How many semesters in a year at university? If this is a question you usually ask, we have explained more about the number of semesters in an academic year.
Tertiary institutions function differently in an academic year, from semesters to trimesters, and quarters. But, to specifically answer the question of how many semesters in a year at university, a piece of precise and comprehensive satisfiable information provides a clear understanding.
Before we go into full detail, let’s simply describe what a semester is.
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What Is A Semester?
Universities or colleges may have any of the three sessions during an academic year.
Semesters in universities and colleges split the academic year into a double session. The academic year is separated into fall and spring semesters with approximately 15 weeks each.
Within fall and spring semesters, exists a winter break from fall to spring semesters and a summer break from spring to fall. With approximately 15 weeks for each semester, the last week of the fall and spring semesters are for final examinations.
According to statistics, almost 90% of tertiary institutions (universities and colleges) in America use the semester system.
How Many University Semesters Are In A Year?
University semesters split an academic year into two sessions each lasting up to 15 weeks. The two semesters start in the fall and spring respectively.
For instance, UC Berkeley runs a semester-based system. During each semester comes winter and summer breaks, and talking about summer, there are short summer semesters.
Most institutions operating the semester system sometimes have a shorter semester during summer. This semester is referred to as the short summer semester with a duration of approximately twelve weeks.
It’s a shorter semester because it’s not part of the regular academic year at universities. More explanation about the summer semester will follow as you read further through the article.
Additionally, some universities operate quarters in an academic year. A quarter lasts for up to 10 weeks and students can take up to three or four classes based on the number of credits for each class.
Schools operating on a quarter basis have their academic year split into four sessions, fall, winter, spring, and summer. Short summer quarters are also part of quarters at universities.
All these sessions are in the education system to accommodate and present students with the opportunity to procure a degree.
Now let us elaborate more on quarters and trimesters.
What is a Quarter?
Universities and colleges operate on semesters, trimesters, and quarters. An academic year at a tertiary institution is divided into four sessions with a quarter system.
The fall, winter, spring, and summer semesters complete an entire academic year at universities or colleges with the quarter system.
Although the summer session is not required, students can also use the summer session to complete classes they did not offer during other sessions. Out of the four sessions in a quarter-based system, each session lasts for 10 weeks.
Students take up to 3 or 4 classes in each session or 9 to 12 credits. An academic year at universities or colleges with the quarter system usually starts in mid-September and concludes in early June.
What is a Trimester?
If an academic year at universities or colleges is divided into three sessions, then they operate a trimester system.
A trimester system consists of fall, winter, and spring. Each session on the trimester system lasts for up to 12 to 13 weeks and students can take 3 to 4 classes based on the number of credits in each class.
What are short summer semesters?
The fall and spring semesters may not be enough for students. Within 10 weeks, summer semesters allow students to collect more courses to earn additional credits.
The short summer semester helps students with a heavy class load in other semesters. Up to nine hours of summer courses are up for grabs to lighten loads of courses in the fall and spring semesters.
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When does each semester start?
Universities with the semester system, start between the four seasons in the northern hemisphere which consist of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Now let us elaborate on when each semester commences.
Autumn fall semester
The autumn season in the northern hemisphere starts on the 21st of September to the 21st of December.
But, in the academic year aspect, the fall semester is also the first semester, and it starts in mid-August. This semester kicks stars the academic year and it is within this period new students are admitted into the university.
Spring semesters
The spring season in the northern hemisphere starts on the 21st of March and ends on 21 of June.
The spring semester also regarded as the second semester of the academic year starts in the second week of January. According to statistics, 85% of universities admit a small number of new students this semester. However, the newly admitted students during the fall semester were greater in number than in the spring.
The short summer semester
The summer season is the hottest of all seasons and students are mostly on holiday during this period. The scorching summer season in the northern hemisphere starts on the 21st of June to the 21st of September.
In an academic year at tertiary institutions, the short summer semester starts in June and lasts up to 12 weeks. Taking short summer semester classes gives students the extra opportunity to complete their classes, stay focused or get ahead in their degree program.
How Many Months Are In A Semester?
Well, during my time at the university, a semester lasts up to four months, and the break after the second semester lasts up to two months, and there is also a two-week Christmas break. However, my university semester period and breaks are different from the rest of the tertiary institutions around the world.
Three months and a few weeks is the estimated period of a semester in universities and colleges. With 15 weeks for both fall and spring semesters and 12 weeks for the short summer semester, one can make a precise calculation based on the number of weeks in a month.
Schools on a semester system have their academic year separated into two sessions, and each semester may last up to 14-20 weeks. The periods of semesters are different in most tertiary institutions with a two or three weeks difference.
However, most community colleges currently use the K-12 schedule with two precise 18-week semester periods. Most universities and colleges in America operate the semester system in an academic year.
The fall semester (autumn semester) starts in mid-August or early September and concludes in December. The spring semester (second semester) on the other hand starts in January and concludes in May, while the short summer semester starts in May and ends in August.
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How Many Semesters In A 2-Year College?
Normally, a semester-based system splits an academic year into two sessions. If a student is enrolled in a 4-year program, the number of semesters would be eight. For operating on a regular semester system, there would be four semesters in a 2-year college.
But, in a two-year college or community college, as they are commonly referred to, the number of semesters is quite different. For instance, if you take classes in the fall and spring sessions, you have completed an entire year at a 2-year college. Also, students may decide to take summer classes.
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How Long Is A College Semester?
Most colleges run a semester, trimester, or quarter in an academic year.
Generally, both universities and colleges have three semesters in an academic year.
- The fall or autumn semester lasts up to 15 weeks
- The spring semester lasts up to 15 weeks
- The summer semester which is the shorter semester lasts up to 10 weeks
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Trimesters
- Fall or autumn trimesters last up to 12 weeks
- The Winter trimester lasts up to 12 weeks
- The spring trimester lasts up to 12 weeks
Accredited Courses
Presently, the most ordinary accelerated course format is just 8 weeks.
- The fall or autumn semester lasts 1 to 8 weeks
- The fall semester lasts 2 to 8 weeks
- Spring semester lasts 1 to 8 weeks
- Spring semester 2 to 8 weeks
- The summer semester lasts up to 8 weeks
When you enrol in any accelerated classes, you take two courses at a time. Although most universities can allow you to take 3 classes or more, once your GPA is maintained at a level.
However, if you take two classes in a semester and stay enrolled, 30 academic credits annually might be your for the taking.
Which Is The Best Term Format?
Semesters, trimesters, and quarters are all considered the best. Choose one amongst the three that is suitable for you, as each has its pros and cons.
Semester
Semesters are widely used in universities and colleges.
Pros
- Better for the newly admitted student
- Serious in-depth study
- You get one-on-one instructor time
- An optional summer classes
Cons
- Getting stuck in the same class for an entire semester
Trimesters and Quarters
As a result of having the same period of 10 to 12 weeks, trimesters and quarters share similar pros and cons.
Pros
- Having a light Schedule of only three classes a term
- Leaving an annoying class
- Two graduation dates in a year
- A lighter course load
Cons
- A faster learning process
- Short breaks between terms
Conclusion
Universities and colleges are learning institutions with several sessions in an academic year. Semesters, trimesters, and quarters are all pieces of the puzzle of an academic calendar.
With the information provided to you in this guide, you should know the academic year suitable for you at universities or colleges.
