Only 13% of community college students graduate within the standard two-year period.
Obstacles such as work, family obligations or changing majors can delay graduation. Las Positas College’s rigorous winter intersession aims to fill those gaps.
The school has unveiled 42 courses for the winter term, with 33 of them being distinct subjects. The compact semester will run from Dec. 20, 2025, to Jan. 17, 2026. The course list samples 17 different fields, from business to fitness. All classes will be fully online and have no prerequisites.
This short, high-intensity term allows students to meet their educational goals more efficiently and secure spots in high-demand courses. Priority registration opens Nov. 11.
“Winter provides an opportunity for us to offer additional classes that students may not have been able to get in the fall,” LPC President Dyrell Foster said. “Hopefully, students will earn their certificates and degrees in a more timely manner.”
WINTER IS COMING: LPC reveals the courses available for the winter intercession. The short, high-intensity term allows students to meet their educational goals faster and more efficiently. (Infographic by Angelina An/The Express)
While a month-long course may seem like a quick and easy way to earn credits, the format is highly demanding. There will be a six-unit limit to ensure students manage the workload.
A flyer advertising the winter intersession includes a time-management disclaimer: Students enrolled in a 3-unit class should expect to spend 13.5 hours per week on classwork, and 27 hours on out-of-class work. That amounts to an estimated 40.5 hours of work a week, enough to parallel a full-time job.
The workload doesn’t pause during the holidays.
LPC religious studies professor Kimberly Tomlinson takes part in teaching condensed courses, but this will be her first time teaching “Religions of the World” in just four weeks.
“I think the college is trying to support faculty to condense their curriculum and to make it manageable for students,” Tomlinson said.
LPC student and business major Angel Obcena is planning to take “Intro to Astronomy: The Solar System” this winter.
“It both fills my physical science requirement and covers a topic I’ve always been interested in,” Obcena said.
She views the intersession as an opportunity to knock out a required course and allocate more time for other priorities.
“Getting through my required courses efficiently will allow me to dedicate more time to work, future courses, and help me balance a busy schedule,” Obcena said. “Hopefully the lack of work from other classes during winter break will make things easier.”
Foster identified working through the holiday season as an unprecedented challenge. While 24/7 online tutoring will be available, the school is still determining how students will reach LPC staff when the campus is closed. Classes will continue through Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s.
Tomlinson and other teachers are unsure what student support will look like over the holidays. While she’s always available via email, she may not provide real-time assistance on Christmas Day.
President Foster offers a hopeful approach. “If a student has any issues during that time, we’re really trying to identify people who would be available via email, so students have a point of contact.”
The winter intersession will be a permanent offering as a part of the district-wide move to a compressed calendar. Moving forward, the goal is to expand the four-week model into five.
As the winter term is the first of its kind at LPC, many factors are up in the air. Foster said it’s all about fine-tuning moving forward.
“The session will go by fast,” he said. “Although it’s asynchronous, my advice is just to really stay involved and stay engaged and participate in that course. It will require engagement each and every day during that four-week session.”
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TOP PHOTO: The four-week course between the semesters, all online, allows for students to knock out some classes they need. (Photo courtesy of Envato Elements)
Jaxyn Good is a staff writer for The Express.
