Central Piedmont has remained dedicated to discovering innovative ways to help you persist and complete your studies. The college has been hard at work, reviewing best practices for how students across the state and country are achieving success (and completing!) within accelerated, remote learning environments during COVID-19.

Our Findings

What we’ve learned is students have higher success rates in compressed, short-session courses, compared to full-semester length (16-week) courses. This is especially true among part-time students. Students in short-session courses have demonstrated improved time management skills, better focus and motivation, and improved knowledge retention.

With this in mind, Central Piedmont will offer more eight-week learning sessions in spring 2021. 

Pilot programs
The college is currently identifying which programs and courses will be included in the spring short-session pilot program. To date, the following programs and courses have been recommended for the pilot (others may be added):

• Associate in Arts (Students in the 2020-2021 49erNext cohort as well as other AA courses)
• Automotive Systems Technology
• Business Administration
• Collision Repair & Refinishing
• Criminal Justice Technology
• Diesel & Heavy Equipment Technology
• Early Childhood Education
• Interior Design
• Medical Office Administration
• Office Administration
• Simulation & Game Development
• Welding Technology.

How it will work

Beginning Jan. 11, students would still return to campus for face-to-face courses, online courses, or a combination of both in-person and online courses; however, students enrolled in the above programs would have the option of enrolling in: traditional 16-week courses AND/OR multiple short-session (eight-week) courses scheduled during the first eight-week session of the semester (Jan. 11 – March 5) or during the second eight-week session of the semester (March 15 – May 11). By enrolling in short-session courses, these students would be able to earn the same amount of credits in less time. 

Student benefits

The short-session learning schedule has a number of proven benefits. If you’re enrolled in one of the above programs this spring, and decide to enroll in multiple eight-week courses during the first and second half of the semester, you will be able to:

• identify more classes that better fit your schedule (both 16-week and eight-week sessions will be available)
• experience a break between March 6 and 14, allowing you more time to adjust your schedules ahead of the next eight-week session
• experience constant pacing from term to term
• focus on fewer classes during each eight-week period
• earn stackable credentials to demonstrate your academic/career pathway to future employers
• have access to a quality education at the same great price
• complete your educational goals on time

 We hope offering more eight-week, short-session classes contributes to your success, providing you with more learning options that meet your busy schedule as you strive to achieve your academic goals and conquer possibility at Central Piedmont!

Registration for the spring 2021 semester is now open. A complete listing of spring 2021 classes, including details such as section, prerequisites, course descriptions, etc., are now available through Student Planning. Log into MyCollege to plan your class schedule. In addition, Corporate and Continuing Education course registration is ongoing.