I do 9 subjects in the 1st term of the 1st year of Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College. 1 of them is just for this term only, while some others will be there for years to come.. There's about 25 hours of contact time (lectures, tutorials, labs) per week and we're expected to do about 25 hours of work outside of this as well. That's gonna be mainly problem sheets. Wednesday afternoons are off, as with anywhere else in the UK, and Thursday/Friday afternoon are too if you have no labs on the day. Otherwise, it's 9-5 every day more or less.
In the order which I like to use:
1) Mathematics
3 lectures, 2 tutorials per week
Lotsa problem sheets
2) Materials (My favourite so far!)
1 lecture per week, 1 tutorial per fortnight
About as many problem sheets as tutorials
3) Thermodynamics (Another joint favourite)
1 lecture, 1 tutorial per week (tutorial shared with Fluid Mechanics)
A few problem sheets
4) Fluid Mechanics
1 lecture, 1 tutorial per week (tutorial shared with Thermodynamics)
About as many problem sheets as tutorials
5) Mechanics
1 lecture per week, 1 tutorial per fortnight
About half a dozen problem sheets
6) Stress Analysis
1 lecture per week, 1 tutorial per fortnight
A few problem sheets!
7) Design & Manufacture
The most unique subject - thrown at us right from the start with the cantilever project - has in it stuff ranging from brainstorming and decision-making to sketching and metal-cutting so far
2 lectures, 1 (extended) tutorial per week
Labs! Workshop to be more appropriate - Manufacturing Technology wearing boiler suits
Projects/assignments to take home here and there
8) Experimental Reporting Skills (ERS)
2 (I think) lectures the whole term
Labs (in lab coats)! 2 of them; report to be written for each
1 tutorial per report
9) Mechatronics
1 lecture per week, 1 tutorial per fortnight
2 labs this term
There won't be anymore ERS for this year, but we're starting Computing in the Spring term!
Progress tests are all the 1st week of the new term, starting 11th January; I'll be using the Christmas break to get up to speed on everything. Wish me the best!
