Purdue University’s Winter Session, now in its second year, offers an opportunity for undergraduates to earn class credit during the university’s winter break. Under the leadership of John Race, Purdue’s Winter Session manager in the Office of Summer and Winter Sessions, the program has nearly doubled its course offerings this year, giving Purdue students in West Lafayette and Indianapolis more flexibility in pursuing their degrees.

Originally launched in 2023 with 10 online undergraduate courses, the program attracted more than 500 students in its first year. “We’re excited to see even more students take advantage of this opportunity,” Race says.

In previous years, Purdue offered winter courses primarily for graduate students or those in study abroad programs. Now, the Winter Session is part of the university’s broader effort to help undergraduates graduate more quickly or achieve other academic goals. “Many students are interested in lightening their spring course load or catching up on prerequisites,” Race notes. “Others see it as a chance to retake a class or add a course for a minor or double major.”

The Winter Session’s fully online, asynchronous format allows students to participate from anywhere, including the Purdue main campus's West Lafayette and Indianapolis locations.

The program has become popular with students seeking to maintain progress toward graduation while balancing their academic and personal schedules. Courses offered this winter include introductory classes in psychology, management, and Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (EAPS), among others. “We work closely with academic departments to ensure we’re offering courses that are high-demand and accessible to a broad range of students,” Race explains.

The Winter Session is modeled after Purdue’s four-week summer courses, though the condensed three-week format presents unique challenges. To help students prepare for the accelerated pace, Purdue offers workshops on study strategies for handling a 16-week course in just three weeks. “We want to ensure that students are set up for success, given the intensity of the format,” Race says.

For students interested in signing up for Winter Session courses, information on registration, financial aid, and course offerings is available on the Winter Session website. Purdue’s Office of Summer and Winter Sessions also shares updates on Instagram at @purduesummerwintersessions.