Organization and management of work in a dual degree program

If you’re a student, you might be interested in this article, which is aimed at both dual-degree students and those in traditional programs. When I say I’m a dual-degree student, the question I get asked most often is: 

I know that at first glance, studying can seem daunting because of the sheer workload. But in my opinion, organization, planning, and optimization are the three keys to academic success. I’m sharing my advice based on my experience studying in my final year of engineering school and in a Master’s program in Management.

1. Optimize your working time

Whatever your field of study, it can be beneficial for you to optimize your study time. We tend to waste time unnecessarily when it could be put to better use! Personally, I often use my lunch break (which lasts about an hour) to work for about thirty minutes. This gives me enough time to eat and relax, but I also use this time to review my morning notes or study some flashcards. I also use my commute to review my notes. Remember that every moment you spend doing nothing during the day could be repurposed to help you with your studies.

I use the Oxford mobile app SCRIBZEE, which lets me scan all my notes and organize them into folders on my phone. It’s a really convenient way to revise because it saves me from having to pull out paper notes!

2. Make a schedule each week

At first glance, creating a weekly schedule might seem like a waste of time, but think again! Make a Monday-to-Sunday schedule, starting by listing your weekly priorities (an exam on Friday, a homework assignment due on Tuesday, etc.). Include not only your university classes but also your personal study time, activities, and so on. This gives you a clear and precise overview of your week. Each task/activity will have its designated time and duration, which you should try to adhere to as closely as possible. Furthermore, this will create automatic habits. For example, you might decide to schedule English language learning sessions every Friday evening. Eventually, you’ll develop the habit of working on your English on Friday evenings without it feeling like a chore or a chore.

to Toeate a clear and easy-to-read schedule at any time, I use a whiteboard that I can erase every week and easily modify if my plans change. You can also do it on an A4 sheet of paper that you hang up where you can see it. I also keep a digital version on an online calendar on my phone, so I can check it anytime.

3. Organize yourself in your own way

You’ve probably already heard of the J method, the C method, the Pomodoro Technique…? I’m not going to introduce them here because I don’t use any of these methods to organize my revision. In my opinion, the best organization you can have is your own. Of course, you can try existing methods, and some might work for you. But I think that even then, it’s important to refine them so they suit you perfectly.

Personally, I organize my work so I can review the day’s lessons that same evening. If your days are busy, try to find 10 minutes in the evening to review your notes; it’s always better than nothing. This will allow you to solidify the main points of the lesson in your mind. Then, I review my week’s lessons on the weekend, taking the opportunity to make flashcards and clear out my binder. For each subject, I keep a progress sheet where I note my progress for each chapter. I record when my notes are read, summarized, and learned, when I’ve done the exercises, and possibly past exam papers. This allows me to maintain an overview of my work in the different subjects and to focus on certain chapters where I might be falling behind.

Take notes on my computer, but also by hand for some subjects. To avoid loose sheets of paper that might get lost, I put them in a binder, with a section for each subject. At the end of the week, I empty my binder and file my notes in folders to avoid accumulating too many notes in the binder and making it too heavy.

Here are the key factors that, in my opinion, can greatly influence your success. For students in dual degree programs, these points are even more important due to the demanding schedule and the numerous subjects to review. Finally, I remind you that your success will also depend on your quality of life. Don’t neglect sleep, taking breaks to care for yourself, getting fresh air, and eating well.