My masters program is a fan of intensive courses (if a program can really be a fan?). This week I am participating in my second one. We're doing the bulk of a 3 credit course in one week. That's 5 days in a row, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. It's an experiential group course, so it kind of makes sense to do it intensively. On the other hand, it is really intense. Let me explain.
Because I was gone from school for a while, I learned about the intensive nature of this course less than two weeks ago. I had to fly to California for a required, in-person, pre-course interview. I also purchased my text books while I was there. I was told I needed to read chapters 1-8 of the book before class and to be here to take a test on them on Friday. (That's why I chose to move on Thursday.) I thought that didn't sound too bad until I got the book and realized that chapters 1-8 was 300 pages of textbook with no pictures or diagrams! So, in addition to packing and goodbyes, I read like crazy that last week in Utah.
After the test on Friday I was reading through the course syllabus and realized that I had to have the DVD/Workbook finished before class started on Monday. It would have been nice to have known that earlier, but probably wouldn't have made much of a difference because I wouldn't have had time for it any earlier. The DVD on group work and challenges facing groups was 3.5 hours long with an accompanying 160 page workbook. Each segment was just a couple minutes long and then I paused so I could answer the associated questions. I assume it was intended to be completed over the course of a semester. I did it in two days. At final count I spent 15 hours over the last two days.
So now it's class all this week. Then I've got a month to turn in a 30 page paper about the experience and my theories on group work. 30 pages! I've definitely never written anything that long before, not even for other graduate courses.
In summary, my thoughts on intensive courses are that I do not prefer them. On the up-side, however, being so busy helps ease the missing-Blake factor. ;)
3 comments:
Wow... you are sooo brave! I just love you and know you're going to knock their socks off! Keep up the good job and tell me what I can do to help if I can!
That IS in intense! You can do it! And just think, in a couple of weeks that's one less class you have to worry about! Good luck!
Holy moly, that is crazy intense! That is worse than law school or the accounting program! Someone just likes have authority or something, that is just insane. I hope you are doing okay without Blake, that would be so hard. Good luck, we will keep you in our prayers.
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