MML Diplomas / Certificates

OP

Awesome, thanks so much Daniel -- a bit of nosing around on Google tells me that's just the kind of thing I was hoping there might be! :biggrin:

It would be really helpful if anyone who's done a diploma (or certificate) in this manner has any advice about the workload, whether it fits in with your main courses, how much you learn (info for Diploma or Certificate much appreciated), whether it's encouraged/discouraged by colleges, etc.

(Especially if you're doing a more science-related subject and did it in your freshman year!! But any advice at all would be great.)

Thank you :smile:

Reply 3

OP

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Reply 4

sa55afras

Awesome, thanks so much Daniel -- a bit of nosing around on Google tells me that's just the kind of thing I was hoping there might be! :biggrin:

It would be really helpful if anyone who's done a diploma (or certificate) in this manner has any advice about the workload, whether it fits in with your main courses, how much you learn (info for Diploma or Certificate much appreciated), whether it's encouraged/discouraged by colleges, etc.

(Especially if you're doing a more science-related subject and did it in your freshman year!! But any advice at all would be great.)

Thank you :smile:

Maths Tripos, German diploma, second year. Quote me if you're still interested in finding out anything about this. :smile:

Reply 5

02k7

generalebriety

Quote me if you're still interested in finding out anything about this. :smile:

ooh i'm interested :smile:

i'll be doing law next year (grades-permitting) and was planning on doing a language centre course in German because i didn't come across the diploma in my googling! i'm doing A2 german at the mo.

i'd like to know more about it if possible, like how much extra work you have to do (it sounds like a lot :s) and how different it would be to doing the language centre course? the diploma sounds more structured - good thing/ bad thing? and roughly how many people do the german one?

vielen dank :smile:

Reply 6

OP

generalebriety

Maths Tripos, German diploma, second year. Quote me if you're still interested in finding out anything about this. :smile:

Thanks -- I'd love to find out more :biggrin:

It sounds like the kind of thing I'd like to do, and I'll probably enquire about it a little at open day, but an insider's student perspective would be immensely helpful :smile:

I'd be interested in any of the following things concerning which you may be able to enlighten me:
* the workload
* how it fits in with your main subject (academically and in terms of time, etc.)
* how much you learn / how proficient you get
* whether encouraged / discouraged (by colleges)?
* anything else at all you think might be of interest!

Thanks a million!

Reply 7

02k7

ooh i'm interested :smile:

i'll be doing law next year (grades-permitting) and was planning on doing a language centre course in German because i didn't come across the diploma in my googling! i'm doing A2 german at the mo.

i'd like to know more about it if possible, like how much extra work you have to do (it sounds like a lot :s) and how different it would be to doing the language centre course? the diploma sounds more structured - good thing/ bad thing? and roughly how many people do the german one?

vielen dank :smile:

Roughly ten to twelve did the German diploma this year. Sadly it's not available next year (lack of funding or something), but these things come and go and it might well be available the year after.

I honestly wouldn't advise taking on a diploma in first year, as your degree will usurp quantities of time you won't have yet experienced, and it may just help you to find out how much work your degree really is. The diploma takes about 8 hours a week, but can take anything up to 12, really, and that's quite a long time unless you're willing to put the effort in. I can honestly say I've never done a language course, but I hear it takes about four hours a week: two hours of contact time, two hours of homework. That's a lot more doable, and sounds just as organised to me, but you won't be able to do anything anywhere near as advanced as the diploma, so if you already have A-level German, it's a bit pointless trying the language centre courses - they'll be way below you.

I'm not sure how useful this response is to you, but I've just been out celebrating exams and am now quite tipsy and sleepy, so if you have any more specific questions, ask them and I'll answer tomorrow. :p:

Reply 8

sa55afras

* the workload
As above. Depends how arsed you are. I got it down to about 6 hours, but was barely handing any work in; you can easily spend 12 hours on it.

sa55afras

* how it fits in with your main subject (academically and in terms of time, etc.)
A couple of things clashed in the second term. But I hate lectures anyway. :p:

Other than that, you're mostly left to work on your own, which is good if you're good at managing your time.

sa55afras

* how much you learn / how proficient you get
Well, you learn an extra year's worth. You can't possibly get fluent without going to the country, but you get pretty good. It teaches you different skills, though - it's not all about getting good, it's partly about learning to fill in gaps in your knowledge yourself.

sa55afras

* whether encouraged / discouraged (by colleges)?
Depends on the college. My director of studies seemed alright with the idea.

Again, if this is a crap reply, tell me and I'll fix it tomorrow. :p:

Reply 9

02k7

thanks generalebriety, that was very helpful (and quite impressive considering your celebrations!)

so if you're doing the diploma in your second year, i just wondered how you kept up with your languages in your first? or did you just remember everything from a-level after a year's break? because that sounds hard, i forget things from yesterday's lesson!

Reply 10

OP

generalebriety

As above. Depends how arsed you are. I got it down to about 6 hours, but was barely handing any work in; you can easily spend 12 hours on it.

A couple of things clashed in the second term. But I hate lectures anyway. :p:

Other than that, you're mostly left to work on your own, which is good if you're good at managing your time.

