One course at time is a truly unique way of handling education. Only a few colleges in the U. S. have this program, one of them being Cornell College in Mount Vernon, IA. Many students feel that taking one course every month would be strange or difficult, which is true for the most part. Getting used to having one class can be a weird transition, and learning to direct all of your focus on one topic can be hard to get the hang of, but there are certainly a lot of benefits to it.
The block plan is a better example of what a career would be like.
In most jobs, you’re expected to focus on one topic or subject at a time. The block plan prepares you for the intense focus that you’ll experience in the working world.
There are more opportunities for things like “field trips,” internships, research, and travel.
If you’re on the block plan, it can be really easy to apply for opportunities like internships for a month. You can do extensive research on or off campus, since you won’t have to worry about other classes. You could even take a trip into the city for the day with your class!
One course = one priority.
This applies to both the students and the professor. Teachers only have to worry about one class, so it can be helpful to know that their main focus is your studies.
Scheduling events is pretty easy.
If everyone is taking one course, and most likely those courses will be running at the same time of day, you’ll know when people won’t be in class. This can be really convenient for gathering people for events and meetings as well as study groups.
There are more opportunities for in-depth learning.
When you’re only spending 50 minutes on a topic in one day, there’s not much room to ponder the subjects that you’re learning about. But on the block plan, you have all the time in the world to discuss and read and research whatever subject you choose.
There are plenty of people who wouldn’t fit with the block plan, and that’s totally okay. It’s certainly not for everyone. But the block plan can help many people prepare for their future careers as well as gain a better education.
