Arts. Students in 11th and 12th grade earn college credits. The classes offered are college level courses that can be used when they apply to the College. A culminating event is scheduled for the end of the program. At that time, family and friends are invited to view student projects and performances. This event is known as The Sights and Sounds of Summer!
Tuesday, July 8 – August 7, 2025. The program runs from Monday through Thursday for five weeks. Individuals are encouraged to submit the Application for SHSS as early as possible to qualify for the incentive explained below.
The beautiful suburban setting of Five Towns College located in Dix Hills, NY is where the SHSS program takes place. Our campus is conveniently located right off of the Long Island Expressway and there is ample parking. All courses take place in air-conditioned classrooms and studios.
This program has had great demand so all interested students should submit the Application for Summer High School Scholars early. Not only will you connect with other like-minded students but you will also get to explore your creative passions. This is a win-win and it’s all happening right here at Five Towns College!!
Application Information
For 2025, the tuition for the Summer High School Scholars Program is $165/credit or $495/3-credit course.
Apply by March 17 and Receive A Complimentary Course!
Students pay for their chosen course with the most credits first. If they have submitted the SHSS Application prior to March 17, they will receive their second course of the same or less credits complimentary.
To reiterate, for those who submit by March 17, 2025, they will pay for their 3-credit course at the reduced cost of $165/credit and then, qualify for a second complimentary course of the same or less credits. After March 17, 2025, the tuition for all classes is $165/credit.
Summer scholarships may be available on a case-by-case basis depending on academic merit, talent, and/or financial need.
The following documents are required for the Summer High School Scholars Program:
•Summer High School Scholars (SHSS) Application
•Letter of Recommendation from a High School Teacher or Guidance Counselor (Please request that the letter of recommendation from your High School Teacher or Guidance Counselor be on school stationary.)
Five Towns College Code of Conduct
All students accepted into the program are required to read and abide by the provisions of the Five Towns College Code of Conduct here.
Payments
Students should submit the SHSS Application and pay by March 17th to qualify for the complimentary course. For those who submit after March 17, 2025, the reduced rate of $165/credit will be in effect.
Tuition payments of $495 per 3-credit course or $165/one-credit course should be made by check payable to: Five Towns College and mailed to: Bursar Office, Five Towns College, 305 N. Service Rd., Dix Hills, NY 11746 or by credit card by calling the Business Office at (631) 656-2115. For questions, contact [email protected] or call (631) 656-2102 or (631) 784-4132.
Cancellation Policy
Once students have paid in full and, if for some reason cannot attend, a $50 cancellation fee will be deducted from your payment to cover administrative costs.
2025 SUMMER HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARS COURSE CATALOG
The Summer High School Scholars Program (SHSS) is an exciting opportunity for qualified students interested in the creative and media arts to earn up to six (6) college credits. The program offers undergraduate courses in Audio, Music, Media, Business, Performing and Visual Arts, and is open to high school students entering grades 10, 11 or 12 as of the Fall 2025. Students entering the 11th and 12th grades can earn college credits.
- This five-week program provides students with an insider’s look to college life. Courses are taught by distinguished faculty and artists who provide individualized attention and are pleased to share content area expertise In small group settings.
- At the conclusion of the five-week program, students and family are invited to attend the culminating event, The Sights and Sounds of Summer 2025, which showcases student performances, exhibitions, and includes a luncheon.
Explore what you love, make friends, earn college credit and have fun!!!
DIGITAL MUSIC PRODUCTION I
AUD100* Digital Music Production (3 credits)
MONDAY-THURSDAY 9:30-11:30 AM & 12:30-2:30 PM
This course will provide hands-on activities for beginner and intermediate level students interested in audio recording production. Using Pro Tools industry standard software, students will make actual sound recordings. Principles of recording and mixing music will be the primary focus for students. Course content will include an introduction to microphone principles and placement, MIDI applications, and non- linear editing. During the audio recording techniques portion, students will explore phase alignment, dynamic processing, timbre enhancing EQ procedures, and Multi FX processing. Critical listening skills and hands-on learning work in tandem to develop individual engineering styles of professional recording.
* AUD100 will count as a free elective in the Five Towns College Degree programs that have free electives.
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING
BUS175 Introduction to Social Media Marketing (3 credits)
MONDAY-THURSDAY 9:30-11:30 AM
This beginner-friendly course provides a comprehensive introduction to the fundamentals of social media marketing. Students will learn about the growing opportunities for jobs in social media and start to develop the skills they will need to work professionally in this fast-paced, changing industry.
