Planning Tank

What is Coursework? | Definition, Meaning & keypoints!

What is coursework.

Written or practical work done by a student during a course of study, usually assessed in order to count towards a final mark or grade.

Who assigns coursework and why?

Major types of coursework & how to go about them, coursework for academic topics which require writing:, what makes a good and effective content, coursework requiring you to make something like model, sculpture or artwork, key points to be kept in mind while working on coursework, about the author.

Think Student

Coursework vs Exams: What’s Easier? (Pros and Cons)

In A-Level , GCSE , General by Think Student Editor September 12, 2023 Leave a Comment

Coursework and exams are two different techniques used to assess students on certain subjects. Both of these methods can seem like a drag when trying to get a good grade, as they both take so many hours of work! However, is it true that one of these assessment techniques is easier than the other? Some students pick subjects specifically because they are only assessed via coursework or only assessed via exams, depending on what they find easiest. However, could there be a definite answer to what is the easiest?

If you want to discover whether coursework or exams are easier and the pros and cons of these methods, check out the rest of this article!

Disclaimer: This article is solely based on one student’s opinion. Every student has different perspectives on whether coursework or exams are easier. Therefore, the views expressed in this article may not align with your own.

Table of Contents

Coursework vs exams: what’s easier?

The truth is that whether you find coursework or exams easier depends on you and how you like to work. Different students learn best in different ways and as a result, will have differing views on these two assessment methods.

Coursework requires students to complete assignments and essays throughout the year which are carefully graded and moderated. This work makes up a student’s coursework and contributes to their final grade.

In comparison, exams often only take place at the end of the year. Therefore, students are only assessed at one point in the year instead of throughout. All of a student’s work then leads up to them answering a number of exams which make up their grade.

There are pros and cons for both of these methods, depending on how you learn and are assessed best. Therefore, whether you find coursework or exams easier or not depends on each individual.

Is coursework easier than exams?

Some students believe that coursework is easier than exams. This is because it requires students to work on it all throughout the year, whilst having plenty of resources available to them.

As a result, there is less pressure on students at the end of the year, as they have gradually been able to work hard on their coursework, which then determines their grade. If you do coursework at GCSE or A-Level, you will generally have to complete an extended essay or project.

Some students find this easier than exams because they have lots of time to research and edit their essays, allowing the highest quality of work to be produced. You can discover more about coursework and tips for how to make it stand out if you check out this article from Oxford Royale.

However, some students actually find coursework harder because of the amount of time it takes and all of the research involved. Consequently, whether you prefer coursework or not depends on how you enjoy learning.

What are the cons of coursework?

As already hinted at, the main con of coursework is the amount of time it takes. In my experience, coursework was always such a drag because it took up so much of my time!

When you hear that you have to do a long essay, roughly 2000-3000 words, it sounds easily achievable. However, the amount of research you have to do is immense, and then editing and reviewing your work takes even more time.

Coursework should not be over and done within a week. It requires constant revisits and rephrasing, as you make it as professional sounding and high quality as possible. Teachers are also unable to give lots of help to students doing coursework. This is because it is supposed to be an independent project.

Teachers are able to give some advice, however not too much support. This can be difficult for students who are used to being given lots of help.

You also have to be very careful with what you actually write. If you plagiarise anything that you have written, your coursework could be disqualified. Therefore, it is very important that you pay attention to everything you write and make sure that you don’t copy explicitly from other websites. This can make coursework a risky assessment method.

You are allowed to use websites for research, however you must reference them correctly. This can be a difficult skill for some students to learn also!

What are the pros of coursework?

Some of the cons of coursework already discussed can actually be seen as pros by some students! Due to coursework being completed throughout the year, this places less pressure on students, as they don’t have to worry about final exams completely determining their grade.

Some subjects require students to sit exams and complete some coursework. However, if a student already knows that they have completed some high-quality coursework when it comes to exam season, they are less likely to place pressure on themselves. They know that their coursework could save their grade even if they don’t do very well on the exam.

A lot of coursework also requires students to decide what they want to research or investigate. This allows students to be more creative, as they decide what to research, depending on the subject. This can make school more enjoyable and also give them more ideas about what they want to do in the future.

If you are about to sit your GCSEs and are thinking that coursework is the way to go, check out this article from Think Student to discover which GCSE subjects require students to complete coursework.

What are the cons of exams?

Personally, I hated exams! Most students share this opinion. After all, so much pressure is put on students to complete a set of exams at the end of the school year. Therefore, the main con of sitting exams is the amount of pressure that students are put under.

Unlike coursework, students are unable to go back and revisit the answers to their exams over many weeks. Instead, after those 2 (ish) hours are up, you have to leave the exam hall and that’s it! Your grade will be determined from your exams.

This can be seen as not the best method, as it doesn’t take student’s performances throughout the rest of the year into account. Consequently, if a student is just having a bad day and messes up one of their exams, nothing can be done about it!

If you are struggling with exam stress at the moment, check out this article from Think Student to discover ways of dealing with it.

Exams also require an immense amount of revision which takes up time and can be difficult for students to complete. If you want to discover some revision tips, check out this article from Think Student.

What are the pros of exams?

Exams can be considered easier however because they are over with quickly. Unlike coursework, all students have to do is stay in an exam hall for a couple of hours and it’s done! If you want to discover how long GCSE exams generally last, check out this article from Think Student.

Alternatively, you can find out how long A-Level exams are in this article from Think Student. There is no need to work on one exam paper for weeks – apart from revising of course!

Revising for exams does take a while, however revising can also be beneficial because it increases a student’s knowledge. Going over information again and again means that the student is more likely to remember it and use it in real life. This differs greatly from coursework.

Finally, the main advantage of exams is that it is much harder to cheat in any way. Firstly, this includes outright cheating – there have been issues in the past with students getting other people to write their coursework essays.

However, it also includes the help you get. Some students may have an unfair advantage if their teachers offer more help and guidance with coursework than at other schools. In an exam, it is purely the student’s work.

While this doesn’t necessarily make exams easier than coursework, it does make them fairer, and is the reason why very few GCSEs now include coursework.

If you want to discover more pros and cons of exams, check out this article from AplusTopper.

What type of student is coursework and exams suited to?

You have probably already gathered from this article whether exams or coursework are easier. This is because it all depends on you. Hopefully, the pros and cons outlined have helped you to decide whether exams or coursework is the best assessment method for you.

If you work well under pressure and prefer getting assessed all at once instead of gradually throughout the year, then exams will probably be easier for you. This is also true if you are the kind of person that leaves schoolwork till the last minute! Coursework will definitely be seen as difficult for you if you are known for doing this!

However, if, like me, you buckle under pressure and prefer having lots of time to research and write a perfect essay, then you may find coursework easier. Despite this, most GCSE subjects are assessed via exams. Therefore, you won’t be able to escape all exams!

As a result, it can be useful to find strategies that will help you work through them. This article from Think Student details a range of skills and techniques which could be useful to use when you are in an exam situation.

Exams and coursework are both difficult in their own ways – after all, they are used to thoroughly assess you! Depending on how you work best, it is your decision to decide whether one is easier than the other and which assessment method this is.

guest

  • Free Samples
  • Premium Essays
  • Editing Services Editing Proofreading Rewriting
  • Extra Tools Essay Topic Generator Thesis Generator Citation Generator GPA Calculator Study Guides Donate Paper
  • Essay Writing Help
  • About Us About Us Testimonials FAQ
  • About Coursework
  • Samples List

Counting toward a final mark or grade, coursework considers one of the most crucial assignments during the class. It involves two main stages: doing research or experiment; presenting findings, and freshly acquired knowledge in a digestible form. While the first phase excites students, the second one strikes fear in the heart and causes real trouble. Let us get to the basics of this type of assignment to nail it no matter what.

What Is a Coursework?

Coursework is work assigned to students or trainees to improve specific skills and upgrade their learning experience. Basically, it involves two main stages. The first one includes practice, experimentation, or research. The second stage implies writing a coursework essay or completing writing assignments such as dissertations or book reports. It can be seen in all fields of study, from Business to Computer Science to Literature.

As a rule, coursework accompanies exams and is crucial when determining overall course scores. However, unlike final tests, it provides students with plenty of time for completion, from a couple of days to several weeks. On top of that, students are welcome to use any help they can find during this process.

Importance to Write a Coursework

Writing coursework is crucial for every student because of providing these benefits:

  • It broadens knowledge.
  • It enhances research skills.
  • It demonstrates a person's ability to discuss, reason, and construct practical outcomes from learned theoretical knowledge.
  • It improves communication skills since some work is done in groups, so students need to learn how to collaborate to achieve a common goal.
  • It inspires confidence in a person's ability to do a grand job.

Main Obstacle of Producing a Top-grade Coursework

Recent surveys show that in the majority of cases, students do not find issued tasks challenging, even though some of them are daunting, tricky, and even controversial. What they have found difficult is the proper presentation of the final work.

Indeed, over 80% of postgraduates believe the first phase, which involves experiments, research, and acquiring new knowledge in the field, to be quite exciting. However, the second stage, which implies expressing your thoughts, presenting results, and convincing the teacher that you have done a great job using the only written word, is believed to be a true nightmare and a challenge. The reason for that is simple; not everyone has good writing skills. Plus, almost everyone experiences a writing block that slows down the process and causes stress.

To make matters worse, students have to handle some other bumps on the road to success, for instance

  • They need to avoid accusations of plagiarism.
  • They need to avoid focusing on external approval because it may shut down creativity.
  • They need to meet strict deadlines.
  • They need to balance education and personal life, including work or volunteering.
  • They need to do extensive research.
  • They need to finish other assignments.

Where to Get Coursework Help?

Coursework help may come in different forms. It can be coursework assistance provided by the teacher or instructor during lessons or special meetings in high school. Alternatively, it can be an online coursework help provided by tutors through digital means of communication.

Pandemic and its severe restrictions have boosted many services whose task is to provide coursework help online. Let us consider the classification of these platforms to know what help you might get.

Types of Coursework Help Services

Coursework help services come in all shapes and sizes to meet teachers' most sophisticated needs and highest expectations. Let us consider the most popular ones:

  • Custom coursework help.
  • Creating coursework from scratch.
  • Rewriting coursework.
  • Proofreading coursework.
  • Review coursework to get vital feedback for improvement.
  • Citations help.
  • Creating supporting PowerPoint presentations.

Whatever problem or issue you have, you may undoubtedly get professional help with coursework regardless of its niche, subject, requirements, and deadline.

But, what if you do not need any assistance provided by coursework services and all you crave is just a little push and guidance to do this task yourself. Then you can opt in favor of an oldie but goodie collection of professionally written and edited coursework examples since they meet those needs and offer so many benefits without compromising your time, effort, and budget.

Benefits of Using Coursework Examples

Getting cousework help through exploring coursework samples offers a bunch of benefits. For instance,

  • They show what you need to score that top-notch mark.
  • They give insights on how to improve the reading experience.
  • They help to infuse your work with some unique and exciting passages.
  • They offer an alternative view of the topic that may generate new ideas.
  • They display the ideal order of the content and adequate evaluation of evidence.
  • They show how to organize arguments and counterarguments to support students' positions and opinions.
  • They give insights on how to create a smooth transition between abstracts making one idea flow into another without tension and using words that are understandable by people at any level.
  • They demonstrate more up to the point writing.
  • They ensure no unnecessary deduction in marks that may occur due to incorrect formatting.
  • They have correct grammar and the right tone of language that students may easily imitate in their papers to level them up.
  • They stick to format rules showing the right way to implement instructions to meet university standards and teachers' instructions.
  • They help students to focus on their tasks without losing nerves.
  • They ease stress and help students avoid drama and mental issues.
  • They save students precious time, letting them focus on more critical tasks or dedicate their efforts to experiments and social work that may improve their coursework with real-life experience.
  • They give a much-needed boost to kick off the work and, most importantly, overcome writing block.

All you need to enjoy all those benefits is to find a reliable platform that offers college coursework help. Though, this is not a problem because there are a bunch of them in the wild.

How to Write Top-Grade Coursework? Best Practices

Completing coursework is a hard nut to crack; however, making it worth a top grade is even harder. However, no obstacle is insurmountable if you know what to do. Many teachers and top-level postgraduates suggest using as much help as possible and following the best practices.

Therefore, consider these tips shared by professionals to help you in this matter:

  • Stop trying to write a good completely free essays online . Let your creative juices flow.
  • Take your time and do extensive research.
  • Ask yourself, "What surprises me about this subject the most?" Focus on your answer and build your story around this finding or discovery.
  • Write three to five sentences covering your most crucial points.
  • Quote sources liberally throughout your paper. If you are not allowed to quote, you can re-phrase what has been said in your own words and give proper credit. Also, make sure 60% of the content belongs to you, while 40% are quotes or paraphrases from your sources to avoid sounding too "source" heavy.
  • When creating a draft, write in this order: first – body, then – introduction, after that – conclusion.
  • Reach the required word count. Stay to the point but be descriptive and argumentative.
  • Make sure your arguments flow smoothly from one idea to another.
  • Last but not least, if you feel something is wrong with your paper or requires some polish, do not be afraid to check and proofread it on platforms that offer coursework online help.
  • Studentshare
  • Document Types

Examples List on Coursework

  • TERMS & CONDITIONS
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • COOKIES POLICY
  • To save this word, you'll need to log in. Log In

Definition of coursework

Examples of coursework in a sentence.

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'coursework.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

1890, in the meaning defined above

Dictionary Entries Near coursework

Cite this entry.

“Coursework.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coursework. Accessed 28 Jun. 2024.

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries.  Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the day.

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Plural and possessive names: a guide, your vs. you're: how to use them correctly, every letter is silent, sometimes: a-z list of examples, more commonly mispronounced words, how to use em dashes (—), en dashes (–) , and hyphens (-), popular in wordplay, 8 words for lesser-known musical instruments, birds say the darndest things, 10 words from taylor swift songs (merriam's version), 10 scrabble words without any vowels, 12 more bird names that sound like insults (and sometimes are), games & quizzes.

Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Question mark tiles

How to decide between postgraduate research and coursework

It can be a little tricky figuring out which postgraduate degree is for you. That’s why we’ve done the work for you to clarify the differences between a coursework degree and a research degree, and where each could take your career.

Tl;dr: The main difference between these two styles is coursework has classes and research has a thesis.

Postgraduate coursework: advanced classes

In a nutshell: an advanced continuation of undergrad-style learning.

Choosing a coursework degree means you’ll attend lectures and tutorials, complete assignments and sit exams – just like your first degree. You’ll be taught discrete units that are part of a set program and at a higher academic level than your undergrad.

Coursework degrees aim to deepen your knowledge and enhance your undergraduate degree with postgraduate training, focusing you towards a specific profession. Alternatively, you can use your undergraduate degree to pivot and pursue a new area of study at postgraduate level.

For instance, you may have completed a Bachelor of Arts majoring in English and Japanese, then realised you’d like be a high school teacher, so you enrol in a Master of Teaching (Secondary) .

Or perhaps you did a Bachelor of Science majoring in Engineering Science and after working for a couple of years, you now want to start your own business. Enrolling in a Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation could get you there.

Also bear in mind, some coursework courses can involve a research element such as the completion of a minor thesis. This forms part of training your time management and written skills.

If you’re looking to complete a degree part time or solely online, you can find a postgraduate coursework degree to suit you. There are graduate certificates, graduate diplomas and master’s degrees, and we’ve explained the difference between these  too.

Postgraduate research: independent thesis

In a nutshell: solo research project to produce an original thesis.

Taking on a postgraduate research degree provides you with the unique opportunity to follow your interest in an area of research and contribute to the field.

You’ll work on your own project, under the guidance of an academic supervisor who you have chosen, with the aim of producing, presenting and submitting a final thesis. This final thesis is the culmination of your original research and investigation – an original contribution to knowledge.

You can often undertake any project of your choosing, as long as you can find a supervisor to connect with. Once you’ve found a potential supervisor, meet with them to discuss your project proposal and see if they agree to supervise you.

If you’re interested in completing a PhD or are thinking about a career in academia, a research degree is a popular decision. This type of study enables you to demonstrate your capacity to conduct research independently and form a distinct contribution to an area.

So what’s ‘honours’, then?

Honours  is the opportunity to extend your undergraduate degree by a year – a sort of bridging year between undergrad and postgrad. The benefit is setting yourself apart from other undergraduate grads, as employers value the skills gained from the independent research project you’ll complete.

Honours is reserved for students who demonstrate strong academic performance in their final-year units. You may be invited to consider honours or you can apply directly . Students considering a research master’s or PhD are strongly encouraged to complete an honours year as a research training exercise and a taster of what’s to come in the research life.

