Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics - Class Scheduling and Course Structure

Class Scheduling and Course Structure

OSSM uses a college style schedule for classes, in which classes generally have three hours of lecture divided into either one hour each on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday or one and one half hours each on Tuesday and Thursday, in addition to any laboratory component the class may have. Labs for Physics, Chemistry, and Biology classes generally meet in the afternoon for two to three hours one day a week. Some upper level classes in these fields however, such as Genetics, Chemical Thermodynamics, and Modern Physics II do not have a lab component.

The American Literature class used to contain a writing lab component, generally taught by a separate teacher, which meets an additional three hours per week as if it were a separate lecture class. Mathematics classes at and below the level of Calculus II are accompanied by a one and one half hour 'math lab' that meets once per week. These 'math labs' are essentially sessions that give students a chance to work problems and ask questions. It is not uncommon for a student to have a separate teacher for math lab than they have for their lecture course, and it is likewise not uncommon to have students from multiple classes in a single math lab. General chemistry I and II are each accompanied by a one hour chemistry practicum which may either be similar to the math lab or may be used as an extra hour of lecture, depending on the professor. The students in chemistry practicums are always from the same level of chemistry, though they may be from different sections.

Foreign Language classes are always offered in two 45 minute sections that meet Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, with each section overlapping with roughly half of the lunch period. It is assumed that the students will be able to eat lunch in the half of the period during which they do not have foreign language. Physical education is divided into four blocks, meeting either 4:30-5:15pm or 5:15-6:00pm on either Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday. Every six weeks students sign up for the block that best fits their schedules and choose from a range of activities chosen by the instructors (of which there are generally two). Special arrangements can be made if none of these four blocks are compatible with a student's schedule. All students are required to be enrolled in PE for their entire time at OSSM. Fine arts classes meet from 6:30 to 7:30 one night a week. A student may enroll in multiple fine art classes if they choose provided they are in good academic standing.

During the week and on Saturdays (the meal schedule differs slightly on Sunday) lunch is offered from 11:20am to 1:00pm, though students will usually have class during part of this time. It is possible for a student's schedule to work out so that on certain days the student has no opportunity to eat lunch during the normal lunch period. If this is the case the school provides the student with a sack lunch to be eaten during the students off time. Students are not permitted to eat in the classrooms.

Roughly every other Saturday morning, Students are required to take a three hour examination in either History, Literature, or Mathematics. In some instances students in upper level mathematics classes are exempt from the mathematics exams, due to the large instance among upper level math students of taking multiple math courses simultaneously. During the final week of the semester, and possibly the Friday and Saturday before, Students take a three hour final exam for each class in which they are enrolled, except in the case of some upper level classes in which the professor chooses to give an exam ahead of time for convenience. A student will have up to two of these exams per day. Occasionally a student will have a conflict between two exams, in which case special arrangements are made.