How Your Academic Calendar Can Make All the Difference

Here is one more reason to take a second look at small private colleges.

In a traditional college semester calendar, full-time students usually take four to five courses each term. One advantage that small colleges have is the ability to change things up a bit－or a lot!

If building a resume is important to you…

If studying or performing abroad (more than once) is important to you…

If internships or co-op opportunities are important to you…

If extended research opportunities are important to you…

If independence and flexibility are important to you…

Then attending a college with a flexible/creative/unique calendar should certainly appeal to you. There are over 100 (almost all small) colleges with non-traditional calendars.

Some examples:

ONE COURSE AT A TIME

Cornell College in Iowa is well-known for its “One Course at a Time” calendar. From their website:

“One Course At A Time is a fully immersive academic experience. It is a block-plan calendar that allows you to learn the same way you’ll live and work after college. When you don’t have three or four different subjects pulling your attention in different directions, you get an in-depth knowledge of the material—and you can become truly focused. This is how learning comes to life.

Ingenuity is our curriculum; it’s all about building foundational skills that will help you succeed in college, then encouraging you to explore and make connections between classroom subject matter and hands-on experiences so you gain an understanding of what is meaningful to you and where you want to go after college.

Why is One Course At A Time a great way to learn?

One Course At A Time gives you the time and space to completely dedicate yourself to the one subject you’re studying that block. You’ll learn to manage tight deadlines and live up to high expectations. You’ll gain experiences you can’t get on a traditional semester plan— like taking on internships that feel like full-time jobs, doing real research, and building strong relationships with your professors and classmates.”

Other colleges with “one course at a time” include:

Colorado College (one course at a time) CO

Maharishi International University (one course at a time) IA

Prescott College (block schedule—one course at a time) AZ

Lynn University (one or two courses at a time) FL

Spalding University: Block schedule (one or two classes at a time) KY

TWO COURSES AT A TIME

Randolph College in Virginia has what they call “Take2.” From their website:

“The central idea of TAKE2 is built into its name: Randolph students take two classes at a time for seven-week sessions instead of four or more courses per semester.

By allowing students to focus on two classes at a time, rather than spreading their attention across four or more courses, TAKE2 improves learning and offers greater opportunities inside and outside the classroom.

TAKE2 fosters a more intensive academic experience and enables faculty and students to dive more deeply into course material.

provides faculty with more time for academic support to help students conquer particularly difficult concepts or explore newly discovered passions.

Take2 allows students to take greater advantage of the many resume-building extracurricular opportunities that Randolph offers, including dance and theatre performances, internships, research projects, jobs, community service, clubs, athletics, and more.

This revolutionary approach to learning not only sets Randolph apart from other liberal arts colleges; it creates a distinctive college experience designed to better meet the needs of 21st-century students.

With TAKE2, you’ll graduate in the same amount of time as you would with a traditional model, but you’ll have more time to dig deep into your academics while exploring your passions and interests.

Typically, students on a common model schedule take four or five classes each week for an entire semester. Under TAKE2, Randolph students take two courses for seven-week sessions, with no classes on Wednesdays. This allows for a more intensive learning experience designed to better meet the needs of today’s students.

Under the TAKE2 model, students are able to focus on just two courses each session, which provides an enhanced and more meaningful learning experience and offers greater opportunities both inside and outside the classroom. Randolph’s students sharpen their focus, maintain a better work-life balance, and thrive within our supportive, student-centered learning environment.”

Other colleges with similar calendars:

Lynn University (one or two courses at a time) FL

Spalding University: Block schedule (one or two classes at a time) KY

MAY TERM (4-4-1)

Wartburg College in Iowa has a robust May Term program. Their calendar is called 4-4-1 (4 courses in the fall, 4 in the winter/spring, and 1 during late April and early May.) There are eighteen colleges in the U.S. with a May Term. Some May Terms are optional. Some colleges require only one to three (throughout their four years). Wartburg requires all four, as do a few of the others. From their website:

“May Term Wartburg’s one-month May Term is an ideal time for off-campus travel and study. About one in every four students will travel abroad each May Term. Faculty members accompany students on a variety of courses.

After studying abroad, most students never view their education in the same way again. Students return home with a greater vigor for academic pursuits and a renewed interest in lifelong learning, one of the most important aspects of a liberal arts education. Cultural and intercultural competency is an important part of the Wartbug [experience.]

