Semester VS Quarter System

ucbalumnus
Thu, 30 Mar 2017 04:56:46 +0000

An academic year is 30 weeks of instruction. The semester system divides it into two 15-week semesters (summer session is usually an 8-week half-semester). The quarter system divides it into three 10-week quarters (summer session is usually another 10-week quarter).

A year long course like frosh-level single variable calculus will be divided into three pieces under the quarter system, versus two pieces under the semester system. However, some courses may be compressed. For example, a 4 semester credit course may be taught as a 6 quarter credit course under the quarter system, with one-and-a-half times as much class time and work per week over two-thirds as many weeks.

Note that 1 semester credit = 1.5 quarter credit.