Study Skills : Creating a Semester Plan

Creating a Semester Plan: sub-module 3 of 4 of time management

This module will show you how to use all of the due dates for each of your courses to create a semester plan. A semester plan is a master schedule of everything that you need to get done over the 15 weeks of your semester. Your instructors provide you with your due dates for the semester through the Course Section Information (CSI) document for each course. A semester plan displays your due dates in one place and helps you remember when you have a due date coming up.

Planning your semester activity

Use this activity to learn how to organize due dates in a semester plan. (opens in new window)

Semester Plan Activity Accessible PDF Version - Opens in a new window

Tips

Highlight the big ones.Highlight the biggest item for each course so that these key dates stand out.
Highlight busy weeks.Highlight the weeks that are going to be your biggest weeks of the semester.
Update your plan.Add any new deadlines to your Semester Plan that pop up over the semester.
Display your plan.Put your Semester Plan somewhere where you will look at it frequently.
Don’t erase completed assignments.Cross items off of the plan as they are completed and keep them as visual reminders of the things that you are getting done.

Semester Plan Templates

Creating a Semester Plan

Why Use a Semester Plan?

In high school, teachers often provide regular reminders and clear guidelines for upcoming deadlines. In college, however, professors communicate in different ways—some post announcements, others send emails, and some rely on calendars in platforms like Brightspace, Blackboard, Canvas, Moodle, or other tools. With so many systems, it can be easy to lose track of where to find important dates. A semester plan solves this problem by putting all your deadlines in one place, allowing you to see your entire term at a glance.

This chart, with courses listed across the top and weeks down the side, is filled in using due dates from each course’s syllabus or weekly schedule. Completing it at the start of the semester helps you plan your time, look ahead to busy weeks, and ensure nothing slips through the cracks.

Watch the video to find out why you should use a semester plan.