Still can’t decide? See what some of our coursework and research graduates have to say .

Explore more article topics

  • Research and phd

Don't miss a moment

Stay up-to-date with the latest information about studying at UWA including, our courses and career pathways, event and webinars, key dates, what uni life is really like, tips for studying plus, so much more!

Related stories

Continue seeking wisdom.

what is coursework student

Future student support

Scripting must be enabled to use this site., search knowledge base, what is a coursework program.

Coursework is defined under the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) as a method of teaching and learning that leads to the acquisition of skills and knowledge that does not include a major research component. Bachelor's programs and postgraduate coursework programs are all coursework programs.

Search the Future Students website for programs available at UQ.

Was this answer helpful?

Related answers.

  • What is a higher degree by research (HDR)?
  • If I apply for a masters by coursework program and my GPA is not high enough, what are my entry options?
  • As an international applicant, how do I convert my current GPA into an Australian equivalent?
  • When do applications close?
  • How many referees do I need to provide?
  • Starting at UQ
  • Programs and Courses

What is a coursework program?

Coursework is defined under the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) as a method of teaching and learning that leads to the acquisition of skills and knowledge that does not include a major research component. Bachelor's programs and postgraduate coursework programs are all coursework programs.

Search the Future Students website for programs available at UQ.

Was this answer helpful?

  • Manage my program
  •    Program & Course advice

Related answers

  • What is a higher degree by research (HDR)?
  • If I apply for a masters by coursework program and my GPA is not high enough, what are my entry options?
  • Can courses studied in a graduate certificate or graduate diploma program count towards a coursework master's program?
  • Can I enrol in a course that is not on my course list for a School of Economics postgraduate coursework program?
  • I've looked at the School of Economics program plans for postgraduate coursework programs. Can someone help me put together a modified plan?

We're here to help

Before you contact us, try browsing or searching for common questions.

Request student IT support

Request staff IT support

Celebrating 150 years of Harvard Summer School. Learn about our history.

Your Guide to Conquering College Coursework

Getting good grades in college can be a lot tougher than in high school. For many students, it requires building new skills and establishing new habits. Learning those skills now—before starting college—will help make your transition as easy and as successful as possible.

Mary Sharp Emerson

The transition from high school to college is a big one. Meeting new friends, living on your own, and creating your own schedule are just some of the new, exciting challenges that await you.   

In the excitement of starting a new life on campus, college coursework can sometimes become a second priority.

However, adjusting to college coursework is often the biggest challenge of all. Even the best students may be surprised at how difficult college courses are. The subject matter is more complex. The workload is larger. And instructors’ standards are higher.

Mastering college-level courses requires a new level of independence, advocacy, engagement, and time management.

You can prepare yourself to succeed before you even get to campus. Identifying the skills you need, and building those skills into established habits, will help make your transition to college academics, and college life, easier, less stressful, and more successful.

Be engaged in your college coursework

College courses require your full attention and active participation.

And the more you engage with your teachers, teaching assistants, and classmates both in and out of the classroom, the easier it will be for you to succeed in that class.

The importance of active listening

Active listening is one of the most critical parts of engaging in a course, according to Gina Neugebauer, assistant director of Harvard Summer School’s Secondary School Program.

“Professors and teaching assistants can tell if you’re actively listening. They notice if you’re taking notes and making eye contact. They also notice if you’re distracted by your phone or computer,” notes Neugebauer.

Active listening means not checking your social media accounts or texting friends during class.

It also means really giving the instructor and your classmates your full attention.

It sounds easy in theory but it takes practice. It can be tough to not think about all the work you have or your next party. But the more you work on actively listening, the easier it will be to not get distracted and miss important information in class.

Different ways to actively participate

Beyond active listening, there are many ways to participate in a course. And you can tailor your level of engagement to your personality and comfort level.

“It’s all about gauging what you’re comfortable with,” says Neugebauer.

“You may not be the person who raises their hand all the time but you actively respond to online discussion posts, for example. You may not feel comfortable talking in front of hundreds of students in a large lecture hall but you take advantage of TA office hours and email the instructor with questions.”

But don’t be afraid to push yourself if you aren’t someone who usually speaks up in class.

It’s ok to start small. Work on raising your hand in small seminars or discussion sections. As you gain confidence, you’ll find it gets easier to answer questions and share your opinions.

Build independence and advocate for yourself

In college, you are responsible for your own success. You will need to advocate for yourself and know when—and how—to ask for help. That requires a level of independence that you may not have needed in high school.

The good news is that instructors and teaching assistants want to help you.

“Instructors, on the whole, enjoy hearing from you. And they’d rather hear from you right from the start, rather than have you struggle on your own for three weeks,” says Neugebauer.

If you have a question about an assignment, send your instructor an email. Are you upset about a grade you got on a recent test? Visit your instructor or TA during office hours to discuss what went wrong and how you can improve.

But remember, says Neugebauer, professors are busy and you are only one of many students.

“Your email should include your full name, what course you’re taking, and a brief description of your question or concern. And you cannot expect an answer at 2 a.m. because that’s when you’re studying. When you reach out to an instructor, give them 24-48 hours to respond.”

And remember, always be respectful and non-confrontational.

Challenge yourself in a college course. Get a sneak peak at college life.

Explore summer programs for high school students.

Don’t be afraid to seek help

If you have excelled in high school without extra help, you might be tempted to persevere on your own.

In college, Neugebauer points out, asking for help is the norm.

“Once you get into your undergraduate program, you’ll find that almost everyone has, at some point, asked a TA for extra tutoring, gone to a tutoring center, or a writing or math center for extra help. It’s part of the learning process of an undergraduate program,” Neugebauer says.

Colleges have a variety of support systems in place to help you succeed.

TA office hours are a great place to start if you find yourself struggling with a specific concept or assignment. Peer tutoring programs enable you to learn from students who have been through the course themselves. Academic coaches can help with more general study tips or exam-related stress.

The key is seeking out help proactively, before you get too far behind. As the courses become more difficult, catching up becomes increasingly difficult.

Build time management techniques

Balancing everything that comes with life on a college campus can be difficult for many incoming college students.

“The biggest challenge we see facing high school students who are trying to adapt to college life is overcommitment. Students want to engage in every activity, a full course load, and even sometimes a part-time job. They don’t schedule enough time for self-care, quiet time, doing laundry, and plenty of study time. All those things take time,” Neugebauer says.

Good study habits and time management are key to avoiding the stress that comes from getting overcommitted.

Neugebauer recommends getting into the habit of keeping an accurate and up-to-date calendar.

“The best thing I can recommend is a calendar, such as Google Calendar. Use it to schedule everything: your class, your lunch time, time at the gym. It may seem counterintuitive, but work on scheduling literally everything, even sleep.”

Be sure to include assignments, tests, and other deadlines, as well as office hours for your instructors, TAs, and academic coaches.

Use your calendar to block off dedicated study time. And once you schedule it, stick to it! Avoid the temptation to procrastinate or use that time to hang out, play video games, or scroll on your phone.

Your calendar should also include dedicated time for self-care.

Regular mealtimes, good exercise habits, and a full night’s sleep are not only critical for your physical and mental health. You’ll also be surprised at how much they contribute to your academic success.

Challenge yourself as you engage in college coursework

Getting outside your comfort zone is a critical part of preparing yourself for the exciting challenges that await you in college.

“Being uncomfortable allows for growth. It means saying to yourself, ‘this is new. I want to try it. I want to see how it feels.’ This is all about adapting to a new environment but also examining yourself as a person,” says Neugebauer.

Taking on a new challenge—regardless of the ultimate outcome—builds resilience, mental toughness, and confidence, all of which you will need to succeed in your college courses.

But, warns Neugebauer, it’s also important to know your limitations.

“That uncomfortable feeling should be manageable. It should be a challenge but not so challenging that you feel panicked and wake up in cold sweats every night. It should be something that gets you a little nervous but also excited about what you’re involved in every day.”

However you decide to challenge yourself, it’s never too early to start if college is in your future. The sooner you start identifying and mastering the skills you need in college, the better prepared you’ll be to succeed right from day one.

Spend your summer at Harvard!

About the Author

Digital Content Producer

Emerson is a Digital Content Producer at Harvard DCE. She is a graduate of Brandeis University and Yale University and started her career as an international affairs analyst. She is an avid triathlete and has completed three Ironman triathlons, as well as the Boston Marathon.

8 Reasons Why Harvard Summer School Isn’t a Summer Camp — It’s So Much More!

Learn more about how a summer at Harvard offers so much more than your traditional summer camp experience.

Harvard Division of Continuing Education

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) at Harvard University is dedicated to bringing rigorous academics and innovative teaching capabilities to those seeking to improve their lives through education. We make Harvard education accessible to lifelong learners from high school to retirement.

Harvard Division of Continuing Education Logo

Nerdpapers logo

We have sent you an email with a 6 digit code to:

Didn't receive an email? Check your spam folder and mark the email as not spam!. If you Skip this step, you won't be able to receive order-related updates via email.

What is Coursework: Updated Guide for 2024

what is coursework student

Coursework is the most significant part of academic writing that requires so much time and effort. You should consider the guidance of your teachers and your seniors who have similar experiences in writing a coursework. This makes the process of working faster and more effective, which leads to the best outcomes. This guide will help you to understand what coursework is and how to write coursework effectively, based on expert tips from our coursework writing service team.

What is Coursework?

Coursework consists of all basic assignments given to students to evaluate their level of understanding. It includes many types of assignments, such as essay writing, research papers, discussion boards and written reports. To get excellent grades and grade point averages (GPA), students must understand the basic concepts of their courses. Coursework is difficult to define, even though it is usually important to complete a specific program. This kind of assignment can be completed in a wide range of formats. 

Importance of Coursework

Coursework is the most common type of assignment that teachers give students to understand their level of learning on a specific topic or subject. Moreover, it shows how well a student understands and uses the topic in various contexts. Through coursework writing, students may improve their research abilities, increase their understanding of a subject, develop their analytical skills, and apply the knowledge they have discovered to use independently. Furthermore, students learn to summarize the topic with key arguments and then draw conclusions by learning how to write coursework . 

Types of Coursework

Five different types of coursework are given to students:

Analytical Coursework

Analytical Coursework presents a thesis statement or claim and demonstrates how to study different things. It usually focuses on the literary style of the text rather than the synopsis.

Supportive Commentary

Supportive Commentary helps students to create a single piece of media writing. Coursework should be written in an experimental mode, such as written, spoken, or multimodal. Students must also include a supporting statement that contains all the information and aspects. 

Journal Coursework

Writing journals for coursework is regarded as an act that promotes casual writing as a regular activity. This can take many different forms and is useful for multiple purposes. It can be both creative and personal. In order to organize their thoughts, compose their ideas, and respond to them, students are always expected to keep journals as part of their coursework.

Analytical Study

Analytical study is the process of sharing an analysis of the chosen work and how it relates to the relevant material. It also shows how well the writer understands the entire process of writing. Students should use proper vocabulary and must maintain word consistency. Also, understand the structure and format of writing.  

Commentary and Creative Writing

In commentary and creative writing coursework, students are asked to generate creative content that reflects the tone or style of the assessed text. It also helps to share comments to support the knowledge. Additionally, the major purpose of creative writing and commentary is to demonstrate knowledge, test skills, and engage the target audience through various languages.

Coursework Writing Tips

There are some key points that you should keep in mind while writing coursework. 

It is the worst possible scenario for any kind of academic writing assignment. Today, the internet has tons of relevant information, and professors become rigorous in the context of plagiarism. Your own words should be used in all writing! Use the advised citation style and make references list if you choose to include quotations from the sources. Claim that it is your own project and sign the declaration.

Keep in mind the precise guidelines for the coursework's length. Specify whether the references, appendices, and footnotes are counted as part of the word count.

Browse the possible topics. Try to pick a relevant coursework topic that is similar to the subject of the upcoming exam if one will be held on it. 

Get Help from Tutor

Never ignore your teacher's advice; ask for their guidance on your topic. Also, to learn more, ask questions, but remember they may only read the first draft once and give general suggestions.

Perfect Coursework Writing Structure

The precision required for coursework writing depends not only on the writing process but also on the design. Even if you produce a stunning and thoroughly researched paper for the professor, poor design will still result in bad grades. We have chosen the most significant components to build a flawless coursework structure for you after reviewing many coursework standards. The structure consists of the following main components:

Introduction or Opening

The first step is to write the coursework introduction after choosing a topic. This introduction section needs to be extraordinary to catch the reader's attention. Make sure to include all essential details, and keep it brief or precise. 

Include any background data about the topic you have chosen. Write down your goals as well. This section should contain your thesis statement. Also, write the introduction in such a way that it serves as the reader's guide.

Main Body 

Your hard work and dedication will be reflected in this section. In the body section, you should add every minute detail you discovered on your research journey. Additionally, this section will be written in the past tense with an informative tone. 

Readers may find research findings boring because they are just stats and figures. Therefore, this section should include appealing tables, graphs, infographics and charts to make it interesting. Mention each statistic as it is; do not change any findings. 

Summarize your whole coursework in this section. The conclusion needs to be short while covering all the details. You might mention the essential takeaways from the coursework.

How to Write a Coursework: Step-by-Step Guide

This step-by-step guide will walk you through how to write coursework effectively

Research is the most crucial part of any writing project. A lot of effort and time is required, but it is worthwhile because it serves as the core of your work and helps establish and defend your point of view.  You can find the necessary information from many primary and secondary sources. Always double-check the information you get online because not all of it is reliable, and some of it can be out of date. Make notes on each source you consult while researching, including the definition, quotation, or information you discovered. Make a table with citations or links to web sources. It is also very helpful to utilize such a table while writing the bibliography section.

Planning 

At the planning phase, it is advised to make a rough outline of your coursework, decide which information you will add, and what points you should add in each section. Making a plan first and then sticking to it is very helpful.  For example, create a table and include all steps of your work with the dates when you want to work on them. This is a fantastic method for time management and a great way to quit delaying things so you can finish them before the deadline.

Drafting 

It could be challenging to write the initial draft of a lengthy article. However, there isn't much you can do about it. In this scenario, the sole piece of guidance that is appropriate is to start writing. Once you start putting together your coursework, you'll observe that there aren't a lot of differences between your paper and other typical written assignments. The section for which you have the most information should come first. These academic papers are never written according to the structure's order. The opening portion of your paper is where you can begin writing because it is more general than the rest.  You can pick out some interesting, pertinent coursework examples or reports to discuss in your writing so your reader will better understand the issue you are gradually focused on. You can go on to terms and situations that are more precise after acquiring the background information.

The last step is to edit and polish your document. While proofreading, it's crucial to focus on consistency problems, stylistic errors, and grammar and punctuation errors.

Many tools, including Grammarly , are available to help you with grammar. You should use these tools because you might miss some errors. No software can help you fix your writing style and logical structure mistakes. However, you can turn to a team of expert writers and editors for a high-quality editing service and a properly polished document.

Verify the word count and formatting specifications provided by your educational institution. Before submitting your work for review to your professor, you should also allow time for the editing phase, so plan accordingly.

Formative vs Summative Coursework Assessments

Formative assessment assesses students' understanding of a subject by offering them practice in essay creation and structure which can also be beneficial for tasks like term paper writing . It assists students in evaluating their strengths and weaknesses and focuses on areas that require improvement. Moreover, formative assessments help instructors in identifying students' areas of difficulty and taking prompt action to resolve issues

Summative assignments, on the other hand, evaluate students' knowledge at the end of the semester. Summative assessment includes mid-term exams and final-year project. When completing courses, it is vital to understand the type of review you are submitting to. If you understand the coursework meaning and finish your assignments on time, you might obtain an A+.

Get Coursework Help from Experts

If you want to write your coursework successfully, follow all the steps mentioned above. If you still have difficulty writing coursework, you can get academic writing help at our essay writing service  with one click. We have a group of experienced writers who can offer you timely, cost-effective coursework help online. 

Table of Contents

Persuasive essay topics – how to choose one for you, how to write a persuasive essay- expert tips.

what is coursework student

  • Personalities
  • Tools and Services
  • Tips and tricks
  • What is Coursework?

Coursework is an important part of any educational program and its a great way to develop skills, knowledge and understanding. In this article, well take a look at what coursework is and how it can benefit students..

Related posts

What is nm fuel.

  • What is a Retention Tank?

COVID-19 has put a major damper on life for everyone. Its been hard to adjust to all the changes that have come our way, and it can be hard to know what to do. But, it doesnt have to be all doom and gloom! Here are some ideas of things that you can do during the pandemic to keep yourself entertained and productive.

