What might the academic year look like?

Below is a sample trimester system for 2014 comprising three 13 week trimesters within a calendar year. If Western Sydney University moved to some form of a trimester system in the future, this might be the preferred model (rather than a non-calendar year model, such as February 2014 – February 2015).

Features of this model are:

• Ten scheduled teaching weeks
• Mid-session non-teaching week for examinations and intensive face-to-face sessions
• Two week formal examination period
• Saturdays can also be included as examination and break days
• Three week intersession break

Trimester 1, 13 weeks: 3 February – 2 May 2014

Teaching: 3 February – 7 March
Mid Trimester Break: 10 March – 14 March
Teaching: 17 March – 17 April
Exams: 21 April – 2 May
Inter-Trimester Break: 5 May – 23 May

Trimester 2, 13 weeks: 26 May – 22 August 2014

Teaching: 26 May – 27 June
Mid Trimester Break: 30 June – 4 July
Teaching: 7 July - 8 August
Exams: 11 August – 22 August
Inter-Trimester Break: 25 August – 12 September

Trimester 3, 13 weeks: 15 September – 12 December 2014

Teaching: 15 September – 17 October
Mid Trimester Break: 20 October – 24 October
Teaching: 27 October – 28 November
Exams: 1 December – 12 December
Inter-Semester Trimester Break: 15 December – 30 January 2015