A message from President Friedberg regarding Session based classes

Additional advice to students regarding session format. (PDF)

Dear DeVry Student:
Registration for Spring 2008 is currently open for continuing students.  As you select classes for next term, you'll no doubt notice that the number of session-based (8-week) classes offered this term has increased.  All general education and math classes and many technical classes are now offered in an 8-week session format.  The remainder of technical classes will transition to 8-week sessions in the coming terms.  Exceptions will be senior project classes, MGMT 439 and some science courses.

Think 2 + 2
DeVry continues to have three semesters per year, but each semester will be subdivided into two 8-week sessions.  You should plan to take two or three classes each session.  This will allow you to focus on fewer topics at a time, so you really immerse yourself in the material and learn it well.  Together, your Session A and Session B classes will add up to full-time student status.  The Standard Plans of Study have been redesigned to help you plan your remaining coursework and graduate on time.

Our new 8-week schedule lines up with the center and DeVry Online schedules, so you can more easily take classes at whatever location suits your needs.

Recommendation: Register for both Session A and Session B classes now. 

This will ensure that you have enough financial aid to cover the whole semester.  Financial aid will continue to be disbursed at the beginning of Session A.

Two Kinds of Session-Based Classes
8-week session classes will be offered in two different formats:

• Compressed.  These classes meet the same number of hours as a 15-week class but in half the time.  These classes typically meet 2 – 4 times per week, so expect to have some homework every night.
• Accelerated (or Blended).  These classes meet 60 percent of the hours of a 15-week class, with an additional 2 - 3 hours of learning activities on your own time.  These classes are often called "blended” classes because they blend face-to-face scheduled class time with independent learning on your own time.  This blend gives you the best of both worlds.

See your dean or an academic advisor to learn which classes in your program will be offered compressed and which will be offered accelerated.  You can also pick up a new Standard Plan of Study.

Why the Move to Session-Based Classes?

More and more classes are scheduled in either of these two 8-week formats for several reasons:

• You'll be working with the course material and the instructor several times per week, which will help you learn faster and better.  Your classes will meet 1 – 4 times per week (depending on the class) and you'll have a number of independent learning activities to do and report back on each week.  Ideally, you should plan to do some homework every day, which means you'll be learning in a focused and sustained way.
• "Blended learning” gives you the best of both worlds.  This format seems to be good for learning because you have the opportunity to meet with your instructor and classmates for face-to-face discussions, labs, and group work, but you can also do some of the learning activities yourself at a time that's convenient to you.
• With the 2+2 session format, you'll focus on only 2 (or 3) courses at a time.  Since you'll divide your normal full-time load of 4 – 6 classes in half, taking only 2 or 3 classes per session (up to 6 classes per semester), you can concentrate on a few topics, again for more focused and sustained learning.
• DeVry students do equally well in 8-week classes as in 15-week classes.  Many more students enroll in 8-week session classes, especially accelerated ones, regularly enroll more students than the traditional 15-week classes do, so it seems that students prefer shorter, more intense classes.  Moreover, analysis indicates that DeVry students succeed equally well in 8-week session classes as they do in 15-week standard classes.

Support is Available

If you're not already used to 8-week session classes, you may have to adjust your study habits somewhat.  Support is available in the Academic Advising Office at 630-652-8366 (Room 264) and the Academic Support Center at 630-652-8365 (Room 244).  
 

If you have any questions or concerns about the transition to 8-week "blended learning” classes, please get in touch with me, with your deans, or with the academic advisors.

Susan Lerner Friedberg, Ph.D.

President

DuPage Campus of DeVry University