Coursework is any type of academic work that is assigned to a student, usually in the form of essays, research papers, presentations, and other projects. Its typically used to assess a students understanding and knowledge of a particular subject or topics. Coursework can be used for a wide range of purposes, from developing critical thinking skills to preparing for future exams..

Types of Coursework

There are many different types of coursework, depending on the subject and level of study. Some common types of coursework include:

Essays: Essays can be used to assess a students knowledge and understanding of a particular topic. They often require research and critical thinking skills .

Research Projects: Research projects are usually longer than essays and involve more in-depth research . They typically require students to analyze data and draw conclusions.

Presentations: Presentations are a great way to demonstrate understanding and knowledge of a topic. They usually involve creating visual aids, such as PowerPoint slides, to help explain the topic to an audience..

Lab Work: Lab work is often used to assess a students understanding of a particular concept or skill . It typically involves practical experiments and the analysis of results.

Benefits of Coursework

Coursework provides students with the opportunity to develop a range of skills, knowledge, and understanding that can be applied in real-world situations . It can also help prepare students for exams and future studies.

Some of the key benefits of coursework include:

• Developing critical thinking skills: Coursework encourages students to think critically about a topic and analyze data and evidence . This can help students develop problem-solving skills and make informed decisions.

• Enhancing knowledge: Coursework can help students gain a deeper understanding of a subject by providing them with the opportunity to research and analyze data .

• Improving study skills: Coursework provides students with the opportunity to practice important study skills, such as time management, organization, and presentation.

• Preparing for exams: Coursework can help students prepare for exams by providing them with practice in researching, analyzing, and understanding a topic .

Coursework is an important part of any educational program and can be a great way to develop skills, knowledge, and understanding. It can also help prepare students for future studies and exams . If youre looking for a way to enhance your studies and gain a deeper understanding of a subject, coursework could be the perfect solution.

  • Exploring the Joy of Feline Fun: A Guide to the Best Cat Content on Instagram and YouTube

Related Posts

What are royalties, what is granola, what is sorghum, popular articles, how to choose the perfect pair of shoes, choosing the right soap for you, introduction to dakar, senegal, how to delete change history in google sheets, what is als, atlasuno.com.

The Atlasuno.com website provides readers with interesting information and news about current events, visitors can also discuss in the discussion forum or consult our advice center. You can also add our articles to your RSS reader.

Latest articles

Article category.

  • Housing and decoration
  • How to choose
  • Information and facts
  • Nature and landscape

© 2022 Atlasuno.com - website with information and online tools

en_US

We use COOKIES to make your user experience better.

By staying on our website, you fully accept it. Learn more » It's OK

What is Coursework, Students

What is Coursework

First of all, you need to understand what is coursework and how to write it. When one is writing a coursework, they have to do profound research that will reveal their knowledge base. A coursework may consist of design studies, field work, projects, long essays, and other kinds of work. Depending on the particular course, it can be performed in a number of ways. You need to write a coursework not only to show what you know about a particular subject and enlarge your knowledge base but also to prepare yourself to deal with the work you will need to perform in the future.

The Oxford Dictionary defines coursework as the type of practical or written work performed by a student and assessed by their professor. Hopefully, it makes the coursework meaning clearer for you.

what is coursework student

Limited time offer 15% OFF your first order! (Code: masters15)

Why coursework is necessary and who assigns it.

Now when you know what is coursework, you also have to understand why it is needed. Usually, a student's mentor or teacher assigns coursework as it is a part of the course structure. Writing a coursework is important since it helps the student reflect on what they have learned from the given course. Realizing the coursework meaning, one can understand the material better and see how their knowledge can be applied in various situations. This type of work also reveals the student's way of thinking and helps them learn how to express their thoughts. Coursework has an utterly diverse nature. A student's instructor can ask them to perform it in a written way and work on an essay, term paper, or thesis (this form of coursework is the most widespread). A coursework can also be done in a more creative way; for example, a student may be asked to create a sculpture. At times, taking a test is preferred by the instructor. In some cases, several types of coursework can be combined into one. Choosing a specific type or a combination of types depends on the course. Whatever the kind of coursework is, it always requires being evaluated. The student's mark will be based on their understanding of the topic, creativity, as well as on the innovative aspect of their work.

How to Perform the Most Important Types of Coursework?

Even understanding the coursework meaning, students have mixed feelings on it. Some of them like to do research, learn new information, and write about the results, while for others, it seems to be an unnecessary task, or even a burden. Whichever opinion is true for you, being a student, you will still have to write a coursework at some point. For this reason, you need to know how to do it successfully. Below you see the list of rules and guidelines that will make this task easier for you.

Read these steps carefully and make sure you follow them as they will help you get started.

Coursework that requires writing:

  • Carry out superficial research on the topic of your coursework.
  • Settle on your topic.
  • Work on the structure of your coursework.
  • Make a summary or an abstract and confirm it with your instructor.
  • Conduct profound research to find all the information you need.
  • While writing, keep on researching the topic more.
  • When you are done, check your coursework for plagiarism.
  • Make a reference list.

To make sure that your coursework features a good content that is clear and easy-to-understand for your reader, work on the structure of your work. Check out if you maintain its consistency, use relevant information, complete your topic, and make it look concise.<

Coursework that requires to create a model, sculpture, or artwork:

  • Find a design or concept you like.
  • See how it can be applied to the area of your study.
  • Think about what you want to create and decide on the scale of this object.
  • Decide what kind of materials you need to finalize your work.
  • Find everything you need for creating your artwork.
  • Make sure that you have a mental image of the result and make a rough sketch of it.
  • Begin working!

Key points you should consider:

  • Originality - You need to be sure that your topic or idea is original. It is an extremely important point you have to keep in mind from the very beginning of your work. Numerous researches are being done by numerous people, so you have to make yours stand out.
  • Need - Your coursework should be able to answer certain questions or find solutions. For that, it has to identify the key problems and help the reader understand them clearly.
  • Uniqueness - Both your topic and your content have to be unique. Make sure to avoid plagiarism and never copy information from other sources. Conduct surveys or prepare questionnaires to add originality to the content of your coursework.
  • Your input - This aspect is very important. When working on your coursework, you need to reflect on your topic a lot and understand how you can apply it. If you do it, the purpose of writing a coursework is served. For this reason, do your best to make as much input in your work as possible.
  • Outcomes & future applications - Even if you have worked hard and put a lot of effort into writing your coursework, it can turn out to be a failure in case you do not show useful outcomes. Therefore, you need to provide a well-made analysis of the information you used. Make a well-structured conclusion for your topic and talk about the way it can be researched further.

If you keep all these points in mind and follow the guidelines, you will certainly write a good coursework.

Buy Coursework at Dissertationmasters.com

First Order Discount 15% OFF

Authorization

Latest blogs

Definition Essay: Basic Components and Interesting Topics

Definition Essay: Basic Components and Interesting Topics

What is coursework | definition, meaning & key points.

Our Advantages

  • Custom Writing on Any Subject
  • English-speaking Writers
  • Only Original Papers
  • Affordable Prices
  • Complete Confidentiality
  • BA, MA and PhD Writers
  • Up-to-date Sources Only
  • Any Citation Style

Paper Features

  • You choose font face
  • 12 point font size
  • Double-spaced pages
  • Over 300 words/page
  • Text aligned left
  • One-inch margins

what is coursework student

How to Write a Coursework

what is coursework student

Coursework projects do not resemble essays, research papers, or dissertations. They are the combination of all three. Students spend less time writing coursework than on making a term paper, but this type of work requires more time and efforts than an ordinary essay - it is made of several essays. Thanks to our guide, each student can discover how to write coursework. If you are running out of time or lack experience to complete the specific coursework, we recommend using our coursework writing services to hire professional academic writers.

What is Coursework and Why Does It Matter?

Coursework definition: General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) coursework is a typical academic assignment, given in the course of study to evaluate the student’s knowledge, skills, and identify the final grade. Many students face this type of writing in the US colleges. One of the examples is a coursework UTD (The University of Texas at Dallas) - the requirements of this institution are strict, and many students fail to submit their papers and pass the corresponding courses.

Such type of assignment helps to have the ‘detective’ hat on: a student observes, examines, and evaluates the chosen topic using credible, up-to-date, and relevant sources. Working under controlled conditions is important. Participating in every school class will help to prepare good coursework by the end of the term. Take a look at the examples of what students of various profiles may face:

  • English Composition - English coursework is an extended essay in most cases. A student has a right to pick the topic. The tutors provide their students with the list of recommended titles to choose from, sources to observe & analyze, and a format (e.g., a comparison between different relevant articles)
  • Sciences - coursework for science is a complicated assignment. Such type of work appears in the form of a scientific paper to test what a writer investigates and reports independently.
  • Geography - geography coursework is about collecting, reporting, and explaining information to reply to a certain geographical question or offer solutions to the problem. One idea is to explore the usage of a shopping mall or analyze the recent tornado. No matter whether you have to prepare a coursework Columbia or such paper for other educational institutions, keep in mind these differences!

Types of Coursework Explained

English Language coursework is the most common type of this assignment. At advanced GCE level, the student will be expected to write a couple of essays, totaling 3,000 words. Every assignment is 20 marks maximum.

Types of Coursework

An analytical essay : Evaluate, compare, & contrast 3 different sources of data interconnected by a common theme; written /spoken / multimedia content. Discuss different uses for targeting various audiences. Learn more on our blog.

Original essay with a supportive commentary : A student will have to come up with a single piece of media writing in the observed modes (written, spoken, or multimodal). Add a supporting piece with details about the aspects of English language. English Language & Literature coursework is a bit different. The basic requirements are the same, and the parts are:

An analytical study : Sharing an analysis of the chosen piece and its relation to the related content. It will show how well the writer understands the original piece. Tutors grade such works based on the:

  • Use of the proper terminology and the coherence of the written words;
  • Understanding & evaluation of the way a structure, form, and language create the written & spoken word;
  • Opportunity to observe relationships between various pieces of writing.

Creative writing & commentary : Produce a creative piece that imitates the style of the assessed text. Share comments to backup your understanding. The goal is to show the knowledge, prove the competence, and use appropriate language skills in communicating with the target audience. You will also need a relevant coursework resume (review) in both cases. Keep on reading to learn how to write coursework of A level.

How to Write a Coursework: Guide for Students

Several factors may lead to the coursework being disqualified. It is a serious matter! The risk factors include:

  • Plagiarism - it is the worst thing that could happen to any type of academic assignment. Lots of relevant information is available on the world wide web today, and the tutors are strict about the issue of plagiarism. Write everything in your own words! If you decide to insert the quotes from the sources, apply the suggested citation format and develop a list of references. Sign the declaration claiming it is your original project. If you're unsure about how to approach this, seeking professional help by choosing to write my coursework can be a wise decision.
  • Word count - do not ignore the specific requirements concerning the length of the coursework. Specify if the footnotes, appendices, & references are included in the word count.
  • Topics - go through the list of available themes. If there is an examination planned on the specific topic, try to pick another idea for the coursework.
  • Tutor’s assistance - do not ignore the help of your instructor, ask them to provide guidance on what to write. Ask the questions to learn more details, but keep in mind they can go through the 1st draft once and just offer some general recommendations.

Choosing a Topic for Your Project

Dedicate enough time to this extra important question. Select the field of your interest if it is possible to relate it to the course. That is the golden rule of choosing a coursework topic - keep in mind the rest of the hints:

  • Analyze the offered list of topics or develop yours
  • Pick a topic from the area of your expertise related to the studied subject
  • Select the topic you are interested in
  • Choose the topic you’ve started to observe in the past
  • Check how much relevant, up-to-date information is available on the Internet about each of the topics
  • Pick what you can measure, change, & control (they call it a ‘fair test’)
  • Use the ideas of previous researchers and students
  • Do not choose a topic with a vast scope - you risk struggling to research it correctly

10 Good Coursework Topics

  • Non-traditional Forms of Poetry with TC Tolbert
  • Documentary Foundations: Usage of Oral Histories with Beth Alvarado
  • Traditional Forms of Poetry
  • Hermit Crabs: Type of Fiction
  • Writing the Autobiographical Poem
  • Creative Non-Fiction on the Examples of New Journalists
  • Authors without Borders
  • Writing the Sticky Stuff
  • Socially Engaged Literary Arts
  • Common Vocabulary

Research & Data Collection

Research is an integral part of coursework. Have you written research papers before? If yes, you will find it easier to select proper primary & secondary sources and gather the necessary information (evidence to support the main point - thesis). Depending on the required paper format, cite & reference the following sources:

  • Books & e-Books

Base the project on a specific hypothesis. The research must start with minimum one hypothesis. The research stage for some topics may consist of visiting websites to collect information. Leave another time for collecting the data as it is the heart of the research. Three methods of data collection are known:

  • Direct personal investigation : The one an author does individually (using literature and findings from previous studies);
  • Interview/Questionnaire : The researcher should gather the data from the respondents asking questions regarding required data;
  • Discussion with community leaders : Community leaders are approached to fetch information for the necessary data.

In case a student works on a scientific experiment, they should pay attention to planning the analysis with the help of rigorous scientific methods (keeping in mind the Health & Safety precautions you take). Review background information and theories. Take notes to express what you expect to occur to compare & contrast it to what happened in real life. In the write-up stage, one has to evaluate and present the findings.

6 steps to writing a good introduction

Writing a Coursework Outline

The writing process follows the research. Do not start it without preparing an action plan and scheduling the work - a paper pin for English coursework is based on an extended essay . An outline will look different for the science coursework projects. The goal of creating a plan is to prevent a writer from being disorganized and waffling.

Writing a Coursework Outline

Let us explain coursework outline on the specific example - a project on the global pursuit of lower costs and the role of human rights.

Start with the brief introduction explaining why it might be a topic of interest for many people. Mention those vast corporations like Wal-Mart abuse human rights by choosing and using child labor in the factories.

Provide an overview of the problem . Define human rights and costs. Pick the definitions from the official dictionaries and cite them properly when inserting in the text. Try to explain the terms in your own words.

Develop a body of the coursework , start with the case for & against ethical business practices. Using evidence and examples, list the arguments supporting ethical business practices and another side of the coin. Include a business case for ethical practices after the opening body paragraph.

Move to discussing ethical responsibilities ; explain why business organizations should care about the ethical aspects of their activities. After three sections of the body, one can conclude the paper. It can be a good idea to share a fact or statistics stressing the importance of research problem in the essay conclusion. End up with the reference list that may look this way:

  • Klein N (2000) No Logo (Flamingo, London)
  • Marcousé I, Gillespie A, Martin B, Surridge M and Wall N (2003) Business Studies 2e (Hodder Arnold, Oxon)
  • Royal Dutch Shell (2006) 4th Quarter Financial Report at (site example)

GENERAL RULE FOR CITING SOURCES IN COURSEWORK

Additional Elements

Supporting materials and pictures are a must! The sciences & geography projects require tables, charts, graphs, and other types of images to illustrate the complicated topic. Not only should you add the pictures - it is essential to interpret and reference each of them. A separate part of the coursework where the student list and explains every visual element is Appendix , and it is an optional part. The presence of appendix increases the chances to earn an A+.

How to Write an Introduction for Coursework?

Most of the students underestimate the role of introduction & conclusion when it comes to writing an essay. An eye-catchy introduction is a key to success. The primary purposes of a coursework introduction are:

  • To grab the reader’s attention
  • To introduce the topic
  • To explain the research importance
  • To come up with a compelling thesis statement

The opening paragraph shows the depth of the writer’s acquaintance with the topic. Look at the expert tips below. They will help to learn how to write a coursework introduction to make the tutor want to read your entire paper.

What Is an Introduction?

The introduction of GCSE coursework is the opening paragraph that aims to interpret the central questions and purposes of the entire paper. It should have several elements to be effective. Those are:

  • A hook sentence
  • Background information
  • Problem significance
  • Solid thesis statement

Advice from our Experienced Writer

How to write an introduction to coursework? The quality of this part predetermines paper’s success. Look at some common mistakes writers do while working on the coursework introduction - try to prevent them!

Ignoring the prompt. Many students tend to neglect the tutor’s instructions. It is critical to read the prompt several times, highlight the main points, research question, rules, and grading rubric details.

Missing a plan. The prompt does not always say to develop a coursework outline. Without a plan for every separate section, it is impossible to write a flawless piece step-by-step. No matter whether you have to write a term paper, research paper, dissertation, or C3 coursework, get ready with the detailed plan. Once you understand how to write an introduction, it will be easier to develop the rest of the paper.

