Student Workload (SWL) is measured in ECTS credits and 60 ECTS as a fulltime year of studies . The full time student is expected to complete 60 ECTS credits in an academic year of app. 1500hr, which gives 47hr of student learning per week (1 ECTS = 25hr workload). Thus a 5 ECTS credit course equals 125hr, a 6 ECTS credit course 150hr and a 10 ECTS credit course 250hr.Per semester, The full time student is expected to complete 30 ECTS credits in an academic year of app. 750hr, which gives 47hr of student learning per week (1 ECTS = 25hr workload). Thus a 5 ECTS credit course equals 125hr.

The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) is a numerical descriptive value of qualification expressed in terms of Student Workload (SWL). It is defined as “the number of working hours typically required to complete the learning activities of course units in order to achieve their expected learning outcomes”. In this system, the total SWL comprises two components;

• 1. Structured SWL which is the scheduled teacher-contact hours interventions; and,

  2. Unstructured SWL (USWL) which is the time spent by students in their own self-study, completing course assignments, and preparing for all types of exams, e.g. assessment workload.

The below Figure shows the The variable nature of independent students learning activities.

How to calculate the Unstructured SWL

Example of Calculating the Total SWL for Semester of 30 ECTS credits