January Term Overview
How many credits can I earn?
All January term projects are credit-bearing. Students earn 1-4 credits with the following approximate workload expectations for total time spent per week (including homework): 1 credit = 13.5 hours, 2 credits = 27 hours, 3 credits = 40 hours, 4 credits = 53.5 hours. All projects generate credits that count toward the 128 required for graduation, but only graded projects with a departmental prefix may count towards a major or minor. No projects this year will fill GenEd requirements.
What kind of project can I do?
Internship—on or off campus, local or away from Greensboro. Requires faculty sponsor.
Service Learning—project work with one of Guilford’s existing partners or at an alternate site. Requires faculty/staff sponsor.
Independent Project–a project proposed and executed by an individual student. Requires a sponsor and approval by a department chair.
Group Project—a project proposed by students or a faculty/staff member. Requires sponsor or mentor.
Seminar—on campus learning in a pre-approved project lead by a faculty or staff member. Some seminars will involve off-campus day and/or overnight excursions of up to 11 days.
Study Away—domestic USA and international study projects.
What are the official levels of faculty/staff support?
Sponsor—endorses an internship or project with minimal involvement and engagement. Minimum of 2-8 total contact hours per student across the entire term.
Mentor—endorses a project that demands student independence while also requiring extensive ongoing faculty/staff engagement and involvement. Minimum 13-53 contact hours with students across the entire term.
Leader—significant responsibility for project’s execution. Minimum 13-53 contact hours across the entire term.
What about the cost and availability of financial aid?
For traditional and CCE students, all projects incur fees above and beyond fall and spring tuition, room and board. These students cannot use their semester financial aid to defray costs, but all students attending Guilford may apply for special “January Term Grants” that will help pay for the experience. See below.
Early College students at Guilford have the option to participate in January Term opportunities, with the decision concerning participation and payment of tuition/fees made by students and parent/guardians. Families/students who choose to participate will work directly with Guilford College to register for January Term. Any credits earned during the January Term will be included on the respective student’s Guilford College transcript, not the Early College at Guilford high school transcript.
What about housing and food costs?
Traditional students who already live on campus and participate in projects that take place on campus for any time, are required to live in their semester housing, but must re-register for the January term housing in Banner; a meal plan is also required. Residence halls are open only to January term participants. Students will not receive campus housing for January Term only. Students on campus for 11 days or less will be charged a $25 utility fee. Those on campus for 12 days or more will be charged a $50 utility fee. All students on campus for 12+ days are required to purchase one of the following board plans: 60 meals @ $325, 52 meals @ $290, 42 meals @ $240, 30 meals @ $175. Those on campus 11 days or less may use one of the above OR 15 meals @ $85. Banner registration will remain open from October 1 until November 19, 2012. Additional information can be found here.
How do deposits work?
All projects require a deposit. Domestic study away or international study abroad deposits (ranging from $250-$1250) are due on or before Sept. 17th. See project descriptions for amounts. On final acceptance, the deposit becomes non-refundable and is credited to final costs. For on campus projects, a $250 non-refundable deposit (credited to final program costs) is due on or before Nov. 19. Payable to Guilford College by check or credit card. All deposits must be delivered to Student Accounts by 5pm.
What is the policy on program costs refunds?
Refund policies vary from program to program with a short window for withdrawal that often closes long before the start of the project. Students who withdraw after that period will be charged from between 25% -100% of the project cost. For refund schedules of study away/abroad, consult study abroad staff and partner web sites. On-campus projects costs are fully refundable (excepting deposits) until day two of the January term, after which the student is responsible for full cost.
What is a January Term Grant?
It is a modest amount of money granted as a tuition discount at an average range of 10-15%, for which students must apply. Awards are competitive, limited, and based on demonstrated need . Applications available online at the January term web site. Completed applications must be emailed to Jeff Favolise (favoliseje@guilford.edu) by Friday, October 12 @ 5:00pm.
