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Class schedules follow certain patterns, with the biggest differences coming as students transition from lower form (years 1-5) to upper form (years 6-10). Throughout, students generally take roughly six classes per year (the same courses in the first and second term), although some students may take more or less at any point. While generally students stay with their own years, it is not unheard of for students to be advanced a year in some subject (with magic being the most likely, particularly as they approach specialization in the fourth and fifth years).

While there are variations on educational style, classroom size, and class requirements across the varied cultures of the Six Kingdoms, the information below covers a very general standard that all Universities have agreed to follow so that students transferring from one educational facility to the next can easily continue their studies.

Lower Form

The education in lower form is much more general. The assumption is that students entering Brunnhold can already read and write in Estuan and do basic mathematics, although there are remedial classes offered to help students behind in these areas catch up.

The basic curriculum taught to all galdori includes six subjects: magic (which includes the study of monite as a language), mathematics, culture (some combination of literature and religion across years), science, social studies, and arts. In each year from first to fifth form, students take at least one class in each of these areas; these are fixed up through third form, but students can choose their culture, social studies, and arts courses in fourth and fifth year. In fifth year, students choose two branches of magic, and take classes in only those for that year.

All lower form students are required to take some kind of arts and/or physical education class in their lower form years. In some years, the arts class suffices this requirement (for example, second year students are taught a wide variety of instruments; third year students are taught the basics of formal dance). However, in the first year, when the arts class is instead taken up by manners, and in the fourth and fifth year when the student can choose their own arts class, if this requirement is not satisfied the student must make their own arrangements.

Note that even with a general and fairly shared curriculum during the lower form years, not all students would be in the same classes (and individual schedules still may look very different). There is differentiation among students in terms of the level of courses offered; a student may take, within their year, either a more advanced or more basic version of each subject. Generally, once put in a basic or advanced track, students tend to continue in this same track by subject, although it’s possible to advance in the first or second year. It is not at all uncommon for a student to be in the basic track in some areas and advanced in others; for example, a student may take advanced culture and social studies, but basic science (or vice versa).

Even two students with the same combination of advanced and basic classes may have slightly different schedules and instructors; there are often multiple versions of each course offered for each year at the lower level, given the sheer number of students attending Brunnhold and other universities across the Six Kingdoms. Given that, to make schedules easier, a student will often be with more or less the same general set of other students during each year, which will be a fairly small subset of the total number of students. This subset can also change between years; most universities do not make an effort to ensure that students who share a schedule during second year also do so during third year.

Example Lower Form Schedules

Here are two potential sample schedules for a third-year. Note that there might be more than two blocks of classes; A and B are for descriptive purposes only. Both students are (as are all third years) taking Magic, Religion, Dance, Math, History, and Science (with monite as a subset of Magic).

Third year student, Block A

First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth
8-9 Morning Free Time & Breakfast
9-10 Morning Free Time & Breakfast
10-11 Magic Magic Magic Magic Magic Magic Magic Magic
11-12
12-13 Language Language Language Language Language Language Language Language
13-14 Dance Dance Dance Dance Dance Dance Dance Dance
14-15 Lunch
15-16 Math Math Math Math Math Math Math Math
16-17 History History History History History History History History
17-18 Tea Time
18-19 Monite Monite Monite Monite Monite Monite Monite Monite
19-20 Science Science Time for Workshops, Demonstrations, Science Science
20-21 and Practicals on Various Subjects
21-22 Free Time
22-23 Dinner

Third year student, Block B

First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth
8-9 Morning Free Time & Breakfast
9-10 Morning Free Time & Breakfast
10-11 History History Time for Workshops, Demonstrations, History History
11-12 and Practicals on Various Subjects
12-13 Math Math Math Math Math Math Math Math
13-14 Dance Dance Dance Dance Dance Dance Dance Dance
14-15 Lunch
15-16 Monite Monite Monite Monite Monite Monite Monite Monite
16-17 Science Science Science Science Science Science Science Science
17-18 Tea Time
18-19 Language Language Language Language Language Language Language Language
19-20 Magic Magic Magic Magic Magic Magic Magic Magic
20-21
21-22 Free Time
22-23 Dinner