Here are a few of the May Term classes that were available recently at Wartburg. Some are international, some are domestic. Some require an extra fee, some do not.

Island Ecology (Bahamas)

The Interaction of Biology and Society in New Zealand

Amazonian Ecology and Culture II

Global Media & Sport (United Kingdom, Manchester, London, and Glasgow)

Intercultural Perspectives in Education (France, Germany, Paris)

Myth and the Ancient World (Greece)

British Isles: Literary Locations (England, Scotland, Wales)

German Culture & Intensive Conversation

Eisenach Immersion (Germany)

Tour with the Arts (various countries)

Tradition and Culture in the 21st Century (Japan)

Middle East Life and Culture (Turkey, Greece)

People, Planet and Profit. (The Netherlands, Germany)

Historical Roots of Math and Physics (Germany, British Isles)

History and Culture of Cuba

History of Psychology: A European Tour (German, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Switzerland)

Reformation Then and Now (Germany)

Global Communities (Guatemala or Rwanda)

Hispanic Culture & Intensive Conversation (Costa Rica)

Human Relations (Denver, Colorado)

U.S. Foreign Policy (Washington, D.C.)

Hispanic Culture/Intensive Conversation in the United States (Denver, Colo.)

Personal note: I attended Wartburg (class of 1974). I was a transfer student, so I was only able to do two May Terms, but both of them were the highlights of my collegiate career. My junior year, I did a massive original research project. My senior year, twelve of us went to Eastern Kentucky to study the culture of Appalachia. A lifetime of memories from that trip!

Other colleges with May Terms (some are April/May, some are optional):

Alma College (Spring Term/May Term) MI

Bates College (Short Term) ME

Buena Visita University (May Term) IA

Coe College (optional May Term runs into June) IA

Earlham College (May Term after end of academic year) IN

Elmira College (Term III) NY

Hanover College (May Term) IN

Hope International University (May Term) CA

Illinois Wesleyan University (May Term) IL

Lycoming College (May Term after the last day of classes—optional) PA

Mary Baldwin University (May Term) VA

Maryville College (May Term) TN

Roanoke College (Intensive Learning Term/May Term

Rollins College (Maymester) FL

Simpson College (May Term) IA

Transylvania University (May Term) KY

University of Indianapolis (Spring Term) IN

University of Redlands (May Term) CA

Washington & Lee College (Spring Term) VA

Westminster College Utah (May Term) UT

Westmont College (May Term) CA

Whittier College (May Term after the end of the academic year) CA

There are also some colleges with both January (or December) and May Terms:

DePauw University (both Winter and May terms) IN

Monmouth College (Optional Jan and May 2-3 week terms)

Flagler College (both January Term and FlagSHIP May Term)

Hiram College (3-1-3-1) (they call the 1 class their “3 week”) OH

JANUARY TERM (4-1-4)

Austin College in Texas is one of the better-known colleges with a January Term. With a January term, colleges typically have four classes in the fall, one in January, and then 4 classes in the spring. This is the most common “atypical calendar,” with over seventy colleges and universities offering variations of this calendar. Some are two weeks long; some are three and a half weeks. Some begin in December. There are multiple names for these programs, and even a few larger universities have a special term between their first and second semesters. Most are optional, but some, like Austin, require a certain number of January Terms to be completed. From the Austin College website:

“One Month That Can Change Your Life! Your curiosity is a priority at Austin College. That’s why we give you three weeks every January to focus on one class. Immerse yourself in unique opportunities that allow you to travel abroad, explore real-world careers, and stretch your talents in focused courses on campus. We call it JanTerm.

Travel JanTerm Courses: The world becomes your classroom for three weeks, as you explore, immerse, and learn abroad (or within the US), with your classmates and a faculty member. With over 99 countries visited, an eclectic course selection awaits. Examples of recent travel courses:

-Coffee and Cafe Culture in Vienna and Paris

-Deep in the Heart of Mexico: Queretaro and Beyond

-Health Education & Culture in Ghana

-Scotland: Castles, Crosses, Kilts, and Celts

On-Campus JanTerm Courses: Join your classmates for one-of-a-kind courses like:

-Using Science to Bust Myths

-Learning the Craft and Chemistry of Wine-Making

-Exploring East Asian Cuisine, Prairie Restoration

-3-D game design.

