How Many Classes Should I Take?

We recognize that juggling school, work, family, and other responsibilities isn't easy! Some students may need to examine their workload to help balance their lives, allowing them to focus and prioritize the things that matter most. Below are some questions you might want to consider as you plan your degree.

 

  • The answer depends on what semester you are looking at:

    Fall and Spring Semesters

    There are two, 7-week sessions in the Fall and Spring Semesters. Graduate students are allowed to take a maximum of 12 credit hours per semester (See the KSU Graduate Student Catalog for this policy). Each 7000-level course is 3 credit hours. Therefore, students can take no more than 2 courses per 7-week session.

    Example:

    Spring 2021
    7-week session 1: CYBR 7000- 3 credit hours and CYBR 7200- 3 credit hours

    7-week session 2: CYBR 7100- 3 credit hours and CYBR 7300- 3 credit hours

    Total: 12 credit hours

    Summer Semesters

    There will only be one session in the summer semesters. While some students may be tempted to take more than 2 courses in the summer, we want to discourage this. For most students taking more than 2 courses in the summer will not speed up graduation. Additionally, taking more than two courses at a time could prove to be a very overwhelming workload (see our What are 7-week Courses Like? page)

  • Per the KSU Graduate Student Catalog, 9 semester credit hours is considered a full-time load. However, if you are receiving financial aid, we want you to consult with your financial aid counselor about this.  Your financial aid may have different credit hour requirements.
  • If a student takes 1 course per 7-week session (including Spring, Summer, and Fall Semesters) it will take them 6 semesters, or 2 calendar years, to graduate.
  • If a student takes 2 courses per 7-week session (including Spring, Summer, and Fall Semesters) it will take them 3 semesters, or 1 calendar year, to graduate.

  • Yes, you can. Some things to keep in mind:

    - All requirements for your degree must be completed within 6 years of your first semester of courses 

    - If you have not taken courses for 3 or more consecutive semesters (including summer) you must apply for readmission 

    These policies are outlined in the KSU Graduate Student Catalog.

 

What Are Seven-Week Courses Like?

Our graduate courses are taught in 7-week sessions. However, just because the courses are taught in a short time frame, it does not mean you are getting less content! We are packing a lot of valuable material into these short sessions.

Think back to your undergraduate degree. Did you ever take courses during a shorter summer semester? Courses during a shorter summer semester weren’t less work, they were the same amount of work as a full semester course just completed in a shorter time frame. That’s the best way to think of these courses - condensed versions of full-semester courses.

Below are two, real-life examples of what is expected of our master’s students during one week of one class. Note, all our courses are structured differently, these are just examples that allow you to get an idea of what a week could look like for you:

Example 1:

  • Week 1: First two modules.
  • Required assignments: Lab 1, Lab 2, Quiz 1, and Quiz 2.

Example 2:

  • Week 4: Read chapters 4, 5, 6.
  • Required assignments: Paper outline with references, and first exam.

How much time should I plan to dedicate to my studies?

KSU’s policy defines a credit hour as one hour (50 minutes) of classroom or direct faculty instruction and one hour and 40 minutes of out-of-class student work each week for a 15-week semester. 

For a 7-week, three credit hour class that equates to approximately 5½ hours per week of instruction and up to 11 hours per week of out-of-class work, for a total of 16½ hours per week per course.

So, a full schedule of two courses per session almost equates to a full-time job! Please plan accordingly!

Time Management

Plan Your Time Wisely

We understand that trying to manage your graduate coursework with other life commitments can be tough! We hope we can provide you with a few tips and tricks that will help you to develop a successful time-management strategy.

  • We have a basic formula that we can use to calculate this. Note, this formula isn’t foolproof- you may need to spend more or less time a week per class, but it will help provide you with a rough estimate to start planning out your study time.

    For a 3-credit hour, online course in a full semester (15 weeks) a student should expect to spend approximately 9 hours per week engaged in class work. However, our courses are only 7 weeks long, so it’s safe to estimate that this total can be doubled.

    This means for a graduate level, 7-week, 3-credit hour course, you can expect to engage in classwork for roughly 18 hours per week per course.

  • Using a 24/7, hourly calendar and blocking out dedicated study time can help you manage your days and weeks with less stress.

    How to use block scheduling:

    1. Block off your work hours, including commute time.

    2. Block off weekly events that you know will continue during the semester (For example: Spin Class, Tuesday, 5:30-7:30, including commute time).

    3. Block off time for meals and personal care (we all need to rest, get ready for the day, get ready for bed, and eat!)

    4. Start building your study hours around your schedule.

    5. Share your plan with your family and friends. Let them know that you will need specific times during the week to dedicate to your school work.

    6. Put your calendar somewhere so that you can see it every day.

  • Everyone uses their planners differently, but below are a few tips to get you started:

    • At the beginning of the course, go through the course syllabus and calendar from start to finish. Write down every single assignment and test due date. Then, go in and make reminders about those due dates (For example: Big test next Tuesday, don’t forget to study!)
    • Since our courses are taught during 7-week sessions, you may have items due in the middle of the week. For the courses that have due dates that seem stressful:
      • Write down the original due date for the assignment.
      • Write down a reminder about the assignment the week before, noting that you should probably try to get this assignment done early.
      • Example: You work Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm, and you have the most study time available during the weekend. You have a paper due by 5pm on a Thursday. The Saturday and Sunday before the assignment is due, write “Work on (x) paper! Try to finish as much as possible this weekend and turn it in by midnight Wednesday night!” That way, you aren’t trying to submit the assignment during the workday, and you are using your weekend time wisely.
  • Our Counseling and Psychological Services team has additional Time Management and Self-Help Resources on their website, and you can find additional resources on the Online Learning Support website.