Navigating the NDSU Semester Schedule: A Comprehensive Guide

Understanding the North Dakota State University (NDSU) semester schedule is crucial for students, whether they are traditional undergraduates, early-entry high school students, or those pursuing summer courses. This guide provides a detailed overview of the NDSU semester system, including important dates, course formats, and special programs like early entry.

The NDSU Semester System

NDSU operates on a semester system. It includes two standard 16-week semesters (fall and spring) and a final examination week. A 12-week summer semester is also available. All semesters offer variable-length, short-session courses that meet the same total contact (class) hours as standard semesters. The mid-term point of a standard semester occurs approximately 40 class days after the semester begins.

Summer Semester Details

The 12-week summer semester provides coursework within various time intervals known as sessions. Summer classes carry full academic credit because they meet the same number of contact hours as the standard fall or spring semesters.

Final Examinations

Final examinations for one-credit or variable length short courses are usually given during the last regular class period, in accordance with NDSU Policy 336. Final examinations for all other courses may not be rescheduled during the final examination period. As per State Board of Higher Education policy, the final examination period is instructional time, and some instructional use of this period is expected even if an examination is not given.

No student is obligated to take more than two final examinations scheduled for the same calendar day. During the last two weeks of the semester (prorated for variable length courses), only one exam or quiz per course may be given, including finals week. Exceptions to this rule include summer classes, self-paced/correspondence courses, make-up exams, courses in which laboratory work is incorporated with a lecture, one-credit courses, and quizzes that account for less than 5% of the students' overall grade.

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Key Dates and Deadlines

Understanding key dates and deadlines is essential for academic planning. Here are some important dates to keep in mind:

Fall 2025 Classes Begin: August 25, 2025, at 4:00 PM.
Last Day to Withdraw with Zero Credits (50% refund for full semester classes) Fall 2025: November 2, 2025.
Last Day to Withdraw to Zero Credits (50% refund for full semester classes) Spring 2026: March 26, 2026.
NDSU Easter Break 2026 (No Classes): April 3 to April 6, 2026.
Registration for Fall courses begins: Mid-April.

Early-Entry Program for High School Students

NDSU offers an early-entry program that allows high school students in grades 10, 11, and 12 to take college courses. This program is designed for students who want to explore subjects they excel in or have a deep interest in.

Eligibility and Requirements

To be eligible for early-entry courses, it is recommended that students have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Written permission from the student’s parent/guardian is required prior to enrolling in Early Entry classes. Admission to NDSU as Early Entry does not guarantee enrollment in desired classes.

ENTR 201: Introduction to Entrepreneurship

The Center for Entrepreneurship and Family Business offers ENTR 201 as an early-entry course. This course introduces students to the entrepreneurial process, evaluating the market feasibility of new products and business ideas, and launching an entrepreneurial venture. Through hands-on exercises, students analyze social structures that predict human behaviors and affect consumer decision-making.

ENTR 201 is taught by Dr. Onnolee Nordstrom, Chair of Entrepreneurship and Associate Professor of Management. Dr. Nordstrom is an award-winning business school professor and entrepreneurship researcher with publications in numerous journals, including Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, and the Entrepreneurship Research Journal.

Course Details and Costs

Early-entry classes are charged at approximately one-third of the cost per credit of standard undergraduate tuition. For the 2024-25 academic year, tuition is set at $153.96 per credit, including tuition and fees. Course materials for ENTR 201 are estimated to cost $100 for the semester.

Scholarship Opportunity

A $400 scholarship opportunity is available through the Center for Entrepreneurship and Family Business. To be considered for this scholarship, students must submit the application by July 31, 2025, and be enrolled in ENTR 201. Complete the free application by August 1, 2025, and indicate the Early Entry option.

Course Structure and Schedule

ENTR 201 is entirely online and mostly asynchronous. During the middle part of the semester, students will participate in a 6-week-long entrepreneurship simulation. This simulation requires student groups to log on at a set time each week to complete the simulation. Students will be grouped if there are three or more from the same school.

Students are usually notified within two weeks of their submitted application, often sooner.

Benefits of Early-Entry Courses

Taking early-entry courses can offer several benefits:

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Exploring Interests: Allows students to explore subjects they are passionate about.
College Credit: Provides an opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school.
Reduced Cost: Early-entry classes are offered at a reduced tuition rate.
Flexibility: The online format of courses like ENTR 201 allows students to fit the course into their high school schedule.

Additional Early-Entry Courses

NDSU offers several early-entry business-related courses, including:

Business Ethics
Business Software Applications
Fundamentals of Accounting
Mathematics for Business
Hospitality Accounting

Students can view the full online course catalog for more options.

Course Withdrawal and Refunds

Students should be aware of the deadlines for withdrawing from courses to receive a refund. For full semester classes, the last day to withdraw with zero credits (50% refund) for the Fall 2025 semester is November 2, 2025, and for the Spring 2026 semester, it is March 26, 2026.

Additional Considerations

Course Substitution: NDSU college classes may or may not substitute for classes required for high school graduation.
Contact Hours: In all semesters, variable-length, short-session courses are available, and meet the same total contact (class) hours as in a standard semester.
Cross-Checking Term Dates: NDSU collaborates directly with multiple universities, establishing processes to cross-check term dates, registration deadlines, and exam schedules.

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