Students debate seven more weeks of winter or an interterm class

Graphic by Annie Gelfer, Staff Photographer

Clocking in at seven weeks, Chapman University’s unusually long winter break sets it apart from other universities. The spring semester begins in February, allowing for an optional four-week interterm in which students can earn up to four credits in-person or embark on a faculty-led travel course.

Although optional winter sessions are not uncommon at universities, Chapman stands out by allowing full-time students to take interterm classes with no additional tuition fees, making it a versatile option for students to structure their academic plans.

In an online poll of 290 Chapman undergraduates, 51% said they are taking a class this upcoming interterm. Out of those students, 21% marked that they are taking a class to get ahead on credits, 19% marked that they are taking a particular interterm class in order to graduate on time and 11% are taking an interterm class because it seemed fun.

Emily Chen, a junior piano performance and applied human physiology double major, stated that she would not be able to graduate on time without taking an interterm class each year. One specific class she recalled from freshman year was Medical Professions, a one-credit requirement for applied human physiology and health science majors that, until this year, has only been offered during interterm.

“I’m local, so it doesn’t matter as much,” said Chen. “But it’s sort of a downside for all the people who normally go home over break.”

For other students, such as senior strategic and corporate communications major Emily Wilf, interterm is an opportunity to complete their degree a semester early. This provides the chance to save money on tuition and jumpstart a professional career. 

However, there are obstacles in registering for an interterm class, including fewer classes offered and space limitations. 

Wilf’s minor, creative and cultural industries, is not offering courses during the 2026 interterm. 

“The only option for me was to do an independent study,” Wilf said, adding that the process was a logistical struggle.

Across disciplines, there are students like Wilf who feel the same pressure with interterm class registration as they do with the semester registration process.

Junior computer science major Donnie Militante said there are not enough seats offered for interterm classes within the Fowler School of Engineering. 

This year, there are five class sections for the Computer Science Colloquium, a required class for the majority of Fowler majors. Four sections have enrollment caps of 24 or fewer, and all five have a waitlist.

“We always have to go through a whole battle, just trying to beg our professors to get a bigger room,” he said.

For those not staying at Chapman during interterm, the length of winter break provides flexibility to return home, take on extra work shifts, visit family or simply relax.

While interterm may feel more like a necessity than an option for some students, it nevertheless provides the opportunity for students to make their own decisions about their academic pathways.