What class schedule works best?

[susanbe]

Hi all-

 

For first year MSW students, what type of schedule works best? The program I am attending only offers 2-3 hour classes, once per week. So far I've registered for the standard 15 units of classes all on two days per week (many of them with no break in between classes). My thinking is then I can work for the rest of the three days + weekend. And it will cut down on my commute costs.

 

But it's been a long time since I've been in school so I don't remember what type of schedule I used to have in my undergrad days. And I wasn't a social work major back then so I don't know how consuming these classes are. Will stacking all my classes in two days be too intense? Should I space it out where I'll have classes throughout the week? Or at least classes with huge breaks (3+ hours) in between?

 

Please advise! I'm rusty at this....

[MsDarjeeling]

I think this is largely going to depend on how you feel as you try out this schedule.  When I was in undergrad I preferred to have classes all day Tues and Thurs so I could work the other days.  School days sometimes started at 7am and ended at 9pm and I usually had at least 1 hour free for a meal.  I loved this schedule.  I was able to work as much as I needed and study as needed.

 

Now in my Master's program day classes aren't an option.  So I have classes 2 weeknights until 10pm and all day Saturday.  The Saturdays are a drag.  Even with a lunch break they drone on forever and I frequently ask myself what the heck I was thinking.  I do however have time to work 30+ hours during the day and keep Sunday as a day off.  On weeknights I have a 30 minute break between the two classes and it is absolutely necessary.  I can eat dinner, clear my head, get some exercise to stay awake, etc.

 

If possible I think you should try to schedule at least one break between your classes, but if that's not an option then make sure you pack some snacks.

[msafiri]

I'm not in your field, so take this with a grain of salt. I find graduate seminars to be fairly draining mentally because they require participation and for you to draw on what you've read and also past discussions and outside experiences all at the same time. I did take back to back classes as an undergraduate, sometimes without a lunch break such that I was eating a sandwich while walking to my next class. I don't recommend it for grad school though. You need to make sure you have time to eat (to keep your energy up because you don't want to have it waning during class), and to prep mentally (review readings and your notes, prep questions) before each class. Then after, you want some time to decompress and think about the discussion, ideally.