Winter Session 2019 Timeline & FAQs

(Subject to revision and updates)

Course Proposal Deadlines

  • September 28, 2018 — Proposals due (signed by Department Chair, College budget analyst, and College Dean)
  • Nov. 1, 2018 — Textbooks and course material requests due to bookstore

Course Dates/Grade Deadlines

  • Dec. 3, 2018 — Faculty contracts sent out
  • Jan. 2, 2019 — Courses start
  • Jan. 4, 2019 — Registration ends
  • Jan. 19, 2019 — Courses end
  • Jan. 21, 2019 — Grades due (11 pm deadline)

Frequently Asked Questions

General Information

Who is managing the pilot Winter Session?
Winter Session courses will be administered by the College of Extended Studies, in partnership with the academic colleges, Academic Affairs, and Enrollment Services. This pilot program will have a limited number of courses and will be used as a test for the viability of expanding the number of course offerings in ensuing years. The faculty and student experience will be measured and reviewed, and students who complete courses will also be contacted during the following spring semester to determine the impact of Winter Session on their spring semester. Every effort will be made to ensure that Winter Session positively impacts student success, and meets the goal of increasing graduation rates.

What are the dates for Winter Session 2019?
Winter Session will run weekdays, Jan. 2-19.

What delivery method is allowed for Winter Session courses?
Courses offered may be face-to-face, hybrid, or fully online.

Who can take Winter Session courses?
Winter Session is available to current SDSU students, high school graduates, non-SDSU students, and working professionals.

Are international students able to enroll in Winter Session?
Yes. International students from other institutions must maintain their visa status at their home institution, and must meet the SDSU TOEFL requirement.

Proposal Process

What courses can/should be offered during the Winter Session?
An important strategic goal of Winter Session is to increase graduation rates. With this in mind, colleges and departments should consider upper-division courses that are likely to result in students attaining the desired outcome in the allotted amount of time. The focus should be on one-, two-, or three-credit courses that would be reasonable to deliver within the compressed time-frame and truly help students toward their completion objectives. It is recommended that courses with prerequisites not be offered during this pilot program.

Depending on the needs of the student population within a particular college, examples of courses to be considered for Winter Session could be rarely offered courses, bottleneck courses — especially those needed to complete major requirements, remedial courses, repeats for course forgiveness, high-demand electives, and courses that would work for gaining credit versus in-depth content. Whichever courses a College might consider, we recommend a strategic review of the likelihood for student success.

Who is best suited to teach a course during Winter Session?
Faculty and lecturers who have previously completed the Course Design Institute through ITS, or the CES Teaching Online Primer course, and have already taught the course in a condensed format are best suited for the Winter Session pilot. 

Will there be a limit on the number of course sections that departments may offer?
There are no limits to the number of courses a department may offer. Decisions should be made by the department based on student needs.

What forms are needed to propose a course?
The Winter Session Course Section Request Form. Please note that all proposals will require signatures from the Department Chair, College budget analyst (to verify overload limits), and the College Dean prior to submission to CES. Proposals should be emailed to wintersession.ces@sdsu.edu.

What is the deadline to submit course proposals?
Course proposals are due by Friday, September 28, 2018.

Scheduling

How many hours per day?
1-unit courses meet for 1 hour, 25 minutes per day.
2-unit courses meet for 2 hours, 45 minutes per day.
3-unit courses meet 4 hours, 10 minutes per day.

Please refer to the scheduling guidelines in the Curriculum Guide for an understanding of expectations for student work outside of the class environment.

When should face-to-face courses be scheduled?
Monday through Friday between 8 am-9 pm. Any times outside these hours are subject to approval (depending on facilities support).

What are the time and scheduling expectations for online/hybrid courses?
All online or hybrid courses should provide the same number of instructional hours as face-to-face courses. Hybrid and synchronous online courses should follow the suggested schedule for face-to-face courses.

When will the finalized course schedule be available?
The schedule will be available Thursday, Nov. 1, on the College of Extended Studies website.

Student Fees & Registration

What is the per unit cost for Winter Session?
$281 per undergraduate unit and $340 per graduate unit.

