Why DOn't Science and Engineering Courses get a Reading Week

p1akuw47h5r3it

Why Don't Science and Engineering Courses get a Reading Week? Anyone know?

It's annoying that students, some of whom I know, have 8 or 12 hour weeks during term and that get a week off. Imo Science and Eng need more as there is a larger work load!

Urizen

DanDan6592 wrote: »

Why Don't Science and Engineering Courses get a Reading Week? Anyone know?

It's annoying that students, some of whom I know, have 8 or 12 hour weeks during term and that get a week off. Imo Science and Eng need more as there is a larger work load!

Well, reading week isn't supposed to be a week off. I did my B.Sc in science here, and we had lots of labs and practicals that counted for our grades. My M.Sc now is in communications, and I get a reading week. However, I'll be busy as hell catching up on reading and writing all my assignments so I'm not totally swamped in December. So it's not that science has a LARGER workload, but one that can only really be done while on campus, unlike others.

It may be used as a week off, but it's meant for, as implied, reading. It's the way the courses are run. Believe me, you're not missing anything, and you're actually far better off without it in sciences.

p1akuw47h5r3it

Urizen wrote: »

Well, reading week isn't supposed to be a week off. I did my B.Sc in science here, and we had lots of labs and practicals that counted for our grades. My M.Sc now is in communications, and I get a reading week. However, I'll be busy as hell catching up on reading and writing all my assignments so I'm not totally swamped in December. So it's not that science has a LARGER workload, but one that can only really be done while on campus, unlike others.

It may be used as a week off, but it's meant for, as implied, reading. It's the way the courses are run. Believe me, you're not missing anything, and you're actually far better off without it in sciences.

Well when I say a week off I mean in terms of lectures tutorials, not working. I'm a bit swamped aswell, and would love a week to catch up/study. It's just annoying that we don't get one more than anything. It would be a big help.

polkabunny

Heavier workload? I'm not sure if you're serious or just trolling...
You have a load of time off at Christmas to catch up and revise, as well as the weekends.

p1akuw47h5r3it

polkabunny wrote: »

Heavier workload? I'm not sure if you're serious or just trolling...
You have a load of time off at Christmas to catch up and revise, as well as the weekends.

Yes a heavier workload. I know people in Media courses and Comms in DCU and there is no way they have nearly as much work. They admit this themselves. The person doing a masters is a bit different.

Edit: Regardless it doesn't really matter that others get it, it's the fact the Sci/Eng don't. Would help a lot if they did. Was just wondering what the reasoning was.

Urizen

DanDan6592 wrote: »

Yes a heavier workload. I know people in Media courses and Comms in DCU and there is no way they have nearly as much work. They admit this themselves. The person doing a masters is a bit different.

Edit: Regardless it doesn't really matter that others get it, it's the fact the Sci/Eng don't. Would help a lot if they did. Was just wondering what the reasoning was.

Ya can't do practicals from home. Really, I think it boils down to that.

polkabunny

DanDan6592 wrote: »

Yes a heavier workload. I know people in Media courses and Comms in DCU and there is no way they have nearly as much work. They admit this themselves. The person doing a masters is a bit different.

Edit: Regardless it doesn't really matter that others get it, it's the fact the Sci/Eng don't. Would help a lot if they did. Was just wondering what the reasoning was.

Out of curiosity, what course are you doing? Reading week is generally what it says on the tin - a week to read up on your subjects. I've seen how much work some of those courses get during reading week. Essay upon essay, and then books to read on top of it.
Fair enough, Multimedia and courses like that don't need one, but it seems to have been done by faculty, as opposed to selective courses.
Courses in these faculties are much more hands-on, with practicals and tutorials, so that might explain it, as Urizen said.

p1akuw47h5r3it

Urizen wrote: »

Ya can't do practicals from home. Really, I think it boils down to that.

