Menu
Home Explore People Places Arts History Plants & Animals Science Life & Culture Technology
On this page
Academic quarter (year division)
Division of the academic year into four parts

An academic quarter refers to the division of an academic year into four parts, which commonly are not all exactly three months or thirteen weeks long due to breaks between terms.

We don't have any images related to Academic quarter (year division) yet.
We don't have any YouTube videos related to Academic quarter (year division) yet.
We don't have any PDF documents related to Academic quarter (year division) yet.
We don't have any Books related to Academic quarter (year division) yet.
We don't have any archived web articles related to Academic quarter (year division) yet.

Historical context

The modern academic quarter calendar can be traced to the historic English law court / legal training pupillage four term system:

British academic term variants
MonthsPupillageCambridgeOxford
January–MarchHilaryLentHilary
April–MayEasterEasterTrinity
June–JulyTrinity——
October–DecemberMichaelmasMichaelmasMichaelmas

This quarter system was adopted by the oldest universities in the English-speaking world (Oxford, founded circa 1096,1 and Cambridge, founded circa 12092).

Over time, Cambridge dropped Trinity Term and renamed Hilary Term to Lent Term, and Oxford also dropped the original Trinity Term and renamed Easter Term as Trinity Term, thus establishing the three-term academic "quarter" year widely found in countries with a lineage to England or the United Kingdom.

Charterhouse, an English independent school, still refers to its three academic terms as "quarters".

United States

Background and trends

In the United States, quarters typically comprise 10 weeks of class instruction,3 although they have historically ranged from eight to 13 weeks.4 Academic quarters first came into existence as such when William Rainey Harper organized the University of Chicago on behalf of John D. Rockefeller in 1891. Harper decided to keep the school in session year-round and divide it into four terms instead of the then-traditional two.5

Of the four traditional academic calendars (semester, quarter, trimester, and 4-1-4), the semester calendar is used the most widely, at over 60% of U.S. higher learning institutions, with fewer than 20% using the quarter system.6 This number has stayed fairly constant since 1930, when 75% of U.S. institutions surveyed indicated they used a semester plan, with 22% on the quarter system.7

During the 1960s, a number of U.S. state university systems made a switch from a semester to quarter system, typically in an attempt to accommodate the large number of post-war "baby boom" students who had reached college age (sometimes called the "Tidal Wave I enrollment boom"8910). A prominent example of this trend was the University of California system.11 Since then, UC Berkeley switched back to semesters in 1983,12 the new UC Merced branch opened with the semester system, and some UC professional schools have switched back to semesters at various points.13 In 2020, UC San Diego considered a switch to the semester system as well.14 At various points since the 1960s, committees have been established and official discussions have taken place within the UC system to discuss a systemwide switch back to the semester system.1516

In recent years, a number of higher education institutions have considered or approved a switch to a semester system. The University System of Ohio, which includes Ohio State University, Ohio University, and the University of Cincinnati, converted to the semester system in 2012 to better align with other public and private institutions in the state, among other reasons.171819 Individual schools have also switched, like Georgia Tech in 1999.20 Rochester Institute of Technology converted to semesters in Fall 2013, although the decision was highly controversial, overriding a student vote to remain with quarters.2122 Other institutions and systems that have switched include California State University, Los Angeles, Auburn University, the University of Minnesota system, the Utah State system, and Northeastern University.23 Southern Oregon University was required to study a switch to the semester system as part of state legislation on a possible merger with the University of Oregon.242526

Arguments

Concerns over the quarter system include faculty dislike of the brevity of the term, the loss of faculty research and collaboration time, the end of the spring quarter overrunning the start date of many established summer internships which also leads to shorter internship periods, difficulties in recovering from illness-linked absence, and the heavy administrative workload.2728

A quarter system calendar also may put schools at a disadvantage in competing for prospective students, who wish to keep in-step with friends, and offer more opportunities for students to "disconnect from school."29

It can be difficult to transfer credits between semester institutions and quarter institutions, even when they are in the same state.30

Quarter systems do allow students to enroll in a richer variety of courses and school-coordinated internships and may encourage students to take on double majors, minors, concentrations, and the like.31 A quarter system can maximize the use of college facilities in a time of enrollment growth, as it allows for four regular periods of academic instruction.32 Also, quarters allow for faculty to engage in terms with a relatively light course load of teaching and greater opportunities for short sabbaticals.33

American universities on quarter system

American institutions of higher learning on the quarter system include:

California

Colorado

Georgia

Illinois

Indiana

Louisiana

New Hampshire

Ohio

Online

Oregon

All but one of the public universities in Oregon is on the quarter system.44

Rhode Island

Pennsylvania

Washington

All but one of the public universities in Washington is on the quarter system.46

Wisconsin

See also

References

  1. "University of Oxford - History". University of Oxford. Retrieved 2016-07-16. https://www.ox.ac.uk/about/organisation/history ↩

  2. "University of Cambridge - History". University of Cambridge. 2013-01-28. Retrieved 2016-07-16. https://www.cam.ac.uk/about-the-university/history/early-records ↩

