Tag Archives: Part-Time Student

Being a full-time employee and part-time graduate student: A week in the life

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Written by Penelope Seagrave, Human Factors M.S. 2019

I work full-time as an Engineer at Cognex and am also a part–time graduate student. This semester, I’m enrolled in two evening classes at Tufts as I work on my  masters in Human Factors Engineering. I thoroughly enjoy these courses, and find the assignments interesting and worth the precious time that I forfeit to work on them on Saturdays and Sundays. Occasionally, I may work through lunch on an assignment, but typically I am able to manage by finishing assignments exclusively over the weekend. Weekends are now my productive time. Honestly, it’s encouraged me to be more responsible and disciplined in my life overall. While it does mean that I spend more Friday or Saturday nights at home, I’ve come to realize that having an entire weekend day full of productivity is a truly fulfilling experience, and worth the potential FOMO. Working on a Sunday makes me feel like a responsible adult.

While I could choose to do homework assignments in the evenings during the workweek, I find myself extra inclined towards procrastination after I’ve spent the whole day working already. So, for me, it’s easier to plan to devote a weekend day. During the week, I prepare by reading over the assignments and getting a solid sense of the expectations so I can predict how long I will need to complete it, and then I save the work for the weekend.

There are some projects that are better broken down into steps over the course of many days. This goes for studying too. Especially for design courses that encourage an iterative process, I tend to work on my assignments after work and sometimes during my lunch breaks. This allows me to space the time better and also solicit feedback from my coworkers, which I have found to be an incredibly helpful and unexpected bonus. 

So far, I have been able to manage working full time while in graduate school very smoothly. And the best part is that I have an income while in school. If you are considering this option, check to see if your company offers tuition reimbursement. Having money coming in while I’m in school is fabulous. There is no way I could go back to my old college days of ramen noodles.

I will say that the consequences of being a part-time student are felt primarily in the length of time it takes to complete the program. For example, if I were a full-time student, I could have graduated in two semesters. Now I’m completing my fourth semester and looking forward to my final full semester in the fall, with a one-course summer session in between. 

But the upside is that I get to be a Tufts student for a longer period of time. I love being a Jumbo! And because I’ve been attending classes here for so long, I feel it has a stronger place in my identity. I am really proud to be studying at Tufts.

How to manage working full-time as a Certificate student

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 Written by Penelope Seagrave, Human Computer Interaction Certificate

Working full-time while attending classes in the evening has been quite an exciting juggling act. I have completed my audiobook, David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest, which should provide sufficient explanation for how much driving I’ve had to do to accommodate this lifestyle (for those who don’t know, this book is over 1000 pages – also, definitely recommend). I’ve sacrificed many precious Sundays and weekday evenings to the Tisch Library. My evening exercise routine has now become a distant memory. I’ve even had to ask for an extension on this very blog assignment. Nonetheless, the satisfaction I receive from working towards this dream of mine has made the whole experience so fulfilling and worth it.

I get to spend my once expendable free time with those who share my interests and listening to brilliant professors explain theories and studies that are beyond fascinating to me. My assignments, while challenging and often time consuming, are so enjoyable for me. I absolutely love learning and I especially love learning the material covered in the Human-Computer Interaction Certificate.

I am so happy to be studying at Tufts. The pursuance of this dream more than outweighs the sacrifices I’ve had to make for it. I truly do believe that you can always find time for the things that matter to you.

That being said, beside my excitement and positive approach to this experience, there are definitely a few tips I have for those considering working full time while pursuing graduate school:

  1. Get a planner, one you enjoy using and can manage carrying with you. Mine has alpacas on the front cover. It is important to stay on top of deadlines – both work and school. It’s nice and comforting to know that you are organized and it substantially reduces the chaos that comes with balancing all of your obligations.
  2. Make friends with your classmates and, more importantly, your teammates. If you can look forward to spending your cherished weekends and evenings with people you can laugh with, it makes all the difference.
  3. Get an audiobook or find a podcast you enjoy listening to. You’re most likely going to be driving or taking the T quite a lot. Instead of seeing this as an idle waste of time, devote this opportunity to learning something new and it won’t feel like such an expense.
  4. Classes aren’t free. Be sure to understand how much your program is going to cost, and make sure to plan ahead. Of course, it will all be worth it in the end.
  5. Take the classes that fascinate you. Now that you are no longer are an undergrad, you should have a better sense of what you enjoy and want to understand. Pursue your interests and class will be full of exciting wonder and curiosity.

This has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. I am so happy to be back in school and learning. Working makes it possible, and allows me to make headway in my career at the same time. I strongly recommend considering this option if you are able to.