Ok fair enough. I was just curious.

polkabunny wrote: »

Out of curiosity, what course are you doing? Reading week is generally what it says on the tin - a week to read up on your subjects. I've seen how much work some of those courses get during reading week. Essay upon essay, and then books to read on top of it.
Fair enough, Multimedia and courses like that don't need one, but it seems to have been done by faculty, as opposed to selective courses.
Courses in these faculties are much more hands-on, with practicals and tutorials, so that might explain it, as Urizen said.

Ye I was just stressed yesterday needed a rant ha. I do Applied Physics.

Noodleworm

Humanities courses are often deceiving in their workload. Despite the lack of official class time Nearly all the work is done outside class. We weren't spoon fed anything, or given many lessons on how to use software.

We taught ourselves most things. What you learn in class was barely enough to pass. We'd be given essays on topics we'd never discussed. Given assignments to create things we'd never done before. So every reading week I was could spend up to 12 hours a day in the labs working.
Sorry, it hits a nerve when people assume cos I did Multimedia I got a holiday every reading week.
If you don't get a reading week its most likely because your lecturers feel your class time is valuable and more needed in your course than independent study study.

Greenmachine

Exactly right. Someone I know is studying law, someone else to be a teacher. The guy studying to be a teacher has 11-12 of schedule lecturers and tutorials. However 4 out 5 times I go to the library I bump into the guy. In spite of spending less time in the classroom. They have a heavier workload under what would be considered independent study.

Noodleworm wrote: »

Humanities courses are often deceiving in their workload. Despite the lack of official class time Nearly all the work is done outside class. We weren't spoon fed anything, or given many lessons on how to use software.

We taught ourselves most things. What you learn in class was barely enough to pass. We'd be given essays on topics we'd never discussed. Given assignments to create things we'd never done before. So every reading week I was could spend up to 12 hours a day in the labs working.
Sorry, it hits a nerve when people assume cos I did Multimedia I got a holiday every reading week.
If you don't get a reading week its most likely because your lecturers feel your class time is valuable and more needed in your course than independent study study.

Konata

Noodleworm wrote: »

Humanities courses are often deceiving in their workload. Despite the lack of official class time Nearly all the work is done outside class. We weren't spoon fed anything, or given many lessons on how to use software.

We taught ourselves most things. What you learn in class was barely enough to pass. We'd be given essays on topics we'd never discussed. Given assignments to create things we'd never done before. So every reading week I was could spend up to 12 hours a day in the labs working.
Sorry, it hits a nerve when people assume cos I did Multimedia I got a holiday every reading week.
If you don't get a reading week its most likely because your lecturers feel your class time is valuable and more needed in your course than independent study study.

Don't think anyone could have summed it up better. Great post!

antkeane

DanDan6592 wrote: »

Ok fair enough. I was just curious.



Ye I was just stressed yesterday needed a rant ha. I do Applied Physics.

Snap. Physics with Astronomy. I could really do with a week of just studying math on my own.

That wolf

antkeane wrote: »

Snap. Physics with Astronomy. I could really do with a week of just studying math on my own.

Same.

A week of pure revision of maths would be nice.

bren2001

Noodleworm wrote: »

Humanities courses are often deceiving in their workload. Despite the lack of official class time Nearly all the work is done outside class. We weren't spoon fed anything, or given many lessons on how to use software.

We taught ourselves most things. What you learn in class was barely enough to pass. We'd be given essays on topics we'd never discussed. Given assignments to create things we'd never done before. So every reading week I was could spend up to 12 hours a day in the labs working.
Sorry, it hits a nerve when people assume cos I did Multimedia I got a holiday every reading week.
If you don't get a reading week its most likely because your lecturers feel your class time is valuable and more needed in your course than independent study study.

I can stand at a board and point at math to you if you want and see how much sticks. As stated above, Id kill for a week just to learnt he proofs. What you "learn" in engineering class, is not enough to pass the exam.

