Managing your Course

Abstract

How much work you can do in preparation for your course will depend upon your circumstances; how much work you need to do will depend on your course. If you do nothing at all, this need not be a problem, but if you can spend some time preparing and planning this will help you in four ways. Firstly, it will help to make your workload easier once the course has begun. Secondly, it will alert you to any potential hurdles you can overcome now, rather than when you are under more pressure. Thirdly, it will allow you to develop an overview of the course, what you are being asked to do and what is being offered to you — how far your studying and research might extend. This sense of knowing ‘the bigger picture’ will stay with you throughout your course and help you to remain focused. Lastly, carrying out any of the preparation suggested here will result in you feeling more in control of the course and the learning process: this will be vital in the management of your course.