Classes added for winter season

Students may want to hold off on planning a vacation this winter with Palomar’s addition of a roster full of courses.

The college’s decision to switch to a compressed academic calendar this year, meaning that semesters are now 16 weeks instead of the standard 18, has created an opportunity for students to enroll in courses during winter intersession.

Winter intersession will last four weeks from Jan. 3-27 and students have the option to enroll into introductory courses in subjects such as American Sign Language and speech.

More than 40 classes are available during intersession and can be found on the class schedule through the colleges website.

“Students can pick up that extra class that may allow them to graduate or transfer earlier, or pick up that skill that will assist them in the workplace,” Vice President of Instructional Services Dan Sourbeer said.

Students should keep in mind that all units taken during intersession will count towards the 19-unit maximum allowed in the following spring semester. However, there is an option that allows them to petition to go over the unit maximum but it’s not as simple as it seems.

“The review is a comprehensive examination of the individual student’s academic record,” said Sourbeer.

This includes looking at prior and recent academic performance, subject/course specific performance, consideration for extenuating circumstances and any previous use of resources like tutoring in order to gauge the likelihood of success.

“Lastly, the need and urgency of the request is considered,” Sourbeer said.

Since the intersession is under a very compressed time frame, only a limited number of courses can be offered. The department chairs and faculty make a determination as to what courses can be reasonably and successfully completed by students during the four-week time frame.

However, since there does appear to be significant student interest, more classes could be added sooner rather than later.

“There is certainly the opportunity to grow the intersession, even this coming January,” Sourbeer said. “As classes fill and wait lists are evaluated, we can add classes if instructors are available.”

It’s not just students that are liking the idea of a winter intersession, teacher’s such as Alan Trujillo, an oceanography professor, are excited as well.

“I think it’s a great idea!,” Trujillo said. “It allows a student to take a complete full semester-length class in only four weeks, so a student can really dive in and focus on a single topic.”

Trujillo is offering an online course in oceanography during intersession, but acknowledges it won’t be easy completing a semesters worth of information in only four weeks. Trujillo said the compressed courses aren’t for everybody and that students need to be diligent to cover a weeks worth of information in just one day.

“It’s intense and goes quickly, but some students like that,” Trujillo said.

Registration for both winter intersession and the spring semester begin Oct. 31.