Time Commitment

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In order to get the most out of your educational experience, we recommend a "rule of thumb" on time commitment for graduate study to be about 3 hours per week in class preparation for every credit hour of coursework. Thus, for a 3 credit-hour course, you should expect to spend 3 hours in class plus 9 hours in class preparation, for total of 12 hours per week. This does not include time spent working on projects and papers. Be aware that online classes are equally or more demanding than some traditional, face-to-face learning experiences. This requires discipline, planning, and commitment by both faculty and students.

A plus for online courses is that you do not have to spend time commuting, parking, and walking to class. You will need to set the pace and schedule for yourself because you may not have regular formal class times around which to structure your time. Helpful suggestions are to establish a regular time to meet with yourself and computer for class and to start on your assignments early.

Please contact faculty if you have concerns about specific courses or assignments.

See also:

Communication Guidelines

Expectations of Students

How to Be a Successful Online Student