On top of all that Ive at least 2 assignments a week to hand in, whether is a lab report, electronics circuit simulation or just research. I dont think the humanties work load with the hours they have warrant a reading week over Engineering.

polkabunny

bren2001 wrote: »

I can stand at a board and point at math to you if you want and see how much sticks. As stated above, Id kill for a week just to learnt he proofs. What you "learn" in engineering class, is not enough to pass the exam.

On top of all that Ive at least 2 assignments a week to hand in, whether is a lab report, electronics circuit simulation or just research. I dont think the humanties work load with the hours they have warrant a reading week over Engineering.

I think that until you undertake once of these courses yourself, you can't really pass judgement on whether students in other courses deserve a reading week. It's not up to you, it's up to the management and lecturers of the college.
Instead of just discounting somebody's points, you could have come in and just said "it would be nice to have one". If you feel you need one, why do you think Humanities courses don't?

I just pulled up the first year timetable for Applied Physics, and the first year timetable for International Relations. AP total hours are 257. IR total hours are 276. Granted, it doesn't reflect accurately how many hours a student may actually do, but I'm using it as an example.

p1akuw47h5r3it

polkabunny wrote: »

I think that until you undertake once of these courses yourself, you can't really pass judgement on whether students in other courses deserve a reading week. It's not up to you, it's up to the management and lecturers of the college.
Instead of just discounting somebody's points, you could have come in and just said "it would be nice to have one". If you feel you need one, why do you think Humanities courses don't?

I just pulled up the first year timetable for Applied Physics, and the first year timetable for International Relations. AP total hours are 257. IR total hours are 276. Granted, it doesn't reflect accurately how many hours a student may actually do, but I'm using it as an example.

Are you sure all those classes lectures are taken by each student though? For example there is 3 language modules in that timetable, French, Spanish and German. I doubt they do 3 languages!

Also if you look at years 2 and 3 Ap has 317 and 324 hours respectively and IR 221 and 286 hours respectively. With regards 3rd year IR I don't know if all those modules are mandatory or some optional.

With AP you can't simply turn up and not do any study after that. There are also lab reports to be considered. I did a Business course before coming to DCU. It was a mix of lectures and assignments so I understand how long assignments (and I'm glad I no longer have to do references:P ) can take, however now I have a lot bigger workload now (though I enjoy it more thankfully).

polkabunny

DanDan6592 wrote: »

Are you sure all those classes lectures are taken by each student though? For example there is 3 language modules in that timetable, French, Spanish and German. I doubt they do 3 languages!

Also if you look at years 2 and 3 Ap has 317 and 324 hours respectively and IR 221 and 286 hours respectively. With regards 3rd year IR I don't know if all those modules are mandatory or some optional.

With AP you can't simply turn up and not do any study after that. There are also lab reports to be considered. I did a Business course before coming to DCU. It was a mix of lectures and assignments so I understand how long assignments (and I'm glad I no longer have to do references:P ) can take, however now I have a lot bigger workload now (though I enjoy it more thankfully).

As I said in the post you quoted "Granted, it doesn't reflect accurately how many hours a student may actually do, but I'm using it as an example."
You can't turn up to any course and not do any study at all. I'm a computing student, I don't know properly how much work is involved in Humanities courses, but from what I can tell it seems to be very heavy. Each course is heavy in it's own regard really.
But if you enjoy your course, then brilliant. That's one of the most important things about a college course

p1akuw47h5r3it

polkabunny wrote: »

As I said in the post you quoted "Granted, it doesn't reflect accurately how many hours a student may actually do, but I'm using it as an example."
You can't turn up to any course and not do any study at all. I'm a computing student, I don't know properly how much work is involved in Humanities courses, but from what I can tell it seems to be very heavy. Each course is heavy in it's own regard really.
But if you enjoy your course, then brilliant. That's one of the most important things about a college course

Apologies I missed that part of your post (or chose not to see it :P )

Well as I said I was just a bit freaked at the time of writing my OP. Whilst not all Humanity courses have a small workload some (probs a minority do) it would be nice if all courses got a reading week. The reasons Sci and Eng don't was answered though.