Designed for aspiring marketers, entrepreneurs, and small business owners, the course covers key platforms like Facebook, lnstagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Pinterest. Participants will learn how to create engaging content, build brand presence, and develop data-driven strategies to reach and connect with target audiences.
Students will learn to distinguish between positive and negative aspects of social media; recognize and follow ethical practices when creating content and following copyright laws; examine current issues in the social media industry; and identify jobs and job skills for social media careers. By the end of the course, learners will be equipped with beginner actionable skills to build an effective social media presence, drive traffic, and achieve marketing goals.
CREATIVE BUSINESS PRACTICE
BUS100 Creative Business Practices (3 credits)
MONDAY-THURSDAY 12:30-2:30 PM
Have an idea for the next best thing? Through active learning, discussions, team projects, and presentations, students will challenge their creative ideas and tap into their entrepreneurial and leadership skills. Over the five-week session, students will participate in various team-building, brainstorming and hands-on activities.
Students will develop PowerPoints to use in their presentation of the “formal pitch” in support of moving their innovative ideas from concepts into reality.
Watch out “SHARK TANK”… here we come!
INTRODUCTION TO FILMMAKING
VID121 Introduction to Filmmaking (3 credits)
MONDAY-THURSDAY 9:30 -11:30 AM
Let your creativity shine and find your creative voice by making short films! Hone your filmmaking skills in this comprehensive film production course. Learn how to operate a Canon C-100 camera, handle professional lighting equipment, record field sound, and splice it all together by editing in Adobe Premiere Pro. Try out the various film crew positions (director, cinematographer, gaffer, camera assistant, sound, editor, etc.) by working in small crews.
Collaborate to write, shoot, and edit films together. Through a series of short film projects, students will put the fundamentals of filmmaking into practice. Exercises will guide students to develop skills in shot composition, continuity, and montage. Practice planning an action sequence shot list, shoot and edit a dialogue scene, and compose a scene where the mise-en-scene develops a theme or effect. The College’s professional film equipment will be available for use on campus. Students are encouraged to bring one personal portable hard drive 1TB or more. Films made in the course will be showcased at the Summer Scholars culminating event.
COMICS TO FILM
VID241 Comics to Film (3 credits)
MONDAY-THURSDAY 12:30 -2:30 PM
The superhero archetype is examined in relation to American society in a parallel study in both sequential art and film mediums. The history of comics as well as societal themes are explored. By analyzing the traditional comic medium and movies, students will also create a hero, script and shoot a short narrative of their creation.
Create your own Batman, Wonder Woman, Thor or Spiderman. Don’t wait to create your own superhero!
DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
VID145 Digital Photography (3 credits)
MONDAY-THURSDAY 9:30 -11:30 AM
Learn how to make creative still photographs in this course. Craft compelling images to express your artistic ideas and achieve professionally polished portraits. Learn how to imaginatively fit the 3-dimensional world into 2-dimensional imagery within the established parameters of the frame for still and motion picture cameras. Students will learn basic camera skills including exposure control, composition, depth of field, and movement control. Explore and experiment with a wide range of photographic editing techniques in Adobe Photoshop. This course is comprised of both classroom and field location work featuring demonstrations, shooting, and editing.
DIGITAL MEDIA ART: DESIGN
MAC280: Digital Media Art: Design (3 credits)
MONDAY-THURSDAY 12:30-2:30 PM
Students will explore the core principles and elements of design, laying a solid groundwork for artistic expression. Students gain proficiency in industry-standard tools like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, ensuring hands-on experience with essential software. Moreover, the course addresses branding, UI/UX design and the critical aspects of copyright and design ethics, instilling a sense of responsibility in students as they navigate the creative field. Focusing on practical competencies, this course equips students with valuable insights and capabilities that are highly relevant in today’s digital landscape. Prepare for a future in digital media art and design by enrolling in this course and accessing a well-rounded education that combines theory and practical experience.
DRAWING & IMAGING I
IMA 115 – Drawing & Imaging I (3 credits)
MONDAY-THURSDAY 9:30-11:30 AM
Learn to draw in a big way! Unleash your creativity and discover your voice through drawing. Students work in both traditional and digital media to create drawings based on observation, iteration, and abstraction. Working from still life, the figure, and landscape, drawing sessions are conducted in the drawing studio, the computer lab, and as weather permits, outdoors for an immersive and exploratory experience into large scale drawing. Digital drawing tools and Photoshop software complement and expand the creative process. At the end of the five-week summer session, student work will be exhibited at the Summer Scholars culminating event. Supplies are required and listed in the course overview.