  3. "Practice Resources, NAFSA: Association of International Educators". Archived from the original on 2008-05-03. Retrieved 2008-08-07. https://web.archive.org/web/20080503123134/http://www.nafsa.org/knowledge_community_network.sec/education_abroad_1/managing_an_education/practice_resources_37/facts_figures/how_to_fill_out_the_open ↩

  4. Kemp Malone, 'Semester' , American Speech, Dec. 1946, p. 264 https://www.jstor.org/pss/487322 ↩

  5. Kemp Malone, 'Semester' , American Speech, Dec. 1946, p. 264 https://www.jstor.org/pss/487322 ↩

  6. Report of the 1998-99 ad hoc Calendar Committee, Northeastern University, July 30, 1999[permanent dead link] http://www.neu.edu/semesterinfo/Backgrounddocuments/calendar99.doc ↩

  7. H.W. James, The Semester versus the Quarter, Journal of Higher Education, Oct. 1930, p. 38 https://www.jstor.org/pss/1974175 ↩

  8. "Ensuring Access with Quality to California's Community Colleges". The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. Archived from the original on 21 February 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20200221182647/http://www.highereducation.org/reports/hewlett/ ↩

  9. Lum, Lydia (2 June 2004). "Too Fast, Too Furious? As community colleges grow in enrollment and appeal, some question their ability to serve disadvantaged students". Diverse Issues in Higher Education. Retrieved 7 March 2021. https://diverseeducation.com/article/3726/ ↩

  10. "University proposes master plan". The Daily Aztec. 21 October 2004. Retrieved 7 March 2021. http://thedailyaztec.com/21564/daily-aztec-stories/university-proposes-master-plan/ ↩

  11. Debate: Semesters or Quarters, UCLA Faculty Senate Voice, Apr. 2003 (iss. 3) Archived February 21, 2008, at the Wayback Machine http://www.senate.ucla.edu/SenateVoice/Issue3/Debate_Semesters_Or_Quarters.htm ↩

  12. Harlan Lebo, Semester vs. quarter?, UCLA Today, 2002 Archived August 7, 2008, at the Wayback Machine http://www.today.ucla.edu/2002/021119semester.html ↩

  13. Debate: Semesters or Quarters, UCLA Faculty Senate Voice, Apr. 2003 (iss. 3) Archived February 21, 2008, at the Wayback Machine http://www.senate.ucla.edu/SenateVoice/Issue3/Debate_Semesters_Or_Quarters.htm ↩

  14. Robbins, Gary (February 19, 2020). "UC San Diego might switch to semester system to ease stress on students". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved February 20, 2020. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/story/2020-02-19/uc-san-diego-might-switch-from-quarter-to-semester-say-to-ease-stress-on-students ↩

  15. Debate: Semesters or Quarters, UCLA Faculty Senate Voice, Apr. 2003 (iss. 3) Archived February 21, 2008, at the Wayback Machine http://www.senate.ucla.edu/SenateVoice/Issue3/Debate_Semesters_Or_Quarters.htm ↩

  16. Chris Ziegler, Faculty Considers Switch from Quarter to Semester, (University of California, Santa Barbara) Daily Nexus, Jan. 29, 1990 (reprinted Jan. 29, 2007) Archived May 25, 2008, at the Wayback Machine http://www.dailynexus.com/article.php?a=13006 ↩

  17. Farkas, Karen (May 30, 2012). "State universities, community colleges switching from quarters to semesters". Cleveland.com. Retrieved February 20, 2020. https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2012/05/state_universities_and_communi.html ↩

  18. Rich Rouan, OU Ready to Consider Switch to Semesters, Columbus Dispatch, June 26, 2008 http://www.redorbit.com/news/education/1451148/ou_ready_to_consider_switch_to_semesters/index.html ↩

  19. University of Cincinnati planning switch to semesters, Business Courier of Cincinnati, Apr. 29, 2008 http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2008/04/28/daily17.html ↩

  20. Hoyt Coffee, Regents Set Semester Switch, Georgia Tech Alumni magazine, Spring 1996 https://web.archive.org/web/20070804184752/http://gtalumni.org/news/ttopics/spr96/switch.html ↩

  21. "RIT Semester Conversion". Archived from the original on 2010-07-25. Retrieved 2010-07-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20100725110043/http://www.rit.edu/conversion/ ↩

  22. Kestler, Jessica L.; Johnson, Marcus Lee (Summer 2014). "Transitioning from Quarters to Semesters: Changes in College Students' Predicted and Perceived Motivation". College and University. 89 (4). Retrieved February 20, 2020. https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1P3-3472806021/transitioning-from-quarters-to-semesters-changes ↩

  23. Kestler, Jessica L.; Johnson, Marcus Lee (Summer 2014). "Transitioning from Quarters to Semesters: Changes in College Students' Predicted and Perceived Motivation". College and University. 89 (4). Retrieved February 20, 2020. https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1P3-3472806021/transitioning-from-quarters-to-semesters-changes ↩

