Student Workload Calculator

Research-Based Course Planning Tool

Created by Angela Westmoreland, M.Ed.

Course Information

Federal Standard: One credit hour = 45-50 hours of total student work per semester (Carnegie Unit).
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Carnegie Unit Definition

U.S. Department of Education (34 C.F.R. § 600.2) defines one credit hour as:

  • Minimum 45 hours of total student engagement per credit per semester
  • Includes class time (synchronous) + outside work (homework, reading, projects)
  • Applies to all modalities: face-to-face, online, and hybrid

Why it matters: Courses significantly below this threshold may not meet accreditation standards. Courses significantly above may lead to student burnout and poor retention.

Student Activities

Quick Start: Default activities are pre-filled with research-based time estimates. Adjust counts and times to match your course design.
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Time Estimation Research

Reading Speed:

  • Dense academic texts: ~6 pages/hour
  • Standard textbooks: ~10 pages/hour
  • Lighter materials: ~15 pages/hour

Video Watching:

  • Passive viewing: 1× video length
  • Active learning (notes, pausing): 1.5-2× video length

Writing:

  • Discussion posts: 30-45 min per 250-word post
  • Short papers (2-3 pages): 2-3 hours
  • Major papers (5-7 pages): 5-8 hours

Source: CITL Student Workload Calculator, Center for Innovation in Teaching & Learning, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Activity Type Count (per semester) Hours Each Total Hours Load

Workload Analysis

Click "Calculate Workload" on the Activities tab to see analysis.

Export Report

Professional Reports: Generate formatted reports for curriculum review, accreditation, or professional development.

📊 Excel Export

Detailed workload data with all calculations, recommendations, and references.

📄 Summary Report

Text-based summary you can copy/paste into emails or documents.

💾 Save Progress

Download your work as JSON to continue editing later.