Course Design Guidelines - Subject Workload
Total Workload
Assessment
Assessment type
Approximate equivalencies for 1,000 words
Written/Examination
1 hour
Essay in foreign language
500 words
Group essay or report
750 words/member
Unstructured reflective journal
1500 words
Verbal presentation
20 minutes
Group presentation
10 minutes/member
Clinical practicum assessment
20 minutes
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This is not a current document. It has been repealed and is no longer in force.
The total combined contact and non-contact study workload for full time study should not exceed 55 hours per week for a full-time student, including all expected learning activities and assessment. The actual time expended in non-contact hours will differ between students. Professional judgement is therefore required in setting the workload, taking into account level of study and subject complexity.
An indicative student workload combining contact and non-contact study is 10 hours per credit point over the period in which the subject is taught. Particular consideration should also be given to the distribution of workload and activities across a study period, particularly during peak assessment periods.
Assessment workload is calibrated by both length and complexity. Professional judgement is required to establish the most appropriate number and size of tasks, and their cumulative impact on student workload.
In setting assessment workload, careful consideration should be given to:
These variables will have considerable impact on the word count expected in each assessment task.
An indicative guide to equivalence for some assessment types is provided below. These are not intended to be used for compliance purposes and do not preclude other forms of assessment such as peer review, practicals, performances, portfolios, or iterative assessment of developing work. All study workload should be defined within the considerations set out above, as well as further consideration of the learning activities associated with any outcomes.