Academic Catalog 2024-2025

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Academic Calendar

Prior to the academic year the Registrar publishes an Academic Calendar on the Registrar’s webpage. The Academic Calendar contains dates when classes are in session, scheduled reading and examination periods, and other pertinent information:

  • Some academic programs schedule a reading period at the end of each semester, preceding final examinations. Exceptions to this format may include intensive or online courses.
  • No regular classes or make-up classes are to be scheduled during reading days or during final examinations. If classes are canceled during the term, those classes are to be made up during the term.

Academic Term Definition

  • Fall Semester: First term of a two-term "Standard Terms" academic year as defined for federal aid disbursement. For federal aid, full-time in federal Fall Semester requires the following:
    • A graduate student is full-time when registered for 9 or more semester credits of courses in the fall or spring semester, or a student involved in thesis or dissertation preparation who is considered full-time by the institution.
    • At HUC-JIR, the following standards of fewer than 9 credits are considered as full-time enrollment for any term in which a graduate or doctoral student is engaged in thesis or dissertation preparation:
      • Doctor of Ministry 1.0
      • Ordination 4.5
      • Ph.D.-Judaic, Hebraic Cognate Studies 1.0
    • Other statuses are determined by dividing the minimum full-time load:
      • Three-Quarter-Time: 6.75 to 8.99 credits for a semester or term.
      • Half-Time: Between 6.74 and 4.5 semester credits for a semester or term.
      • Less than Half-Time: less than 4.5 semester credits for a semester or term and is not eligible for financial aid or loan deferment.
    • o The Fall Semester should be at least 15 instructional weeks to allow balanced federal loan distribution.
    • A sub-term is part of the overall fall term, with courses that are offered in a more condensed format such as 8 weeks, or 4 to 5 weeks.
    • The HUC-JIR academic term that begins in August and ends in December.
  • Spring Semester -- Second term of a two-term "Standard Terms" academic year as defined for federal aid disbursement. For federal aid, full-time in the federal Spring Semester requires the same definitions as during the HUC-JIR Fall Semester.
    • The HUC-JIR academic term that begins in January and ends in May.
  • The HUC-JIR academic year is based on the federally defined Fall and Spring Semesters, using "Standard Terms" credit-hour requirements.
  • Federal regulation allows shorter terms to be combined to establish a standard semester: August intensives for the Fall semester or January Intensives (one-week courses) for the Spring semester for federal financial aid and are not billed separately.
  • Program calendars must adhere to the minimum institution-wide standard for their students to qualify for federal financial aid.
  • HUC-JIR Nonstandard Terms (those with fewer than 9 weeks) are held only during June, July, and August.