Pacific Lutheran University uses a 4-1-4 calendar, which consists of two 15-week semesters bridged by a four-week January Term. The January Term’s intensive, four-week format is designed to offer students a unique pedagogical opportunity. It supports study away, in-depth focus on a single theme or topic, and the use of student-centered and active-learning pedagogies. The January Term’s intensive format also supports other pedagogical activities that contribute to building an intentional culture of learning inside and outside the classroom. It offers an opportunity for an intensive First-Year Experience Program (FYEP) that combines rigorous academic study with co-curricular activities that serve the goals of the First-Year program—thinking, literacy and community. Further, the January Term offers the opportunity to orient students to PLU’s mission, support them in understanding how they position themselves within the PLU community and the world, and support them as they embrace their role as active citizens.
Course credit is computed by semester hours. The majority of courses are offered for four semester hours. Each undergraduate degree candidate must complete a minimum of 128 semester hours with an overall grade point average of 2.00. Departments or schools may set higher grade point requirements.
Degree requirements are specifically stated in this catalog. Students are responsible for becoming familiar with these requirements and meeting them.
