Atlanta Technical College makes the switch from quarters to semesters

Aug. 29, 2011 - PRLog -- Atlanta Technical College (ATC) has made the switch!   On Tuesday, August 23, ATC began its first fall semester.  In 2010 the college announced that it would be changing from the quarter system to the semester calendar.  Administrators spent a full year, guiding students through the conversion process, adapting curricula and realigning business processes. All of the preparation proved successful as more than 4,700 students transitioned into the semester system with little difficulty.

“This is a significant step forward for the Technical College System of Georgia,” explains Atlanta Technical College President Alvetta Peterman Thomas.  “For students and faculty it means extended time for more in depth academic, lab, and experiential learning opportunities.  Our careful planning, support for learners, and strong academic advisement has facilitated the smooth conversion from quarters to semesters.”  

Moving to the semester system will align Atlanta Tech’s academic calendar with those of the state’s K-12 school systems, the University System of Georgia and most of the state’s private colleges and universities. Eighty (80) percent of public and private colleges and universities in the U.S. follow a semester calendar.

“The change to a semester academic calendar is in the very best interests of our students,” says Technical College System of Georgia Commissioner Ron Jackson. “We’re a world-class educational system for workforce development, and a major part of our mission is to provide seamless education where calendars and curriculum align and lifelong learning is easily attainable for students of all ages and circumstances.”

Semester scheduling offers technical college students many benefits, Jackson says, including additional instructional time, more in-depth coverage of course content and ease of transfer to other institutions, as well as calendar alignment that better supports dual and joint enrollment opportunities for high school students.

Atlanta Technical College, a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, is located in the city of Atlanta, is an accredited institution of higher education that provides affordable lifelong learning opportunity, associate degree, diplomas, technical certificates of credit, customized business and industry training, continuing education and other learning services using state-of-the-art technology in more than 100 fields. The integration of academics and applied career preparation to enhance student learning is essential in meeting the workforce demands and economic development needs of the people, businesses, and communities of Fulton and Clayton counties.  For more information on Atlanta Technical College, visit www.atlantatech.edu