For those who need a helping hand in ensuring their work meets all the standards and deadlines, don't hesitate to buy coursework from trusted professionals.

Daniel Parker

Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

what is coursework student

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

write a report

Protect your data

This site uses cookies and related technologies for site operation, and analytics as described in our Privacy Policy . You may choose to consent to our use of these technologies, reject non-essential technologies, or further manage your preferences.

  • Resume and Cover Letter
  • How to Include Relevant...

How to Include Relevant Coursework on a Resume (with Examples)

13 min read · Updated on September 11, 2023

Ken Chase

If you are a recent graduate struggling with a lack of work experience, knowing how to include relevant coursework on a resume can be one of the best ways to create a more compelling resume narrative.

One thing that many recent college graduates have in common with one another is a general lack of work experience. That lack of experience can sometimes make it difficult for them to construct a resume that sells their potential to be the best candidate for a job. Fortunately, there are ways to still create a strong and compelling resume, even without experience. For example, did you take classes that might be relevant to the position? If so, including relevant coursework on your resume may be the perfect solution to your resume challenges.

In this post, we will explain how you can identify relevant coursework and where it should be listed in your resume. We will also include several examples of relevant coursework on a resume so that you can see the best options for using these details to strengthen your job search efforts.

What is relevant coursework?

Of course, when we talk about relevant coursework, we are talking about those classes and educational activities that have direct relevance to the position you are seeking. The first thing you need to recognize is that many of the classes you took during your college career will not need to be included in your resume. After all, most degrees require that students complete any number of basic foundational courses that will have little if any relation to their chosen job — at least from a resume standpoint. 

So, what types of classes, achievements, and activities should you focus on as you identify suitable courses to add to your resume? While this sounds like a simple question, it actually requires some serious thought and evaluation. Fortunately, there are some basic rules that you can follow as you make that determination. Below are just some of the potentially relevant things that you might want to include in your resume: 

Coursework that demonstrates that you have a foundation of knowledge in a required aspect of the job you are seeking. For example, if communication skills are needed for the position, you should include courses that focused on business communications, writing, etc.

Projects that are related to particular job skills. For a marketing position, you should include any marketing-related projects you completed during your studies. Or you could include research projects you engaged in if you are seeking a job where research skills are essential.

Academic achievements can also be included, including notably high GPA scores or awards you received. Also, be sure to include any related extracurricular activities. That could include everything from clubs to sporting activities if they helped you develop skills that would be useful for the job.

Again, do not include coursework that has no bearing on the job at hand. This will require you to carefully consider each course to determine its relevance. One way to do that is to read the job posting and select keywords and phrases of import that seem to be describing the skills or educational qualifications needed for the job. Then go through your coursework and try to match courses to those skills. As you do so, remember that some basic courses like those involving communication—both written and verbal—may be included, since communication is one of those soft skills that every company values .

You can learn more about the difference between hard and soft skills by reading our excellent article, Key Differences Between Hard Skills and Soft Skills . A better understanding of those critical soft skills can help to ensure that you don't underestimate the value of any of your classes. There's a great chance that you have more marketable soft skills than you realize! 

When should you include relevant courses on your resume?

Before you add your job-related classes to your resume, you should decide whether it is necessary. For example, you can almost certainly benefit from including your relevant coursework on your resume if: 

You recently graduated from school or are beginning the process of looking for a job because you are close to graduation. Students and recent graduates typically have little or no real job experience to highlight skills. Fortunately, their studies and project assignments will likely have helped them to develop important skills that they can highlight in their resumes.

Your educational achievements are necessary to qualify for the position you are seeking. In those instances, your prospective employer will be interested in knowing that you have fulfilled those requirements and have the basic knowledge needed for the position.

There may also be times when you need to include coursework even after you have been in the workforce for some time. For example, if you are switching careers and your current work experience does not include the skills needed for your new job, that may not matter as much if you can show that your studies prepared you for the role. 

Including coursework related to your minor

As you select relevant coursework for your resume, don't forget to consider courses of study related to your minor too. Hopefully, you will have selected a minor that is at least tangentially related to your desired career path. If so, then chances are that some of the courses you completed may have some relevance that can translate to a useful resume listing. For more information about minors and when they can be added to your resume, read How to Include a Minor on Your Resume .

When should I take coursework off my resume?

Obviously, there will be times when you should forgo any mention of your courses in your resume. Some examples of situations where you might not need to list your specific coursework include:

When your coursework is not really relevant to the position you seek. Including irrelevant coursework could actually distract from your important skills and experiences.

Situations in which coursework was completed so long ago that the information is no longer useful. For instance, many technology-related courses can lose their value over time. Other examples include old marketing courses and other educational achievements that involve skills that have evolved rapidly in recent years.

If your resume is already filled with enough work experience and skills that there is no need or room for specific course details. Remember, you want to add your courses to enhance your value as an employee. If adding a particular course does nothing more than add length to the resume, skip it. 

Where should relevant coursework be listed in your resume?

In most resumes, the coursework should be placed in the education section, with a subheading titled “Relevant Coursework.” When creating this part of the education section, you should insert the subheading under the name of your degree, with a list of the courses you studied. For example:

Bachelor's in [Name of Degree]

[College Name, City, Graduation Date]

Relevant Coursework: [Course 1], [Course 2], [Course 3], [Course 4], [Course 5]

Alternatively, you can also opt to show your courses in a bullet-point list if your resume is short and you need to fill more space. You can even elaborate on each course with a few words to describe the skills you learned in class. For example:

Relevant Coursework:

If you have no actual work experience, you may even want to consider using your education section as a substitute for that experience section. If you choose that option, you may want to place the education section closer to the top of your resume and flesh out each course in the same way you would detail a job listing in your work experience section. That means using detailed descriptions that include quantifiable results highlighting your achievements.

Key tips to remember when listing relevant coursework

Before we show you some examples of how to list relevant coursework on your resume, there are a few tips that can help to ensure that your final product is as compelling as possible. By incorporating these ideas into your resume creation process, you can more effectively make that all-important great first impression on any hiring manager.

Only list relevant coursework if you lack sufficient work experience to meet the job requirements.

Always make sure that the courses you list highlight skills and knowledge needed for the position. If a course has nothing to do with your chosen line of work, it has no place in your resume.

Relevant courses may be related to hard and soft skills.

If you choose to use descriptions for each course, use that as an opportunity to insert relevant keywords from the job description. This can be a great way to ensure that your resume can get past any applicant tracking system .

Always proofread your entire resume to eliminate spelling mistakes, punctuation and grammar errors, and style or formatting discrepancies.

Make sure that you tailor your resume to fit the job you want. Since you will likely be applying for different jobs during your job search, you may need to modify your educational coursework details to align with the needs of each position.

Do not forget to include important skill information in your coursework descriptions. Again, try to use those job description keywords.

If you are maintaining an updated resume throughout your educational career, be sure to continually edit your resume as your coursework evolves over time. This can make it easier to keep it updated and can save you some time when your job search begins.

3 Examples of relevant coursework on a resume

In this final section, we will explore some different examples to show you how you can successfully incorporate relevant coursework into your resume. We have included a couple of examples of the most basic listing options, as well as an expanded sample that enables you to provide more details and skills. You can refer to these samples and use them as guides as you create your own relevant coursework section.

Example #1: The Basics

Bachelor's in Information Technology

My College, Anytown 2022

Relevant Coursework: Cyber Security 101, Business Intelligence, Application Development, Networking and Telecom, Artificial Intelligence

This simple listing would be a good option for anyone who has at least some relevant work experience but who still needs an additional boost to meet the job requirements. In this case, the job seeker's coursework listing is presented in a minimalist format, documenting the specific courses and areas of focus—but without any other information about those studies.

Example #2: Bulletpoint List of Courses

Cyber Security 101

Business Intelligence

Application Development

Networking and Telecom

Artificial Intelligence

This option is similar to the first example but presents the classes and areas of focus as separate bullet points. This provides additional emphasis for each area of study, while also taking up a bit more space in the resume. This can be a great option if your resume is a little short and you need to expand the content.

Example #3: Detailed Format

My College, Anytown

Completed in 2022

Certified Cyber Security Expert, skilled in protecting data, information, and infrastructure.

Coursework included training on risk analysis, threat mitigation, compliance assurance, and cloud security.

Completed multiple projects and research assignments designed to test knowledge and adaptability to various types of cyber threats.

 Business Intelligence

Business analytics certificate, training focused on data interpretation and communication to resolve business problems with a data mindset.

Course included 3 projects testing analytical skills using hypothetical business challenges based on real-world business scenarios.

 Application Development

Courses focused on the development of software coding skills used for web application creation, troubleshooting, and debugging.

Final course project involved the creation of an independent web app to streamline online sales processes for a test company.

Training focused on routing, packet switching, and cybersecurity needs.

Spent eight weeks as a volunteer networking intern for a local ISP, receiving hands-on training from experienced networking professionals.

AI and machine learning studies, emphasizing tech integration into business processes, impact on sales and marketing, and ethical concerns.

Conducted study for the course final, evaluating potential AI benefits for enhanced marketing in the digital age and impact on online sales.

This more detailed example is a superior option for those who have no work experience and need their educational credentials to highlight their skills. In this sample, each area of interest is accompanied by bullet point details describing the types of courses studied and the lessons or skills developed during those classes. In addition, bullet points are added to highlight specific achievements, describe studies and real-world application of skills, and demonstrate competency in the subject matter.

This type of format can enable your coursework section to serve as a replacement for work experience if you have never been employed. When used for that purpose, you can expand on each course listing to include additional skills and keywords from the job post. Simply add new bullet points where needed to flesh out each area of emphasis.

Again, if you choose to replace your work experience section with this relevant coursework section, make sure that you move this section closer to the top of your resume so that it receives more prominence. Basically, if your strongest selling point is your education, then make sure that your important courses are one of the first things that a prospective employer sees. Also, you may want to highlight your educational qualifications in your resume summary so that the reader expects to see those coursework details.

Don't underestimate the power of a well-crafted and compelling resume

Finally, it is important to reiterate just how vital it is that your resume makes the best possible impression. When you approach the labor market with little or no work experience, you are usually already at a competitive disadvantage. There will almost always be someone else who has a similar level of skill and educational background, as well as real-world experience. To compete against a qualified rival, you need a resume that can effectively sell you as the best candidate for the job.

For recent graduates and job seekers moving to entirely new careers, a lack of relevant work experience can be a major impediment to landing job interviews and employment offers. One way to overcome this obstacle is to learn how to use relevant educational coursework on your resume to highlight your qualifications and skills. Hopefully, this post and its resume examples can provide you with the inspiration and help you need to translate your educational experience into a compelling resume narrative. Fortunately, there are ways to ensure that your resume effectively positions you to have the best chance at landing any interview and job. To make sure that your resume is up to par, get a  free resume review  today. And if you really want to be sure that your resume is ready for prime time, take a few moments to discover just how easy it is to get professional resume assistance from our team of experts!

Recommended Reading:

What Should I Say About My Education On My Resume?

Ask Amanda: What's the Best Way to List Education on a Resume?

14 Reasons This is a Perfect Recent College Grad Resume Example

Related Articles:

Do Hiring Managers Actually Read Cover Letters?

How to Create a Resume With No Education

From Bland to Beautiful: How We Made This Professional's Resume Shine

See how your resume stacks up.

Career Advice Newsletter

Our experts gather the best career & resume tips weekly. Delivered weekly, always free.

Thanks! Career advice is on its way.

Share this article:

Let's stay in touch.

Subscribe today to get job tips and career advice that will come in handy.

Your information is secure. Please read our privacy policy for more information.

What Is a Coursework and How to Write a Paper: A Simple Guide

Author Avatar

  • Icon Calendar 18 May 2024
  • Icon Page 2715 words
  • Icon Clock 13 min read

Academic writing is an essential activity in higher education and comes in various forms. Basically, one of these forms is coursework writing, where instructors assess students’ level of understanding of a course during a semester. In this case, unlike other papers, coursework assignments evaluate students’ understanding of the course and not just a topic in the class. Moreover, various forms of coursework writing include essays, term papers, theses, dissertations, and report projects. Hence, students need to learn what is a coursework assignment and how to write such a paper.

What Is a Coursework Paper

College and university students undertake different kinds of academic exercises, with writing projects taking a significant portion. Basically, one of these exercises is the writing of coursework, an assignment that they submit at the end of the semester. Ideally, this kind of work assesses students’ understanding of a particular field of study within a single semester. In turn, instructors rarely require students to write a coursework assignment for things they learned during the previous semester.

Definition of a Coursework

By definition, a coursework assignment is an academic project that students undertake in the course of study and which they must submit before the closure of the semester. For example, such types of papers aim to evaluate students’ level of knowledge and skills acquisition, meaning the work contributes to students’ final grades. Ideally, coursework is what students learn during a semester, and such an assignment is meant to measure how well they have understood the subject matter. Moreover, students use reliable and relevant sources to study, examine and evaluate the chosen coursework topic. Therefore, a coursework assignment is very similar to other writing assignments, such as essays, reports, thesis writing, and dissertations.

Coursework

Differences With Other Papers

In the course of their classes, students write different types of papers, including essays and reports. Basically, the major difference between coursework writing and these papers is that it assesses students’ understanding of what they have discovered throughout the semester. In contrast, essays and other papers assess students’ understanding of a specific topic, concept, result, or theory. Moreover, students may need to address an issue in their coursework that they might have addressed in an essay assignment sometime during the semester. As such, a coursework assignment is broader in scope than other papers.

Expectations

Like essays and other papers, a coursework assignment varies from one area of study to another. For example, there is a coursework for the English subject and another for the sciences. Therefore, students are expected to complete their coursework assignments according to their instructor’s or department’s instructions. In most cases, this expectation includes presenting the assignment in an essay format, where they select a title of their choice. Depending on the subject, some coursework assignments expect students to collect, examine, infer, and report data when answering a specific question.

When it comes to the grading of academic assignments, instructors look at how well a student has attended to all the requirements and expectations. For instance, these requirements include writing about a choice of themes or text excerpts in a given format. In this case, students must use an approach that they believe is likely to give them a higher grade, meaning an approach that helps them to answer the question methodically, logically, and critically by using relevant information. In essence, these are three dimensions for grading a coursework assignment.

Constructing a Paper: A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Write a Coursework Assignment

Like an essay, a coursework assignment takes a particular structure. Basically, students should understand the core components and make sure that they address them in their academic writing. In this case, the most significant issue for students is to ensure a logical flow of ideas. Moreover, developing a thesis statement is essential to provide high-quality essays with a guideline on focal issues. Primarily, these issues are the concepts and theories that the student has learned in a specific course during the semester.

Step 1: Preparation

Planning or preparation is the first step in writing a coursework paper. For instance, the essence of any form of academic writing is to measure a student’s level of understanding about a particular area of study. Since the coursework measures what a student has learned in a given course, it is paramount for each person to prepare well when executing the assignment. Here, learners have to choose a topic that they are comfortable with, one that they are passionate about. Additionally, they should generate ideas about their coursework by deciding what is relevant and what is not. In this case, the reasoning that guides this decision is the expectation outlined in assignment instructions. Lastly, students should understand their audience – consumers of their work or readers. Like any other assignment, the audience is course instructors. Hence, writers should ensure coursework satisfies a curiosity of readers.

Step 2: Setting Up

After preparation, students should set up the stage for coursework writing. Basically, the first preoccupation is to find sources relevant to the assignment prompt – those that are more likely to provide enough evidence and support needed claims. As students review credible sources, they should take notes to provide a strong argumentation in their coursework. Then, another activity involves deciding on the coursework outline, which should help answer the assignment prompt logically and critically. Lastly, learners should create an annotated bibliography, a summary of each source they intend to use as the basis of their arguments in the coursework.

Step 3: Writing the Coursework

After preparing and setting up the stage, students should start writing the coursework assignment. In this case, armed with notes taken during the review of reliable sources and the outline they have created, students should start with the first draft, where they develop a thesis statement. Basing all opinions and arguments on the thesis, writers should answer the assignment prompt methodically, logically, and critically. Moreover, the thesis statement should ‘hook’ the audience and make them interested in reading the substantial part of the paper – the body. In essence, the body is where students use all the evidence they have gathered about the topic, while the thesis informs the audience of what individuals have focused on in the paper.

Step 4: Wrapping It Up

It is normal for a writer to make mistakes when writing an academic document. For example, these mistakes include inconsistent arguments, irrelevant content, punctuation errors, and countless grammatical mistakes. Therefore, after completing the draft, students should read it through, at least twice, to identify these mistakes and correct them. Basically, the processes of correction include revising and editing the paper. Regarding revisions, students should give their work to a friend or mentor to read it through. In their feedback, these individuals are likely to point out areas where authors should make corrections for the paper to be logical and interesting to read. Concerning editing the paper, students should proofread their work to ensure it is free of spelling mistakes, punctuation errors, and other grammatical mishaps.

