What are the benefits of taking an 8-week class?

• Students can take two to three classes at a time, earning the same number of credits in a semester which provides more opportunities to start classes
• Students are less likely to have conflicts since class is a shorter 8-week term
• Students can avoid burnout with fewer assignments and deadlines to juggle over the 8-week term
• Students receive intensive class contact time over the shorter period, developing a stronger relationship with other students and instructors

How do 8-week classes work?

• 8-week classes cover the same content and learning outcomes as the 16-week classes at LBCC. Basically, the intensive 8-week classes will meet more often than 16-week classes, allowing students to complete the class in half the time.
• Two 8-week sessions are offered in Fall Semester and two 8-week sessions in Spring Semester.

How many classes can I take in an 8-week session?

• LBCC recommends that students take 2-3 classes each 8-week session. For example, you may want to take three classes in the first 8 weeks and two classes in the second 8 weeks. Keep in mind these classes condense the content of a regular 16-week term into just 8 weeks, so the goal is to take fewer classes at a time.

Who might be interested in taking this course? 

• This option is best suited for students who are balancing school along with work and family responsibilities. These students may find focusing on fewer classes means a more manageable schedule. Additionally, students wishing to complete their degree or certificate more quickly may also be interested in shorter-term classes.

How will my financial aid be affected with 8-week classes?

• According to federal regulations, financial aid can only be disbursed to students 10 days before the start of classes. For students enrolled full-time in a semester made up of two 8-week sections, their financial aid will be initially paid at the part-time student rate during the first 8-week section. Once the second 8-week courses have started, their financial aid disbursements will be adjusted upwards to the full-time status. This is because students cannot receive financial aid at the start of the semester for both the first and second 8-week sections, as the classes in the second 8-week section have not yet begun.
  • Let’s consider the example of Ole Viking, a full-time student in the Spring semester. Ole is registered for 12 units, with 6 units in the first 8-week session and 6 units in the second 8-week session. He is awarded full-time financial aid for the Spring term. Ole begins attending his first 8-week courses on February 5th and will be disbursed financial aid for the 6 units he is currently taking. However, since his second 8-week classes don’t begin until April 8th, the earliest he can be disbursed financial aid for those classes is March 29th, which is 10 days prior to the start of the second 8-week session. Additionally, starting on March 29th, Ole’s financial aid will be adjusted and disbursed upward to reflect his full-time enrollment for the Spring term. Therefore, Ole will not lose any financial aid funds by enrolling in 8-week classes, but the full-time financial aid disbursements will be delayed until his second 8-week classes begin.
• Connect with Financial Aid today to get more information or learn more about how to apply for financial aid funds.

Do I need to enroll in both 8-week sessions at once?

• Yes. It is important to register for the entire semester which includes both 8-week sessions. Registering early for both 8-week sessions at the same time will ensure that you get the courses that work best for your schedule.
• Plus, your enrollment status (i.e. full-time, part-time) is determined based on the total number of credit hours that you are registered for in the full semester. If you are using financial aid, this enrollment status determines the type and amount of financial aid you are eligible to receive.
• Once you are registered for classes, you should contact your counselor or Financial Aid if you need to make changes to your schedule.

What will be the dates for adding, dropping, or withdrawing from 8-week classes?

• The 8-week sessions have different dates for adding, dropping or withdrawing than the full 16-week term. You should become familiar with these dates prior to the start of the term so you can make informed decisions about schedule changes after classes begin. Dates will be posted on the Important Class Registration Deadlines page. Remember, everything about the 8-week classes is accelerated – meaning the window to add, drop or withdraw will also be shorter.

How many credit hours will I get for an 8-week class?

• Credit hours for your classes will not change. For example, if you take two three-credit classes in an 8-week format, you will earn six credit hours. You are still learning the same content with the same learning outcomes – just in a shortened amount of time.

How much time will I spend in class? How long will my classes be?

• The number of required hours for each class will not change. Instead, those hours will be covered in a shorter amount of time, 8-weeks versus 16-weeks. At the same time, you will be taking fewer simultaneous classes to allow you to focus on those classes.

Will I have to do the same amount of work in 8-week sessions as I would in 16-week sessions?

• The content of each course stays the same in 8-week sessions but the pace of the work is quicker. But by taking half as many classes at once, you can devote more of your attention and energy to each class.

Will my instructor answer my emails and questions in a timely fashion?

• Yes! In 8-week classes, both students and faculty can focus on fewer courses at once. This allows them to devote more of their time, attention, and energy to achieving the best possible educational outcome for our students.

Can I still be a full-time student while taking 8-week classes?

• Full-time status is achieved by taking at least 12 semester credits in a long semester (combination of 16-week, first 8-week, and second 8-week classes). As long as you register for a total of 12 credit hours, you will still be a full-time student.

If my degree plan was redesigned, will I have to start over or will I lose the semester credits for the classes I have already taken?

• Absolutely not! Your degree plan catalog year will not change unless you ask us to change it for you. But if you do not want to follow the new degree plan, we highly encourage you to use the 2023-2024 academic maps as a guide when planning your schedule to ensure you are taking classes when they will be offered.

Is LBCC eliminating 12 and 16-week classes?

• No. We are expanding our 8-week offerings, not eliminating 12-week and 16-week courses. For fall 2024, we aim to offer 50% of our total sections in the 8-week format. Not every department is expected to offer 50% of their offerings in the 8-week format. We will evaluate the expansion of 8-week offerings using course success and completion data.  We continue to provide more options for our diverse students who have a variety of needs.