Winter Term

Oberlin provides a winter term each year to empower students to discover the value of self-directed education. Students may devise an individual project in collaboration with an Oberlin staff or faculty member, or participate in a group project that has been organized by Oberlin staff, faculty, or other students. These undertakings can happen on or off campus. The Office of Winter Term oversees these projects.

The central objective of this period is to continue the process of personal and academic discovery outside of the classroom.

Explore the on-campus experience

Do What You Love During Winter Term

February 10, 2014

The period between winter break and spring semester is an opportunity to take on new challenges—and to have fun doing it.
Call for Submissions: 2014 Winter Term Project Chronicles

January 3, 2014

The Office of Communications wants to know how you are spending winter term. We’d love to see your photos and video, read your blogs, and/or listen to your audio.
Researching Dental Health in Namibia

February 21, 2013

Premed student Richard McGuire is making important discoveries about the state of dental health in poor and underserved communities.
Delving Into Arizona's Mining History

February 20, 2013

While exploring Arizona's historic copper mines through a photojournalism project, senior Paris Achenbach discovered as much about her future as she did about the state's past and present.
Biology Major Volunteers at Public Health Organization

February 19, 2013

Senior Madeleine O’Meara reflects on her winter term spent working at the Mother’s Milk Bank of Denver.
Lacrosse Team Completes Winter Term Projects Around the World

February 13, 2013

While keeping up their training for the upcoming season, the members of the women’s lacrosse team completed winter term projects as varied as chemistry research, teaching outdoor skills to children in Lake Tahoe, and visiting the art museums of Paris.
Discovering Pro Bono Work

February 1, 2013

Jordan Buller-Doll explored her interests in writing, policy making, and the legal system in her first winter term as an intern working for the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland.
Religion Major Studies Yoga in India

January 29, 2013

Sponsored by Oberlin Shansi, junior Alexander Bianchi is studying ancient and modern components of Ashtanga yoga at the practice’s site of origin, Mysore, India.
Geology Student Takes Part in Philippines Mine Cleanup

January 25, 2013

Third-year geology student Angela Kwon went to the Philippines to study the environmental effects of waste from the country’s largest gold mine.
Encouraging Student-Alumni Ventures

January 22, 2013

The Creativity & Leadership Project is sponsoring the first LaunchU program, three intensive weeks that accelerate and encourage the development of Oberlin entrepreneurs.
Sustaining Endangered Languages

January 18, 2013

Jena Mauldin is taking part in the Recovering Voices project, a Smithsonian-led initiative that documents and preserves endangered languages around the world.
2013 Winter Term Hours

January 8, 2013

If you'll be on campus during winter term, you'll want to refer to the Oberlin OnCampus compilation of hours of operation for dining halls and other hot spots on campus.