Upper Form

Starting in sixth year, students begin to specialize, and curriculums start to diverge much more. Most students finish their Kingdom’s University with a primary focus; many also have a secondary focus, and some students graduate with two primary focuses. For most students, these specializations are related to their elective choices in the fourth and fifth year; however, there is no reason that a student cannot change focus in the sixth year (and later, although eventually it will become hard to graduate).

During their five upper form years, the average student will take about thirty classes. Brunnhold, for example, requires that roughly six of these be devoted to fulfilling the following general requirements:

  • At least one year-long course in mathematics (e.g. calculus, statistics)
  • At least one year-long course in science (e.g. biology, physics, chemistry)
  • At least one year-long course in culture (e.g. literature or history)
  • At least one year-long course in social studies (e.g. economics or anthropology)
  • At least two year-long courses in magic (same or differing specializations)

It is often the case that a student’s primary and secondary focuses satisfy many of these requirements; for example, someone studying Living Conversation would obviously satisfy the magic and science requirements. Classes outside of this primary focus – such as the culture and social studies requirements – could be taken at any point during the students five upper years.

As well, during the upper form years, class length starts to vary considerably more. It is no longer common for classes to meet daily; instead, a class might meet four days a week, or might meet for two long blocks two days a week. It is generally up to the student to ensure that their schedule is sensible, and they are actually able to attend all of their classes.

Almost all primary focuses require some sort of practicum in the upper years. For Living Conversation, students are required to do practical work in their area of focus (people, animals or plants). For Static Conversation, students are required to do design and complete a practical problem, involving a public demonstration. For Economics, students generally write a written report analyzing a real economic problem facing the Kingdom, and, for example, Brunnhold students may do research for this involving trips to Vienda.

Independent study is also very popular among Brunnhold students, and widely encouraged, particularly in the upper years. For this, one needs a professor to sponsor you; that professor also sets the requirements for the independent study in terms of reporting and assignments.

During the upper years, students are still required to satisfy the arts/physical education requirement; this can be done either through a course, of which there are many, or through being in an extra curriculum club or activity. Dueling club is also considered generally sufficient for the arts/physical education requirement.

Example Upper Form Schedules

Here are some hypothetical schedules for upper years. Keep in mind that these vary widely based on primary and secondary focus, and the student’s own interests. Note that blank cells are free periods.

Sixth year student, primary focus in Economics

Classes: Microeconomics, Finance, Calculus, History, Choir, Perceptive Conversation

First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth
8-9 Morning Free Time & Breakfast
9-10 Morning Free Time & Breakfast
10-11 Finance Finance Finance Finance
11-12 Calculus Calculus Calculus Calculus
12-13
13-14 Choir Choir Choir
14-15 Lunch
15-16 Micro. Micro. Micro. Micro. Micro. Micro. Micro. Micro.
16-17
17-18 Tea Time
18-19 Perceptive Perceptive Perceptive Perceptive Choir
19-20 Research Research Research
20-21
21-22 Free Time
22-23 Dinner

Ninth year student, primary focus in Living Conversation (Plants)

Classes: Living Magic, Botany, Practicum, Ind Study on Mugrobi Desert Plants, Literature

First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth
8-9 Morning Free Time & Breakfast
9-10 Morning Free Time & Breakfast
10-11 Living

Conversation

Living

Conversation

Living

Conversation

Living

Conversation

11-12 Botany Botany Botany Botany
12-13
13-14
14-15 Lunch
15-16 Independent

Study

Literature Independent

Study

Literature Independent

Study

Literature Independent

Study

16-17
17-18 Tea Time
18-19 Practicum
19-20 Practicum Cont'd
20-21 Practicum Cont'd
21-22 Free Time
22-23 Dinner