GAME DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT
IMA 112 – Game Design & Development (3 credits)
MONDAY-THURSDAY 9:30-11:30 AM
Learn how to design and develop gameplay as well as graphical user interfaces to create your own video games! You will explore aspects of story writing, 2D art, 2D frame-by-frame animation, programming with visual scripting, music, as well as sound and visual effects. You will first learn to use the GameMaker game engine with GML Visual for visual scripting, as well as additional software to create a fun and interactive 2D Side Scrolling Platformer game. After, you will be introduced to the Unreal Engine 5 game engine with Blueprints for visual scripting, where you will create an introductory 3D Platformer game to enter the world of 3D game design and development!
GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY
PSY101 General Psychology (3 credits)
MONDAY-THURSDAY 12:30 -2:30 PM
Are you interested in studying the human mind and how it affects behavior? Does learning where our thoughts and memories come from or what emotions are sound intriguing? The human brain is a fascinating organ that plays a vital role in our everyday lives, and you can discover more about it in PSY1O1. Study how personalities, attitudes, and intelligence develop within our social system, as well as other topics, including learning, memory, perception, motivation, and therapy.
INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS
SPE101 Interpersonal Communications (3 credits)
MONDAY-THURSDAY 9:30 -11:30 AM
Does learning about how humans use verbal and non-verbal cues to communicate and how it can affect your relationships sound interesting? Did you know that using communication properly can also influence health, happiness, and quality of life. This course will focus on the development of the interpersonal communication skills necessary for building and maintaining positive relationships with family, friends, and colleagues. Topics include verbal and non-verbal communication in relationships, managing conflict, as well as cultural and gender considerations.
RADIO & TV BROADCASTING
MAC 101 Radio, TV, & Broadcasting (3 credits)
MONDAY-THURSDAY 9:30 -11:30 AM
If you like watching compelling videos and listening to podcasts, you’ll love creating them. Our broadcasting class includes sessions in our state-of-the-art TV and radio studios, video editing, and shooting with professional-level cameras. Discover how different types of media are made and distributed, from TV shows, to movies, social media, music and more. This class may require an off-campus class at the Great South Bay Music Festival in Patchogue, which would replace an on-campus meeting.
CHOIR
ENS326 Choir (1 credit)
MONDAY-THURSDAY 9:30 -11:30 AM
This is a performance-focused course that provides an opportunity for high school musicians to gain experience and further their skills in advanced choral repertoire that requires a high level of musicianship, outstanding reading skills, and dedication to the choral art. Students who join this ensemble should expect a wide range of repertoire requiring vocal independence and strong musicianship. Focuses will be on balance, blend, and musical integrity as well as understanding the importance of working as a unified ensemble.
SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRA
ENS378 Symphonic Orchestra (1 credit)
MONDAY-THURSDAY 9:30 -11:30 AM
Symphonic Orchestra is a performance-focused course that provides an opportunity for high school musicians to gain experience and advance their skills on a platform designed to develop mastery of orchestral performance skills and techniques on the instrument, as well as effective ensemble listening and collaborative skills. This ensemble provides exposure to a wide range of symphonic repertory with opportunities for creative collaborations, such as the premiering of compositions and the invitation of guest conductors and soloists. The ensemble will play at the summer scholar’s final event.
JAZZ ENSEMBLE
ENS342 Jazz Ensemble (1 credit)
MONDAY-THURSDAY 9:30 -11:30 AM
Jazz Ensemble is a performance focused course, providing an opportunity for high school musicians to gain experience and advance their skills in a small group jazz ensemble setting. Participants will have the chance to learn and play alongside esteemed faculty as well as experienced college students, while receiving college credit and expert coaching. Each student will be placed in a combo group, based on experience level. These small groups will allow for adherence to health protocols.
The groups will be coached every step of the way by faculty and guest artists. Each ensemble will play a set of music at the Summer Scholars final event.
SONGWRITER’S WORKSHOP
MUS435 – Songwriters Workshop (1 credit)
MONDAY-THURSDAY 12:30 -2:30 PM
Take your original music to the “next level” by applying professional writing techniques to original music. Critical song analysis of songs written by today’s most successful songwriters. There will be individualized instruction in a group setting. You will be writing and recording “demo ready” songs on a deadline that would be ready to pitch to artists/labels/publishing companies and preparing songs for public performance.
