The basics to MSU's new Snowmester

As some students spend the long winter break skiing the cold smoke, others will use the opportunity to catch up, stay on track or get ahead in their coursework. MSU is taking advantage of the COVID-19 outbreak to alter this year’s academic calendar by extending the winter break and offering a winter semester, referred to as Snowmester.

“We are very excited to offer Snowmester as an option for our students,” MSU Provost Robert Mokwa said, according to MSU News Service. “This interim winter semester, which is happening this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, illustrates MSU’s agility and strength in adapting to meet the needs of our students during these times.”

The Snowmester will run for six weeks, from Monday, Nov. 30 — Friday, Jan. 8. More than 90 classes will be offered, with the majority of the courses online; however, some hands-on courses may be held face-to-face, such as welding and workforce development courses. For a complete list of classes offered, you can navigate to the “Schedule of Classes” section in MyInfo or visit https://prodmyinfo.montana.edu/pls/bzagent/bzskcrse.PW_SelSchClass.

Students who are registered full-time for spring semester will not incur separate tuition charges for Snowmester courses. Courses taken during Snowmester will cost $250 per credit for MSU courses and $125 per Gallatin College credit. These fees, as well as any additional program fees, will be combined with spring semester charges for financial aid, transcript and billing purposes. Current scholarships and financial aid for spring 2021 will also be applied to Snowmester costs.

Registration for Snowmester on CatCourse will be available at the same time that students register for Spring 2021 courses. Registration dates and times are based on total earned credits, excluding credits that students are currently enrolled in. For any Bobcat enrolling in either Snowmester or spring semester classes via CatCourse, utilize the week-by-week view to ensure you know when your classes start and end.

For those interested, more information regarding Snowmester can be found at https://www.montana.edu/snowmester/.