Time Commitments & Management

It's true that much of your Outlier course can be completed at your own pace:

Most course materials are available to you for the duration of the session, from the time the course opens through the end of the final exam. However, there are certain course elements with set dates and times.

Unless otherwise noted, all dates and times that you see on the course website are based on your local time zone. You can find the dates that midterms and exams will be open by hovering over the lock icon for that exam or by referring to your course syllabus.

 

Putting in the Hours

A 14-week standard course has an estimated 10-20 hours/week time commitment, between watching the recorded lectures, using the Active Learning (interactive textbook), completing practice sets to test your learning, engaging in the discussion community, and taking the section quiz.

The 7-week accelerated courses move at a rapid pace! We estimate that the time commitment required for an accelerated course is closer to 20-30 hours/week.

 

Managing Your Time

It's true that online courses are flexible, but we still recommend that you follow the plan outlined in your course syllabus to be successful in an Outlier course. Course materials are available in this schedule:

 

First day of the semester

Gain access to the lectures and other learning materials for all sections included in the first Midterm exam.

Following the first Midterm exam

The next sections of the course are accessible

After the closing of the second Midterm

All the remaining sections are unlocked

 

Written Assignments

Outlier’s writing courses have weekly deadlines for written assignments in addition to exam deadlines.

These are not flexible! Students must submit their written work before the close date/time for the work to be considered for credit.

The deadlines between 14-week and 7-week length courses will be different. Since 7-week length courses are intensive and condensed, there may be multiple deadlines for written work in a number of the weeks throughout the term.

 

Exams

Exams - including midterms and finals - are only open for a set window of time. You may take exams any time during that period, but they must be taken in one sitting. For more information on how Outlier exams work, click here.

Unless otherwise noted, all dates and times that you see on the course website are based on your local time zone. You can find the dates that midterms and exams will be open by hovering over the lock icon for that exam or by referring to your course syllabus.

 

Learn more about creating a successful schedule as an Outlier student here.

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