Adrian Chimboza

A:

In terms of time allocation, when it comes to classes, it all depends on two things 1) the days on which the class is offered, and 2) the type or subject focus of the class.

In terms of the days on which a class is offered, some classes are offered triweekly, that is, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (MWF) with each lecture averaging one hour, amounting to an average total of three hours. Some classes are offered biweekly, that is, on Tuesdays and Thursdays (TuTh) or Mondays and Wednesdays (MW), and these are usually made up of two-hour lectures on each day the class meets, thus amounting to an average total of four hours per week. Because most of the work is done outside the classroom, you do not get to spend as much of your time inside the four walls of a Dartmouth classroom as you would at other colleges. In addition to class hours, there is also something known as an X-hour. An X-hour is one period (roughly an hour) each week reserved for that course or class in its regularly assigned classroom at a time different from the course's regular scheduled time.

When it comes to assignments and homework, on average, Dartmouth students spend about four to five hours a week working on one assignment and one homework. That can be between twelve and fifteen hours a week if the same four to five hours are spent on an assignment and homework for each class, given you are taking three classes in a particular term. When it comes down to the nature of the class, we have three categories to consider, that is, 1) STEM classes 2) Humanities and Social Sciences classes and 3) Art classes. Time spent doing schoolwork will vary depending on the type or nature of the class. For example, STEM classes usually have additional components like Labs or Lab sessions, where you get to carry out experiments and write lab reports and these are usually incorporated on days you do not meet with your class (for example during an X-Hour). Humanities and Social Sciences classes usually have readings and discussion boards (where you post your thoughts on the readings you would have done prior to that class) which are due the day or a couple of days before the class meets. For Art classes like Studio Art and Music, you are typically expected to complete either one of the following tasks depending on the level of the class 1) watch a couple of Music videos or prerecorded lecture 2) take pictures of different structures and animals, and 3) paint a portrait. For these, however, the time frame which is allocated to you is sufficiently long, up to a week, allowing you to complete each task!