How long until I have a full schedule?

How long until I have a full schedule?

That question usually carries a real worry underneath it — will I be thrown into a full course load on day one, before I know if this is really for me, or before my prerequisites are sorted out? The honest answer is: it depends on which path you choose, and you have real control over the pace.

Five Branches runs on a trimester system — three 15-week terms per year (as published on the school's Academic Calendars page, checked 08/2026). How fast you reach a "full" schedule depends on which of these you're on:

A few things that make this less rigid than it sounds:

• The three natural sciences don't have to be finished first. General Biology, Chemistry and Physics (each a minimum of three semester credits) may be taken concurrently with your TCM coursework within the first two years of study, though completing them before entry is highly recommended. General Psychology is required too, as part of the general-education requirement rather than a natural science (Five Branches Educational Requirements page, revised 09/2026).
• Class size matters here too: academic classes run about 25 students, and a class under 8 may get postponed a trimester — worth knowing if you're building a part-time plan around a specific course (DAcHM Catalog, checked 07/2026).
• Nothing locks you into full-time forever — NDS students who later want the full degree can convert, with their passed coursework counting toward it.

So: full-time students step into a full schedule right away; everyone else gets to choose their own runway. Are you picturing this as a full-time jump, or trying to figure out how to ease in part-time first?