School Bells

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Originally Posted by Scheherazade

Well, it is that time of the year... Again.

Classes are starting and I have been told I am taking a relatively easy class this term.

Here's to hoping!

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I returned to McGill on Wednesday for the first time in 4 years, and I had forgotten how horribly hilly and far away everything is on campus. The uphill walk to the graduate lounge today, combined with a case of pneumonia, nearly killed me. Blerg.

My courses don't seem to be too heavy from my perspective. One is a thesis preparation pass/fail thing that I just have to show up to in order to complete. I'm doing a course on Old English Language and Medieval Literature, which will probably be challenging, but I don't have the first lecture until Monday. My other course is on the Renaissance English epic, I have to have 2 topics chosen by Wednesday: one on Spenser and one on Milton. It doesn't seem like too much work though, it's only two 20 minute presentations and two 12 page papers.

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Originally Posted by Scheherazade

Well, it is that time of the year... Again.

Classes are starting and I have been told I am taking a relatively easy class this term.

Here's to hoping!

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I'm taking Maths for ESOL learners this year. It'll be a two session class - 5 hours a week. It should be interesting. It's also in the building I manage, so it will be easy to organise. We're wondering what effect the Functional Skills will have on the maths attainment. We predict that levels will drop - in particular for ex-ESOL learners.

Scher, what class will you be taking?

Pensive, why will you be arriving late? Also, I'm not sure I understood what you were saying about going to Turkey as opposed to Eastern Europe? Can you transfer later if you think Turkey would be a better choice?

Good luck, OP. It sounds fun, except for the 12 page papers. :D

Enjoy, Paul Clem. What are Functional Skills? And Maths attainment? And why do they put an "s" on the end of Math in the UK? Thanks.

I may, may take some language classes. They are stand alone, I guess. In other words, not toward a degree. I've just wanted to study a couple of different languages for awhile now, so I may go forward with that idea. I'm not very good at self-discipline, so we'll see how it goes. Can I still come here and talk about class?

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Originally Posted by OrphanPip

I returned to McGill on Wednesday for the first time in 4 years, and I had forgotten how horribly hilly and far away everything is on campus. The uphill walk to the graduate lounge today, combined with a case of pneumonia, nearly killed me. Blerg.

My courses don't seem to be too heavy from my perspective. One is a thesis preparation pass/fail thing that I just have to show up to in order to complete. I'm doing a course on Old English Language and Medieval Literature, which will probably be challenging, but I don't have the first lecture until Monday. My other course is on the Renaissance English epic, I have to have 2 topics chosen by Wednesday: one on Spenser and one on Milton. It doesn't seem like too much work though, it's only two 20 minute presentations and two 12 page papers.

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Are you in a one-year program or a two-year one, assuming you're doing an M.A.? I'm still looking into grad school and it seems one-year programs with a research essay component are the trend nowadays.

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Originally Posted by Shevek

Are you in a one-year program or a two-year one, assuming you're doing an M.A.? I'm still looking into grad school and it seems one-year programs with a research essay component are the trend nowadays.

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One-year programs are pretty much the norm now, McGill is one of the last 2-year programs in the country as far as I know. McGill offers you the opportunity to do it in 1 or 2 years, keeping in mind that the 1 year programs are 3 semesters and the 2 just give you an extra semester for concentrating on thesis writing.

Some of the MA programs don't even have research paper options, UoT has gone to an entirely course based MA. I was also put off by UoT's large MA cohort size, and relatively high tuition in comparison to McGill.

From speaking with the graduate coordinator and a member of the admission committee, I've been told there is a lot of interest in doing away with MA theses, because they are increasingly viewed as redundant and less useful than a broader education at the MA level. The trend in the lit departments seems to be towards more rounded students and less specialization.

McGill's research paper option is relatively long at 50-60 pages, and involves a formal defence like a thesis. So, McGill remains slightly more demanding than some of the other MA programs in the country. It also has the benefit of smaller classes and good Graduate Student to faculty ratio. Although, UoT has fantastic faculty and the best library in the country, especially for Can. Lit.

The thesis option still being available at McGill is also an interesting attraction for those who want to really develop a complex argument at the MA level. McGill also offers a lot of support for conference submission and participation by MAs. I've heard McMaster is also very good about supporting their MAs. I chose not to attend McMaster, but the funding I was offered was very generous. Ottawa U also had surprisingly good fellowships and guaranteed TAship for applicants with 3.8/4.0 or higher GPAs. That was initially my fall-back application, but I was tempted by the money they offered me.

Edit: I haven't decided on whether I will do a RP or a full thesis yet, I want to secure a supervisor before I make that final decision.

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Originally Posted by OrphanPip

One-year programs are pretty much the norm now, McGill is one of the last 2-year programs in the country as far as I know. McGill offers you the opportunity to do it in 1 or 2 years, keeping in mind that the 1 year programs are 3 semesters and the 2 just give you an extra semester for concentrating on thesis writing.

Some of the MA programs don't even have research paper options, UoT has gone to an entirely course based MA. I was also put off by UoT's large MA cohort size, and relatively high tuition in comparison to McGill.

From speaking with the graduate coordinator and a member of the admission committee, I've been told there is a lot of interest in doing away with MA theses, because they are increasingly viewed as redundant and less useful than a broader education at the MA level. The trend in the lit departments seems to be towards more rounded students and less specialization.

McGill's research paper option is relatively long at 50-60 pages, and involves a formal defence like a thesis. So, McGill remains slightly more demanding than some of the other MA programs in the country. It also has the benefit of smaller classes and good Graduate Student to faculty ratio. Although, UoT has fantastic faculty and the best library in the country, especially for Can. Lit.

