Comparison of Quarter System
to Semester System
Telephone Numbers
Pacific Union College
Admissions
U.S.A. 800-862-7080
International 707-965-6658
Department of Business
Administration and Economics
Telephone 707-965-6238
Fax 707-965-6237
 
Total Number of Credit Hours Required for Graduation
Number of Weeks Per Session Including Finals Week
Total Number of Sessions Per Year
Total Number of School Weeks Per Year
Quarter Hours
192
11
3
33
Semester Hours
128
16+
2
33


Graduation requirements in terms of amount of study are typically the same for a quarter system and a semester system.To graduate from PUC in four years without summer school attendance, you will need to average 16 hours each quarter. Four years x three quarters x sixteen hours per quarter = (4x3x16) = 192.
One semester hour equals 1.5 quarter hours or 1 quarter hour equals .6667 semester hours.

Typical graduation requirements are 192 quarter hours under a quarter system and 128 semester units under a semester system.
192 quarter credits divided by 1.5 = 128 semester credits.
128 semester credits multiplied by 1.5 = 192 quarter credits.

What Does a 16 Credit Hour Load Usually Mean?
Attend classes usually for a total of 16, 50 minute periods per week.
Study for classes a total of about 32 hours per week or 2 hours study for each hour in class.
Most classes are 3-4 credit hours, but some are 1, 2, or 5 credit hours
A 3 credit hour class usually meets for 3, 50 minute periods per week, but it might meet once a week for about 3 hours.
A 4 credit hour class usually meets for 4, 50 minute periods per week
A laboratory that meets each week during the quarter for a 3 hour lab usually gets 1 hour of credit.

Calendar Timing for Semester and Quarter Systems During a Typical Academic School Year
Quarter System
Dates for Pacific Union College
Autumn Quarter
Sept 24 to Dec 12
Winter Quarter
Jan 6 to March 20
Spring Quarter
March 31 to June 15
Summer Session
June 23 to Aug 14
Semester System
Approximate Dates
Fall or Autumn Semester
August 28 to Dec 15
Spring semester
January 20 to June 1
Summer Session
June 15 to Aug 1