Step 5: Developing Body Paragraphs

The body paragraph of any academic text, including a coursework assignment, utilizes several features to make the paper logical. Basically, the first feature is the topic sentence that opens up each paragraph. Also, the purpose of this feature is to strengthen the central idea captured in the thesis statement. Then, the rest of the paragraph structure backs up this claim using evidence gathered from different sources. In turn, another feature is a concluding sentence, which closes each paragraph. For instance, the goal of this aspect is to connect the topic sentence with the thesis statement. Finally, another feature is transition words and phrases that help readers sense a logical flow of ideas throughout the paper. In short, writers use transitions within and between paragraphs to create a logical flow of information and ideas.

Step 6: Referencing Format and Peer Reviewing

Besides ensuring the paper is written methodically and logically, students should see that it meets the highest academic writing standards. In this regard, they should ensure it follows after a particular format – APA, MLA, Harvard, or Chicago/Turabian. In most cases, the assignment prompt dictates the format that learners should use. Moreover, the referencing format informs about the structure of the paper and the format of citations. In turn, another essential activity that students should perform is to commit the paper to peer review. Here, authors give coursework papers to distinguished scholars, such as a professor or classmate, to assess the validity and quality of information used, including sources.

Step 7: Writing the Final Draft of a Coursework Paper

After subjecting the first draft to vigorous scrutiny through revisions, editions, and peer review, students should start writing the final draft of a coursework paper. Basically, this draft should be thoroughly polished, meaning it should be free of spelling, punctuation, and grammatical mistakes, as well as inconsistent arguments and irrelevant sentences. Moreover, it should indicate an effective use of transitions in the body paragraphs. In short, the final draft is an improved version of the first draft because writers have revised and edited it and incorporated feedback from a friend, mentor, or professor. However, they still need to read through the final draft, at least once, to ensure it is perfect before submission to the department. In turn, if students note several mistakes, it means another revision is necessary. Hence, the student’s focus should be the content, organization of ideas, style of writing, and format.

Types of Coursework

Given that coursework assignments test students’ level of understanding about a course’s content in a given semester, it means that it takes several forms. For example, these include a term paper, a Master’s thesis, a dissertation, or a report project. Ideally, the coursework is an essential requirement for a student to complete the course successfully. It also means the coursework is essential to be awarded a degree. In turn, the only difference between these types of coursework assignments is that they take a different approach to examining and analyzing course content, with each subject taking a unique approach.

Coursework Writing Techniques

The dream of every student is to pass any assessment and attain a higher grade. In a coursework assignment, students can utilize different techniques to ensure they attain higher grades after assessments. As indicated earlier about the grading of coursework, learners should use an approach that they believe answers the assignment prompt methodically, logically, and critically. As a result, every technique they use must allow them to answer the question in a way that satisfies these three grading dimensions.

1. Compare and Contrast Technique

A compare and contrast essay technique is about analyzing two subjects, ideas, concepts, or theories by comparing them, contrasting them, or doing both. Basically, the purpose of answering a coursework assignment through this approach is that students must not state obvious things. Instead, they need to shed light on the subtle differences or unexpected similarities between subjects, ideas, concepts, or theories.

2. Cause and Effect Technique

A cause and effect essay technique allows writers to develop their paper’s body by analyzing the reasons for and the consequences of a decision, action, or event. When organizing a paragraph, students adopt a structure that allows them to arrange the causes and effects in a chronological or reverse chronological order. Alternatively, authors can present their arguments through emphasis, starting from least important to most important aspects, or vice versa.

3. Investigation Technique

An investigation technique involves undertaking an in-depth examination of a topic, idea, concept, or theory. Basically, this technique’s primary goal is to demonstrate that students have gained a thorough knowledge of the subject, which is indicated in their methodical, logical, and critical analysis and presentation of information. In this case, ensuring that research findings are interpreted and presented in an organized manner throughout the essay is critical. Ultimately, the technique enables writers to demonstrate their articulate understanding of the various viewpoints about the issue under investigation. 

How to Present Strong Arguments

For an academic paper to capture the audience’s attention and interest, students must not only develop a thesis statement but also ensure they use strong arguments to back up the central idea in the statement. Basically, the “they say, I say” technique is the simplest method to present arguments properly. In this regard, the information that the student uses in answering the coursework assignment prompt should be free of plagiarism. For instance, they need to cite sources properly. Then, another way to ensure that the writing is persuasive is to confirm that they have attained the required word count without counting footnotes, endnotes, references, and appendices. Ideally, selecting a topic that one is comfortable with and passionate about enables the writing to be high-quality in terms of argumentation. Also, students should discuss alternatives with their mentor or instructor. Finally, the thesis statement should not be complicated.

Major Mistakes in Courseworks

Students make different kinds of mistakes when writing academic texts. For example, a common mistake in coursework writing involves a scope, where students fail to focus on one area of the topic and instead try to be broad in their argumentation. In this case, the problem with this approach is that they waste space talking about irrelevant material, leaving them with little space to write about the core idea. Also, the solution to this problem is to develop a thesis statement that sets out the paper’s specific agenda. In doing so, students can realize every time they go off-topic.

Another common mistake involves colloquialism, where students use a language that is not standard for academic writing. Basically, this problem is particularly common with students who become excited about the topic and try to express their ideas creatively. Moreover, the problem is that the coursework shifts from being evidence-based to a document about the student’s opinion. In turn, the solution to this problem is to pick a topic that is exciting and critically discussed in the literature. As a result, they can identify several sources that discuss the topic to use as bases for evidence of their claims and arguments about the topic.

Sample of a General Coursework Outline

The coursework paper adopts a typical outline, as indicated below:

  • Table of Contents
  • Abstract or Executive Summary
  • Introduction
  • Body Paragraph(s)
  • Reference list

Reason for Similarity of a Coursework Assignment With a Research Paper

Ideally, the outline of a coursework assignment is similar to that of a research paper. In this case, an abstract serves as a brief overview of a research paper and informs readers of the writer’s focal points. More importantly, the coursework outline has a body, where writers use different paragraphs to make an argument about the topic. Also, each of the paragraphs begins with a topic sentence and ends with a concluding sentence. Like research papers, body paragraphs of a coursework assignment serve to cement the writer’s claims and arguments, which are linked to the thesis statement.

Summing Up on What Is a Coursework Assignment and How to Write a Paper

A coursework assignment is among the writing assignments that students in colleges and universities undertake in preparation for their degree. Unlike other papers, this assignment assesses students’ understanding of what they have learned in a course in a given semester. As such, students must complete and submit it before the semester closes. Moreover, the different types of coursework include essays, term papers, theses, dissertations, and report projects.

Students should master the following tips when it comes to writing a coursework assignment:

  • Choose an exciting topic and stick to it. Basically, students come across tons of exciting information about their topic. However, to avoid going off-script, they should focus on their core subject and avoid the temptation of using data that may prove irrelevant.
  • Use evidence (quotes and statistics) selectively. In this case, relevancy is a significant indicator of a high-grade paper. As such, where students are not going to refer to some data directly because it adds no value to their argument, they should avoid dwelling on it in their paper.
  • Cite sources correctly. When citing sources, students should note the standards of the format in use – APA, MLA, Harvard, or Chicago/Turabian – as each has a unique approach.
  • Revise, edit, and proofread the paper. In turn, high-quality coursework writing should be free of inconsistent arguments, irrelevant sentences, and spelling, punctuation, and grammatical mistakes.

To Learn More, Read Relevant Articles

How to cite a court case in MLA

How to Cite a Court Case in MLA 9: A Simple Guide With Examples

  • Icon Calendar 7 August 2020
  • Icon Page 1829 words

How to cite a dissertation in Chicago Turabian

How to Cite a Dissertation or Thesis in Chicago/Turabian With Examples

  • Icon Calendar 5 August 2020
  • Icon Page 2196 words
  • Open access
  • Published: 20 June 2024

Comparison of blended learning and traditional lecture method on learning outcomes in the evidence-based medicine course: a comparative study

  • Kui Liu 1   na1 ,
  • Shuang Liu 2   na1 ,
  • Yifei Ma 1 ,
  • Jun Jiang 1 ,
  • Zhenhua Liu 1 &

BMC Medical Education volume  24 , Article number:  680 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

156 Accesses

Metrics details

Blended learning comprised with flipped classroom (FC) and “internet plus” is a new learning strategy that reverses the position of teacher and students in class, and provides abundant learning resources before and after class. This study aimed to assess the impact of blended learning on learning outcomes in evidence-based medicine course, and compare with traditional learning method.

The participants of the two groups were from two difference cohorts in Air force medical university in China. The two groups toke the same pre-test before class and then were given the teaching of same chapters of evidence-based medicine with two different learning strategy. In the blended learning group, the participants were required to create a debriefing slide about their learning outcomes and the answers of questions given in advance after study the learning material sent by teacher a week before class, and the teacher gave a detailed summary based on the common problems, and distributed multimedia resources for review. After the experiment was carried out, learning outcomes including mastering knowledge, learning satisfaction, and self-evaluation were compared.

37 and 39 participants were enrolled to blended learning and traditional learning groups, respectively, and no statistically significant difference were found in baseline information and pre-test grades. Statistically significant differences were found in learning outcomes including post-test score ( t  = 2.90, p  = 0.005), changes of scores between pre-test and post-test ( t  = 2.49, p  = 0.022), learning satisfaction ( t  = 12.41, p  = 0.001), and self-evaluation of the two groups ( t  = 7.82, p  = 0.001). Especially, the changes of scores between pre-test and post-test of blended learning and traditional learning groups were 4.05 (4.26), and 2.00 (2.85), respectively.

Conclusions

This study showed that compared with traditional learning strategy, blended learning can effectively enhanced participants’ acquisition of knowledge, learning satisfaction, and self-evaluation in evidence-based medicine. Using blended learning method including “internet plus” and flipped classroom is recommended in the teaching of evidence-based medicine course.

Peer Review reports

Evidence-based medicine has played a prominent role in public health and basic medical research, including exploring the risk factors of diseases [ 1 ], early diagnosis of disease [ 2 ], proper and rational treatment of disease [ 3 ], and judgment of disease prognosis [ 4 ]. Therefore, evidence-based medicine is an indispensable course, which covers 5 main steps for applying it to clinical practice: defining a clinically relevant question, searching for the best evidence, critically appraising the evidence, applying the evidence, and evaluating the performance of evidence-based medicine [ 5 ]. Evidence-based medicine demands practitioner’s solid theoretical knowledge and skilled application ability for it, which puts forward high requirements for the course teaching. Through the study of this course, the graduate students should not only master the basic theory of evidence-based medicine, but also master the thought and method of evidence-based medicine to lay a foundation for their future application in clinical practice. Unfortunately, current medical postgraduate education mainly focuses on learning clinical expertise, which leaves inadequate time to learn evidence-based medicine. Consequently, it is important to develop an effective learning strategy for the evidence-based medicine course to allow medical postgraduates to master knowledge in limited classroom time.

However, the traditional instructional approach also known as lecture-based learning is a passive format learning [ 6 ], which mainly relies on lectures from teachers to transfer knowledge, and students only accept the knowledge passively [ 7 ]. For medical courses, which involves the acquisition of a large quantity of knowledge [ 8 ], the learning result achieved by lecture-based method is far from the expected goal and the requirement of professional work. For medical postgraduates, practical abilities of evidence-based medicine are of great importance, while lecture-based learning did not provide them with any opportunity for practical application of theoretical knowledge but only homework on paper to do [ 7 ]. Moreover, critical thinking ability, problem-solving ability and integrated thinking abilities are essential for evidence-based medicine, and it has been proved that lecture-based learning strategies are insufficient in training these abilities [ 9 , 10 , 11 ]. In summary, previous studies have proved that knowledge transfer is poor during passive format learning, result in no need to keep traditional teaching and learning strategies in medical education. Therefore, to overcome the disadvantages of the lecture-based learning method, the implementation of new learning strategies with active participation of learners and more innovative methods are required in the teaching process of evidence-based medicine of postgraduates.

Flipped classroom (FC) approach reverses the position of teacher and student in class, in which students acquire basic knowledge though self-learning before class, and apply the knowledge to solve problems proposed by teachers with individual homework or group activities, then report on the result of learning and problem solving and apply the acquired knowledge to solve practical problems under the guidance of the instructor in class [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ]. Recently, there are more and more implantation of the FC approach in health care course education [ 16 ]. Students who attend flipped classroom gave highly positive response on motivation of learning, engagement in learning, and learning satisfaction [ 17 ]. However, there are also studies found that FC did not improve learning competence, such as Ilic et al. [ 18 ] applied FC approach in evidence-based medicine course, and the experimental group did not achieve higher score as expected. Therefore, further investigations are demanded to evaluate the impact of FC approach in evidence-based medicine course.

The “internet plus” is not an independent learning or teaching method, instead, it’s a combination of internet technology and the process of teaching and learning. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, lots of medical universities started online classes by actively preparing for teaching online, owing to the lockdowns, travel restrictions, and quarantines to control the spread of the pandemic [ 19 , 20 , 21 ]. Yu-Xin Cao et al. explored lemology teaching with “internet plus” flipped classroom pedagogy with clinical medicine students, and proved that the pedagogy boosted students’ theory learning ability, case analysis ability, and learning satisfaction [ 22 ]. Therefore, this comparative study aimed to assess the impact of blended learning comprised with “internet plus” and flipped classroom on learning outcomes in evidence-based medicine course, and compare with lecture-based method to provide reference for full implementation of the new teaching method.

Study participants

To comprehensively evaluate the effects of “internet plus” FC on medical postgraduates, the participants of the study were the postgraduates of a medical university from the 2022–2023 cohort, who majored in multiple disciplines pertain to medical specialty. And the students were assigned into two groups: students form 2022 cohort were allocated into control group which conducted with lecture-based learning, and students from 2023 cohort were allocated into experimental group which conducted with blended learning, “internet plus” flipped classroom. It is worth mentioning that although the two groups were not contemporaneous controls, they were both from the first year of graduate students, it is therefore reasonable to assume that the two groups of students have the same level of knowledge. The inclusion criteria were as follows: voluntary participations who were informed of the objective of the study in advance, have completed professional basic courses of their own majors, and finished the first chapter of the class: Introduction of evidence-based medicine. Finally, 76 students were included in this study, 37 students for blended learning group, and 39 students for lecture-based learning group. The sample size was calculated 31 students for each group using G power 3.1.9 with significance level α = 0.05, effect size (ρ) = 0.70, and power = 0.85. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Air Force Medical University (KY20222232-C-1).

Study design

This study chose the same sections from evidence-based medicine course as learning content, including “How to identify and raise a question in clinical practice”, “Classification, quality, grading and recommendation of evidence”, and “The source and retrieval of the evidence”, which covered the main content of the basic knowledge of evidence-based medicine. Therefore, a high degree of consistency was also maintained in terms of the content of the lectures and the teaching staff, which also made sure the balance between the two groups. Both groups took pre-test before class, and post-test, learning satisfaction, and self-evaluation questionnaire two weeks after the class.

The control group was taught with traditional learning method, as known as lecture-based method. The teacher first gave a lecture about theoretical knowledge according to the specific requirements of syllabus, students answered the questions raised by teacher in class, and took notes. Before the end of the class, the teacher gave a brief summary of the content of the chapter. After class, students completed homework as required, and submitted it three days after class.

The experimental group used the blended learning comprised of “internet plus” and FC. One week before the classroom session, a learning material including short videos, handouts, and knowledge maps about the lecture was sent to students with several questions about the content. And students were required to formed into 5 subgroups by themselves, and each subgroup needed to create a debriefing slide about their learning outcomes and the answers of questions given in advance. After each group finished their debrief, the instructor gave a brief comment on their report, point out deficiencies in the report, and scored for it according to content integrity, response to questions, production of slides, and fluency of presentation. And before the end of the class, the instructor gave a detailed summary, that mainly focused on the problems existing commonly in the reports, and provided multimedia resources for review, consolidation, and extension. Then the students submitted their homework three days after the class. Figure  1 depicts the blended learning design of this study.

figure 1

The blended learning design including “internet plus” and FC used in this study

Effectiveness assessment

After the teaching and learning process of the two groups was completed, a comprehensive assessment including mastering knowledge, learning satisfaction, and self-evaluation were implemented.

