Check out this summer’s Top 10 courses
Badgers, it’s obvious that you’ve been busy hitting the books while you travel, work and spend time with family and friends this summer.
The Summer Term 2026 Top 10 features a healthy dose of STEM in addition to courses in leadership, communication and career readiness. Here’s your Top 10 list of courses enrolled in by undergraduate students as of July 20:
10. (tie) PHYSICS 104: General Physics, 4 credits. Continuation of PHYSICS 103.
Principles of electricity and magnetism, light, optics and modern physics, with applications to a number of different fields.
INTER-AG 140: CALS QuickStart: Foundations, 1 credit.
Incoming first-year students gain exposure to the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) and UW–Madison, including resources and opportunities as well as foundational skills necessary for a successful transition to campus. Modules focus on personal, academic and professional development.
9. CHEM 343: Organic Chemistry I, 3 credits.
Principles of molecular structure and bonding applied to predict and explain the reactivity of alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, alkyl halides, alcohols and thiols. Emphasis placed on rationalizing the stereochemical and regiochemical outcome of chemical processes.
8. STAT 324: Introduction to Statistics for Science and Engineering, 3 credits.
Descriptive statistics, probability concepts and distributions, random variables. Hypothesis tests and confidence intervals for one- and two-sample problems. Linear regression, model checking and inference. Analysis of variance and basic ideas in experimental design.
7. PHYSICS 103: General Physics, 4 credits.
Introduction to physics at the non-calculus level. Principles of mechanics, heat and waves, with applications to a number of different fields.
6. BIOCHEM 501: Introduction to Biochemistry, 3 credits.
Chemistry, nutrition and metabolism of biological systems.
5. INTER-HE 202: SoHE Career & Leadership Development, 1 credit.
Provides an introduction to leadership development, career development and career readiness competencies.
4. STAT 371: Introductory Applied Statistics for the Life Sciences, 3 credits.
Introduction to modern statistical practice in the life sciences. Topics include exploratory data analysis, probability and random variables; one-sample testing and confidence intervals, role of assumptions, sample size determination, two-sample inference; basic ideas in experimental design, analysis of variance, linear regression, goodness-of-fit; biological applications.
3. STAT 301: Introduction to Statistical Methods, 3 credits.
Distributions, measures of central tendency, dispersion and shape, the normal distribution; experiments to compare means, standard errors, confidence intervals; effects of departure from assumption; method of least squares, regression, correlation, assumptions and limitations; basic ideas of experimental design.
2. INTEREGR 397: Engineering Communication, 3 credits.
Communication for engineering, science and technology; theory and practice in planning, preparing and critiquing reports, proposals and workplace correspondence; persuasive argumentation, ethical decision-making strategies, multidisciplinary communication skills, research strategies, collaborative work; oral presentations.
1. INTER-HE 601: Internship, 3 credits.
Develop career-readiness skills while applying academic knowledge in a workplace setting.
Thanks to our summer faculty, staff and especially YOU, Badgers who found time to stay on your academic track while enjoying summertime.
Have any photos that show how you spent your Summer Term? Tag #MyBadgerSummer so we can see and share your Wisconsin summer experiences.
See you for Summer Term 2027!
Post written by Lisa Bauer.