Why is uni done in semesters not trimesters? (1 Viewer)

[SweetSeasons]

So here is my bitch of the day...

Why is uni done in semesters not trimesters?

Ok so I figure I'm in actual classes at uni 24 weeks of the year... then there is 4 weeks of exams... and 2 weeks of study breaks... and get this 22 weeks of holidays... could we not put another 15 weeks worth of classes/exams/exam breaks into that 22 weeks? This still leaves 7 weeks a year for holidays... this is more then the average person gets a year.
Holidays would work like this 1 week off in the middle of each trimester, 1 week off between each trimester.. except for the chrissy/new years break where we get 2 weeks off.

But why, do you ask, why would someone want to work for an extra 15 weeks a year? Well the answer to this is simple really..

semesters = 4 years to complete 32 units
trimesters = 2 and 2/3 years to complete 32 units

This means we have over a year taken off our degree... which means we have a year of our lives freed up for travel, or work, or bumming and even making mistakes...

My vote is to move from semester study to trimester study...

Ange

 

[iamsickofyear12]

Get fucked. I like the amount of holidays I have now.

 

[DeathB4Life]

that was your 1000th post!

*claps

*leaves thread

 

[poloktim]

Get fucked. I like the amount of holidays I have now.

I like going to uni when there are no shithead students around. We both have the same outlook on this issue.

 

[carreau]

So here is my bitch of the day...

Why is uni done in semesters not trimesters?

Ok so I figure I'm in actual classes at uni 24 weeks of the year... then there is 4 weeks of exams... and 2 weeks of study breaks... and get this 22 weeks of holidays... could we not put another 15 weeks worth of classes/exams/exam breaks into that 22 weeks? This still leaves 7 weeks a year for holidays... this is more then the average person gets a year.
Holidays would work like this 1 week off in the middle of each trimester, 1 week off between each trimester.. except for the chrissy/new years break where we get 2 weeks off.

But why, do you ask, why would someone want to work for an extra 15 weeks a year? Well the answer to this is simple really..

semesters = 4 years to complete 32 units
trimesters = 2 and 2/3 years to complete 32 units

This means we have over a year taken off our degree... which means we have a year of our lives freed up for travel, or work, or bumming and even making mistakes...

My vote is to move from semester study to trimester study...

Ange

You need to be shot.. And then maybe once more..

 

[Tulipa]

Considering how expensive uni can be for some people and how stressful as well, I think we all need time to relax and earn money.

Do summer school if you want to finish your degree so early.

 

[AsyLum]

This means we have over a year taken off our degree... which means we have a year of our lives freed up for travel, or work, or bumming and even making mistakes...

You can do that while not stressing about failing ?

 

[SweetSeasons]

I'm a low stress person.. all I know is I'd rather spend my 4 months of holidays cutting a year of time spent at uni.. think of all the things you could do with that year.. the possibilities are endless...

can't hardly do anything in 4 months.. can't quit my job to go travel cause then i wont have a job when i get back, don't have any money to travel any ways cause the money i earn when i'm at uni goes as soon as i get it..

trust me if my uni offerd summer school I would be at it... I'm thinking next summer hols a tafe course or something.. or something at a private collage.. just to keep my mind going.. maybe get some accademic credit or something..

 

[Tulipa]

I'm a low stress person.. all I know is I'd rather spend my 4 months of holidays cutting a year of time spent at uni.. think of all the things you could do with that year.. the possibilities are endless...

can't hardly do anything in 4 months.. can't quit my job to go travel cause then i wont have a job when i get back, don't have any money to travel any ways cause the money i earn when i'm at uni goes as soon as i get it..

trust me if my uni offerd summer school I would be at it... I'm thinking next summer hols a tafe course or something.. or something at a private collage.. just to keep my mind going.. maybe get some accademic credit or something..

So work more?

I know I need the money. I'm working forty hour weeks to try to save money to pay off this course and save money to travel for when I'm done.

I just have to say, just because it may not be stressful for you, doesn't mean that's the typical. Uni students need a break.

 

[SweetSeasons]

uni's not that hard, i don't think it's hard at all.. go to class... do the work.. have fun on weekends.. with a bit of casual work thrown in between..