The situation of mastering theoretical knowledge was evaluated by post-test after two weeks of the class, which examined the same knowledge as pre-test. The examination with 10 indefinite choice questions were assigned by the instructor according to the syllabus.

A questionnaire with fourteen questions that focused on learning satisfaction was developed by the Graduate School of Air Force Medical University. This scale comprises 14 items to be answered, each of them has 5 points ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree (Table  1 ). The Cronbach alpha coefficient and the KMO coefficient of the questionnaire were 0.759 and 0.696, respectively, and the Bartlett’s test of sphericity indicated that the questionnaire were with enough construct validity ( P  < 0.001). After students completed the scale, the average score was calculated, and higher score represents better learning satisfaction.

Furthermore, to measure the difference of the improvement of the capacity for scientific research between two groups, we developed a questionnaire that evaluated student’s ability by their own. The questionnaire were with 5 items that mainly focused on the ability of find, analyze, and solve scientific problems, including the following questions: (1) Do you think your ability to find scientific problems has improved through the study of this course; (2) Do you think your ability to analyze scientific problems has improved through the study of this course; (3) Do you think your ability to solve scientific problems has improved through the study of this course; (4) Do you think your ability to engage in critical thinking has improved through the study of this course; (5) Do you think your ability of independent learning has improved through the study of this course. Each question has 5 points ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree. Using this scale, the average score was calculated, and higher score represents better self-improvement.

Statistical analysis

Demographic baseline data and scores of examinations and questionnaire from two groups were described with means and standards. And independent t -tests were used to compare the demographic characteristics and scores of the pre-test of two groups to investigate whether there was a difference between the two groups before the intervention. Meanwhile, differences between the two groups in knowledge after experiment, learning satisfaction, and self-evaluation were analyzed by independent t-test and ANCOVA analysis as well. All statistical analyses were performed with the R (version 4.31) software, the Microsoft Office 2019, and IBM SPSS for Windows 27. And p -values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Participant characteristics

Table  2 offers the baseline information of the participants. All the participants of the study were chosen from the same medical university, and their age ranged from 21 to 23, and t- test indicated that there was no significant difference between two groups ( p  = 0.32). All participants completed the experiment, and there was no dropout during the experiment. The average grades of the experimental and control group were 83.08 ± 4.87, and 82.00 ± 6.27, and the independent samples t -test indicated that there was no significant difference between two groups ( p  = 0.16). In addition, there was also no statistically significant difference in gender ratio and the grades of pre-test of two groups (all p  > 0.05), using one way ANOVA analysis.

Comparison of learning outcome variables between the two groups

As is mentioned above, no significant difference was found between the two groups in pre-intervention variables. 76 questionnaires were distributed and 76 were effectively received with an effective recovery rate of 100%. We compared the variables of learning outcome of the two groups, including the grades of post-test, learning satisfaction, and self-evaluation (Table  3 ). The post-test score of the blended learning and traditional teaching groups were 88.08 ± 3.28 and 86.08 ± 2.74, respectively. We performed ANCOVA analysis in the post-test score and changes of score of the two groups, using pre-test score as covariate, the result showed that statistical significance between two groups on the post-test score and changes of score after adjusted by pre-test scores ( p  < 0.001). And statistical differences were found by t -test for the difference between the twice test scores of the two groups ( t  = 2.49, p  = 0.022), which indicated that compared with traditional teaching, blended learning can significantly improve the learning outcomes of the students.

Furthermore, learning satisfaction of the blended learning group was significantly higher than the traditional learning group ( t  = 12.41, p  < 0.001). Additionally, the self-evaluation score of the two groups also shows that the blended learning methods can produce higher self-evaluation scores ( t  = 7.82, p  < 0.001), which indicated that blended learning methods can significantly improve the ability of problem-solving of the participants. Figure  2 showed that the blended learning group achieved higher score in every question than the traditional group in self-evaluation ( p  < 0.001). The result of t -test for all 14 questions of learning satisfaction showed that except for question 3, all the questions achieved higher scores in blended learning group (Table  4 ). Further analysis revealed that statistically significant difference was found on all 5 questions of self-evaluation( p  < 0.05).

figure 2

Mean scores of student’s self-evaluation

This study explored the influence of blended learning on learning outcomes in evidence-based medicine course. Based on the results of the study, after blended learning method was implemented, the learning outcomes of participants were significantly enhanced, including theoretical knowledge, learning satisfaction, and self-evaluation, the results were consistent with previous research on another course [ 12 ]. Especially, the changes of score between pre-test and post-test of two groups, the scores of participants from blended learning groups improved by 4.05 (4.26), while traditional learning group improved by 2.00 (2.85), indicated that the blended learning method can significantly improve students’ theoretical knowledge acquisition than traditional learning, which is consistent with several previous studies that focused on medical courses [ 23 , 24 , 25 ]. Participants of blended learning group learned independently in advance, which is the essence of the methods: learning first and then teach, and also make lectures can be not just knowledge imparters, but also a guide and edifier [ 22 ]. Moreover, blended learning group has been provided more multimedia resources to review and test the knowledge than the traditional learning group, which also contributed to the difference between the two groups.

On the aspects of learning satisfaction, it is noted that the scores of most questions were found statistically significant difference between two groups, except Q2 and Q3, with p values of 0.439 and 0.058 from t test, respectively. Question 2 was “Do you consider the class content is helpful for your major learning?”, and the participants of the study were from multiple disciplines pertain to medical specialty, which may result in no statistically significant difference. Question 3 was “How do you think the content of the class is interesting?”, the non-statistical significance of the results may be due to the selection of the basic content of evidence-based medicine in the teaching content. Natheless, in the total score of learning satisfaction blended learning group is significantly higher than traditional learning group, indicated that the blended learning methods can attain higher learning satisfaction, which is consistent with previous studies [ 26 , 27 ]. Furthermore, blended learning group obtained significantly higher satisfaction on teaching design, classroom interaction, teaching environment set, which indicated that blended learning was superior in student-centered teaching, and can make students become the main body of classroom implementation and improve student’s classroom participation and learning effect.

Moreover, regarding self-evaluation, it is worth noting that although the results of all 5 questions were found statically different between two groups, p value from t test of Q2 was 0.048, which is very close to 0.05. Question 2 was “Do you think your ability to analyze scientific problems has improved through the study of this course”, and the chapters of the study were chosen from evidence-based medicine, only including find question and evidence, this may be the reason of p value of Q2 close to 0.05. A study from South Korea based on public healthcare education course indicated that blended learning method was effective in enhancing participants’ problem-solving abilities ( p  < 0.001), using a scale comprises 45 items developed by the Korean Educational Development Institute [ 12 ]. Our study only used 5 questions to assess the problem-solving ability of the participants, which may have caused the deviation.

Considering that the participants from the two groups were from two different grades, which may causer potential bias, as a result, reduce the credibility of the results, we compared the average grades and baseline information of the two groups in the semester before the study was carried out, and no statistically significant difference of the grades of pre-test was found, which effectively ensured the equilibrium and comparability of the two groups. Furthermore, the implementation of course teaching of the two groups was both in the first year of graduate students, which effectively avoid bias may be caused by the courses that have been studied, the learning and scientific research ability and cognitive level of participants. Moreover, the design of this study contained “internet plus” and flipped classroom, which is the mainstream model of the implementation of blended learning [ 12 , 28 , 29 , 30 ]. Furthermore, we ordered different questions based on the same knowledge in the pre-test and post-test, which effectively avoided memory and selection bias.

Our study still had several limitations. Firstly, compared to traditional learning, the blended learning required teachers input on transition of the learning pattern, and its effectiveness was affected by the time, energy, and especially experience invested by the teachers which might cause certain bias in the results. To address this issue, the teachers’ team were kept the same for the two groups to reduce the potential influence. Furthermore, to carry out blended learning, pre-class preparation and classroom implementation place great demands on the quality and ability of the teachers, hence it is vital to cultivate teachers who can constantly adjust the teaching plan according to the feedback of students [ 22 ]. Moreover, “internet plus” raises requirements for classroom equipment, including projectors, screen, appropriate accessories including complex lighting and other technological issues, which has caused some difficulties for the implementation of blended learning [ 31 , 32 ].

The first step of implementing blended learning is to be fully prepared before class, hence, it is important to provide appropriate resources such as videos and handouts for students. Future studies should focus on providing richer learning resources for students, such as massive open online course (MOOC) and Micro course. Furthermore, the team of teachers should explore more diversified teaching methods, including concept map, micro-class, and case-based teaching method [ 33 , 34 , 35 ], to improving learning outcomes.

The results of the study showed that blended learning can effectively improve participants’ learning outcome, including test-score, learning satisfaction, and self-evaluation. Especially, in the terms of scores improvement, the results indicated that blended learning methods can enhance the performance of students significantly compared with traditional learning. Using blended learning method including “internet plus” and flipped classroom is recommended in the teaching of evidence-based medicine course.

Data availability

The datasets generated during and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author.

Liu YH, Ma LL, Hu LK, Lu C, Li YL, Ning C, Kun Y, Yu Z, Yan YX. The joint effects of Sarcopenia and cardiometabolic risk factors on declined cognitive function: evidence from a 7-year cohort study. J Affect Disord 2023.

Luckett AM, Weedon MN, Hawkes G, Leslie RD, Oram RA, Grant SFA. Utility of genetic risk scores in type 1 diabetes. Diabetologia. 2023;66(9):1589–600.

Article   Google Scholar  

Laakso M, Fernandes Silva L. Statins and risk of type 2 diabetes: mechanism and clinical implications. Front Endocrinol. 2023;14:1239335.

Zhu Y, He H, Qiu H, Zhang X, Wang L, Li W. Prognostic Nutritional Index combined with triglyceride-glucose index to contrast a Nomogram for Predicting contrast-Induced kidney Injury in type 2 diabetes Mellitus patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome after Percutaneous Coronary intervention. Clin Interv Aging. 2023;18:1663–73.

Tenny S, Varacallo M. Evidence Based Medicine. In: StatPearls edn. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing Copyright © 2024, StatPearls Publishing LLC.; 2024.

Falk K, Falk H, Jakobsson Ung E. When practice precedes theory - A mixed methods evaluation of students’ learning experiences in an undergraduate study program in nursing. Nurse Educ Pract. 2016;16(1):14–9.

Lautrette A, Schwebel C, Gruson D, Talbot RW, Timsit JF, Souweine B. Transfer of take-home messages in graduate ICU education. Intensive Care Med. 2011;37(8):1323–30.

Schwarz MR, Wojtczak A, Zhou T. Medical education in China’s leading medical schools. Med Teach. 2004;26(3):215–22.

Walsh K. S Maloney 2018 Self-directed learning using clinical decision support: costs and outcomes. Br J Hosp Med (London England: 2005) 79 7 408–9.

Ilkiw JE, Nelson RW, Watson JL, Conley AJ, Raybould HE, Chigerwe M, Boudreaux K. Curricular revision and reform: the process, what was important, and lessons learned. J Vet Med Educ. 2017;44(3):480–9.

Dickinson BL, Lackey W, Sheakley M, Miller L, Jevert S, Shattuck B. Involving a real patient in the design and implementation of case-based learning to engage learners. Adv Physiol Educ. 2018;42(1):118–22.

Kang HY, Kim HR. Impact of blended learning on learning outcomes in the public healthcare education course: a review of flipped classroom with team-based learning. BMC Med Educ. 2021;21(1):78.

Pierce R, Fox J. Vodcasts and active-learning exercises in a flipped classroom model of a renal pharmacotherapy module. Am J Pharm Educ. 2012;76(10):196.

Erbil DG. A review of flipped Classroom and Cooperative Learning Method within the context of Vygotsky Theory. Front Psychol. 2020;11:1157.

Sun L, Liu D, Lian J, Yang M. Application of flipped classroom combined with virtual simulation platform in clinical biochemistry practical course. BMC Med Educ. 2023;23(1):771.

Hew KF, Lo CK. Flipped classroom improves student learning in health professions education: a meta-analysis. BMC Med Educ. 2018;18(1):38.

Sait MS, Siddiqui Z, Ashraf Y. Advances in medical education and practice: student perceptions of the flipped classroom. Adv Med Educ Pract. 2017;8:317–20.

Ilic D, Nordin RB, Glasziou P, Tilson JK, Villanueva E. A randomised controlled trial of a blended learning education intervention for teaching evidence-based medicine. BMC Med Educ. 2015;15:39.

Peters MA, Rizvi F, McCulloch G, Gibbs P, Gorur R, Hong M, Hwang Y, Zipin L, Brennan M, Robertson S, et al. Reimagining the new pedagogical possibilities for universities post-covid-19. Educational Philos Theory. 2022;54(6):717–60.

Wang Q, Zhang F. What does the China’s economic recovery after COVID-19 pandemic mean for the economic growth and energy consumption of other countries? J Clean Prod. 2021;295:126265.

Zhang Y, Liu J, Liang J, Lang J, Zhang L, Tang M, Chen X, Xie Y, Zhang J, Su L, Wang X. Online education isn’t the best choice: evidence-based medical education in the post-epidemic era-a cross-sectional study. BMC Med Educ. 2023;23(1):744.

Cao YX, Xia SL, Zhu ZY, Zeng FR, Li HN, Zhang TT, Liu YJ. Exploring lemology teaching with internet plus flipped classroom pedagogy. BMC Med Educ. 2023;23(1):341.

O’Connor EE, Fried J, McNulty N, Shah P, Hogg JP, Lewis P, Zeffiro T, Agarwal V, Reddy S. Flipping Radiology Education Right Side Up. Acad Radiol. 2016;23(7):810–22.

Liebert CA, Lin DT, Mazer LM, Bereknyei S, Lau JN. Effectiveness of the surgery core clerkship flipped Classroom: a prospective cohort trial. Am J Surg. 2016;211(2):451–e457451.

Evans KH, Thompson AC, O’Brien C, Bryant M, Basaviah P, Prober C, Popat RA. An innovative blended preclinical curriculum in clinical epidemiology and Biostatistics: impact on student satisfaction and performance. Acad Med. 2016;91(5):696–700.

Mudenda S, Daka V, Mufwambi W, Matafwali SK, Chabalenge B, Skosana P, Mfune RL, Kasanga M, Okonji OC, Mayoka G, et al. Student’s perspectives, satisfaction and experiences with online and classroom learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: findings and implications on blended learning. SAGE open Med. 2023;11:20503121231218904.

Mortagy M, Abdelhameed A, Sexton P, Olken M, Hegazy MT, Gawad MA, Senna F, Mahmoud IA, Shah J, Aiash H. Online medical education in Egypt during the COVID-19 pandemic: a nationwide assessment of medical students’ usage and perceptions. BMC Med Educ. 2022;22(1):218.

Stoehr F, Yang Y, Müller L, Gerstenmeier P, Pinto Dos Santos D, Dietz P, Weimer A, Ludwig M, Kloeckner R, Weimer JM. A blended learning approach for teaching thoracic radiology to medical students: a proof-of-concept study. Front Med. 2023;10:1272893.

Mann AW, Cunningham J, Tumolo A, King C. Evaluating a blended learning model for Medical Student ECG Teaching. South Med J. 2023;116(1):57–61.

McCutcheon K, Lohan M, Traynor M, Martin D. A systematic review evaluating the impact of online or blended learning vs. face-to-face learning of clinical skills in undergraduate nurse education. J Adv Nurs. 2015;71(2):255–70.

Namyssova G, Tussupbekova G, Helmer J, Malone K, Tajik M, Jonbekova D. Challenges and benefits of blended learning in higher education. 2019, 2:22–31.

Alvarez A Jr. Learning from the problems and challenges in blended learning: Basis for faculty development and program enhancement. 2020, 15:112–132.

Hu K, Ma RJ, Ma C, Zheng QK, Sun ZG. Comparison of the BOPPPS model and traditional instructional approaches in thoracic surgery education. BMC Med Educ. 2022;22(1):447.

Yeo SC, Lai CKY, Tan J, Gooley JJ. A targeted e-learning approach for keeping universities open during the COVID-19 pandemic while reducing student physical interactions. PLoS ONE. 2021;16(4):e0249839.

Al-Balas M, Al-Balas HI, Jaber HM, Obeidat K, Al-Balas H, Aborajooh EA, Al-Taher R, Al-Balas B. Distance learning in clinical medical education amid COVID-19 pandemic in Jordan: current situation, challenges, and perspectives. BMC Med Educ. 2020;20(1):341.

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors of this study would like to appreciate all participants.

The study was founded by research project of postgraduate education of Air Force Medical University, China (No. C–YKT202214).

