Understanding a College Course Load and Building a Semester Schedule
Understanding a College Course Load and Building a Semester Schedule
Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Calculate the number of hours needed for work, class, and study.
- Identify the number of remaining hours in a schedule for other activities.
- Locate course schedule information.
- Access your Maricopa.edu Google account.
- Populate a Google Calendar for your semester.
Understanding a College Course Load
Now that you are aware of your use of time, you can begin to plan for a college course load that makes sense for your set personal goals. In general, you will need to spend 3 hours of study and homework time per each 1 credit hour. If you do the math, a 3 credit-hour course will require at least 9 hours of time for completion of assignments and study time (3 credit hrs. x 3 hrs. study and homework = 9 total hrs. per 3 credit-hour course). Your Nursing Block 1 class is a 9-credit-hour course. Therefore you need to plan for at least 27 hours of study and homework time just for this course. You should add the appropriate additional study time if you are taking co-requisites or concurrent enrollment classes.
The table below shows a recommended time allotment for class hours and study time per the number of hours you work each week at your place of employment.
Figure: Recommended Weekly Time Allotment Per Hours Worked
|
# of Work Hours |
# Class hours Recommended |
Estimated Study Time Needed |
Total Hours Needed Per Week |
Remaining Hours per Week for Other Activities |
|
40 |
6 |
18 |
64 |
104 |
|
30 |
9 |
27 |
66 |
102 |
|
20 |
12 |
36 |
68 |
100 |
Now would be a good time to review your one-week time audit from the Time Management chapter.
You need to plan for enough time to account for your work hours, your time in class, lab, and other Nursing school activities, getting enough sleep, and your commute between the places you need to be.
Activity: Planning a Course Load
Complete the following activity to calculate your hours for work, class, and study time. The remaining weekly balance of time will be used to plan all other activities.
Refer back to these calculations later when completing your semester schedule.
Here are the general steps to build a semester schedule:
- Begin by gathering all the available course materials and any key dates that you must keep track of.
- Make note of any personal key dates like family events, birthdays, and other special occasions.
- Remember to plan and schedule a time for self-care activities, too. Planning in restorative periods ensures you stay well and avoid burnout.
Right now, you will work through an example of building a semester schedule. You will want to repeat this with your actual course information once you are enrolled.
Gathering Information
For MaricopaNursing students, key dates and information are found in the following places:
- Important Dates (includes observed holidays, breaks, class registration, tuition due dates, final exams, and more)
- Student Cente