>> STUDYING

Now I have the books... how do I start?

You have received the assignments and study guide; you sit at your desk and then, what?.

1- Read the assigned textbooks carefully, concentrating on those topics that require more thinking and understanding. As you read, take notes about the provocative ideas that attract your attention and about the relationships among concepts and between concepts and our own ideas, as they develop in your mind. The goal is never to memorize, but to end your reading with a written index of the main concepts. This written record should not just summarize or sketch the book's main ideas, but rather, reflect the interaction between concepts and our thinking; in other words, a record of how those concepts have made us think.

2 - Begin with textbook -1. You can start reading any of the textbooks assigned; however, it is advisable to start with the book listed as "Text -1" and then continue with the succeeding texts, as they appear on the list. This order is not arbitrary: it has been established so that each book complements the following one. This scheduling of your reading provides a sequential, integrated, and dialectic approach to the content of the course. By following this order, you will eliminate many of the doubts that would have otherwise emerged along the way. Read over Text -1 without concentrating too much on details to get a general idea of its contents, and then apply the reading techniques explained in this guide (for instance, highlighting central ideas). At times, if you find that a concept is hard to understand, keep reading: your doubts will probably clear up in the following pages. As you read on, jot down your reactions, thoughts, and opinions about those key concepts you encounter in the text. Think about how you could apply the concepts you are learning to your own experience in order to improve the quality of your personal and professional life.

3 - Begin working on the textbook report. Read the text again, concentrating on those sections you highlighted in your first reading. Now, go back to the notes you jotted down in the form of an index and try to expand these ideas explaining them in a more coherent, organized style. Base your report on these notes and, as much as possible, avoid opening the book. Do it only to check specific information (figures, dates, etc) that you find hard to remember.

The way in which this report is written is an essential part of the learning process, since it forces you to structure and reformulate the concepts you have listed in written form. Because each author has different goals when writing a book, each text is different: it is your task to decide what is important and what is accessory. At times, the text will only need to be summarized, while, at other times, it will require you to synthesize and conceptualize. Reading a really long and information-packed chapter, you might just end up with a few important ideas, whereas reading an apparently simple chapter might trigger an elaborate report. In conclusion, what matters are the concepts you develop, not the data contained in the textbooks: this is precisely what must be recorded in your report, what BIU most values, and what will imprint permanently the important concepts in our mind.

4 - Begin reading Text -2 and apply points 1, 2, and 3 to your reading. If you devote 3 days of the week to your studies, take 2 to reading the chapters and writing the report, and one day to skimming over Text -2. Do the same with all the books listed in the Bibliography assigned.

How can I organize myself better?

1 - Create a study routine.
And force yourself to follow it by striking a balance between comfort and sacrifice. Do not push yourself too hard, but do not procrastinate either. Two and a half hours, four days a week is a reasonable amount of time to complete your degree program successfully.

2 - Set weekly and monthly goals to your studying.
This will help you in situations in which you realize you will not finish the assigned reading for the day. You will be able to make up for it another day, without falling behind in your general schedule for the program.

3 - Turn studying into a pleasant experience.
Being motivated is the key to succeeding in this program. There will be no teachers asking you to turn in your homework or to study for a test. If, at one point, you lack the energy or motivation to fulfill the day's goal, make an effort and try reading for 15 minutes. You will probably not get much accomplished in 15 minutes, but it will help you see you can make a habit of studying.
Some Advice:

The key to success is in finishing the program, not in beginning it.
Life should not be just working and studying.
Enjoy your free time as much as you can and you will not feel that studying is taking up valuable time.
The time you take to complete the program will not affect the university's appreciation of your work.
Keep your motivation alive: dedication is the key.
To learn should become a pleasant and enriching process.

BIU / Student Communication

Every student receives instructions depending on one of the following two admission categories:

TEXT REQUIRED: Student's previous experience and knowledge count as a minimum of 50% of the credits required for the program. Once registration is completed, the candidate will be required to complete a series of written assignments based on the textbooks that will be selected by the Academic Board. These assignments will allow the student to fulfill.
FULL VALIDATION: Depending on the case, the candidate's previous experience and knowledge can count for 75% to 100% of the credits required to obtain the degree. By submitting a written project or doctoral thesis, you will automatically qualify for graduation.
Then, communication with the student will be carried out through the following channels:

1- Process Control form (by regular mail):
This document will let the student know what his/her current status is regarding documentation and other formal requirements needed to complete the degree program. In this form, all procedures -whether they have been completed or pending- will be recorded.

2- Academic Assignment Control form (AAC - by regular mail):
This form contains the details of the degree program, including assignments required in each particular case. It is also used to keep track of all the work completed and turned in.

3- Study guide (by mail, or e-mail + web page):
BIU will send some instructions by regular mail or e-mail. The student will also find a full explanation of the Distance Learning System in our web page: how to study, how to do self-testing, why the Distance Learning System is designed in such a way, and so on. In some cases, the guidelines appearing on the study guide will be complemented by other instructions provided in the above mentioned forms.

4- School certificate and Student ID Card (by regular mail):
As a rule, this certificate is sent to all students at the beginning of the program.

5- Billing and receipts (by regular mail):
Also as a rule, a receipt is issued and sent at the beginning of the program as proof of first payment. The final bill will only be issued after all payments have been completed, or once the fiscal year ends (including all payments canceled up to that date). The student should notify BIU if he/she requires any more bills or receipts in the mean time.

6- Academic advising (by mail, e-mail or phone):
BIU classifies student advising into two types: formal academic advising, and content academic advising. Questions that the student may have concerning the format of assignments, reports, theses, presentations, administrative and academic procedures, and so on are considered formal academic advising and they will be resolved by the corresponding BIU delegation. Enquiries concerning the contents of a textbook, theses, report, etc... are considered content academic advising will be handled by the members of the Academic Board. This body is the only authority that can modify, add, or delete the contents or bibliography of an academic program. Questions concerning the content of some of the elements of the program should be communicated to the corresponding delegation, which, in turn, will turn the issue over to the Academic Board.

7- Personal service:
BIU provides the student with all the channels of communication described above in order to improve the service and the performance of each of our regional delegations. However, BIU does not want that the distance learning experience to become impersonal and detached; thus, BIU encourages the student to contact us regarding any question, comment or suggestion.