semester

A semester is one of the main divisions of the academic year used by many schools and universities to organize teaching and study. Each semester comprises instructional weeks during which courses meet, followed by assessments or examinations. The term comes from the Latin semestris, meaning half-year, reflecting that it is roughly half of an academic year.

Duration and calendar vary by country and institution. In many universities, the academic year is divided into fall and spring semesters, with a shorter summer term available in some programs. A typical semester runs about 15 to 18 weeks of instruction, plus an exam or evaluation period. Some institutions operate on a quarter system with shorter terms, while others use a trimester model. The exact start and end dates depend on the institution.

Credit and workload: In the United States, students commonly enroll in 12 to 18 credit hours per semester; courses are usually 3 or 4 credits each. In Europe, the semester is often worth 30 ECTS credits, representing a total workload of roughly 15 to 20 hours of study per week. Grades, transcripts, and degree progress are typically tracked on a per-semester basis.

Semesters are widely used to structure progression toward degrees, influence scheduling, and coordinate with academic calendars and funding. While common in higher education, the term and its exact meaning vary by country and institution.