Calendar of Events - College of Graduate Studies (2024)

FAQs

How many hours a week should a grad student study? ›

Plan to spend approximately 3X the time of in-classroom instruction on studying while in graduate school. A normal course load of 9-12 credits per semester equates to 27-36 hours of graduate school study time per week. There are many variables, however, that can change your graduate school study schedule.

Going to graduate school will typically come with some challenges—it is an advanced degree, after all—and programs are typically developed with the expectation that students will arrive with a certain amount of background knowledge and experience in their chosen subject matter.

Competition for entry to graduate study in History is stiff.

Peruse applications for the top Ph. D. programs in the field and you may encounter warnings not to apply if you do not have a particular score on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Verbal Test and a high undergraduate GPA (for example, at least a 3.7).

The average GPA required by most graduate schools ranges between 2.5 and 3.0. 5 Keep in mind that you may need a higher grade point average for competitive programs at some of the top schools, such as MBA and business programs at Harvard and Columbia.

For a full-time, in-person master's degree, you can expect to spend 3 hours of in- and out-of-class time each week for each credit hour you take. Since most classes are 3 credit hours, that's 9 hours each week. Based on the traditional 15-week semester—that's 135 hours of work. But that's only one class.

The general rule of thumb regarding college studying is, that for each class, students should spend approximately 2-3 hours of study time for each hour that they spend in class. Non-science courses: For every 1 unit you are enrolled, you are recommended to spend approximately two hours outside of class studying.

The report ranks Aerospace Engineering as the hardest degree subject. Aerospace Engineering covers the study of aeronautical, astronautical and avionics.

Research done by the Council of Graduate Schools suggests that the average age for all graduate students in the U.S. is 33. The same study indicates that notable percentages of students in graduate programs are over the ages of 40 and 50.

Is a 3.7 GPA Good for Grad School? Yes, a 3.7 is typically considered a strong GPA for grad school admissions. While each school sets its own policies, most programs will at least review the applications of students with a 3.7 GPA.

Many grad schools require a minimum 3.0 GPA for admission, while some competitive programs may require a GPA as high as 3.5. However, meeting the minimum GPA threshold doesn't guarantee admission.

Is a 2.5 GPA too low for grad school? ›

Yes, many graduate programs will let you apply with a 2.5 GPA. However, a low GPA means that you must prove your academic readiness in other ways, such as by writing a convincing personal statement or holding many years of professional experience.

Many grad programs call for a minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA. However, some programs may admit you with a 2.5 or even 2.0 GPA. Online graduate programs with low GPA requirements allow you to continue your education even if you didn't do great in undergrad.

Time Management

How much time should you be studying per week? Research suggests that students should spend approximately 2-3 hours, per credit hour, studying in order to be successful in their courses. STEM classes often require 3-4 hours, per credit hour, of studying to be successful.

How many hours do you need to work on a Masters? It depends on your course, but you will need to spend more time working independently to be successful as a postgraduate student. You should be prepared to study for at least 20-25 hours per week, in addition to your timetable of classes and lectures.

How many hours of study is a PhD? As a general rule, you should expect a full-time PhD to account for 35 hours of work a week – the equivalent of a full-time, 9-5 job. It's likely that during especially busy periods – such as when you're writing up – you may work considerably longer hours.

Most colleges require full-time graduate students to take at least three classes, or nine credits, per semester.