Well, you learn an extra year's worth. You can't possibly get fluent without going to the country, but you get pretty good. It teaches you different skills, though - it's not all about getting good, it's partly about learning to fill in gaps in your knowledge yourself.

Depends on the college. My director of studies seemed alright with the idea.

Again, if this is a crap reply, tell me and I'll fix it tomorrow. :p:

Thanks a lot! Very helpful :yep:

I wondered -- considering you suggested that doing a Diploma in the first year might not be the best idea -- whether you'd say that doing a Certificate would involve less time and work / be more suitable for the first year (obviously, in a language that would be started from scratch)? I know you did a Diploma but I wondered if you had any thoughts on this. Thanks again...

Reply 11

sa55afras

Thanks a lot! Very helpful :yep:

I wondered -- considering you suggested that doing a Diploma in the first year might not be the best idea -- whether you'd say that doing a Certificate would involve less time and work / be more suitable for the first year (obviously, in a language that would be started from scratch)? I know you did a Diploma but I wondered if you had any thoughts on this. Thanks again...

A certificate is more or less the same amount of work. It gets you up to A-level from scratch in a year.

Reply 12

OP

generalebriety

I can honestly say I've never done a language course, but I hear it takes about four hours a week: two hours of contact time, two hours of homework. That's a lot more doable, and sounds just as organised to me, but you won't be able to do anything anywhere near as advanced as the diploma, so if you already have A-level German, it's a bit pointless trying the language centre courses - they'll be way below you.

Hi, sorry to bother you again, but just one more thing. These language centre courses -- I gather they start from scratch? What about "French & Spanish Advanced"? It doesn't say on the website (http://www.langcen.cam.ac.uk/courses/courses.php?c=2), but would you happen to know what level they're at? Thanks...

Reply 13

renaissancemensch

Does anybody know anything about the "Open Classes" at the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies? According to the website, they run courses in Hebrew, Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, Persian & Chinese, which all sounds pretty cool, but it doesn't really have much more by way of information. Does anybody have any experience of these/ know how much time or effort they require/ how advanced teh courses are etc.?

Reply 14

sa55afras

Hi, sorry to bother you again, but just one more thing. These language centre courses -- I gather they start from scratch? What about "French & Spanish Advanced"? It doesn't say on the website (http://www.langcen.cam.ac.uk/courses/courses.php?c=2), but would you happen to know what level they're at? Thanks...

Unhelpfully, it does say on the website, but only if you're able to log in with a Cambridge ID. Not all the language centre courses start from scratch, but they're all a lot slower than the certificate/diploma courses. The French advanced course looks to me like tricky AS-level, with a few songs and videos and things; I imagine the Spanish advanced course is similar. But of course they would require you to have done French/Spanish intermediate, or the equivalent.

renaissancemensch

Does anybody know anything about the "Open Classes" at the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies? According to the website, they run courses in Hebrew, Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, Persian & Chinese, which all sounds pretty cool, but it doesn't really have much more by way of information. Does anybody have any experience of these/ know how much time or effort they require/ how advanced teh courses are etc.?

I honestly have no idea, but I'm interested in these myself. I think the courses are mostly beginners' courses, and I would guess they'd require about 4 hours a week? The MML faculty also do some classes in things like Ukrainian and Polish.

Reply 15

OP

renaissancemensch

Does anybody know anything about the "Open Classes" at the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies? According to the website, they run courses in Hebrew, Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, Persian & Chinese, which all sounds pretty cool, but it doesn't really have much more by way of information. Does anybody have any experience of these/ know how much time or effort they require/ how advanced teh courses are etc.?

Hey, that sounds cool -- could you let me know the website you found that at? Thanks

@generalebriety: Ok, thanks as always :biggrin:

you're the best

Reply 16

renaissancemensch

sa55afras

Hey, that sounds cool -- could you let me know the website you found that at? Thanks

@generalebriety: Ok, thanks as always :biggrin:

you're the best

http://www.ames.cam.ac.uk/news_events/open_language.htm
I'm interested in doing the Hebrew or the Persian- that is, if they run them next year (and also if I actually meet my offer..)

Reply 17

username102860

10

generalebriety

I honestly wouldn't advise taking on a diploma in first year, as your degree will usurp quantities of time you won't have yet experienced, and it may just help you to find out how much work your degree really is.

Would your advice change on the basis of doing a subject with (I think) no proper exams in the first year (English)?

I'd be a bit apprehensive about having to wait until the second year as it'd mean a two year gap since having studied it at sixth form. How strict are the diploma courses (i.e. once you sign up, are you committed to it? And do they tolerate any level of slackening?).

Reply 18

Ploop

Would your advice change on the basis of doing a subject with (I think) no proper exams in the first year (English)?

If anything, that's worse, because in second year you get examined on topics you covered (or didn't) in your first year.

Ploop

I'd be a bit apprehensive about having to wait until the second year as it'd mean a two year gap since having studied it at sixth form. How strict are the diploma courses (i.e. once you sign up, are you committed to it? And do they tolerate any level of slackening?).

They're not horrendously strict, but of course strictness depends on your teacher. Mine didn't mind if I didn't hand in homework from time to time. You're fairly committed, if only because your college is paying lots for you to do the course, but you're always allowed to drop out.

Reply 19