Course Scheduling (location, days, times, and sections)

Instruction Mode 
  • In-person
  • Synchronous Online
  • Asynchronous Online
In-Person or Synchronous Online Scheduling 

Here are versions of common course schedules that we find work well for students. We collect faculty availability and scheduling needs in February. If pedagogy necessitates an alternate schedule, we will work to meet course needs. Please utilize our collection process to provide that information.

5-week, 5-credit courses 

MW

TTH

MWF

9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

9 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

1:00 - 4:30 p.m.

1:00 - 4:30 p.m.

1 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

6 - 9:30 p.m.

6 - 9:30 p.m.

*Art/Music/Theater t typically provides their courses’ schedules and rooms to Summer Session

5-week, 2-credit courses - Determined by Instructor

  • One day for three hours or 
  • Two days for one and a half hours each

8-Week and 10-Week - Determined by Instructors

  • Flexibility in scheduling available

Labs:

  • Chemistry, Biology, Physics, METX - we work with your department lab managers
  • Computer labs - you’ll need to reserve those facilities 

Asynchronous Online

  • If you have a pedagogical need to have regular synchronous discussion sections in your asynchronous course, you will have the opportunity to provide this information when we collect “mandatory sections” in February.
  • If you have a pedagogical need to have optional secondary discussion sections, you will have the opportunity to provide this information when we collect information on sections after TAs are assigned in June.
  • No need for schedule
  • No need for room reservations 

Overview of Contact Hour Policy: 

The Committee on Educational Policy UCSC Credit Hour Policy SR 760 does not specify a relationship between credits and contact hours. UCSC utilizes the following model: a 5-credit course should generally have 31.50 contact hours over the course of the ten week term—3.15 hours a week (195 minutes) corresponding either to two 95-minute meetings or three 65-minute meetings per week. A 2-credit course should typically involve 14 hours per term, or approximately one 90 minute meeting per week. However, time for 2- and 3-credit courses can vary, with Independent Studies, by definition, allowing less contact time.

Summer Session Contact Hours:

Over an accelerated five-week Summer Session term, typical schedules are:

  • MW or TTH - 3.5 hours per day = 35 hours 
  • MWF - 2.5 hours per day = 37.5 hours 

Loss of Hours Due to Holiday

Independence Day falls on Thursday, July 4. This situation results in a reduction of contact hours for Session 1, 8-wk, and 10-wk courses. Faculty can decide to make up contact hours at their discretion. There is no mandate.

Academic Calendar

  • Courses are required to adhere to the published Academic Calendar, which is guided by Academic Senate policy. 
  • Add/Swap, Drop, Request for “W,” and Change Grade Option deadlines will not differ based on the mode of instruction.

Hybrid

Summer Session will not offer hybrid courses where part of the course is taught in person and part of it is taught online. Students need to know if they will have to be in Santa Cruz or if they are able to take the course while being in a different location. Further, Summer Session won’t use the word “hybrid” to refer to online courses that include synchronous and asynchronous elements90-minuteour enrollments are too vulnerable to the misunderstanding of the word’s meaning. If you would like to teach a course that combines synchronous and asynchronous elements, put forward the course as Asynchronous Online or Synchronou Online, whichever is the dominant format.