涩里番 uses a quarter calendar system that spans three regular quarters (Autumn, Winter, and Spring quarters) and an optional summer term, used by most students as a vacation period.
Winter and Spring Quarters each consisting of 10 weeks of instruction. Autumn Quarter includes a period of 10 weeks of instruction preceded by September Session, a period of several weeks beginning after summer session ends and prior to start of the regular autumn term. September Session provides an opportunity for students to enroll in unique or specialty courses, including short-term study abroad Global Seminars.
Credits taken during September Session count toward students鈥 Autumn Quarter credit load, and students are allowed to apply their financial aid toward these classes. (If students take more than a combined 18 credits during the September Session and Autumn Quarter, they will be charged for the overload.)
September Session allows flexibility and opportunity for our students who may want to catch up on credits, or move toward degree completion more quickly. Learn more about September Session.
Block Schedule
Classes are arranged in a format: 5-credit courses are generally offered in either 80-minute periods three days a week or 120-minute periods two days a week.
Except during Summer Session(s), there is an interval of 10 minutes between periods, and a Chapel assembly is scheduled at 11:10 a.m. on Tuesdays. Forums and cadres are at 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. SPU also offers a variety of evening, weekend, and summer classes. Most summer courses take place over two four-week sessions and vary from traditional classes in length and structure.
Final Examination Schedule
A special two-hour class meeting is scheduled for most courses during one of the last three days of every quarter. The final exam period is considered an instructional period; classes are expected to meet during the scheduled time whether or not a final exam is given.
If a student has more than two exams on any day, he or she may reschedule one of the exams with an instructor at a mutually convenient time. An instructor may refuse a student鈥檚 request to reschedule a final examination. However, instructors may schedule an early final exam for a student under the following conditions:
- The student is able to demonstrate appropriate mitigating circumstances that, in the judgment of the instructor, warrant rescheduling the final exam.
- A rescheduled final exam is given no earlier than four working days prior to the last day of the final examination period.
- The student鈥檚 request to reschedule a final exam is made at least two weeks before the regularly scheduled final exam period.
Academic load
Definition of Academic Credit
One 鈥渃redit鈥 signifies the value toward graduation of a class meeting one period of approximately one hour each week for a quarter of approximately 10 weeks together with satisfactory completion of the assigned out-of-class work. Two (and sometimes three) 50-minute periods of laboratory work are regarded as equivalent to one such period of regular class work.
The SPU 鈥渃redit鈥 is a 鈥渜uarter鈥 credit and is equal to two-thirds of the 鈥渟emester鈥 credit in use at some institutions. (For instance, 45 quarter credits are equivalent to 30 semester credits.) It is expected that students will spend at least two 50-minute periods of work outside the classroom for each 50 minutes in class.
Enrollment Status
Enrollment status for undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students is determined by the following:
- Full time: 12鈥18 credits
- Three-quarter time: 9鈥11 credits
- Half time: 6鈥8 credits
- Less than half time: 1鈥5 credits
Permissable Academic Load
The term 鈥渁cademic load鈥 refers to the schedule of studies for which a student is registered. Twelve to 18 credits are considered a regular academic load for undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students. Although Summer Session consists of more than one session, to be considered full time a student must be registered for at least 12 credits within the entire Summer Session.
To foster academic success and aid in the transition from high school to college, freshmen are allowed to register for no more than 18 credits per quarter. Those who desire to exceed the 18-credit limit to participate in Music Ensembles or private instruction should contact the in Student Academic Services.
By special permission from the university registrar, undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students who maintain a high scholarship standard may be permitted to register for as many as 20 credits. Only rarely, and through a petition process, are students permitted to register for more than 20 credits, including music, physical education, and all fractional credits. An example of 鈥渞are鈥 circumstance warranting such a petition would be the need to take a few extra credits to complete the final quarter toward a degree.
It should be noted that there is an additional per-credit tuition charge for 19 or more credits.
Reduction or Limitation of Load
An undergraduate student鈥檚 academic load is subject to reduction or limitation from the university registrar for low scholarship.
Experience suggests that most students should limit academic load in proportion to hours of employment outside of school hours. The following schedule suggests a relationship between the student鈥檚 academic load and outside work:
| Outside work per week |
Load recommended |
14 or fewer hours
|
15鈥18 credit hours or fewer
|
| 15鈥20 hours or fewer |
12鈥14 credits |
| 21鈥30 hours or fewer |
10鈥12 credits |
| More than 30 hours |
6鈥10 credits |
Concurrent enrollment
Except when participating in approved study abroad, students may not take courses concurrently from SPU and another institution during the regular academic year (Autumn through Spring quarters).