Study time: who studies what, how much, when and why?

Better future organisation of the study programmes

A study programme is a combination of the contents of the subjects and the number of study credits allocated for each one. A year’s education consists of an average of 60 credits, which converts to 1,800 study hours. Which is the same number of hours worked by a full-time employee.

The higher the number of credits for a subject, the more time a student needs to invest per subject. However, there is a major difference between the estimated study time and the actual study time. So the question is whether the current estimate for each subject is also realistic. An accurate time estimate can contribute towards the better organisation of the study programmes.

But it is difficult for a student to make an accurate estimate. That’s because there are classes, revision weeks and exam weeks. There is also mandatory attendance, group work and independent study.

A changing environment caused by the flexibility decree

Having a single process that applies to a large group of students is no longer the case on account of a number of factors:

• students are able to shape their own study programme and hence study subjects in various faculties and disciplines;
• new target groups can come into the equation via part-time programmes, bridging programmes, preparatory processes for students with poor earlier education in a particular subject;
• students with a specific background (international, work students, etc.) can do subjects they select themselves.

Retrospective calendar registration

A flexible environment requires a flexible research set-up that creates insights into the questions of who studies how many subjects or attends classes, when and for what.

To find an answer to this, the students were given:

• a questionnaire focusing on the student’s study programme, providing information about the factors that encourage and obstruct the ease of studying;
• the request to register details of their study time for the previous week (7 days) via a study calendar for each subject on their study programme;
• addition questions about context, depending on the subject and the activity (lecture study, exam, etc.);
• a concluding questionnaire providing more insights into the registration week, study pressure and planning for the future.

A flexible study programme requires a flexible research set-up for gaining insights into who studies how many subjects or attends classes when and for what.

The survey asked the students to take part in the survey via the MOTUS software platform in both the first and second semester. This was done both during a normal classes week or during a revision or exam week. The introductory questionnaire was not presented again after the first questionnaire.

Added value for everyone: university, student and teacher

The results were on various levels:

• the university and Department of Education policy succeeded in better assessing the workload – and hence the study credits – for each subject and hence identify possible problems;
• the students were given an individual summary of their study time to be used as a valuable base for study programme guidance;
• the teachers received important information about how their students evaluate their subject and how/when students invest time for their subject.

The study time measurement is repeated annually to detect changes and to adjust the policy.