Internships: JanTerm is a perfect time to learn about and evaluate your future career opportunities and receive an academic credit with our Career Study off Campus (CSOC) program. Leverage the three weeks to test drive the world of finance, shadow a physician, or any other career fields that interest you.”

There are four mid-size private colleges with January Terms:

New College of Florida (InterTerm) Public FL

Salisbury University (Winter Session)* Public MD

University of San Diego (Intersession) CA

University of St. Thomas (MN) (J-Term) MN

There are several public universities of various sizes that offer (usually optional) January Terms:

Chapman University (Interterm) CA

Elon University (Winter Term) NC

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (Independent Activities Period) MA

University of Delaware (Winter Session) DE

University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) (Winter Session) MD

University of Massachusetts Amherst (Interterm) 5 College MA

University of Wisconsin-Stout (WinTerm) WI

West Virginia University (optional Intersession) WV

There are many small private colleges with January Terms (some optional, some required.)

Albright College (Interim Session) PA

Augustana College (J Term) IL

Augustana University (J Term) SD

Austin College (Jan Term) TX

Baker University (Interterm) KS

Bethel University (January Session) MN

Carthage College (J-Term) WI

Centre College (CentreTerm) KY

Colby College (Jan Plan) ME

Converse University (Jan Term) SC

Dallas Baptist University (Winter) TX

Elmhurst University (J-Term) IL

Endicott College (Winter Intersession) MA

Franklin College (Immersive Term) IN

Gettysburg College (J Term) PA

Greenville University (Interterm) IL

Gustavus Adolphus College (J Term) MN

Hamline University (J-Term) MN

Hartwick College (J-Term) NY

Hollins University (January Term) VA

Keuka College (January Session) NY

Linfield University (January Term) OR

Luther College (J-Term) IA

Macalester College (J-Term) MN

Manchester University (January Session) IN

McDaniel College (Jan Term) MD

McPherson College (Interterm) KS

Middlebury College (Winter Term) VT

Midland University (Interterm) NE

Molloy University (Intersession) NY

Mount Holyoke College (Interterm) 5 College MA

Mount Mercy University (Winter Term) IA

Oberlin College and Conservatory (Winter Term) OH

Oklahoma Baptist University (J Term) OK

Pacific Lutheran University (J Term) WA

Randolph-Macon College (J-term) VA

Rhode Island School of Design (Wintersession) RI

Saint Mary's College of California (Jan Term) CA

Smith College (Interterm) 5 College MA

SOKA University of California (Winter Block) CA

St. Catherine University (J-Term) MN

St. Olaf College (January Term) MN

Taylor University (J-Term) IN

Toccoa Falls College (Winterim) GA

University of La Verne (Interterm) CA

University of New Haven (Winter Intersession over break) CT

University of Sioux Falls (Interim/J-Term) SD

Virginia Wesleyan University (January Term) VA

Washington & Jefferson College (Jay Term) PA

West Virginia Wesleyan University (January Term) WV

Whitworth University (Jan Term) WA

Williams College (Winter Study) MA

Wofford College (Interim) SC

Eckerd College (Winter Term) but freshmen do 1-4-4 (three-week orientation class taught by their advisor; Freshmen can do 1-4-1-4 if they wish) FL

3-3 “Terms”

There are a handful of colleges that offer trimester programs (three ten-week terms):

Union College (Schenectady, NY)

Carleton College (Northfield, MN)

Lawrence Technological University (Southfield, MI)

Kalamazoo College (Kalamazoo, MI)

Knox College (Galesburg, IL)

Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, is one college that creatively utilizes the 3-3 calendar. Having worked for Monmouth College (15 miles west of Knox) for 27 years, I can vouch for the beauty of their historic campus. I have several friends and colleagues who have either worked for or attended Knox. From the Knox College website:

“We designed our 3-3 academic calendar to give our students both depth and flexibility in their academic pursuits.

In each of our three 10-week terms students take only three courses (hence the 3-3), giving them time and energy for a deeper level of study than what is often possible with a semester schedule. Each course is the equivalent of a semester's worth of work. Faculty members teach only two courses each term, giving them more time for one-on-one mentoring.

