Academic Information

Academic Calendar

Defiance College operates on a semester calendar consisting of two 16-week semesters. The fall semester runs from late August to mid-December; the spring semester runs from early January to early May. The college also offers a summer program consisting of three, five-week sessions. Most summer session courses are the same as those offered during the regular academic year, while others are offered only in the summer.

The college offers a year-round evening school program, primarily to serve residents of Northwest Ohio. All requirements for business administration majors can be completed by attending evening school alone; but for other majors, students will have to spend some time in the regular daytime academic program.

Defiance College is dedicated to nurturing the whole person while at the same time preparing them for their chosen profession. We seek to develop within every student an understanding of the importance of community service and responsible citizenship. Defiance College is one of the few colleges in the country to incorporate community service into the very mainstream of campus life through its unique service learning model. Service learning has been integrated into the curriculum, with early student experiences and senior projects placing equal emphasis on both service and learning. By the end of his or her experience at DC, every student will have taken at least two general education courses and three courses within their major with service learning components. To show its commitment to service learning, Defiance College offers the prestigious Presidential Service Leadership Award for incoming freshmen who have demonstrated a solid record of service in their high schools and communities. Also, Defiance College is the first college or university in Ohio to offer matching scholarships for students participating in AmeriCorps, the national service program.

Defiance College awards the Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degrees as determined by the major field of study designated in the following lists. A student may earn the degree other than designated for his/her major by completing a minor in one of the disciplines listed for the desired degree. The student must file a change of degree request in the Registration Center.