Interim

During the month of January, faculty and students are permitted to concentrate on a single study project. These projects are designed to move beyond traditional classroom courses and teaching methods and to encourage innovative, experiential learning. Students are encouraged to step outside their comfort zone to explore new topics of interest. Interim projects are open to all students, so students do not necessarily need a full background of knowledge in the project's topic. Projects may be graded A-F or on an honors/pass/fail basis (H/P/U). Students annually enroll in on-campus projects, internships, service learning, or Travel/Study programs. Students are also able to propose independent study projects.

Wofford currently operates under the 4-1-4 academic calendar with the month of January dedicated to Interim. Each Wofford student must complete and pass four Interim projects (one for each full-time year or equivalent at Wofford) to graduate. Please review the Wofford College Catalog for details and exceptions to this policy.

Interim projects may be graded using the A-F scale or on an Honors (H)/Pass (P)/Unsatisfactory (U)   basis. H/P/U grades do not factor into the GPA, but all A-F grades do. Please see the Wofford College Catalog for other academic policies related to Interim.

On-campus tuition, room and board for Interim included in Wofford's tuition and fees. Most Interims, however, require additional fees for project-specific materials or other expenses.

Interim Travel/study programs carry a fee and other out-of-pocket expenses related to off-campus travel. Program-specific fees are posted on each program's brochure page. The college offers Wofford Travel Grants to assist with the cost of Interim travel and study. Grants typically range from $500 to $2,000. Financial need and academic merit are the principal considerations in awarding these grants. To be considered for a merit-only award, students must have at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA. Eligible students who apply to their program of choice by the stated deadline will automatically be considered for grants. In addition to Wofford College Travel Grants, students may also apply for other funding opportunities.

Estimated fees for Travel/Study programs are finalized by mid-August and billed in mid-October, with payment due in mid-November. Please see the Business Office’s overview of Billing & Key Payment dates here.

Each Interim project is to be self-sustaining financially, with any necessary project costs being borne by the students participating. In the case of projects involving major travel and living expenses, it is understood that the instructors' expenses are borne, on a pro-rated basis, by the student participants.

Yes, all Interim courses have capacity limits.

For on-campus Interims, capacity limits will vary by course, with class sizes typically ranging from 15-20 students. When registering for an on-campus Interim course, students will be able to view the specific course capacity.

In the case of Interim Faculty-Led Travel/Study programs, enrollment numbers typically range from a minimum of 16 to a maximum of 20 students per program, with some exceptions. If you have inquiries about the capacity limit for a particular faculty-led program, please reach out to the faculty program leader(s) or contact the Office of International Programs (OIP). Once a faculty-led program reaches its maximum capacity, it will be indicated on the Travel/Study Program Availability page under "Status."

For Interim Travel/Study programs organized by OIP providers such as CIEE, CET, CYA, Goethe-Institut, SSA, and API, the maximum capacity is generally set at 30 students per program, with some exceptions. There is no minimum enrollment requirement for Interim provider programs. If you have questions about the capacity limit for a specific Interim provider program, please contact the OIP. Once a provider program location reaches its maximum capacity, it will be reflected on the Travel/Study Program Availability page under "Status."

In the event a student wishes to drop an on-campus Interim project after the deadline, the student must visit the Office of the Registrar in person to do so; however, the student will remain liable for the course fee associated with the Interim course that was dropped, as well as any additional fee associated with the Interim course added.

In the event a student wishes to withdraw from an Interim Travel/Study program, they must submit a notice of their withdrawal via email to the Office of International Programs. If a student is withdrawing from an OIP-sponsored program operated by one of Wofford's study abroad partners, then the student should also submit a notice of their withdrawal to their study abroad program provider. Programs operated by Wofford's study abroad partners have established their own withdrawal and refund policies. Faculty-led travel/study programs adhere to the Withdrawal Policy for Faculty-Led Travel/Study programs. Students participating in faculty-led travel/study Interims should consult this policy for a refund schedule based on their date of withdrawal.

The college offers Wofford Travel Grants to assist with the cost of Interim Travel/Study programs. Financial need and academic merit are the principal considerations in awarding these grants. All eligible Interim Travel/Study applicants who apply to their program of choice by the stated deadline will be considered for these grants upon completion of a brief questionnaire as part of the program application. To be eligible for a travel grant, students must be in good social and academic standing with Wofford College. To be considered for a merit-only grant, students must have at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA. The awards typically range from $500 - $2,000 and are applied directly to the applicant's program fees. In addition to Wofford College Travel Grants, students may also apply for other funding opportunities as appropriate. 

First-year students are permitted to participate in Travel/Study programs sponsored by Wofford's faculty members or study abroad partners. They may also propose independent projects to be completed on campus or within the Spartanburg area.

Those not admitted to their first-choice program may elect to apply for a different travel/study program with available space. Students can select a new program from the Travel/Study Program Availability page, and the Office of International Programs can assist with transferring previously completed application materials over to a new program application.

Any Interim project may be canceled because of low enrollment or safety. Wofford College reserves the right to cancel or modify an Interim Travel/Study program if, solely in their best judgment, College officials conclude that unforeseen and/or immediate circumstances (including, but not limited to, natural disasters, political turmoil, global pandemic, or indisposition of sponsor) pose a risk to students, program leaders, or the integrity of the program. If a program is canceled, then the college will work to place the student in a new on-campus or Travel/Study program. Depending on the timing of the cancellation, placement in a new Travel/Study program may not be possible. Given the uncertainties and risks associated with travel, Wofford College highly recommends that all Interim Travel/Study participants purchase travel insurance. For more information, please consult the “Insurance” tab within your project's online brochure, which can be found on the Interim Travel/Study Project Availability page. 

Students participating in Interim Travel/Study programs offered through the College’s study abroad partners are responsible for purchasing their own airfare. Wofford College recommends that these students wait to purchase airfare until they have received confirmation of all departure and arrival details from their program. At this time, most programs have recommended waiting until approximately 30 days before the program’s start date to purchase flights, though they may make this purchase earlier if their program has sent confirmation of the final departure and arrival details. When students decide to make travel arrangements, we recommend they purchase flights directly from their airline of choice or a trusted travel agent. We strongly suggest purchasing flights with flexible booking policies that may cover any itinerary changes or cancellations.

Students participating in Wofford College faculty-led Travel/Study programs are not responsible for purchasing their airfare as the program travels as a group. Group flights are coordinated by the program’s faculty leaders, the details of which will be communicated to the students prior to the program’s departure.

Program participants are expected to familiarize themselves and comply with any location-specific entry requirements for their program's destination(s). Such requirements vary by destination, are determined by the destination's local government, and are subject to change without notice. All international destinations require a valid passport for entry, and other potential entry requirements may include (but are not limited to) a visa/tourist permit or proof of vaccination against specific illnesses (e.g., yellow fever, COVID-19, etc.). Participants can learn more about location-specific entry requirements using the following resources:

• U.S. Department of State Travel Information
• CDC Traveler's Health Information