Course Workload Calculator

Based on CITL (University of Illinois) Research + Federal RSI Requirements

Step 1: Course Information

Number of Credit Hours:

Number of Weeks in Semester:

Course Modality:

How much work should students do? Federal policy requires that a credit hour represents about 45-50 hours of total student effort per semester (class time + outside work).ℹ The calculator below helps you plan activities to hit this target.

Step 2: Estimate Student Activities

For each activity type, enter how many times it occurs and estimate average time per activity. Include prep time, not just the activity duration.

Learning Activity	How Many This Semester?	Hours Per Activity	Total Hours
Lectures (pre-recorded or live)			16
Discussions (moderated forums/sync)			12
Readings (textbook, articles)			32
Quizzes/Exams			9
Assignments/Projects			24
Labs/Hands-on Activities			0
Group Projects/Collaborative Work			0

Estimation Tips:

For readings: ~6 pages/hour for complex material, ~10-15 pages/hour for easier textℹ
Include time for reflection, review, and revisionℹ
Be realistic about average student, not just high-achievers
Factor in technology troubleshooting time for online activities

📈 Your Course Workload Results

Total Student Hours (Full Semester)

Required Hours (Federal Standard)

Average Hours per Week

Hours per Module (8-module course)

✅ Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI) Recommendationsℹ

Federal regulation requires predictable, scheduled instructor-initiated interactions. