Winter Term

Receiving Credit for a Project

To receive credit for winter term, students must meet the deadlines and follow these three steps:

  1. Register for a project
  2. Complete the project (reporting any changes as instructed)
  3. Report to the sponsor the completion of the project.

If a student follows the guidelines (and meets the posted deadlines), he or she should have a problem-free winter term. If something should go wrong, the most important step is to correct it immediately. It is especially important for students in their final year of enrollment at Oberlin to check their transcripts to confirm that their credits for winter term are correctly entered, and to determine if they need to complete an additional project during their final January of enrollment. Students may be denied graduation over unregistered Winter Term projects.

Even if a student is not close to graduation, students and advisors are strongly encouraged to check the student’s transcript and make sure all is in order. At the same time, students should think about any plans they have that might complicate the completion of Winter Term requirements, such as being abroad one semester or on leave. Anticipated problems can usually be resolved by speaking with the appropriate dean (Elizabeth Clerkin in the college; Mary K. Gray in the conservatory).

A note on the transcript students will receive at spring semester enrollment

The transcript a student receives for spring semester enrollment should show the registration number, project type (individual/group) and credit (1.0 or 0.5) for just completed Winter Term projects. Following the amount of credit, this transcript will read "In Progress," as faculty sponsors will not yet have submitted grades.

If this transcript does not show the information listed above, the student did not register properly (see Appealing a Problem). In March or April, the student will receive a winter-term verification card from the Academic Advising Resource Center/Registrar showing the project title and the grade earned for the project (Y for completed; N for not completed).

Appealing a Problem

If a student or advisor detects a problem (e.g., project not listed on the January transcript, wrong amount of credit, or an unexpected grade on the verification card), the student should consult first with the sponsor.

If the problem is the result of not following a posted deadline or guideline, the student must appeal to the appropriate dean for a resolution (Elizabeth Clerkin in the college; Mary Kay Gray in the conservatory). If the problem is resolved, a student may then present their materials to the Academic Advising Center/Registrar for entry on the transcript.

A student should present the appeal in the form of a written explanation of the situation, together with supporting information (such as a letter from the project director, when applicable) and a memo from the sponsor, contributing what they know about the project.

The appeal must be made to the appropriate dean by the end of classes in the spring semester immediately following the winter term in question.

If a student will be short of the required winter-term credits for graduation, the student must appeal to the appropriate dean to make up the missing credits. In the College of Arts and Sciences, this will normally be accomplished by the student completing a summer winter term.