Students are required to earn Middlebury credits during two winter terms.

Find more information about the current winter term.

First Winter Term

All first-year students must enroll in a winter term course their first winter term at Middlebury. This includes both September and February matriculates.

Second Winter Term 

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.)

Opting Out of Winter Term

Students may opt out of winter term but they still need to go through the registration process.

Independent Work

Students with eight 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.

Winter Term Internships

See the Center for Careers and Internships for details and deadlines about winter term internships.