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Welcome toExplorationTerm2017
Exploration Term refers to a period of four weeks during January that provides an opportunity for innovation and experimentation for both
students and faculty. e projects offered during the term may vary in content and technique, but they all share the goal of providing an
opportunity for exploration not possible during the regular term, including opportunities for study-travel or focused creative production. In
addition to faculty-led projects, sophomore, junior, and senior students are encouraged to use initiative and imagination to develop their own
contracted projects through the Office of Exploration Term and Contract Learning.
All first-year students must enroll in a project listed in the Exploration Term Bulletin. ey may not contract individualized Exploration Term
projects. Following the first year of study, students may contract individualized projects. Contracted projects meet the same academic
standards as projects listed in the Exploration Term Bulletin and must be supervised by faculty members from Birmingham-Southern College.
Each contracted project must be approved by the project sponsor, the student’s faculty advisor, the appropriate department chair, and the
Exploration Term and Contract Learning Committee.
Students under the Explorations curriculum must complete at least two Exploration Term projects. Each project counts as a full unit. All
projects, whether graded with a letter or “S”/“U,” count toward the requirement of two Exploration Term units. For those majors where
the Exploration Term is used for the senior project, the senior project must receive a letter grade. A transfer student who meets only the
minimum residency requirements for a degree must complete two Exploration Term projects.
All Exploration Term projects are recorded on permanent records and class schedules according to discipline abbreviations (including “GEN”
for those projects outside of the disciplines offered at the College). If required for the major, senior Exploration Term projects will be recorded
as 499.
Exploration Term projects do not count toward academic area requirements under the Explorations curriculum. Exploration Term projects
used to fulfill Explorations Curriculum Learning Outcomes must receive a letter grade.
ImportantDates
ursday, September 15, 2016
January 2017 travel award and Koinonia scholarship applications due to the Office of Exploration Term
and Contract Learning
ursday, September 29, 2016
First-year students meet with advisors during Common Hour to receive instructions for completing
Exploration Term preference forms
Friday, September 30, 2016
First payment installment due for Exploration Term travel projects
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Last day for first-year students to complete online Exploration Term preference forms
Tuesday, October 18, 2016 -
Exploration Term Registration for seniors, juniors, and sophomores
ursday, October 20, 2016
Friday, October 21, 2016
Exploration Term contracts due in the Office of Exploration Term and Contract Learning
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
Second and final payment installment due for Exploration Term travel projects
ursday, November 17, 2016
Exploration Term project orientation meetings for all projects during Common Hour
Monday, January 2, 2017
Residence halls open at 10:00am
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
First day of Exploration Term; all Exploration Term projects meet at 1:00pm
ursday, January 5, 2017
Last day to drop without a grade or to add an Exploration Term project
Friday, January 13, 2017
Last day to drop a project with a grade of “W”
Monday, January 16, 2017
Martin Luther King Jr. Day (no classes)
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Last day of Exploration Term
Wednesday, February 1, 2017 – Winter Break
Monday, February 6, 2017
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Professors report Exploration Term grades
Friday, February 10, 2017
Grades available on eSIS