Colby’s Jan Plan, officially “the January Program,” was introduced in 1961-62 to allow students to pursue focused course work, independent study, or internships during an intensive four-week term. Colby was the first college in the nation to add Jan Plan to an existing semester calendar.

Jan Plan offers opportunities for students to experiment outside of their major or to tackle some special challenge or focused research within their major. Jan Plan allows Colby to bring visiting faculty members to campus and to offer courses beyond its core liberal arts curriculum.

Options during Jan Plan include:

    
• Courses On Campus
  By completing one of the dozens of courses offered on campus, students may earn Jan Plan credit and from two to four credit hours toward the 128 hours required for graduation.
    
• Courses Off Campus
  More than a dozen off-campus courses earn three credit hours each in addition to Jan Plan credit.
    
• Non-Credit Courses
  Popular Jan Plan courses that don't earn credit hours but help fulfill the January Program requirement include Emergency Medical Technician Training, Furniture Making, and Blacksmithing.
    
• Internships
  January offers a great opportunity to gain knowledge and experience through internships, whether students live on campus or travel anywhere in the world.
    
• Research
  Research is important in all of Colby's academic divisions, and Jan Plan offers excellent opportunities for focused and intensive research under the supervision of a Colby faculty member.