Projects

It has not been extremely busy here in Aalborg but it is easy to get caught up in the humdrum of daily life and forget to blog about it. I have just started my second (and practically last) month of classes. I have a few classes that meet in April but not very many. This is because the University system in Denmark is completely different than in the states. Here students pick a program of study and then the courses are already planned out for each semester. Meaning that all SIS students take all the same classes together every semester. Within the programs there can be streams: which are two or three classes that go together because they talk about different aspects of the same topic. If one decides to do a stream the student can pick what stream they would like to follow.

The course work differs as well. There is no daily assignments such as papers or tests only daily reading. Your entire grade in a course depends on your final project. The final project is just a large paper and it is recommended to be done in a group. The paper is based on a problem formulation which is a problem you find either in the course or relevant literature. Each person can write a maximum of 15 pages. It is possible to work alone but you are encouraged to write as a group. To facilitate the writing of the project there are only 8 weeks of actual classes and then you are given 2 months off to work on the project. Each group is assigned a supervisor to help with the project. The project is graded on a 12 point scale. 12 though is an unattainable grade unless your project is mind blowing. Some professors have never given 12 and some have only given 1 in there entire teaching career.

This is why I am in my last month of classes. I do not know what my project topic is going to be nor do I have a group but I am working on it. I have to figure it out my March 13 because that is when my application for a supervisor is due. Wish me luck!