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January Program

We love January (and we think you will, too).

Our exploratory term in January, Jan Plan, gives students opportunities to choose among hundreds of different academic experiences. It’s a time for focused study, for interning, or for conducting research. Students are required to complete three Jan Plans, but 90 percent of students elect to do four. It’s just that good.
Colby student with a sloth

Mission Statement

The fundamental purpose of the January Program is to broaden and extend the learning experience at Colby by offering students distinctive opportunities not ordinarily available during the traditional academic semesters. By definition, January experiences are intensely focused, emphasizing engagement by faculty and students with a single subject matter or experience. While January experiences share the broader learning goals of Colby’s curriculum, they are especially concerned with strengthening capacities for innovative thinking, independent work, creativity, intellectual exploration and experimentation.

Core Elements and Dimensions

January experiences typically fall into one of three central areas of content and purpose:

  1. Undergraduate Research and Independent Study: The January Program offers students opportunities to work closely with Colby faculty on original research or in courses of student-designed independent study under the guidance and supervision of a member of Colby’s faculty.
  2. Cross-disciplinary Exploration: The January Program encourages Colby students and faculty to explore non-traditional subjects and innovative pedagogies, and to push the boundaries of the academic disciplines and the traditional classroom.
  3. Career Explorations: January provides opportunities for students to explore various professional fields and career paths, primarily through funded and unfunded internships and other work experiences both on and off the Colby campus.

Jan Plan: It’s Just That Good