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Deciphering the Class Entry
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From the GSW main page, click on the department of your choice to access a class list for that department.
Each class contains a number of listing details:
1. Name of class
2. Credits: When you pass the class, you’ll earn this many credits. Most GSW classes are worth 2 credits; a few are worth either 1 or 3.
3. Level: To take this class, you must (a) be at this level or below; (b) have completed all required classes at the previous level; and (c) have registered for (or completed) all required classes at the current level.
4. Teacher
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5. Description: A brief description of the class, written by the teacher.
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6. Required books and materials: A list of materials, books, and other must-haves. These are required. If a teacher has asked you to acquire something for the class, he or she believes it is important and essential to completing the class material. Be sure to have all of these ready to go before starting the class.
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7. Estimated Completion Time: This tells how long it should take to complete the class.
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8. Prerequisites: Most classes stand alone. However, some classes have prerequisites, often but not always taught by the same teacher and listed within the same department. If an Apprentice wishes to have a prerequisite waived—based on their existing expertise—they should contact the teacher of the particular class. Waiver of class prerequisites is only made at the discretion of the teacher of that class.
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9. Safety considerations: These will describe any special safety considerations or precautions that apply to the class.
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10. Lessons: A list of the lessons in the class.
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Each class is listed in terms of available credits (1 to 3) and Level (1 to 7).
• Basic classes suited to novices are L1-L2.
• Intermediate classes requiring somewhat more maturity or familiarity with the topic are L3-L5.
• Advanced classes experienced Apprentices are L6-L7. These classes require more in depth work and individual research.
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The class title may also include a number, such as 101, to help with comparative sequencing; the first digit matches the Level and the second can be used to show how it aligns with other classes in the same Course.
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A course is a series of classes on the same topic, usually by the same teacher and increasing in complexity, which must be taken in a specific order. Courses are typically designated by the Level and number: 301, 302, 401, etc. They may also have a course title distinct from each class title, as in “Magickal Naturalist 201: Neighborhood.”
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Apprentices may take classes at their current level or any lower level. For example, a Level 3 Apprentice may take classes from Levels 1, 2, or 3. These classes continue to apply to the Apprentice’s credit total for the current Level.
Credits
Each class is worth a number of credits. Most classes are worth 2 credits; some are worth 1 or 3. The teacher and the department Dean decide jointly the number of credits for a given class.
It takes 12 credits to pass your first level studies with 26 credits needed to advance to levels 3-7. In order to complete one level per year, you should aim to pass one class a month.
It takes a minimum 168 credits to graduate from the Grey School of Wizardry.
Class Participation and Pacing
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There is no chronological time limit for participation; Apprentices may progress at their own rates. It takes time to learn something as complex as Wizardry, and the Grimoire was designed as a textbook for a seven-year study program. However, while the Grey School of Wizardry is a "work at your own pace" environment, we do expect you to maintain forward momentum.
Here are two points you should be aware of:
1. In order to maintain enrollment in the school and in your classes, you must participate. If you have not turned in homework, requested an assignment, or otherwise done something in a class for 3 months or longer, the teacher has the option to drop you from the class. This isn’t intended to be punitive gesture; it’s simply a response to the fact that inactive Apprentices make record keeping and other tasks more difficult for instructors. If you're going to be gone for more than few weeks, make sure to notify your teacher!
If you are dropped from a class for non-participation, you are welcome to re-apply at any time, once you have time to be active in the class. Note: If you are dropped from a class, the record of any completed assignments and tests will be cleared. In other words, you’ll have to start over.
2. If you're not sure what is a good pace, here's a rule of thumb: aim to complete about one class every 4-6 weeks. With an average of 2 credits per class (sometimes 1 or 3) that should get you through about one Level per calendar year.
Remember, completing classes also helps your Lodge in the Lodge Cup competition, just like merit points do! In fact, class credits carry four times the weight of merits in the Lodge Cup ratings. And as you advance, you may get some new benefits or privileges; for example, second-year Apprentices get to choose a Major and may participate in more extracurricular activities.
Class Feedback
The Grey School of Wizardry aims to create a positive and exciting educational environment. Thus, we need to know how effective our efforts are. Upon finishing a final exam, an Apprentice is required to provide feedback on the class. Once it’s completed, the class is considered to be finished and credits will be awarded.
The last section on each class' main page is the “Class Feedback” which will link to a feedback form after the final test has been completed with a passing grade. Feedback goes to the Dean of Curriculum, and the Provost, not to the instructor directly.
Grades are entered before the feedback form is submitted, though the credit and the grade information are not released to the Apprentice until the feedback form is submitted.
Making Copies of Classes for Personal Use
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Apprentices and Magisters at the Grey School of Wizardry are allowed to make printed personal copies of their classes for their own use. The material is otherwise copyrighted and cannot be reprinted or shared without permission from the Grey School. You may Hand Write hard copies of the class as it appears onscreen.
These copies may be used during class and may also be saved for future reference after the class is finished.