EC 8 Wk Courses Vs 15 Wk Courses - What's your experience?

[marianne202]

I just finished my first EC course and it was a challenge. It was an 8 wk accelerated course and I found the amount of weekly work to be A LOT! Has anyone taken any EC 15 wk courses that can offer some idea of the weekly workload? I understand this will vary by class and instructor, but I'm wondering if it possible to take 2 - 15wk courses every other month? That would in essence set it up to be 4 courses for 7 wks due to the overlap. Is this possible with kids and working? I don't want to set myself up to fail, but to do this schedule is the only way to finish on-time and use the minimal financial aid they have offered. Any suggestions and input from those who have taken EC courses is greatly appreciated. I'm signed up to do another 8 wk course starting next week, but the remaining 5 courses are all 15 wk courses.

[Scholar Interrupted]

Marianne, it will depend a lot on your schedule, as well as the particular course. I'm currently taking EC's 15-week course in Historiography, and I can't tell you how glad I am that I didn't plan on doing anything else this summer. The reading is voluminous and dense, and the required writing is extensive and continuous. Now, historiography is a bit of a special case in that, even though it's an upper division course, it is introducing a barrage of new or almost-new concepts, and in addition, it fulfills a research and writing credit, so you expect more reading and writing than you might have to do in a different course.

Also, I am dead-set on earning an A. I could reduce my stress by blowing off some of the lesser writing assignments and probably still get a B.

You mention children, which I no longer have at home. If my son were still around needing to be nagged about homework every night, I don't know that I'd be able to keep up with this course!

I don't mean to scare you, though. There are probably some courses where what you envision could work. And you might well be better organized than I am. I would just be careful and escalate the commitment level gradually.