Colorado College: The Block Plan

Colorado(-ˈradō,ˌkäləˈrädō) College: The Block Plan

Four blocks a semester(səˈmestər). Eight blocks a year. Four years total. Thirty-two blocks at CC.

Want to study for your biology(bīˈäləjē) midterm without worrying about filming your documentary(ˌdäkyəˈment(ə)rē), reading 72 pages of The Odyssey(ˈädəsē), or training your psychology rat(rat)?

Why not take just one class at a time?

Introduced in 1970, Colorado College’s “Block Plan” is an intensive(inˈtensiv) and immersive(iˈmərsiv) academic schedule that allows students to engage with a single subject for three and a half weeks. With this, CC students are not required to juggle(ˈjəgəl) multiple subjects throughout a semester. The entire college runs one block at a time, with each block covering the same amount of material(məˈti(ə)rēəl) as a semester system.

The result? Students can choose to study the film industry on location in Hollywood, then find Jupiter(ˈjo͞opədər) during evening labs in Barnes observatory(əbˈzərvəˌtôrē), or traverse(trəˈvərs) the natural wonders(ˈwəndər) of the Southwest as a field(fēld) archaeologist(ˌärkēˈäləjəst). Classes are small, hands-on, and highly focused.

Love your current class? Great! Or maybe you find yourself ready for your next block? No worries, it’ll be over in three and a half weeks and you’ll have gained(gān) a semester’s worth of course material. It’s a win-win. Not to mention(ˈmenCHən) block breaks…

https://www.coloradocollege.edu/basics/blockplan/