<P> The quarter system divides the calendar year into four quarters , three of which constitute a complete academic year . Quarters are typically 10 -- 12 weeks long so that three quarters amount to 30 -- 36 weeks of instruction . Approximately 20 % of universities are on the quarter system . Most colleges that use the quarter system have a fall quarter from late September to mid-December , a winter quarter from early January to mid-March , a spring quarter from late March or early April to mid-June , and an optional summer session . Notable users of the quarter system include the University of California system ( excluding Berkeley , Merced , the UCLA medical school , and all of the system 's law schools ) , Stanford , the University of Chicago , Dartmouth College , Northwestern University , University of Washington , the University of Oregon , and DePaul University . Union College uses a modified quarter system : fall , winter , and spring terms are each eleven weeks long ; there are some summer classes , but there is no official summer quarter . Because Union 's calendar makes use of just three of four quarters , the three academic terms are generally ( and somewhat misleadingly to outsiders ) dubbed `` trimesters , '' which they are not . Another notable and somewhat unique user of the quarter system is Baylor Law School : it operates on the quarter system while the remaining colleges of Baylor University operate on the semester system . </P>
<P> The quarter system divides the calendar year into four quarters , three of which constitute a complete academic year . Quarters are typically 10 -- 12 weeks long so that three quarters amount to 30 -- 36 weeks of instruction . Approximately 20 % of universities are on the quarter system . Most colleges that use the quarter system have a fall quarter from late September to mid-December , a winter quarter from early January to mid-March , a spring quarter from late March or early April to mid-June , and an optional summer session . Notable users of the quarter system include the University of California system ( excluding Berkeley , Merced , the UCLA medical school , and all of the system 's law schools ) , Stanford , the University of Chicago , Dartmouth College , Northwestern University , University of Washington , the University of Oregon , and DePaul University . Union College uses a modified quarter system : fall , winter , and spring terms are each eleven weeks long ; there are some summer classes , but there is no official summer quarter . Because Union 's calendar makes use of just three of four quarters , the three academic terms are generally ( and somewhat misleadingly to outsiders ) dubbed `` trimesters , '' which they are not . Another notable and somewhat unique user of the quarter system is Baylor Law School : it operates on the quarter system while the remaining colleges of Baylor University operate on the semester system . </P>
how many weeks is a quarter in college
how many weeks is a quarter in college
typically 10 -- 12 weeks
typically 10 -- 12 weeks