About January Term

Since 1970, January Term  (Jan Term) has offered both students and faculty the opportunity to explore courses and experiences that depart from the constraints of the regular semester. Here, students are encouraged to explore beyond their major, minor, or core requirements. Each year, faculty develop a new curriculum composed of content and approaches designed to stimulate the imagination, and experiment with both subject matter and technique.

Like Collegiate Seminar, all undergraduate students and faculty from across the College participate in January Term. Students and faculty are freed from disciplinary constraints to create innovative learning experiences. Students are required to take one full-credit January Term course for each year of full-time attendance. The College offers both on-campus courses and off-campus travel courses throughout the United States and many parts of the globe. Many courses emphasize experiential learning through service, community-based research, and on-site learning relevant to the region.

Each January promises new and innovative opportunities. Since students enroll in only one course, which equals a full semester credit, faculty members expect more and tend to increase the pace of instruction. January Term is designed to suspend the ordinary and engage the extraordinary, nurturing students as lifelong learners.