Entertainment

For fun and profit

* Columbia University School of Continuing Education

212-854-9666; ce.columbia.edu

How do the hottest hotels earn their buzz? In the “Developing and Implementing Ideas” course, you’ll learn to research, mobilize teams and devise solutions to such business challenges and more with Professor John Bockstoce, managing partner of Hotel Management Partners.

In “Paying for News: Journalistic Business Models in the 21st Century,” learn how media outlets which once relied upon advertising are undergoing changes to their revenue streams.

And in “Electronic Arts: Paradigms at the Intersection of Art and Technology in the Information Age,” explore do-it-yourself multimedia in the age of the Internet. Students will create their own virtual exhibition for a final project.

* The Natural Gourmet Institute for Food and Health

naturalgourmetinstitute.com

Culinary job opportunities are expected to grow over the next 10 years, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The “Chef’s Training Program” at the NGIFH, a mostly vegetarian program, is offered on a full- and part-time basis to teach students to prepare dishes from local, organic, sustainable, fresh and whole foods, with a concentration on unrefined ingredients.

Kids and parents can gain an edge on healthful eating in “Helping Kids Who Overeat,” which helps parents act as supportive and guilt-free eating coaches.

* PACE University

appsrv.pace.edu/ScheduleExplorerlive

Think green and get hired! The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners’ (NABCEP) solar panel entry-level program is a 40-hour class that covers the preliminary steps for designing and installing solar panels (wiring, connections, roof and ground mounting options, etc.) and conducting energy audits. Students will be prepared to pass the NABCEP (North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners) PV Entry Level Exam.

Another hot career move is to learn “Chinese for Business,” designed for those without any prior experience in this language.

* Mercy College

mercy.edu

Through the Entrepreneurship Program here, a dynamic three-week, credit-bearing program, business-minded students will be prodded to enhance their problem-solving, decision-making and communication strategies to drum up concepts and financial statements for a new business venture. Field trips to the NYSE, UN and corporate offices are incorporated.

* St. Johns University

stjohns.edu

The nine-week Pre-Law Preparatory Program encourages students from underrepresented backgrounds (most often the first generation to attend college) to apply to and pursue law school. Courses are by St. John’s faculty; students partake in internships with judges and lawyers and are advised about the law school admissions process.

Over 80 percent of the program’s graduates have gained acceptance to law school.

* The New School

newschool.edu

Budding novelists, biographers and magazine contributors should consider the “Summer Writers Colony” here. Workshops are intensive and feature detailed feedback of students’ work.

NYC has more museums than any other city in the US, so take advantage of that with “Museums and New York.” Students will examine the history, contemporary conditions and plans of several institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Museum of Modern Art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.

* The International Culinary Center

internationalculinarycenter.com

This cutting-edge culinary campus’ courses include “Essentials of Fine Cooking,” in which students learn how to properly slice, poach, create marinades and sauces, braise, sauté, grill and stew. And chocoholics will delight in the “Chocolate Desserts” class. — Erika Prafder