Semester Style: Close Window
Some schools have different formats of the way their classes are taken. See below for the differences
1 - The most common is the Semester format and that is simply 2 terms per year, Fall and Spring. They also offer summer semesters but they are not required by the school.
2 - Another format is the Quarter system. In this system there are 3 required terms per year, Fall, Winter, and Spring. Again Summer is available but not required.
| Quarters vs. Semesters |
Quarter Calendar | Semester Calendar | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of regular terms | Three quarters | Two semesters | |
| Class days in regular terms | 50 | 71-75 | |
| Register | Three times per year | Two times per year | |
| Buy books | Three times per year | Two times per year | |
| Take final exams | Three times per year | Two times per year | |
| Normal undergraduate course load | Three or four 4- or 5- credit courses | Four or five 3- or 4- credit courses | |
| Minimum credits for baccalaureate degree | 180 quarter credits | 120 semester credits | |
| Minimum credit load required to graduate in four years (undergraduate) |
15 credits per quarter; 45 credits per year; 45 x 4 = 180 |
15 credits per semester; 30 semester credits per year; 30 x 4 = 120 |
|
| Minimum credits for Plan A Master's degree | 28 quarter credits | 20 semester credits | |
| Minimum credits for Plan B Master's degree | 45 quarter credits | 30 semester credits | |
| Master's thesis credit requirement | 16 quarter credits | 10 semester credits | |
| Minimum credits for specialist certificate | 90 quarter credits | 60 semester credits | |
| Minimum credits outside area for doctorate | 18 quarter credits | 12 semester credits | |
| Doctoral thesis credit requirement | 36 quarter credits | 24 semester credits | |
| Professional school degrees (see individual program office) | (varies by degree) | (varies by degree) |