I've been working bout 20 hours a week.. thats all I can get where I work and where I live.. But then.. what's the point in even having a holiday if you're working 40 hour weeks like your self? I find work a lot more stressful then uni, because I have to work and I don't want to be there...

 

[Tulipa]

uni's not that hard, i don't think it's hard at all.. go to class... do the work.. have fun on weekends.. with a bit of casual work thrown in between..

I've been working bout 20 hours a week.. thats all I can get where I work and where I live.. But then.. what's the point in even having a holiday if you're working 40 hour weeks like your self? I find work a lot more stressful then uni, because I have to work and I don't want to be there...

Dude. You're getting paid to work. HUGE incentive.

And maybe you don't find uni stressful, but everyone does different courses, different hours, different assignments.

Some of us kill ourselves to get a D average so that eventually we can go on to do Masters overseas. Which costs money. Which is why I'm working forty hour weeks.

Don't assume we're all lazy for not wanting to go to uni more.

 

[marzbar]

Don't like that trimester idea at all. A year taken off a degree is a year earlier to find a solid job. I'd rather take those long holiday breaks in between uni years for some casual work and travel.

 

[jase_]

I think uni works well in semesters and having trimesters would be too stressful. As people have said, there is summer school available where you can usually do up to 2 units if you wanted to (and if they were available). On another note, some courses are run as trimesters, like the CA program, and there are probably others too.

 

[Templar]

It's not just for the students. Unlike school teachers, academics aren't there to teach (except a limited number of teaching positions), they are there primarily to research (that's what gets them promoted). The more they have to teach the less time they have for their research, so they need the half year off as well.

And for those who want to say that since there are only a few lectures a week so they can research during their breaks, it's not that easy. Most of the time these research require focusing singly on them alone, and teaching ruins that focus (similar reason to why PhD should be done full time).

 

[SweetSeasons]

geessh, I know all this.. and i didn't mean to imply any one was a bludger, including my self. I work hard I just don't stress about it, there's no point in stress life is too short...

I was just saying I would rather go trimesters and get that year taken off my degree..

I know it'll never happen but it's what I would love. Finishing uni when I'm 23/24 man that makes me feel like I've got waisted time.. you don't have shit when you're a uni student all my mates will be married off and buying their 1st house have a car and stuff while I'm sitting exams.. and working in a deli..

so I'm really the only one that would rather have that year off their degree..

 

[dagwoman]

Yeah, because 23/24 is fucking ANCIENT! I don't know anyone who gets married and buys a house when they're that age...

 

[SweetSeasons]

Yeah, because 23/24 is fucking ANCIENT! I don't know anyone who gets married and buys a house when they're that age...

I have friends who are already married n looking to buy a house @ age 20...

All I meant is I wanted to be starting that part of my life when I was around that age.. buying my own house and stuff..

and i never said it was old, I just said I feel like it's waisted time..

 

[poloktim]

I know you're getting flamed in this thread, SweetSeasons, but I actually agree with you. I'm doing a six-year course and I'd love to do it in trimesters and get more of it out of the way. Four months is too long for hols, I get so bored.

I work four nights a week (maybe 25-30 hours?) as it is - same as when I'm at uni - so it's not like I'm doing nothing. It's just fuck I feel lazy sitting around doing nothing and having holidays for so long. Next year I think I'll have to enrol in summer school for three or four courses, just cause I'll be bored.

I think six weeks is a good length for holidays, much like in school. Any more than that and they drag on. I've already started preparing for uni because I'm just that bored.

I understand people like travelling and need to work, but don't you guys get bored with a whole four months off?

At the moment a lot of degrees have minimum time requirements. For example you need to spend three years at uni for an arts degree. You may finish credit requirements after two, but you're still stuck to graduate after the end of the third.

If you get bored, why can't you go and do something extracurricular at uni? Take a summer subject not offered for your degree(s) (get permission, if necessary), so you can have some interest learning over summer. Perhaps a research scholarship?

While these things don't speed up uni, they look good on your resume/transcript, and you're not "wasting time" if you're doing something that interests you.

 

[Season]

You could just enrol in extra classes, or do summer school if you want to finish early.

Summers are fun, and time to stay at the beach or travel the world. When uni finishes you only get a measly 4 weeks off a year so I think everyone should live it up while they can.

 

[Krieg]

How old were you when you started uni? I'm going to be 21 when I finish...