Unlike nearly 90 percent of public universities in the U.S., all seven public universities in the Oregon University System use the quarter system. The OUS is considering switching to the semester system “to maximize opportunity and educational attainment for Oregonians across the state” and save money in tuition and administrative costs.
Although students here often bristle at the idea of terms stretched into semesters, there are some advantages to the more common system.
If OUS decides to make the switch, students at universities on the semester system would have an easier time transferring credits to the OUS. Proponents of the semester system say students need time to reflect and absorb subjects over a longer period than 10 weeks. Students on the semester system end in May, which gives them a head start on the summer job hunt. Plus, most textbooks are written for semester classes.
Semesters have their perks, but the quarter system allows students more selectivity in curriculum. Students can survey a wider variety of subjects and continue taking advanced courses in the ones they like. The quarter system allows for specialized upper-division classes and a wider variety of course offerings, giving students the opportunity to concentrate on the subjects that pique their interest the most.
Quarters also give students more opportunities to take electives or experiment with subjects they are curious about but unsure if they want to fully pursue. Having a new class schedule every three months breaks up the monotony of the weekly routine. With a greater variety of courses to choose from and more flexibility in scheduling, the quarter system also makes it easier to double-major or double-minor.
The shorter time span of a 10-week quarter is a relief for students who couldn’t get into the classes they wanted, ended up with a professor they can’t stand, or simply aren’t interested in the subject, as 10 weeks in an undesirable class is more bearable than 14 to 16. The faster pace of the quarter system gives students a greater incentive to attend class and keep up with schoolwork. With more classes offered, students have more opportunities to make up for a course they failed or had to drop.
Some argue the quarter system is too fast-paced, and indeed, some subjects need more than 10 weeks to cover. Sequence classes are the answer. By requiring students to take classes in sequence, professors can cover the appropriate curriculum by distributing the same amount of content over three quarters as they could in two semesters. Departments can use the same textbook without having to sacrifice content or change the entire university schedule.
Switching from quarters to semesters would require an extensive, costly process of reworking course structures, graduation requirements, and academic calendars. The four-week winter break of the quarter system seems too long as it is, and breaks are often longer than that on the semester calendar. It’s better to have a shorter winter break and a longer summer, as students can keep working at their jobs, and the weather stays pleasant well into September after tourist season has died down, making it a great month to take vacations. Plus, it’s pretty satisfying knowing the semester kids have to go back to school in the August heat while we get to enjoy an extra month of summer.
The Joint Boards of Education are researching the educational merits of quarters and semesters to present to the Oregon Legislature in October. To share your own experience of quarter terms at the University, take the boards’ survey at http://www.ous.edu/state_board/jointb/sem/.
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