The long break between the fall and winter terms lets students engage in career and graduate school exploration, pursue an independent research project, take advantage of an internship, or pursue one of our off-campus study opportunities.”

Why do Knox students like the 3-3 calendar? According to one of their recruiting flyers:

-It enables a deeper level of study

-Students can take more subjects with professors they like

-Professors are more available outside of class

-It allows time for grad school and career exploration

-Internships and research are easier to plan

Some of the cool programs, majors, and minors at Knox include Repertory Term, Green Oaks Term, Startup Term, Creative Writing, Ancient Mediterranean Studies, Africana Studies, Japanese, Archaeology, Journalism, Art Museum Studies, Asian Studies, Astronomy, Chinese, Design, Peace Corps Prep, Playwriting, Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology, Ethnomusicology, Neuroscience, Peace & Justice Studies, Jazz/Popular Studies, Musicology, Dance, Public Policy, and many more.

The following shows a usage of the three terms at Knox that makes their 3-3 calendar uniquely Knox:

Repertory Theatre Term

Knox College is the only undergraduate program in the country to offer Repertory Theatre Term (affectionately known as Rep Term) and has done so for more than 40 years. This intensive immersion experience devotes a company of students for an entire term to studying and creating theatre by collaborating with faculty to produce two full-length plays performed in repertory. Rep Term students find resume credit and experience to help them successfully obtain professional internships.

The Green Oaks Term

Located near the Spoon River in eastern Knox County, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) east of the Knox campus, the Green Oaks Biological Field Station is both a research and recreation area. It encompasses 700 acres (283 hectares) of forest, grassland, and aquatic habitat and is the second site in the nation where a tallgrass prairie was restored.

StartUp Term

StartUp Term brings together students from every academic discipline to transform their original business ideas into real companies. Participants develop a business plan, analyze potential markets, create a product, and, sometimes, start earning revenue. Our immersion terms are a Knox-only experience—a focused, hands-on exploration of a single field of study for an entire term.

Other Unique Calendars

College of Idaho (Do More in Four) ID

The "Do More in Four" program is an academic calendar/curriculum at The College of Idaho. It features a four-day class week; students take four classes per term, and there is an accelerated path to obtain both a bachelor's and a master's degree in four years.

Classes run Monday through Thursday, leaving Fridays open for internships, jobs, or personal projects.

Four Classes: Students take four classes per term instead of five, focusing on four-credit courses for deeper subject mastery.

Four and Two: Students have the unique chance to finish an undergraduate and a graduate degree in just four years.

Hastings College block schedule (features one two-week block and two seven-week blocks) NE

Hiram College (3-1-3-1) The Hiram Plan. (They call the 1 class their “3 week”) OH From their website:

“The Hiram Plan consists of 12 weeks of traditional coursework, a one-week break, followed by a three-week intensive study in a single class. According to alumni and students alike, this structure is a near-perfect one for fostering student learning and engagement.

During the first twelve weeks of each semester, most students enroll in three four-credit classes. At the conclusion of that semester, students get a weeklong break to recharge and refresh. Following the break, students immerse in a single class that usually meets four times a week for the next three weeks. Many three-week courses take the shape of a research project, a service-learning experience, an internship, or a study-away opportunity. The three-week is also a good time to focus on a unique topic of interest or a subject you struggle with.

Can you think of a better way to organize your classes, keep you motivated, and allow you to recoup in between?

Ways You could spend THE THREE-week:

Over the course of four years, you’ll complete eight three-week sessions, so the possibilities are endless. Here are a few ways you may spend your three-week: Study in another country. Study in another state. Gain experience in the field. (and/or) Explore a unique classroom topic."

Lawrence University (3-3-3 calendar plus a two-week December Term) WI Lawrence University operates on a distinct three-term academic calendar (Fall, Winter, Spring) where students normally take three courses per term. Lawrence is known for a three-course, three-term structure (similar to those mentioned in this article). It is comprised of three 10-week terms and a modular course unit system rather than a literal "3-1-3-3" credit matrix. The “1” refers to a short, intensive, 3-unit course students take between the Fall and Winter terms.

Conclusion

I hope the 96 colleges mentioned in this article have whetted your appetite for the many advantages of small private colleges. Through co-ops, internships, travel, and research, you get more than a diploma from these colleges. You receive a lifetime of special memories.