my question is has anyone taken a 3 credit 2 hr 45 min evening class that is for 1 time a week, and how was that experience. and is it better like that or a 50 min class that is 3 days a week. i have not yet taken a class in this format but am thinking of

also why is a class that meets 1 time a week longer than if you add up 3 50 minutes? if they are the same credit hours. 2 hr 30 mins vs 2 hrs 45 mins. why is it an extra 15 minutes? and for tests do you get the entire period

2/11/2010 8:18:08 PM

there's probably a 15 minute break in the middle

and i'd fall asleep

2/11/2010 8:25:58 PM

Most of my classes in Grad school were like this. Yeah, we got a 15 minute break in the middle usually.


It's not that bad. I actually preferred having that class only once a week. You just have to make sure you stay on top of your studies, because you cover A LOT of material that that 3 hours. Also, if you miss a class, you'll be playing catch up for a while...

Tests... depends on the professor.

2/11/2010 8:29:29 PM

i like them. less time wasted going to class and coming home from class.

2/11/2010 9:45:21 PM

Quote :

"STUDY HALL MVP"

2/11/2010 10:14:52 PM

I'm all 1 hour 15 min classes this semester. Gets your Fridays off. My suggestion is take as many 2 hr 45 min classes as you can so you can spend the rest of the week perusing through downtown parking lots.

2/12/2010 12:45:21 AM

If they're in the afternoon, and in a comfortable room, it's likely to make you sleepy! I have two now: one on Monday afternoon, one wednesday night. The monday one makes me more sleepy than the wednesday class! But it sure is nice to plan out my work for the week for a one-day class !!

2/12/2010 10:03:20 AM

I took one last semester that was from about 4-7. It wasn't that bad because we got a break in between and you could bring in snacks... Granted, it was very discussion based so it was pretty hard to fall asleep in there (coming from someone who has fallen asleep in almost every class, including weight training)

2/12/2010 10:57:58 AM

years ago, i took a political science class that was only 3 credits and met once a week at night for roughly that 3 hour time period. we did get a break halfway through for about 15-20 minutes usually which gave people enough time to run and get coffee or a quick bite to eat (we met in harrelson). i thought it was quite nice to only have to meet once a week; it allowed for easier budgeting of work and assignments since you had a whole week till you met again. all in all i came away with a positive experience.

2/12/2010 3:22:10 PM

Two: History of technology. Environmental ethics.

Not that bad if you can stay awake. For a bullshit course, it's really nice to not have to think about it for 6 days out of the week.

2/12/2010 9:04:22 PM

I did a few once a week evening classes like this in undergrad, and really enjoyed them. It was nice not having to meet so often. Less frequent homework is nice too. But I wouldn't recommend them for the same day you have a really early class.

Now that I'm in grad school, afternoon and evening once a week classes are almost all I do. You get just as much out of this format as regular day time class, so long as you don't stretch your day too thin because of it.

2/12/2010 10:05:25 PM

I'm starting to feel a trend here gz. You've asked about English courses, something I've taken 8 of. You asked about philosophy classes, something I've taken 16 of. You've mentioned target archery & fitness walking, both of which I took. You asked about astronomy classes, and I've taken all of the undergrad astronomy courses State offers. Now your asking about once a week evening classes when those are all that I do any more.

Are you ripping off my NCSU academic experience wholesale?

2/12/2010 10:11:18 PM

Like someone else mentioned....this would probably be cool for a bullshit class so you only have to worry about it once a week. But as far as actually learning shit, its pretty bad. Studies show that after about 45 minutes people stop really absorbing material.

2/13/2010 12:10:02 AM

most of my grad classes are like this

mondays are horrible - I'm in class from 3p-9p - but that's all my classes for the semester, so it makes it easier to work. I get 2 5min breaks and 1 20min break, which makes it more tolerable. then around 7:30/8pm I get loopy and start drawing dicks.

I tried doing it in undergrad and quickly rearranged my schedule

2/13/2010 2:54:28 PM

I had a sociology course that was that long in undergrad.

Truthfully, it was super cake. I made an A in the class and showed up only a few times. Pretty much everything was in the book.

2/14/2010 7:15:11 PM

yeah, typically there's a break. How much time you'll have for exams varies. I've had long classes like that which you had the entire class to take the exam. In that case, people usually don't take the entire time and leave. But a lot of teachers with classes in that format will have the exam during one half of the class (usually the second half) and the other half you'll have class. When you only meet once a week, they have to take advantage of the time. If something comes up that a class is canceled, it's like missing 2-3 classes compared to the norm. So, they usually won't waste time like that.

I've had long classes, evening classes, and long evening classes. Like anything, there are pros and cons.

If you like the content, the time won't seem too bad. If you don't like the class, 3hrs at once is going to blow.

meeting once a week gives you plenty of time to study and get work done for the next class. But if it's a long class, there is more studying and work to do and if you tell yourself "oh, i have a week" and procrastinate you'll be in more of a jam than normal.

If you miss a class, you miss a ton of material.


Something to consider is how long your day is. I've had long evening classes on days that I had 8am classes, but enough time to go home and do stuff or get some sleep mid-day - I didn't mind that. I've had classes from 8am until 9pm with some time between classes but not really enough time to make it worth going home - that blows. And one semester I had classes all day tues and thursday and nothing the other days. tues and thursday's were long, but it was well worth it for the 4 day weekends and having wednesdays off. Anyhow, the point is that how well sitting through a 3hr class at the end of the day goes can really depend on the rest of your day.

2/14/2010 9:25:37 PM

i took 4 or 5 of these classes. they wernt that bad, id take my laptop and get some homework out of the way when i got bored. a lot of times you would get out early too.

2/15/2010 10:11:12 AM

I'm taking 2 like that right now, its nice only going to it once a week and its relatively easy to keep up with. My history class usually gets out an hour early every class so its pretty sweet.

2/16/2010 8:45:11 PM

Quote :

"a lot of times you would get out early too."

not in grad school! you stay the whole time... sometimes longer. :/

2/16/2010 11:15:07 PM

i take them all the time, and it really depends on the professor if it will be bearable or not. I had two back to back last semester.

Its not so bad doing this for humanities, and film classes are especially great to do this way. But I do not suggest doing this for an English/Lit class.

2/21/2010 7:46:36 PM