The Interim Term and Contract Learning at BSC
BSC is looking forward to an exciting Interim term!
With over 70 courses on campus, 9 faculty-led travel-projects and numerous students engaged in independent study, Interim 2008 will be a month of activity and exploration. See the electronic version of the Interim Bulletin and the Interim Bulletin Supplement (updated in early Fall each year).
Read correspondence from students and faculty abroad during January 2005 and 2006.
Exposure, Experience, Enlightenment
What does hiking through Patagonia, swimming with dolphins, working with elementary school students in Harlem, or sailing a classic tall ship through the Caribbean have to do with college? If you ask this question in January, the answer is . . . plenty.
Birmingham-Southern College offers a mini-term between the fall
and spring academic semesters. This four-week January term, known
as the "Interim Term," extends the classroom by giving
students time away from traditional academics and activities and
allowing them to engage in creative opportunities both on- and off-campus.
In order to be eligible for Interim study-travel, interested students must complete several forms. These forms make clear the student’s responsibilities and collect pertinent information to ensure that students are well protected in case of emergency. Students provide all information on a voluntary basis. These forms are available from the faculty leader of the study-travel project and from the Office of Interim and Contract Learning. This process may be initiated as early as the Spring term, and should be completed early in the Fall term for travel in the subsequent Interim term.
Interim
BSC’s Interim program allows students to explore one topic or interest for the month of January. The focus of this intensive period is experiential learning, with the intention of enhancing the liberal arts education through hands-on practical experience and in-depth, personal knowledge. Students may choose from on- and off-campus projects, independent study or research, group and individual study-travel experiences, and challenging internships. Off-campus opportunities include service learning projects, which give students the opportunity to work with others in local, national, or international communities.
Specialized Interim courses across BSC’s academic departments are offered
on campus each year. One Interim project is required for each full
year a student is enrolled, and students receive academic credit
for their experiences.
The Interim 2008 Bulletin, detailing policies and course offerings, is available here.
As a complement to Interim courses, the faculty and staff sponsor numerous extracurricular activities during the Interim term in order to foster an atmosphere of exploration and learning on campus. Consult the 2008 Interim Calendar of Events to see examples of activities sponsored during Interim. The upcoming calendar of Interim activities will appear here soon.
Contract Learning
Students who are interested in participating in an independent study or an internship for academic credit during the Interim Term must complete a contract under the supervision of a BSC faculty member. BSC students have done all sorts of individualized projects, ranging from photographing the American West to investigating jazz music in New Orleans to compiling an oral history of the homeless.
Students usually contract projects during January, but contract-learning opportunities are available throughout the academic year.