Ensign College's Innovative 7-Week Block Academic Calendar
Ensign College, a career-focused institution within the Church Educational System (CES), is implementing a significant change to its academic structure. Starting on May 5, the college will transition from the traditional 14-week semester to a 7-week block system. This shift aims to enhance flexibility and improve the overall student experience.
Transition to 7-Week Blocks
Drivers traveling Salt Lake City’s major interstate recently might have noticed billboards announcing Ensign College’s latest innovation. Ensign College will revamp its entire academic calendar, transitioning from a traditional 14-week semester to seven-week blocks. According to Ensign College President Bruce C. Kusch, this modification is not an experiment but the result of extensive research, development, and a pilot program conducted over several years. Over the past two years, the college has already transitioned many of its online courses to seven-week blocks to fit with the calendaring for BYU-Pathway Worldwide, its partner and sister organization within the Church Educational System. As they considered extending that timetable to the school’s in-person Salt Lake City campus courses, President Kusch said, he sent a team to visit other schools across the country that had implemented the seven-week schedule.
Positive Outcomes and Flexibility
Administrators hope the new seven-week block system will provide more flexibility while improving the student experience. Courses are being adapted to fit the same curriculum into seven weeks. Instead of three or four semesters during the year, the academic calendar will consist of six seven-week blocks, with a week or two break between. The move will require some adjustments to how much time is spent in class but will involve both in-person class time and online instruction.
President Kusch noted the positive feedback from other institutions that have adopted a similar model. “To a school, they said, ‘We only have one regret with this. We wish we would have done this sooner,’” President Kusch related.
Chattanooga State Community College, for example, transitioned to a seven-week term and reported a 7.1% increase in its retention rate. The community college also reported a jump in credit completion rates - students who complete the course and earn credit - which rose from 54.6% to 66.4% between fall 2020 and fall 2023, an almost 22% increase.
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Benefits for Students
The seven-week block system is expected to offer several benefits for Ensign College students, particularly non-traditional learners who balance work and family responsibilities. The idea is that students will focus on one or two courses during a block, rather than four or five courses during a semester.
President Kusch said they think the seven-week block will also be helpful and provide greater flexibility to adult learners who are trying to juggle work, family and school. It could also benefit returned missionaries, who will have the opportunity to get back into school quicker, rather than waiting for the end of a semester. “We want to make it as easy as possible for someone to come and have the Ensign College experience,” President Kusch said.
Enhanced Focus and Achievement
Shorter blocks with fewer courses encourage students to focus better, leading to higher completion rates and higher achievement, President Kusch said. Research supports this approach, with studies showing that students in shorter courses experience less burnout and achieve higher grades. Several published studies show that students in a shorter version of a course have less burnout and higher grades. One study showed that drop rates were three times higher for students in an 18-week version of an online general education course rather than a six- or nine-week version taught by the same instructor (Diaz and Cartnal 2006).
According to an Ensign College press release, students in block sections of BYU-Pathway have also been shown to earn higher grades and have reported similar learning gains, course/instructor ratings and satisfaction score than students enrolled in traditional semester courses.
Pilot Program and Student Feedback
Ensign College has been conducting a pilot phase of the block system to assess its effectiveness and gather student feedback. During this winter semester, roughly 200 courses were offered in the seven-week schedule.
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“Generally, the feedback from students is very positive,” President Kusch reported.
Schekina Boumba, a digital marketing student who has been participating in the advance pilot, said she appreciates the changes to her workload. “This is actually better than semesters because I only have two classes. I don’t have to worry about completing assignments from four or five different classes,” Boumba said in the press release. Schekina Boumba, an Ensign College digital marketing student, has been participating in the advance pilot and is taking only block classes. When reflecting on the workload she said, “This is actually better than semesters because I only have two classes.
College Profile and Mission
Founded in 1886 and located at the Triad Center in downtown Salt Lake City, Ensign College is a private institution within the Church Educational System operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Offering professional certificates, associate degrees, and bachelor’s degrees, the school’s mission is to develop capable and trusted disciples of Jesus Christ. Ensign College offers certificates that can be earned in two semesters, associate degrees that can be earned in two years and a limited number of Bachelor of Applied Science degrees. The college offers immersive learning and intensive career preparation for students from around the globe, both in-person and online.
Ensign College is committed to preparing students for the workforce with a focus on practical skills and spiritual development. “Our focus is preparing students for the workforce of today and tomorrow. We only teach skills that lead to jobs, and we do it in a spiritually nourishing environment,” said President Kusch.
Student Demographics and Support
Ensign College serves a diverse student population, including international students and first-generation college students. Church commissioner of education Elder Clark G. states.44% of students are international and represent 76 countries. Ensign’s student population is 35% first generation. 60% of students are non-traditional (24 or older). The average degree-specific class size is 15 students.
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The college emphasizes personalized support to help students succeed. In October , the school reported record enrollment, a 4.5% increase in on-campus enrollment in fall over last year, which Guy Hollingsworth, Ensign College’s vice president of college and student services, attributed in part to the school’s retention efforts. “We believe in personalized support. Our retention efforts are focused on understanding each student’s unique needs and providing tailored resources to help them succeed,” said Hollingsworth.
A Nimble and Responsive Institution
Ensign College is the smallest of the institutions within the CES entities, but that helps it be innovative, President Kusch said of change to the academic calendar. “We’re small, we’re nimble. We can be very flexible, very responsive.
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