Bad credit, an Art major's thoughts on classes
Jillian Bouchard
Issue date: 11/19/09 Section: Opinion
As an art major, I have taken my fair share of studio classes over the years I have been here at Bridgewater State College. If you have never taken an art studio class, then you wouldn't know that they are double the class time and are given the same amount of credits as a normal class. So basically you take a class for about five hours a week instead of the two and a half hours that normal classes run for, for the same amount of credits. Not only are the hours long, but trying to work two or three into a schedule of five classes is a pain. If you don't believe me, talk to any art majors you know; they'll back me up.
This time of year is stressful enough, with registering for classes, all of the school work that seems to start piling up at this time in the semester, and the family commitments that come with the holiday season, not to mention cramming for finals that are just around the bend.
Trying to jam your schedule full of double length classes just adds to the anxiety that comes with being a college student. Science majors have similar situations with labs running long hours, but at least with a lab you get an extra credit to make up for the extra time.
I'm not saying that I want shorter studio classes because I understand the necessity of the length; without the extra time spent in class, the amount of work needed to be done out of class would be doubled. Plus, with the extra class time you get the hands on learning along with guidance from professors and input from your peers. Without things like that, you couldn't grow as an artist. All I'm saying is that an extra credit tacked on would be a welcomed thing to compensate for the extra time spent in class.
Going into my second semester of Junior year, I find myself having only five more mandatory classes for my major left to take, but still a large amount credits needed to be filled up.
With studios being double the length of other classes, there are only so many classes I can fit into my schedule each semester. So what am I supposed to do? If the art studio classes were worth the amount of time that we spend in them, then I would be in a better place right now, not stuck between a rock and a hard place.
I know that Bridgewater State College is not the only college or university that hands out only three credits per art studio, but it doesn't make it right or easy for art majors everywhere. I say give us one more credit for our time at least. I know I'm not the only art major out there who agrees with this suggestion; I just wonder how long it will take for the administrations at all institutes of higher learning to catch on and agree with me as well.
This time of year is stressful enough, with registering for classes, all of the school work that seems to start piling up at this time in the semester, and the family commitments that come with the holiday season, not to mention cramming for finals that are just around the bend.
Trying to jam your schedule full of double length classes just adds to the anxiety that comes with being a college student. Science majors have similar situations with labs running long hours, but at least with a lab you get an extra credit to make up for the extra time.
I'm not saying that I want shorter studio classes because I understand the necessity of the length; without the extra time spent in class, the amount of work needed to be done out of class would be doubled. Plus, with the extra class time you get the hands on learning along with guidance from professors and input from your peers. Without things like that, you couldn't grow as an artist. All I'm saying is that an extra credit tacked on would be a welcomed thing to compensate for the extra time spent in class.
Going into my second semester of Junior year, I find myself having only five more mandatory classes for my major left to take, but still a large amount credits needed to be filled up.
With studios being double the length of other classes, there are only so many classes I can fit into my schedule each semester. So what am I supposed to do? If the art studio classes were worth the amount of time that we spend in them, then I would be in a better place right now, not stuck between a rock and a hard place.
I know that Bridgewater State College is not the only college or university that hands out only three credits per art studio, but it doesn't make it right or easy for art majors everywhere. I say give us one more credit for our time at least. I know I'm not the only art major out there who agrees with this suggestion; I just wonder how long it will take for the administrations at all institutes of higher learning to catch on and agree with me as well.
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