Are employee tuition waivers/discounts available during Winter Session?
Tuition waivers and discounts are not available.

Are students able to use financial aid during Winter Session?
No separate financial aid is available for Winter Session. However, students may be able to apply a portion of their fall and/or spring disbursements toward Winter Session tuition. Please contact the Financial Aid department for any FA related questions.

When does student registration open?
Student registration will open on Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018.

How will students register?
Students will register online through the College of Extended Studies, over the phone, or in person at:

CES Registration and Enrollment Services Office
SDSU Gateway Center Building, Hardy Avenue entrance.
5250 Campanile Dr., San Diego, CA 92182

When is the registration deadline?
Jan. 4, 2019

Do normal prerequisites apply to Winter Session courses?
Yes, however it is recommended that courses requiring prerequisites not be offered during this Winter Session pilot program.

Are there enrollment caps for course sections during Winter Session?
Yes, enrollment caps are identified in the program proposal process and approved by the Department Chair and Dean.

What is the maximum number of units a student can register for during Winter Session?
Students are allowed to register for a maximum of 3 units during the 2019 Winter Session pilot.

Will courses have wait lists?
Yes, wait lists will be first come, first served. (No prerequisites or major requirement checking in the CES wait list process.)

Will matriculated SDSU students receive priority registration?
No, when registration opens any interested students will be able to register on a first come, first served basis.

What are the add/drop/refund policies?

Courses may be dropped online, by phone, or in person at the Registration and Enrollment Services Office.

  • Dec. 31, 2018 — Last day to drop (full refund less $21)
  • Jan. 4, 2019 — Last day to drop (65% refund, less $21 plus ASB/Student Union fees)
  • Jan. 5, 2019 — Beginning of withdrawal period, with no refund, and "W" on transcript

Drop/Refund/ Withdrawal requests made after the last day of class will be by petition only for serious and compelling reasons.

Online Course Development Support

Is it permissible to convert face-to-face courses to online or hybrid formats?
Yes, however, for the 2019 Winter Session Pilot it is suggested that any courses to be offered in an online format already be converted and have been previously delivered in an online format (e.g. Summer Session). It is also suggested that all faculty teaching an online course need to have completed faculty training for online course delivery.

Can courses be taught in an asynchronous format?
Yes. This format is typical for online courses.

What support can CES provide?
CES has instructional designers prepared to work with faculty to guide the online course development process and train faculty in online course delivery.

How long will it take to convert a course for online delivery?
Typically, the process takes 8-12 weeks, but this may vary based on the readiness of faculty and materials. The process must begin by Sept. 15, 2018.

What is the deadline for online courses to be adapted for Winter Session?
Six weeks prior to the first day of class (Nov. 15, 2018).

What platform will students use to access the course?
Winter Session will utilize the SDSU Blackboard Learning Management system.

Faculty Assignments, Contracts, & Compensation

What is the faculty compensation rate for Winter Session courses?
Faculty will be paid according to the Special Sessions 2322 salary schedule based on enrollment, course units, and faculty rank. Example: An associate professor teaching a 3-unit course with 20 students would receive $2,506/unit, or $7,518.

How do we determine if a course will be canceled due to low enrollment?
As this is a pilot for Winter Session, every effort will be made to offer all approved courses once the schedule is posted.

How many units can faculty teach during the Winter Session?
Faculty teaching assignments must be approved by the Department Chair and Dean. Please refer to the budget office of your your sponsoring college to determine overload limits are not exceeded.

Are Teaching Associates eligible to teach Winter Session?
Decisions about TA eligibility should be addressed by individual departments.

Who is responsible for generating faculty contracts?
The College of Extended Studies will prepare and send all contracts by Dec. 3, 2018.

When will faculty receive compensation for Winter Session teaching assignments?
Faculty pay will be processed immediately following the end of Winter Session. It is anticipated that instructors will receive compensation within 4 to 6 weeks.

When are grades due for Winter Session?
Grades are due by 11 pm on Monday, Jan. 21, 2019.

Additional Information

Questions?
For additional information, please email wintersession.ces@sdsu.edu or call (619) 594-0670.