Academic Information & Planning

The New College Contract

The contract system is the heart of the New College educational program. Planning for the contract begins in the previous semester with advisor meetings and preparation of a contract, which is accessed through the eContract system. In the second module of the prior semester, each student meets with their faculty sponsor to discuss a plan of courses, tutorials and/or internships for the following semester and prepare the eContract for the next term. Included in this discussion is a review of any remaining requirements to fulfill the Liberal Arts Curriculum and requirements for potential or declared Areas of Concentration. 

The eContract, drawn up jointly by the student and sponsor, includes: a statement of educational goals; a list of courses, tutorials, internships and other academic undertakings to be taken, totaling at least three units (a unit being equivalent to a full semester course) for transcript entry; a description of otherwise undefined projects to be undertaken; and a statement of certification criteria (e.g., number of satisfactory course evaluations) to be met in order that the contract be certified as satisfactory at the end of the semester.