Academic Information
The academic year at the University of Kentucky(UK) is divided into two equal terms called semesters. The fall semester begins in late August and ends in December. The spring semester begins in mid January and ends at the beginning of May. In addition, UK offers two summer terms. The first, a four-week session, begins in the second week of May; the second, an eight-week session, extends from early June to early August. International students are not required to attend summer school to stay legally in the United States.
During the application process, students choose a "major," which is the main field (often department, sometimes college) in which a student chooses to specialize. For example, a student may have a major in history or computer science or electrical engineering. A student may also be called a "major" in a field or department and may be said to be "majoring." Whether at the undergraduate or graduate level, each "major" has particular requirements and usually some choices.
In addition to choosing a major, student who qualify may also decide to participate in UK's Honors Program. The specially-appointed faculty in the Honors program offer small, seminar-style classes, in which students acquire essential critical and analytical skills as they discuss and examine the ideas that shape today's world.