Author information

Kui Liu and Shuang Liu contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

Department of Health Service, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, 710032, China

Kui Liu, Yifei Ma, Jun Jiang, Zhenhua Liu & Yi Wan

Office of Academic Affairs, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, 710032, China

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Contributions

YW conceived and designed the study. KL and SL collected, analyzed, and interpreted the data. KL and YM drafted the manuscript. KL, YW, SL, JJ and ZL critical revised the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yi Wan .

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate.

Methods were performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations ethics and consent, Informed consent was obtained from all participants. Ethics approval was obtained from the Human Ethics Committee of Air Force Medical University. Informed consent was obtained from all participants.

Consent for publication

Not applicable

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict interest

Additional information

Publisher’s note.

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver ( http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ ) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article.

Liu, K., Liu, S., Ma, Y. et al. Comparison of blended learning and traditional lecture method on learning outcomes in the evidence-based medicine course: a comparative study. BMC Med Educ 24 , 680 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05659-w

Download citation

Received : 15 January 2024

Accepted : 12 June 2024

Published : 20 June 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05659-w

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

  • Blended-learning
  • Evidence-based medicine
  • Comparative study

BMC Medical Education

ISSN: 1472-6920

what is coursework student

University of New England Home

  • Current Students
  • Give to UNE

AskUNE

Future Students

Scripting must be enabled to use this site., difference between postgraduate research and coursework, what is the difference between postgraduate coursework and postgraduate research programs.

There are a few key differences between postgraduate coursework and postgraduate research programs.

Postgraduate Coursework

Postgraduate coursework programs deliver content through a set unit program (similar to an undergraduate Bachelor degree), but at a more advanced level. Coursework will allow you to deepen your knowledge within a discipline, or to pursue a new or additional study area at an advanced level.

Postgraduate degrees which can be studied through coursework include Graduate Certificates , Graduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Postgraduate Research

Postgraduate research programs (also known as Higher Degree Research ) allow you to develop your knowledge and experience within your field by completing a major research project under the supervision of an academic .

Postgraduate research degrees which you can study include Masters by research or Doctorate ( PhD ) programs.

Additional Information

For a comprehensive list of courses available, please refer to the Prospective Student Catalogue , or for further information view our Postgraduate Study page.

For further information regarding postgraduate coursework programs, please contact the Future Students Team through the Contact Us tab, online Live Chat , phone to 1800 818 865, or via Facebook .

For further information regarding postgraduate research programs, please submit your enquiry to Higher Degree Research through the Contact Us tab, or phone (02) 6773 3715 for assistance.

The feedback you provide will help us improve our answers for other people.

People who viewed this answer also viewed

  • How to Enrol (or Re-Enrol)
  • Difference between a Major, Specialisation and Area of Study
  • What is Postgraduate Study?
  • CRICOS Provider Number
  • Information about Trimesters

Share this page

  • StumbleUpon

Print this page

  • Right to Information
  • Accessibility
  • University of New England CRICOS Provider Number 00003G
  • ABN: 75 792 454 315

© University of New England, 2017

 Oorala Aboriginal Centre banner

The University of New England respects and acknowledges that its people, programs and facilities are built on land, and surrounded by a sense of belonging, both ancient and contemporary, of the world's oldest living culture. In doing so, UNE values and respects Indigenous knowledge systems as a vital part of the knowledge capital of Australia.

  • UNE is a member of the Regional Universities Network

© University of New England, 2021

Oorala Aboriginal Centre banner

what is coursework student

What is Coursework?

Table of Contents

what is coursework student

Definition and Meaning

So what is coursework? Coursework is an integral part of the educational process, which refers to written or practical tasks that students perform during educational courses. These assignments are typically evaluated and contribute to the final grade or mark. The coursework definition, especially the term “curriculum-mandated” signifies that instructors are required to assign coursework within certain guidelines. This aspect of academic work is crucial as it extends learning beyond the traditional classroom setting.

what is coursework definition

While some coursework may involve practical tasks conducted within the classroom, a significant portion is often completed independently by students, such as in their homes or dormitories. Notably, certain colleges in Texas are adopting policies that mandate a minimum of 20% of writing coursework to be completed in class, under the supervision of educators. This approach ensures the authenticity of students’ work and provides an opportunity for direct observation of their writing skills.

Additionally, it’s common for students to access previously submitted coursework online, serving as a resource for their own assignments. However, when utilizing such materials, it is imperative to thoroughly rewrite and adapt the content to maintain originality and avoid plagiarism.

Types and Examples of Coursework

The many faces of coursework.

So, what is coursework? Coursework isn’t a one-size-fits-all kind of deal. It morphs to fit the subject, the course, and the learning objectives. Here’s a snapshot:

  • Essays and Written Assignments. From reflective pieces to extensive research papers, these are staples in humanities and social sciences.
  • Lab Reports and Scientific Research. Science and engineering students often get hands-on with experiments, followed by detailed reporting.
  • Art and Design Portfolios. For the creatives, it’s about showcasing their artistic journey through portfolios.
  • Group Projects and Presentations. These emphasize collaboration and communication skills, common in business and management courses.
  • Fieldwork and Case Studies. Especially in disciplines like anthropology or marketing, where real-world application is key.

Examples in Different Fields

  • Biology Coursework. Might involve a lab-based investigation into a specific biological phenomenon.
  • Literature Coursework. Could be an analysis of a particular literary work or a comparative study of multiple pieces.
  • Computer Science Coursework. Often involves coding projects or developing software solutions.

Importance and Objectives

More than just grades.

What is coursework? Coursework is about more than chasing an ‘A’. It’s an integral part of the learning process. Through coursework, you:

  • Develop Critical Skills. Like research, analysis, and problem-solving.
  • Apply Theoretical Knowledge. It’s your chance to use what you’ve learned in a practical context.
  • Prepare for the Future. Whether it’s further academic pursuits or the professional world, coursework lays the groundwork.

Educational Objectives

Graduate coursework, in particular, is designed to deepen expertise in a field. It’s less about memorizing facts and more about developing a sophisticated understanding of complex concepts.

Challenges and Strategies

Common roadblocks.

  • Time Management: Juggling multiple assignments can be overwhelming.
  • Understanding Requirements: Sometimes, assignment briefs are as clear as mud.
  • Maintaining Academic Integrity: The line between inspiration and plagiarism can get blurry.

Navigating the Coursework Maze

  • Start Early: Procrastination is your enemy. Begin as soon as you get the assignment.
  • Seek Clarification: If you’re not sure, ask. Better safe than sorry.
  • Use Resources Wisely: Libraries, online databases, and even study groups can be goldmines.

Helpful Sources

  • Cambridge Dictionary
  • Merriam-Webster
  • Can you attend two colleges at once ?

Final Thoughts

In a nutshell, what is coursework? Coursework is an indispensable part of the academic journey. It’s where theory meets practice, where skills are honed, and knowledge is deepened. As education continues to evolve with technology and changing societal needs, so does coursework. It adapts, transforms, and continues to play a crucial role in shaping competent, well-rounded individuals ready to take on the world. So, embrace your coursework – it’s not just a stepping stone to a grade, but a pathway to learning, growth, and success.

what is coursework student

Medical College of Wisconsin

  • Campus News /

Pinning Ceremony Recognizes Class of 2025 Completing Didactic Coursework

June 13, 2024

Pinning Ceremony recognizes SOP Class of 2025 completing didactic coursework

The MCW School of Pharmacy awarded school pins to 42 second-year students during the Class of 2025 Pinning Ceremony, recognizing their completion of didactic coursework and transition to full-time clinical rotations. During their third and final year of the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum, students will be immersed in the practice setting for Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs), where they'll be exposed to various pharmacy specialties.

“Please use this pin and today’s ceremony as a cue to remind you of your purpose and your plan to achieve it,” said Ehab Abourashed, PhD, MS, BPharm , assistant dean for academic and curricular affairs and professor. “Be proud of what you’ve achieved so far and make us proud as you move closer to your goal.”

Stacy Reid, PharmD, BCPS , assistant dean of experiential education and assistant professor, encouraged the Class of 2025 to be role models for younger students and to keep an open mind throughout their upcoming clinical rotations.

“While some of you may know exactly what you want to do with your career, others of you may have no idea. Both of those and anything in between is okay,” added Dr. Reid. “Every rotation is a chance to try something new and maybe find something unexpected that you’re passionate about. While pharmacy is a small world, there are endless possibilities.”

Several exemplary students were recognized during the ceremony. The Pharmacist of the Future Award, recognizing a student who their peers would trust to be their own pharmacist, was awarded to Zoe Green. The American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Outstanding Student Chapter Member Award was awarded to Sage Orlowski for enhancing student engagement in the ACCP student chapter and expanding the presence of ACCP through community engagement, education, promotion, research opportunities or professional stewardship. The Diversity and Inclusion Pharmacy Student Award, recognizing accomplishments in contributing to diversity, equity and inclusion through exemplary leadership and demonstrating behaviors that positively impact MCW or the community, was awarded to Soriene Ozcan.

SOP Class of 2025 student ambassadors

A group of 11 student ambassadors received an additional pin, recognizing their commitment to recruiting and retaining future pharmacy students. Adrianne Bartolini and Adam Crouse received the Outstanding Student Ambassador Award.

SOP Class of 2025 instructors of the year

The MCW School of Pharmacy also celebrated the 2024 Instructors of the Year. In the biopharmaceutical sciences department, first- and second-year students selected Abir El-Alfy, PhD , assistant dean for student affairs and professor. Student nomination statements read, “Dr. El-Alfy is always willing to go the extra mile for students. She’s an advocate for our academic needs as well as our personal well-being. Her lectures always have the highest attendance due to her unique ability to explain concepts and gauge our understanding in the moment.”

In the clinical sciences department, first-year students selected Michael DeBisschop, PharmD , professor. “Dr. DeBisschop has always been there for our class. He brings a positive attitude to every class, making sure we are mentally in a good spot, and always brings a positive vibe to the room,” wrote students.

Second-year students selected Matthew Stanton, PharmD, BCPS, DABAT , assistant professor. Student nomination statements read, “Dr. Stanton had a very hands-on approach to teaching students, which engraved the learning into my brain. He is very knowledgeable in his field and is always engaged with students.”

Award recipients are invited to attend an honorary Instructor of the Year Luncheon at the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy annual meeting, being held this July in Boston.

Cookies on GOV.UK

We use some essential cookies to make this website work.

We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.

We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

what is coursework student

Bring photo ID to vote Check what photo ID you'll need to vote in person in the General Election on 4 July.

  • Education, training and skills
  • Funding and finance for students
  • Student loans

Higher Education Short Course Loans forms for students whose course starts on or after 1 September 2024

Application form, notes and supporting forms for students living in England and applying for Higher Education Short Course Loans.

Applies to England

Hesc application form.

PDF , 689 KB , 35 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

HESC Application Notes

PDF , 302 KB , 25 pages

HESC Document Return Form

PDF , 57.3 KB , 1 page

HESC Loan Request Form

PDF , 145 KB , 5 pages

HESC Student Signature Form

PDF , 81 KB , 3 pages

HESC UK Passport Details Form

PDF , 124 KB , 2 pages

HESC Change of Circumstances Form

PDF , 234 KB , 11 pages

You should only apply if your university or college has provided you with an offer letter.

If you don’t have your offer letter when you apply, you may not be able to complete a section or question. This could result in a delay to your application.

Before you apply

Visit our guidance page for information on funding and to understand your eligibility for Higher Education Short Course Loans .

Apply online

The quickest and easiest way to apply is using your online account , you should follow these steps:.

Set up a student finance account or log in if you already have one.

Download the digital application form, do not print and scan it.

Complete and upload the completed form to your online account.

Apply by post

If you choose to print the application form, you can’t upload this to your online account. You must sign and date the signature box in ink and return your form and evidence by post.

Where to send your forms

HE Short Courses PO Box 5610 Glasgow G52 9DH

After you apply

It can take up to 6 weeks to review your application in full. To ensure we process your application as quickly as possible, we ask that you do not contact us during this time.

If you do not hear from us after this time, you should  contact us .

Is this page useful?

  • Yes this page is useful
  • No this page is not useful

Help us improve GOV.UK

Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.

To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. Please fill in this survey (opens in a new tab) .

Students exploring an interactive display of thermal isolation materials used in space

New Space Standards Training Course 2024 a successful challenge

From June 10th to 14th, 2024, the ESA Education Training and Learning Facility in ESEC-Galaxia, Belgium, served as the backdrop for the transformative journey of the Space Standards Training Course. This revamped 6th edition marks a significant leap forward, meticulously crafted in collaboration between ESA Academy and the ESA’s Requirements and Standards Section .

The course convened 30 passionate Bachelor's, Master's, and PhD students from 15 different nationalities, converging to explore the landscape of space standards.

Student during an ESA Academy training course

Throughout the week, participants navigated through an array of ECSS disciplines from space management, engineering, product assurance and sustainability. From the principles of space engineering and standardization to the intricate complexities of system engineering and product assurance, the course provided students with a holistic understanding of space standards’ regulatory frameworks.

“The ESA Academy Space Standards Training Course has been an amazing experience, providing me with knowledge and skills for my future in the space sector. I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn from passionate experts and connect with like-minded peers”, said a Hungarian student from the Budapest University of Technology and Economics.

Trainer discussing with students how to craft standards for ExoMars TGO

The thermal engineering lecture, particularly, was accompanied by an interactive display of various physical thermal isolation materials previously used in ESA space missions, allowing students hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology.

The course encompassed ground-breaking subjects such as advanced and smart manufacturing & 3D printing. Participants delved into the nuanced realm of Lunar Gateway and Application of Standards, delving into collaborative endeavours between NASA, ESA, and JAXA.

Yet, the course's essence transcended traditional lectures. Students creatively crafted standards for a mission to Mars, seamlessly bridging imagination with practical application. The peak of their journey ended in an immersive exercise where they creatively engaged in a fictitious design session, stepping into the future, and conceptualizing the necessary standards for a successful hypothetic Lunar Orbital Platform Mission.

“The first-hand experience of the presenters is unquestionable; the course is providing great opportunity to interact with professionals to learn the real approach on problems in the space industry”, said a Polish student from the Gdańsk University of Technology.

Group photo outside ESA Education's training centre

As we look back on this journey, we acknowledge the dedication and skill of our team. Their hard work and expertise are driving the future of space exploration.

After the success of the 6th edition, we look forward to welcoming new aspiring space pioneers to the next Space Standards Training Course!

“This course has been an incredible experience I will never forget. It has helped me to keep working towards my dream of becoming an ESA systems engineer someday”, said a Spanish student from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia.

Thank you for liking

You have already liked this page, you can only like it once!

Suggestions or feedback?

MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  • Machine learning
  • Social justice
  • Black holes
  • Classes and programs

Departments

  • Aeronautics and Astronautics
  • Brain and Cognitive Sciences
  • Architecture
  • Political Science
  • Mechanical Engineering

Centers, Labs, & Programs

  • Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL)
  • Picower Institute for Learning and Memory
  • Lincoln Laboratory
  • School of Architecture + Planning
  • School of Engineering
  • School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
  • Sloan School of Management
  • School of Science
  • MIT Schwarzman College of Computing

Designing for outer space

Press contact :.

A student in a silver spacesuit steps out of the Momo habitat, a geodesic dome-like structure.

Previous image Next image

A new MIT course this spring asked students to design what humans might need to comfortably work in and inhabit space. The time for these creations is now. While the NASA Apollo missions saw astronauts land on the moon, collect samples, and return home, the missions planned under Artemis, NASA’s current moon exploration program, include establishing long-term bases in orbit as well as on the surface of the moon.

The cross-disciplinary design course MAS.S66/4.154/16.89 (Space Architectures) was run in parallel with the departments of Architecture, and Aeronautics and Astronautics (AeroAstro), and the MIT Media Lab’s Space Exploration Initiatives group. Thirty-five students from across the Institute registered to imagine, design, prototype, and test what might be needed to support human habitation and activities on the moon.

The course’s popularity was not surprising to the instructors.

“A lot of students at MIT are excited about space,” says Jeffrey Hoffman, one of the course instructors and professor of the practice in AeroAstro. Before teaching at MIT, Hoffman was a NASA astronaut who flew five missions aboard the space shuttle. “Certainly in AeroAstro, half the students want to be astronauts eventually, so it’s not like they hadn’t thought about living in space before. This was an opportunity to use that inspiration and work on a project that might become an actual design for real lunar habitats.”

Video thumbnail

MIT’s history with NASA, and with the Apollo missions in particular, is well documented. NASA’s first major contract for the Apollo program was awarded to MIT in 1961. Dava Newman, director of the MIT Media Lab and former NASA deputy administrator, was also a course instructor.

