Students are required to earn Middlebury credits during two winter terms. All first-year students must enroll in a winter term course their first winter term at Middlebury. This includes both September and February matriculates. The second credit may be earned by enrolling in a winter term course, a credit-bearing independent project, a credit-bearing internship, or by studying abroad and earning winter term equivalent credit. (A minimum of two and a maximum of four winter term courses will count toward the graduation requirement of 36 course credits.)
Independent Projects (0500 Work)
Students with 8 or more credits may submit a proposal to their faculty sponsor for on or off-campus winter term independent work either as a continuation of their major or minor or as work outside of their major or minor as long as:
- You have not completed more than two units of winter term independent work; and
- You have received the approval of the chair or director of that department or program in which the work will be completed.
Students are not allowed to pursue independent projects during their first winter term.
How to Apply: Contact the Department Chair/Director of the Department or Program in which the work will be done to request their guidelines.
Deadline: October 23, 2009 – submit proposals to Faculty Sponsor.
Additional Winter Term Options
Winter Term Internships
Winter Term internships are designed to involve significant high-level exposure to the fundamental work of an established profession. Internship information is available through the Career Services Office, which is responsible for determining whether the proposed internship is of sufficient scope to be of value and to assess the results of the internship experience. The Career Services Office works in conjunction with the Curriculum Committee on winter term internships. The student must provide written confirmation of the project from an on-site supervisor who is willing to write an assessment of the student’s work as an intern. Students in approved winter term internships spend a minimum of 25 hours per week at their internship site. At the end of the internship, the student, the on-campus academic sponsor, and the on-site work supervisor must submit evaluation reports to the winter term internship coordinator. Internships are graded Credit/No Credit. Students with less than 8 credits may not undertake internships, and students who take more than one internship in four years should elect them in substantially different fields. A student may not repeat the same winter term internship for credit. Students who participate in winter term internships are not eligible for financial reimbursement for the internship. A relative may not function as an internship supervisor. If the internship is to be taken in a foreign country, the committee will expect competence in the language of the country. Information on internships is available from the Career Services Office (contact Tim Mosehauer, ext 5105).
Deadline: October 23, 2009. Study Abroad
Proposals for study abroad in an accredited program for winter term credit must be submitted to International Programs and Off-Campus Study in the Sunderland Language Center. These proposals do NOT need to be submitted to the Curriculum Committee.
Deadline: October 16, 2009.
Opting Out of Winter Term
Students who elect not to participate in winter term MUST still participate in winter term registration by enrolling in the No-Credit, "Opt-Out" option. Students registering for this No-Credit option will not receive academic credit during winter term, and will not be eligible to remain on campus. This option is not available to students who are participating in their first winter term, i.e., students who entered Middlebury in the Spring or Fall of 2009. Students participating as a member of a Middlebury College winter team sport MUST be enrolled in an academic credit-bearing course during winter term.
Questions can be directed to Janis Audet, Assistant in Academic Administration, at jaudet@middlebury.edu or at x2207.