From the hills of West Virginia to the banks of the Seine, West Virginia University will offer a range of traditional and nontraditional courses during the schools two summer sessions.


The first session begins Tuesday, May 22, and continues through Friday, June 29. The second session is July 2-Aug. 9.


For those who love the outdoors, the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences is providing several courses on the environment and recreation. Courses include a study of indigenous Mountain State vegetation May 20-26 at the Pocahontas 4-H Camp and cave rescue training Aug. 4-12 at Beverly.


Potential entrepreneurs can learn what it takes to start a business in Management 260, a small business practicum offered the first term through the College of Business and Economics.


Students will work as a team for a client considering commercializing a local ceramics and pottery operation, said Jim Fairbank, instructor and assistant professor of management.


“They will gain hands-on experience of putting together a business plan and doing research and competitive analysis in determining whether this is feasible,”Dr. Fairbank said.


Globe-trotting students can avail themselves of numerous study abroad programs.


One such program is a trip to France May 29-June 29 with Michael and Valerie Lastinger, associate professors of French. The Lastingers and their charges will spend four days in Paris, then 4½ weeks in Les Sables dOlonne, a fishing and resort town in western France.


The itinerary will include classes three days a week and field trips and excursions two days a week. Students will provide daily updates of their trip on a web page.


For those catching up on core courses, a variety of computer engineering, math, journalism and other traditional classes are standard fare.


For more information about WVU s summer courses, call Admissions and Records at 304-293-2124 or visit A&Rs course schedule web site athttp://www.arc.wvu.edu/courses/.