  24. Darling, John (June 4, 2010). "SOU considers switch to semesters". Mail Tribune. Retrieved February 20, 2020. https://mailtribune.com/archive/sou-considers-switch-to-semesters ↩

  25. "Tony Boom, SOU studies semester switch, Mail-Tribune, Apr. 3, 2001". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2008-08-07. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303171619/http://www.mailtribune.com/section/archive ↩

  26. Relating to university consolidation and declaring an emergency (Chapter 801). House Bill 442, section 1. Oregon Legislative Assembly. 2009. p. 1.{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: others (link) https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2009R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB442/Enrolled ↩

  27. Report of the 1998-99 ad hoc Calendar Committee, Northeastern University, July 30, 1999[permanent dead link] http://www.neu.edu/semesterinfo/Backgrounddocuments/calendar99.doc ↩

  28. Robbins, Gary (February 19, 2020). "UC San Diego might switch to semester system to ease stress on students". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved February 20, 2020. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/story/2020-02-19/uc-san-diego-might-switch-from-quarter-to-semester-say-to-ease-stress-on-students ↩

  29. Report of the 1998-99 ad hoc Calendar Committee, Northeastern University, July 30, 1999[permanent dead link] http://www.neu.edu/semesterinfo/Backgrounddocuments/calendar99.doc ↩

  30. Robbins, Gary (February 19, 2020). "UC San Diego might switch to semester system to ease stress on students". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved February 20, 2020. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/story/2020-02-19/uc-san-diego-might-switch-from-quarter-to-semester-say-to-ease-stress-on-students ↩

  31. Report of the 1998-99 ad hoc Calendar Committee, Northeastern University, July 30, 1999[permanent dead link] http://www.neu.edu/semesterinfo/Backgrounddocuments/calendar99.doc ↩

  32. Sarah Mohajeri, From Semesters to Quarters, in UCLA in the sixties, May 24, 2005 Archived September 12, 2007, at the Wayback Machine http://www.english.ucla.edu/ucla1960s/6465/mohajeri3.htm ↩

  33. Debate: Semesters or Quarters, UCLA Faculty Senate Voice, Apr. 2003 (iss. 3) Archived February 21, 2008, at the Wayback Machine http://www.senate.ucla.edu/SenateVoice/Issue3/Debate_Semesters_Or_Quarters.htm ↩

  34. AdmissionSight (2025-03-17). "The Caltech Academic Calendar: Key Dates + Tips". AdmissionSight. Retrieved 2025-06-19. https://admissionsight.com/caltech-academic-calendar/ ↩

  35. "Quarter System and Quarter Units". Academic Programs and Planning. Retrieved 2025-06-19. https://academicprograms.calpoly.edu/content/academicpolicies/quarters ↩

  36. "2024-2025 Academic Calendar". UC Berkeley Law. Retrieved 2025-06-19. https://www.law.berkeley.edu/academics/current-academic-calendars/2024-2025-academic-calendar/ ↩

  37. Scivoletto, Emily L. (2021-05-11). "Academic Calendar | School of Law". law.ucdavis.edu. Retrieved 2025-06-19. https://law.ucdavis.edu/academic-calendar ↩

  38. "Academic Calendar | UCLA Law". law.ucla.edu. Retrieved 2025-06-19. https://law.ucla.edu/academics/academic-calendar ↩

  39. "Academic Calendar | UCI Law". www.law.uci.edu. Retrieved 2025-06-19. https://www.law.uci.edu/academics/academic-calendar/ ↩

  40. "Academic Calendar". UC Law San Francisco (Formerly UC Hastings). Retrieved 2025-06-19. https://www.uclawsf.edu/academics/academic-calendar/ ↩

  41. "When Does Medical School Start?". UCLA Medical School. 2022-06-09. Retrieved 2025-06-19. https://medschool.ucla.edu/education/md-education/current-students/calendars ↩

  42. "Prepare for life at SCAD". SCAD.edu. Retrieved 2025-06-19. https://www.scad.edu/content/prepare-life-scad ↩

  43. "Academic Calendar - 2025 - 2026". docs.google.com. Retrieved 2025-06-19. https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQP0A0kqy4NK1jL6pzhDeZXFcqJT3G-wnhQKHHYv8HXYK25IYVseditmuOz5G8nY13ft7qNffLA9OC6/pub ↩

  44. Poe, Mariya. "Semester vs Quarter System Explained & Full List of Colleges," College Transitions, Tuesday, July 25, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2024. https://www.collegetransitions.com/blog/semester-vs-quarter-system-in-college/ ↩

  45. "Academic Calendar | OHSU". www.ohsu.edu. Retrieved 2025-06-19. https://www.ohsu.edu/education/academic-calendar ↩

  46. Poe, Mariya. "Semester vs Quarter System Explained & Full List of Colleges," College Transitions, Tuesday, July 25, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2024. https://www.collegetransitions.com/blog/semester-vs-quarter-system-in-college/ ↩