A typical course load includes five major courses each semester, health in one semester, and possibly an additional minor course depending on the semester. Any student who wishes to take more than five major courses, health, and one minor course in a given semester must have the approval of the division head and will be required to submit a petition for an extra course (see appendix).

Major Courses

Major courses typically require nightly homework, and students taking these courses typically receive letter grades.

1-credit major courses are yearlong courses that receive one academic credit. Students will receive semester
1 and semester 2 grades, as well as a year grade (the average of the two semester grades), all of which will be communicated to students and parents/guardians on the report card. A student’s transcript will include only the
year grade. Students may not receive credit for half of a yearlong course unless they are returning from a semester away program.

0.5-credit major courses are semester-long courses that receive .5 academic credits and either a semester 1 or semester 2 grade. The semester grade is printed on the student’s final transcript. These are typically English, history, math, science, and language semester electives. 

A few courses in visual arts are major courses. Art History and Art and the Law (semester-long, .5 credits), and AP Studio Art (yearlong, one credit) are considered major courses.

Minor Courses

Minor courses are meant to be taken in addition to a typical course load of five major courses. Minor courses are listed on a student’s transcript, and students taking minor courses receive letter grades unless the course is noted specifically as Pass/Fail in the course catalog.

0.25-credit minor courses are semester-long courses that meet less frequently than major courses (two times per six-day cycle instead of three times per six-day cycle) and have a reduced workload outside of class time. See Family Handbook for homework policy. Most computer science electives, as well as STEM and Society and Independent Research in Science are 0.25-credit minor courses.

0.5-credit minor courses are intensive, .5-credit semester courses in the Performing and Visual Arts. .5-credit minor courses are meant to be taken on top of a full major course load without a petition. These courses meet as frequently as major courses, but have a reduced workload outside of class time. See the Family Handbook on WiLD for the full homework policy. Most visual arts and performing arts electives are .5-credit minor courses.

Courses That Do Not Receive Credit

Health courses, the physical education (PE) requirement, and Independent Learning Experience (ILE) Seminar are required for graduation, but these courses do not count toward a student’s total number of credits. Additionally, Coding for Interaction is offered as an uncredited elective.

Academic Schedule

Winsor’s yearly calendar has two semesters, semester 1 (called fall semester) and semester 2 (called spring semester). Winsor’s academic schedule rotates on a six-day cycle, consisting of 75-minute periods in the Upper School. Major courses meet three periods per cycle, while some minor and specialized courses meet less frequently.