Why is RIT moving to the flexible 5×3 semester system instead of the 4×4 semester model recommended by the faculty and staff?
• RIT currently operates under a 4×4 quarter system in which students take an average of 4 courses per quarter each of which meets 4 hours a week. Thus students have approximately 16 hours of instruction per week for 30 weeks during the academic year. We have chosen a flexible 5×3 model allowing for courses to be offered as either 3 hour courses or 4 hour courses over a 4×4 semester model because the total number of courses taken in a typical degree program is greater for the 5×3 model. This model therefore provides more course variety and diversity over the course of a student’s program. In a typical year under this system, students will have approximately 16 hours of instruction per week for 30 weeks, the same as in the current quarter system. In addition, a substantial majority of colleges and universities operate under the 5×3 semester model, and adoption of this model will make easier a number of interactions with other institutions including student and credit transfers. Finally,
