Academic Differences

Academic Differences:

How does the academic system in the host country compares to MC? 
- The workload is going to be a bit extreme. Since it is only a month I will be there, I a forcing a whole class in a couple of weeks. We have class everyday, except for one rest day. The last week is exam week. We will have daily assignments, and be working in the field and the classroom from the time we wake up, to the time we call it a night. Students are required to study, take assignments serious, work hard, follow instructions, pay attention to field work, pay attention to number and apply them to our situations, and work together to get field projects done. The relationship with the professors and guides will be close ones. We are spending everyday with the either in the field or the classroom. We are in one unit in the rain forest in Australia, and together while traveling through New Zealand. They are not just our professors, but like our mentors through the trip. 

The class I am taking is four hours. The credit hours will be transferred from the program in Australia and New Zealand, to a University in the States. So all of my hard work will pay off. My advisor told me the credit hours do not count towards anything I need to graduate, but it will be an extra curricular activity. So in the end it will help me get to my goal of completed credit hours. The four hour class I am taking meets after breakfast and goes till lunch. Then we meet after lunch until it is time for studies or library time. They alternate field days with classroom days.  

The grade I will receive for the credit course will be pass or fail at SFS, but once it is transferred it will turn into a letter grade for Maryville. I do not have all the details on how that will work, but I am sure I will work my butt off there to get a good grade. 

The academic support will be the teachers, guides, and advisors. I am fortunate enough to have access to support at all times of the day in Australia. We are all living in the unit together, so my professors will be there to help even after class. In New Zealand our guide/teacher will be helping us daily during our tour and field works. We have time periods during the day after lunch and after class to work on projects and study. These times are dedicated to one on one questioning and conversation with our teachers. I am very happy I will have time like that for any questions or concerns I have. 

The program I am going through has many different other programs. So I am not sure how many hours you have to take to be a full time student. I think it depends on the program you are going to. For the one I am going to, you can take half the summer, the whole summer, or a semester. Half a semester is 4, whole is 8, and the whole semester I think is 12. But I am not sure. I could not get money from Maryville in scholarship money, because it was not above 6 credit hours. But each program varies. So Maryville you have to have 13 to be a full time student, and for the program I am going to is just a summer program. It really depends on where you are going, because they put you in classes based on what the program is circled around. Like mine is based around conservation, rain forest studies, and how people relate with the environmental changes.