The thesis option still being available at McGill is also an interesting attraction for those who want to really develop a complex argument at the MA level. McGill also offers a lot of support for conference submission and participation by MAs. I've heard McMaster is also very good about supporting their MAs. I chose not to attend McMaster, but the funding I was offered was very generous. Ottawa U also had surprisingly good fellowships and guaranteed TAship for applicants with 3.8/4.0 or higher GPAs. That was initially my fall-back application, but I was tempted by the money they offered me.

Edit: I haven't decided on whether I will do a RP or a full thesis yet, I want to secure a supervisor before I make that final decision.

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Thanks for this info, especially about funding. I will probably end up doing a one-year program, then.

I was told TAships are generally guaranteed to first-year M.A. students regardless of academic standing (at least in the history department at Carleton University). Is this incorrect?

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Originally Posted by Shevek

Thanks for this info, especially about funding. I will probably end up doing a one-year program, then.

I was told TAships are generally guaranteed to first-year M.A. students regardless of academic standing (at least in the history department at Carleton University). Is this incorrect?

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Depends on the school many of the smaller but fairly well funded schools, like McMaster or York, guarantee. It's pretty difficult to get MA funding at UoT, unless you manage to secure a SSHRC grant the final year of your undergrad.

McGill guarantees you a fellowship, TAships aren't scarce but they are prioritized to PhD and 2nd year MAs. My fellowship covers my tuition comfortably, as a Quebec resident I pay less than the other students.

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Originally Posted by OrphanPip

McGill's research paper option is relatively long at 50-60 pages, and involves a formal defence like a thesis.

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Jesus Christ. :sick:

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Originally Posted by qimissung

Scher, what class will you be taking?

Pensive, why will you be arriving late? Also, I'm not sure I understood what you were saying about going to Turkey as opposed to Eastern Europe? Can you transfer later if you think Turkey would be a better choice?

Good luck, OP. It sounds fun, except for the 12 page papers. :D

Enjoy, Paul Clem. What are Functional Skills? And Maths attainment? And why do they put an "s" on the end of Math in the UK? Thanks.

I may, may take some language classes. They are stand alone, I guess. In other words, not toward a degree. I've just wanted to study a couple of different languages for awhile now, so I may go forward with that idea. I'm not very good at self-discipline, so we'll see how it goes. Can I still come here and talk about class?

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Functional skills are a new set of qualifications designed to be taken as a preparation for our standard 16 year olds school qualification. It is used for adults and kids in school. The idea was to have qualifications that reflected everyday problems but which also tested metacognitive skills. We have them in Maths, English and ICT. I don't know why you don't put an s on maths. Perhaps you regard it as a count noun already.

Pardon the typos - just corrected. The phone is awkward when editing - or it may be another manifestation of my churlish fingers.

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Originally Posted by qimissung

Pensive, why will you be arriving late? Also, I'm not sure I understood what you were saying about going to Turkey as opposed to Eastern Europe? Can you transfer later if you think Turkey would be a better choice?

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Actually I would have to reach my destination by traveling a long way (via Beijing and Helsinki) and appropriate flights are either full or irregular (plus I got to know the decision regarding the grant of my residence permit a bit late so there wasn't enough time to make proper travel arrangements at such a busy time of year).

That's always a possibility but the credit-transfer system is very complicated and I do not have the option of deferring this scholarship!

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Originally Posted by Shevek

Thanks for this info, especially about funding. I will probably end up doing a one-year program, then.

I was told TAships are generally guaranteed to first-year M.A. students regardless of academic standing (at least in the history department at Carleton University). Is this incorrect?

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At my university--Southern Illinois University Edwardsville--TAships (and I'm talking about Teaching Assistantships, just so we're talking about the same thing) are definitely not guaranteed. It's a pretty competitive application process, and first year MA students getting it our the exception, though it does happen. I didn't get my TAship the first year I applied, but I did this year, which is my seconding the MA program. When the committee is deciding who to hire, academic standing is a large part of their decision. My GPA isn't top notch, but I got in because I already had a background n education and most of the committee members knew me.

This is all just for the English department at my university. I don't know how other departments work--our English department is pretty picky, which is good.

Also, Canada's MA programs must not be as strenuous as the USA's. I've never heard of a one year MA program, and it's very difficult to complete an MA in two years--most elope take longer. I know I will.

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Originally Posted by Mutatis-Mutandis

Also, Canada's MA programs must not be as strenuous as the USA's. I've never heard of a one year MA program, and it's very difficult to complete an MA in two years--most elope take longer. I know I will.

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It's the standard British model. And it's also literally a 12 month program with no summer break that usually spills over into September to November, so like 13-15 months in all.

Well, the American model would be at least 18 months (and most students will take classes over the summer). Note that I'm not claiming ours is somehow better because it's a longer program--yours is probably more intensive than ours.

Well I'm in a two year program so it doesn't really apply to me.

Mutatis, you misspelled disappointing. I'm disappointed.

Thank you, Paul. I like how you turned my question around. What do you mean by a count noun? To me it's Math, like English is English. It's probably just what we're each used to.


http://www.dailywritingtips.com/math-or-maths/

I found this. It says there's a good argument for using it either way.

Thank you, Pensive, for explaining. It sounds very complicated, but completely understandable concerning the transfer of credits and the scholarship. I hope your journey there is not arduous.

I'm starting a Chinese class tomorrow! :banana: I'm so excited, I'm not sure why because even though I've always wanted to learn another language I'm really rotten at classes that require lots of memorization.

Good luck with school, OP, Mutatis and everyone!