ACTING I
THR 121 Acting I (3 credits)
MONDAY-THURSDAY 9:30 -11:30 AM
Acting 1 provides students with the basic requirements for acting on stage, screen, and television. Students learn the techniques of acting as put forth by Stanislavsky and the American Method taught by Strasberg, Adler, and Meisner.
Students learn how to behave truthfully in imaginary circumstances, understand how to interpret a play or film script, and how to present the character truthfully and creatively.
Exercises include the Meisner Repetition Exercise, playing actions and objectives, and the requirements of relation to a partner.
The course will end in a public production of a designated play or excerpts from a play.
MUSICAL THEATRE I
THR 107 Musical Theatre 2 (3 credits)
MONDAY-THURSDAY 12:30 -2:30 PM
Students interested in the triple-threat of acting-singing-dancing will learn the three skills needed to succeed in musical theatre. Students will sing, dance, and act in portions of musicals, train in the importance of dance techniques, acting through songs, and proper vocal placement, breath, and tone.
The faculty at Five Towns college have trained students to succeed on Broadway. We have alumni who have appeared in Hamilton, Lion King, Harry Potter, and other Broadway, Regional, and Off-Broadway musical productions. Come prepared to dance, sing, and act with professional choreographers, singing instructors, and acting teachers who have professional experience. This is a fun course where you will learn the tools needed to be in musicals.
Summer Scholars Special Events
The Five Towns College Office of Campus Events sponsors regularly scheduled co-curricular events and activities beyond the daily classroom schedule of the Summer Scholars program. These activities are open to all students participating in the Summer Scholars program and are hosted at no additional charge. We provide students with a wide array of types of activities:
- Social events designed to help students develop connections with their peers such as icebreaker activities, board games and video games, ice cream socials, and arts & crafts.
- Academic Enrichment events that further explore topics/areas that are studied in the classes offered through the program, such as guest lectures, guided studio/lab time, and opportunities to plan and radio or broadcast through our Mass Communication studio spaces.
- Professional Development events that present students with topics focused on applying their classroom skills towards future job and career aspirations such as professional headshots, resume and cover letter writing, mock interviews, and job research skills.
Students will be presented with a calendar of activities when they arrive for the first day of the program. Activities will be held during the break between morning and afternoon class sessions and/or after the conclusion of the afternoon class session.
Share your work with parents and friends!
Five Towns College hosts the Sights and Sounds of Summer, an event at the end of the program, filled with music and theatre performances, art exhibits, and film screenings that showcases students’ creative work. Summer High School Scholars and Five Towns College students’ work will be presented and exhibited. The event takes place on campus and all friends and family members are invited to attend. This is a fantastic day and always a hit!
Application Process: Complete the online application with your parent/guardian approval. If you are unable to submit it online, print the application and send it to Five Towns College, High School Summer Scholars program, 305 N. Service Road, Dix Hills, New York, 11746
College Credit: Juniors and Seniors entering the Fall 2025 year can earn up to 6 college credits.
Deadlines: The application can be submitted at any time. If submitted before or on March 17,2025, you can receive a complimentary 2nd course upon the selection of their first paid course if paid by March 17,2025.
Payment: Go to our Summer Scholars online application and select your course(s). Payment is due before March 17 to qualify for the complimentary 2nd course. All other payments are due at the time of billing. The tuition is $165/credit or $495/ 3 credit course. If you apply before March 17,2025, you pay the tuition for your first course and then you will qualify for a complimentary 2nd course. After March 17, all courses are subject to the tuition of $165/credit or $495/3 credit course. Payment can be made by credit card by calling the Business Office at 631-656-2115or checks can be made payable to Five Towns College with the notation of Summer Scholars, mailed to the Admissions Office, Five Towns College, 305 North Service Road, Dix Hills, New York ,11746.
Cancelation Policy: If you have paid in full and cannot attend, you will be charged a $50 cancelation fee upon the refund of your monies.
Letter of Recommendation: A letter or email from your Guidance Counselor or classroom teacher recommending you to the program is required within 30 days of applying.
Photo ID: All students must submit a headshot to [email protected] before classes begin. The photo will be used to create an individual students ID card which is to be carried at all times.
Musical Instruments: The student is responsible for providing and caring for their own musical instrument.
Transportation: You are responsible to provide for your own transportation to and from the College. The Suffolk County Bus S-23 comes to the campus, leaving from the Babylon LIRR Train Station, Wyandanch LIRR Train Station and the Walt Whitman Mall.
Lunch: Food is available on campus by placing money on your Student ID Card.
Additional Information: Contact Admissions at 631-656-2110 or 631-656-2102.
