The type of academic calendar that each university uses determines the length of terms and breaks at the university level.
The two most widely used term systems are semester and quarter systems.
Saint Xavier uses the semester system, and like most other semester-using schools, has optional summer terms that vary in length. Chicago State University, Illinois Institute of Technology, Loyola University Chicago, Roosevelt University, and University of Illinois at Chicago also use the semester system. Semester systems have 14-17 week terms.
DePaul University, Northwestern University, Robert Morris University, and University of Chicago use the quarter system. For these schools, there is a three-quarter normal academic school year and an optional summer quarter. These terms last from ten to twelve weeks.
There is no consensus on which of the two term systems is better. The semester system offers longer terms, which may increase the quality of course. It also gives students a longer time to have collaborative projects with peers and to form relationships with faculty. Most textbooks are designed for semester-systems, likely because the majority of universities in the U.S. use the semester system.
There are many arguments for the quarter system too. It allows students to experience more courses and faculty members. It also allows universities to have a larger variety of courses. Those courses are at a faster pace, which may help student keep focus throughout the term. It also gives students more opportunities to make-up courses, which saves students time and money compared to making up courses in the semester system.
From an administrative standpoint, the semester system can reduce a University’s cost because of less registration and term start time as well as less time overall. However, a quarter system also students to have more flexibility when adding or dropping courses because of more course offerings over the year making double majoring or minoring easier, and also allows a university to use its facilities more effectively because less courses are being offered at one particular time.
Universities that use the use quarter systems tend to start and finish school later so their terms are aligned with their holiday breaks. The length of breaks also tend to be smaller than that of semester using schools.
Some of Chicago’s Universities have already released their students for winter break, but others, including Saint Xavier University, will not start their winter break until December 14. The length of winter break varies from Northwestern University’s twenty-three-day break to Illinois Institute of Technology’s thirty-nine-day break.
That is why most universities in Chicago that use the semester system are out of school by the first or second week of May, but quarter using schools in Chicago are in session till the first or first or second week of June.
David Rodrigues
News Editor