Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
Modular Study System: Effective and Student-Friendly
When I told my friends back in my home country that I am studying one subject at a time at ITMO, they were totally surprised. This was a completely new concept for them. It was a very new experience for me as well because since my childhood I had been into a study system where I had to study multiple subjects simultaneously throughout the year and then pass all the exams during one week. But ITMO University introduced me to a new concept of education termed the "Modular study system" which aims at providing the students with a unique experience of an easy yet effective system of study. In this blog, I am going to pen down my opinion on this system and list its key benefits.
The modular system of study means the entire semester is broken down into several modules. Each module consists of one or more core subjects, some elective courses, and foreign language classes. Each subject takes place on its own time without intersecting with others. Let me explain it with an example.
Imagine one of your subjects is Molecular Biology. According to the schedule, this particular subject must be completed in, say, two or three weeks. During this time, you will only study Molecular Biology and nothing else. Every day you will have a perfect blend of lectures and practice sessions. After the completion of the module, you will have an exam on that particular subject and that is all! Now you move on to the next subject following the same pattern.
I personally felt that this system of study should be the standard format because of a variety of reasons. I would like to point out the pros which I detected while being enrolled in the modular system of study.
1. Opportunity to focus on one subject at a time
Do you remember those days when you had to shift your focus abruptly from a complex mathematical problem to the character sketch of Shakespeare’s court jester? All of us had problems coping up with that. But studying one subject at a time completely eradicates that problem and allows us to dive into the realm of one subject at a time.
2. Exams are no longer a burden
In the past, I had to face a 10-day long examination with all subjects coming up back-to-back with rarely any gap. By the time of the last exam, all my energy and enthusiasm used to drop to a zero. But in the modular system of study, you have to pass one exam at a time right after the completion of the lecture and practice of that particular course. This not only reduces the burden of studying for multiple exams at the same time but also allows us to prepare well for one particular subject at a time and to concentrate on the topic better.
3. You can work part-time
Nobody wants to sit idle nowadays and it is important for a student to gain hands-on experience of working in a professional setting. But most students do not find the time to get involved in such activities due to their tight schedule. The modular system allows ample time every day to devote to part-time jobs or pursue a hobby. I have personally been able to work part-time as an astrobiology educator and still have straight A’s in every subject of the first semester!
4. Enough time to have fun
Studying at ITMO University means staying in the beautiful city of St. Petersburg, which is also called the "Venice of the North." The student-friendly schedule of the modular system provides you with ample time to explore the city and spend time with friends and family.
In a nutshell, the modular system of study has been a new and fascinating experience for me. I really believe that it should be followed by every school and university all over the world because it has a lot of advantages over the traditional study system. I thank ITMO for introducing this concept of education and I am glad that I could experience it.