Student Course Time
How much time students can expect to spend
working on class materials
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At Kent State courses are organized by units of credit hours.
Each credit hour equals 15 hours of class time. Courses are typically 3 credit
hours and require 45 hours of class time.
For every credit hour, students are expected to spend 2 – 3 hours per week
working outside of class. For example, for a 3 credit hour class, students
should expect to put in 6 – 9 hours per week outside of class, studying or
doing assignments.
For a 3-credit course, students will spend approximately 45 hours per
semester in class and 90 hours outside of class, for a total of 135 hours.
Online classes are often of different durations:
A 15-week class requires students to be in class (logged into the Bb Learn LMS
online) approximately 3 hours each week and spend 6 hours per week outside of
class working on assignments.
A 7-week class requires students to be in class (logged into the Bb Learn LMS
online) approximately 7 hours and spend 13 hours outside of class working on
assignments. Students should schedule approximately a total of 20 hours per week
for a 7-week course.
Online Course
Duration
15 week course
7 week course
5 week course
Student total time
spent on coursework
each week
~9 hours
~20 hours
~27 hours
Student total time
spent on coursework
per semester
~135 hours
~135 hours
~135 hours
NOTE: Taking 2 seven-week courses at the same time is the equivalent of working a
full-time job. Working students are highly encouraged to take only one 7-week course
at a time.
Although online classes do not have physical classrooms, many online activities can
be equated to the classroom experience.
Example of the typical work load for a 7 week course.
A typical 7-week course delivered online via the Bb Learn LMS would include
approximately 7 hours PER WEEK of some or all of the following “classroom”
activities:
“Classroom” Activities
Review of concepts from previous week
Lecture on new materials
Reinforcing quizzes/self-tests about lecture/readings
Discussion questions about lecture/readings
Instructions for upcoming assignments
Review of feedback given on previous assignments/activities
Student questions
Preview of upcoming topics
Online exams
Synchronous activities
Other online readings or resources
A typical 7-week course delivered online via the Bb Learn LMS would include
12-13 hours of assignment activities PER WEEK that might include the
following:
“Assignment” Activities
Readings
Review of online lecture
Assigned projects
Group Activities (time should be scheduled to allow for arranging logistics of online
group meetings beyond actual group project)
Exams or assessments not given as timed online tests
Research activities