Preparing students for the next phase of working and living in space was the goal of this class. In addition to the Artemis missions, the rise of commercial spaceflight foretells the need to investigate these designs.

“MIT Architecture has always succeeded best at the intersection of research and practice,” says Nicholas de Monchaux, a course instructor and architecture department head. “With more and more designers being called on to design for extreme environments and conditions — including space — we see an important opportunity for research, collaboration, and new forms of practice, including an ongoing collaboration with the Media Lab and AeroAstro on designing for extreme environments.”

Designing lunar habitats

A defining aspect of the class is the blend of architecture and engineering students. Each group brought different mindsets and approaches to the questions and challenges put before them. Shared activities, guest lectures, and a week touring NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas; the SpaceX launch facility in Brownsville, Texas; and ICON’s 3D printing facilities for construction in Austin, Texas, provided the students with an introduction to teams already working in this field. Paramount among their lessons: an understanding of the harsh environments for which they will be designing.

Hoffman doesn’t sugarcoat what life in space is like.

“Space is one of the most hostile environments you can imagine,” he says. “You're sitting inside a spacecraft looking out the window, realizing that on the other side of that window, I'd be dead in a few seconds.”

The students were divided into seven teams to develop their projects, and the value of collaboration quickly became apparent. The teams began with a concept phase where the visions of the architects — whose impulse was to create a comfortable and livable habitat — sometimes conflicted with those of the engineers, who were more focused on the realities of the extreme environment.

Inflatable designs emerged in several projects: a modular inflatable mobile science library that could support up to four people; an inflatable habitat that can be deployed within minutes to provide short-term shelter and protection for a crew on the moon; and a semi-permanent in situ habitat for space exploration ahead of an established lunar base.

Finding a common language

“Architects and engineers tend to approach the design process differently,” says Annika Thomas, a mechanical engineering doctoral student and member of the  MoonBRICCS team . “While it was a challenge to integrate these ideas early on, we found ways over time to communicate and coordinate our ideas, brought together by a common vision for the end of the project.”

Thomas’s teammates, architecture students Juan Daniel Hurtado Salazar and Mikita Klimenka, say that technical considerations in architecture are often resolved toward the middle and end of a project.

“This gives us too much space to put off the implications of our design decisions while leaving little time to resolve them,” says Salazar. “The insight of our engineers challenged every design decision from the onset with mechanical, economic, and technological implications of current space technology and material regimes. It also provided a fruitful arena to cooperatively discuss the concern that the most materially and economically optimal solutions are not always the most culturally or morally justified, as the emergence of long-term habitats brings the full gamut of an astronaut’s functional, social, and emotional needs to the forefront.”

Says Klimenka, “The wealth of knowledge and experience present within the team allowed us to meaningfully consider possible responses to producing a viable long-term habitat. While navigating both engineering and design constraints certainly required additional effort, the thinking process overall was extremely refreshing as we exposed ourselves to totally different sets of challenges that we do not typically deal with in our domains.”

Architecture graduate student Kaicheng Zhuang, who worked with engineers on the  Lunar Sandbags project , says communication skills were “crucial” to the team working successfully together.

“With the engineers, it’s essential to focus on the technical feasibility and practical implementation, making sure every design element can be realistically achieved,” says Zhuang. “They needed clear, precise information about structural integrity, material properties, and functionality. On the other hand, within our architecture team, discussions often revolve around the conceptual and aesthetic aspects, such as the visual impact, spatial dynamics, and user experience.”

Molly Johnson, an AeroAstro graduate student and team member on the  lunarNOMAD project , concurs. “Traditionally, for a systems engineer such as myself it is easy to wave away the small design details and say they'll be addressed without going into detail about how they'll be addressed. The architects brought in a new level of detail that helped clarify our intentions.”

The team behind  Momo: a Self-Assembling Lunar Habitat created a mission profile for their design. The semi-permanent in situ habitat was designed for space exploration ahead of establishing a permanent base on the moon. The module is flexible enough to fold nearly flat for easy transport. Their project was  recently profiled in DesignBoom .

Beyond Earth

The final projects showed the vast differences among the teams despite there being a “limited number of ways that you can actually keep people alive on the lunar surface,” says Cody Paige, director of Space Exploration Initiatives and a course instructor. Students needed to consider what types of materials were needed; how these would be transported and assembled; how long their structures would remain functional; and what social or human experience would be supported, among other concerns.

The hands-on experience to create life-size models was especially important in this course given that AI is becoming a larger component of so many tasks and areas of decision-making, according to Paige.

“A computer doesn’t always translate exactly into the real world, and so having the students make prototypes shows them that there is a lot of benefit in understanding the materials you’re working with, how they function in real life, and the tactile ability that you can gather by working with these materials,” says Paige.

As fantastical as some of the projects appeared — with their combination of architecture, engineering, and design — they may very well be viable soon, especially as more architects are hired to design for space and students are understanding the landscape and needs for the demanding environments.

“We need to train our students to be the pioneers at the forefront of this field,” says Skylar Tibbits, a professor in the architecture department and one of the course instructors. “The longer astronauts are in space or on the moon, we need to be designing habitats for human experiences that people will want to live in for a long time.”

The need for architects and engineers skilled in this specific field is thriving. Thomas — the engineering student on the MoonBRICCS team — is currently working on robotics for space application. Her teammate — Palak Patel — is an engineering doctoral student working on extreme environment materials for space applications. With the enthusiasm of the students, as well as the considerable real-world occupational need, the three academic units plan to continue to offer the course in the future.

“We see extending this into a multi-year program in designing for extreme environments — in space and on Earth — and are actively discussing sponsorships and partnerships,” says de Monchaux.

Share this news article on:

Related links.

  • Course MAS.S66/4.154/16.89 (Space Architectures)
  • Department of Architecture
  • Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics
  • School of Architecture and Planning

Related Topics

  • Aeronautical and astronautical engineering
  • Spaceflight
  • Space exploration
  • Technology and society

Related Articles

12 astronauts in blue jumpsuits appear on stage. Several are clapping or waving at the crowd.

Three MIT alumni graduate from NASA astronaut training

A NASA astronaut seen in profile shares a presentation of his journey from MIT to the ISS.

How to be an astronaut

George Lordos tinkers with a device

On the front lines of space innovation

The computer system and software that controlled the Apollo 11 spacecraft — called the Apollo Guidance Computer and designed by the MIT Instrumentation Lab team — helped push technology forward in many ways. The computer itself was the first significant use of silicon integrated circuit chips.

Behind the scenes of the Apollo mission at MIT

Previous item Next item

More MIT News

Michael Birnbaum in the lab, with blurry equipment in foreground.

Leaning into the immune system’s complexity

Read full story →

A glowing penicillin molecule

Scientists use computational modeling to guide a difficult chemical synthesis

Fotini Christia

Fotini Christia named director of the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society

Illustration of a charm bracelet with research-themed charms: DNA, neuron, viral capsid, zinc finger, light switch

CHARMed collaboration creates a potent therapy candidate for fatal prion diseases

The 13-member MIT Video Productions team at the awards ceremony

Two MIT films nominated for New England Emmy Awards

A cellphone has a blue shield which blocks red interference.

Wireless receiver blocks interference for better mobile device performance

  • More news on MIT News homepage →

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, USA

  • Map (opens in new window)
  • Events (opens in new window)
  • People (opens in new window)
  • Careers (opens in new window)
  • Accessibility
  • Social Media Hub
  • MIT on Facebook
  • MIT on YouTube
  • MIT on Instagram

IMAGES

  1. How to Write a Coursework: Best Tips and Topics

    what is coursework student

  2. What is Coursework?

    what is coursework student

  3. 💣 Coursework tips. What Is a Coursework and How to Write a Paper: A

    what is coursework student

  4. What Is a Coursework and How to Write a Paper: A Simple Guide

    what is coursework student

  5. What is Coursework and Why Coursework Matters So Much

    what is coursework student

  6. Guidelines and Steps for Writing a Coursework

    what is coursework student

VIDEO

  1. MSIN0051: Business in the Digital Age Individual video

  2. Nice video created by a student of IUB LFE at BLC Dinajpur venue

  3. RESET SUNDAY AS A COMSCI STUDENT

  4. How BTECs are Different to Other Qualifications

  5. Stanford Event

  6. Want to publish a research paper? #researchpaper

COMMENTS

  1. What is Coursework at University?

    In short, at university coursework is similar to at previous levels of education, where coursework is a form of assessment without exams that helps to make up your grade. At university, this is because successfully completing coursework helps you to pass modules, allowing you to get your qualification. This coursework can come in many different ...

  2. Coursework

    Coursework (also course work, especially British English) is work performed by students or trainees for the purpose of learning. Coursework may be specified and assigned by teachers, or by learning guides in self-taught courses. Coursework can encompass a wide range of activities, including practice, experimentation, research, and writing (e.g., dissertations, book reports, and essays).

  3. What is Coursework?

    Coursework is a practical work or study done by a student in partial fulfilment of a degree or training. Projects, field work, design studies, long essays etc constitutes a coursework. The nature of work which requires to be carried out depends on the course. It is largely a part of learning exercise and a step to prepare you to handle the ...

  4. Coursework vs Exams: What's Easier? (Pros and Cons)

    This differs greatly from coursework. Finally, the main advantage of exams is that it is much harder to cheat in any way. Firstly, this includes outright cheating - there have been issues in the past with students getting other people to write their coursework essays. However, it also includes the help you get.

  5. Coursework Meaning & Definition: A Complete Guide

    Coursework is practical work or studies completed by a student in partial fulfilment of training or degree. Coursework includes projects, fieldwork, design studies, extensive college essays, and other activities. The type of work required varies on the course. It is mostly a part of the learning process and a step towards preparing students to ...

  6. What is Coursework: A Fundamental Guide with Examples

    About Coursework. Counting toward a final mark or grade, coursework considers one of the most crucial assignments during the class. It involves two main stages: doing research or experiment; presenting findings, and freshly acquired knowledge in a digestible form. While the first phase excites students, the second one strikes fear in the heart ...

  7. Coursework Definition & Meaning

    The meaning of COURSEWORK is work that is assigned or performed as part of a course of study. How to use coursework in a sentence. ... Recent Examples on the Web Faculty and staff help students map out their coursework, and students rely on each other for advice as well.

  8. How to decide between postgraduate research and coursework

    4 mins. It can be a little tricky figuring out which postgraduate degree is for you. That's why we've done the work for you to clarify the differences between a coursework degree and a research degree, and where each could take your career. Tl;dr: The main difference between these two styles is coursework has classes and research has a thesis.

  9. What is a coursework program?

    Coursework is defined under the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) as a method of teaching and learning that leads to the acquisition of skills and knowledge that does not include a major research component. Bachelor's programs and postgraduate coursework programs are all coursework programs. Search the Future Students website for programs available at UQ.

  10. What is a coursework program?

    Coursework is defined under the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) as a method of teaching and learning that leads to the acquisition of skills and knowledge that does not include a major research component. Bachelor's programs and postgraduate coursework programs are all coursework programs. Search the Future Students website for programs available at UQ.

  11. Your Guide to Conquering College Coursework

    In the excitement of starting a new life on campus, college coursework can sometimes become a second priority. However, adjusting to college coursework is often the biggest challenge of all. Even the best students may be surprised at how difficult college courses are. The subject matter is more complex. The workload is larger.

  12. 105-year-old Stanford student graduates with master's degree 8 ...

    Virginia "Ginger" Hislop, 105, recently walked the stage at Stanford University to receive her master's degree in education for the coursework she completed in 1941.

  13. What Are Coursework And Why Is It Important?

    "Coursework" is a word that has many connotations, and one of them is the quality of work done at any given college. The quality of coursework will have a direct bearing on the grade awarded to a student. This is because coursework is an "interpretation" of course requirements learned in a class. room. Students who are able to complete ...

  14. What is Coursework: Updated Guide for 2024

    Coursework is the most common type of assignment that teachers give students to understand their level of learning on a specific topic or subject. Moreover, it shows how well a student understands and uses the topic in various contexts.

  15. What is Coursework?

    Coursework is an important part of any educational program and its a great way to develop skills, knowledge and understanding. In this article, well take a look at what coursework is and how it can benefit students..

  16. Coursework: What It Is, Why You Need It, and How to Write It

    A student's instructor can ask them to perform it in a written way and work on an essay, term paper, or thesis (this form of coursework is the most widespread). A coursework can also be done in a more creative way; for example, a student may be asked to create a sculpture.

  17. Coursework Examples, Definition, Full Writing Guide

    Coursework definition: General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) coursework is a typical academic assignment, given in the course of study to evaluate the student's knowledge, skills, and identify the final grade. Many students face this type of writing in the US colleges.

  18. How to Include Relevant Coursework on a Resume (with Examples)

    Bachelor's in [Name of Degree] [College Name, City, Graduation Date] Relevant Coursework: [Course 1], [Course 2], [Course 3], [Course 4], [Course 5] Alternatively, you can also opt to show your courses in a bullet-point list if your resume is short and you need to fill more space. You can even elaborate on each course with a few words to ...

  19. Why is Coursework Important?

    Coursework often requires extensive research, encouraging students to explore different sources of information, evaluate their credibility, and synthesize relevant findings. This helps in ...

  20. What Is a Coursework and How to Write a Paper: A Simple Guide

    Basically, one of these forms is coursework writing, where instructors assess students' level of understanding of a course during a semester. In this case, unlike other papers, coursework assignments evaluate students' understanding of the course and not just a topic in the class. Moreover, various forms of coursework writing include essays ...

  21. Comparison of blended learning and traditional lecture method on

    Blended learning comprised with flipped classroom (FC) and "internet plus" is a new learning strategy that reverses the position of teacher and students in class, and provides abundant learning resources before and after class. This study aimed to assess the impact of blended learning on learning outcomes in evidence-based medicine course, and compare with traditional learning method.

  22. Difference Between Postgraduate Research and Coursework

    There are a few key differences between postgraduate coursework and postgraduate research programs. Postgraduate Coursework. Postgraduate coursework programs deliver content through a set unit program (similar to an undergraduate Bachelor degree), but at a more advanced level. Coursework will allow you to deepen your knowledge within a discipline, or to pursue a new or additional study area at ...

  23. What is Coursework? Сoursework Definition, Meaning and Types

    Coursework is an integral part of the educational process, which refers to written or practical tasks that students perform during educational courses. These assignments are typically evaluated and contribute to the final grade or mark. The coursework definition, especially the term "curriculum-mandated" signifies that instructors are ...

  24. Exploring Generative AI: A Hands-on Course on Prompt Engineering for

    The course significantly enhanced students' understanding of prompt engineering, reducing their anxiety and increasing their self-efficacy. Survey results indicated improved AI literacy and decreased anxiety, with students feeling more confident in their technical abilities and recognizing the value of generative AI as a learning tool.

  25. How to List Relevant Coursework on a Resume [10+ Examples]

    UCLA, Los Angeles, CA. Relevant Coursework: Language and Cognitive Development, Psychology of Emotion, Psychological Statistics, Cognitive Linguistics. If you add the relevant courses to a resume in this way, you'll have plenty of room for including other academic achievements on your resume. 2.

  26. What Are Coursework And Its Importance To College?

    Coursework is what students do throughout the semester to complete their degrees. It may be difficult to understand if you are not a college student, but basically it refers to how good a student did in completing the course and how well they. learned. The grades given are an average score for each student on a test.

  27. Pinning Ceremony Recognizes Class of 2025 Completing Didactic Coursework

    The MCW School of Pharmacy awarded school pins to 42 second-year students during the Class of 2025 Pinning Ceremony, recognizing their completion of didactic coursework and transition to full-time clinical rotations. During their third and final year of the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum, students will be immersed in the practice setting for Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences ...

  28. Higher Education Short Course Loans forms for students whose course

    Set up a student finance account or log in if you already have one. Download the digital application form, do not print and scan it. Complete and upload the completed form to your online account.

  29. New Space Standards Training Course 2024 a successful challenge

    "The ESA Academy Space Standards Training Course has been an amazing experience, providing me with knowledge and skills for my future in the space sector. I'm grateful for the opportunity to learn from passionate experts and connect with like-minded peers", said a Hungarian student from the Budapest University of Technology and Economics.

  30. Designing for outer space

    Photo: Maria Iacobo. A new MIT course this spring asked students to design what humans might need to comfortably work in and inhabit space. The time for these creations is now. While the NASA Apollo missions saw astronauts land on the moon, collect samples, and return home, the missions planned under Artemis, NASA's current moon exploration ...