Grad school text books?

Just a quick question. For those who have taken grad school (master) courses, usually how many text books did your courses require? Some of the courses I am looking at are requiring 10-15 text books PER course, only one out of the entire semester's offerings had fewer. Is this normal??

 

That is crazy, normal is 1-3 books per course and if I used more than one, I found to be too many, with the information that is available in the internet.

 

I didn't buy any when I attended TUI University. All material was either on the course CD or through their school library online.

 

Jen,

Is that the course that you take at Harvard?

 

In my two masters degrees each course required no more than one text book, however for one course the instructor provided a second govt published book at no cost to the students.
Of course I often consulted other books (and journals) during my studies, usually in my own library or in my employers technical library.

Are you referring to courses in the WNMU masters program?

 

AMU used to require about 1000 pages of reading for its graduate courses.

 

1-2 books were the norm at A.T. Still University and the University of Oklahoma. There were a handful of classes that required three books. In addition to this, downloading magazine articles and book chapters was routine for both schools.

 

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Yes. But, it's still my first experience with grad level, so I'm just looking for perspective.

 

Are you referring to courses in the WNMU masters program?[/QUOTE]
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No, I don't have their book list yet.

 

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Ok, so this all seems on par with my expectations. I just wondered how justified I was when my jaw hit the floor LOL. There is additional reading and viewing (music lyrics, movies, lectures, poetry, journal articles, websites, lecture notes, etc) but those are free on the course's web site....so I wasn't too worried about "those" items. Thankfully, I already own some of the fiction, but I still have a "to buy" list of 9 books (14 in all) for this course. Cha-ching.

 

This is a fairly common practice amongst foreign universities (UK, Oz, etc.). Apparently, it is for Harvard as well. Any chance of finding some of these books in a library? Perhaps you could go to a college/university near you and ask if you can use their library as a visiting student? Worth a shot. Of course, there are the usual spots online for finding used books (amazon, half.com, etc.).

Please keep us posted on your class with Harvard. May I ask which class you are taking? I'm looking at perhaps taking a Linguistics course.

Tom

 

Maybe, that is the Havard's thing. Most of the course I take only 1 textbook...and maybe some reading articles or a secondardy book for references.

 

I think it all depends on the type of degree you are getting.

I have a buddy of mine getting his Ph.D. in Latin American History at Florida International University. He has to read about 10 books per course. I would imagine also those who are in literature degrees have to read plenty. When I was in seminary I had to read tons and tons.

My Ph.D. was different. Typically I had one or two text books per course. The real work came when I had to write mini-papers or full papers where I would peruse sometimes hundreds of journal articles until my eyeballs fell out.

I would imagine that in the hard core sciences/math/engineering it is just a textbook and maybe lab work. I guess it depends in what kind of major/specialty you are in.

 

Please keep us posted on your class with Harvard. May I ask which class you are taking? I'm looking at perhaps taking a Linguistics course.

Tom[/QUOTE]

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I am down to the wire and have to decide soon. I have paid my registration fee, now I just need to register for the course! I am trying to decide between these four:

Classics of American Thought
http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2008-09/courses/12731.jsp?caller=dce

American Protest Literature
http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2008-09/courses/13075.jsp?caller=dce

Maya Hieroglyphic Writing
http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2008-09/courses/13037.jsp?caller=dce

Colonial America
http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2008-09/courses/13084.jsp?caller=dce

Are you looking at the syntax course?

 

>>

I am down to the wire and have to decide soon. I have paid my registration fee, now I just need to register for the course! I am trying to decide between these four:

Classics of American Thought
http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2008-09/courses/12731.jsp?caller=dce

American Protest Literature
http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2008-09/courses/13075.jsp?caller=dce

Maya Hieroglyphic Writing
http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2008-09/courses/13037.jsp?caller=dce

Colonial America
http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2008-09/courses/13084.jsp?caller=dce

Are you looking at the syntax course?[/QUOTE]

I'd hit the library for the books - especially novels and such.

 

>>

No, I don't have their book list yet.[/QUOTE]Try: www.bkstr.com/CategoryDisplay/10001-9604-10367-1?demoKey=p .

 

[/QUOTE]
Maya Hieroglyphic Writing
http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2008-09/courses/13037.jsp?caller=dce
QUOTE]


I saw a program on this subject on PBS NOVA - very interesting
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/maya/glyphs.html

 

Maya Hieroglyphic Writing
http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2008-09/courses/13037.jsp?caller=dce
QUOTE]


I saw a program on this subject on PBS NOVA - very interesting
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/maya/glyphs.html[/QUOTE]

Take the Hieroglyphic course. It will help you to understand women!

 

Take the Hieroglyphic course. It will help you to understand women! [/QUOTE]

>>


LOL!
Well, I AM a woman so I ended up registering for Abnormal Psych. It might help me understand the men LOL. (just kidding!)

I nervously poured over the course selection guide forever, I had a hard time deciding simply because I am still uncertain about many things at this point. I hadn't anticipated being so indecisive! Anyway, in the end, I relied heavily on the feedback used in www.ratemyprofessors.com to streamline my list down to 12 courses. Being a teacher myself, I hate laziness. So any indication of a lazy professor knocked them off. I also eliminated professors who were "hard ass" rather than "demanding." I love demanding, I hate tedious. From there, I eliminated courses which didn't already have the syllabus posted online for me to review, and then further eliminated courses which required more than 4 text books. Of my remaining options, I googled names until I got a good "feel" for the professor's style/ideals/personality. I really feel good about my choice, it should be a good first course for me. Students also participate in some type of ongoing research- that sounds pretty interesting.

So- classes start in 2 weeks. YIKES!

 

Jennifer,

That was a great comeback!

>>


LOL!
Well, I AM a woman so I ended up registering for Abnormal Psych. It might help me understand the men LOL. (just kidding!)

I nervously poured over the course selection guide forever, I had a hard time deciding simply because I am still uncertain about many things at this point. I hadn't anticipated being so indecisive! Anyway, in the end, I relied heavily on the feedback used in www.ratemyprofessors.com to streamline my list down to 12 courses. Being a teacher myself, I hate laziness. So any indication of a lazy professor knocked them off. I also eliminated professors who were "hard ass" rather than "demanding." I love demanding, I hate tedious. From there, I eliminated courses which didn't already have the syllabus posted online for me to review, and then further eliminated courses which required more than 4 text books. Of my remaining options, I googled names until I got a good "feel" for the professor's style/ideals/personality. I really feel good about my choice, it should be a good first course for me. Students also participate in some type of ongoing research- that sounds pretty interesting.

So- classes start in 2 weeks. YIKES![/QUOTE]