In college, 1 credit hour (for a semester class) means 1 hour of classroom time per week plus an expectation of an additional 2 hours (up to 3 hours for rigorous courses) per week for homework, projects, etc.
So, a typical 15 credit hour per semester course load for a full-time college student, translates into 15 hours of classroom (or lab, or studio) time per week plus an additional 30 (to 45) hours of out of classroom study time per week. This, roughly, translates into a 45 (to 60) hour “work week” for the average, full-time college student.
By the way, this time commitment does not include cooking, cleaning, laundry, sleeping, going out with friends, dating, ball games, structured extracurriculars, relaxation time, screen time, gaming, walking around campus, or traveling.
Charles Tadros, M.D.
May 3, 2022
Saint Louis, Missouri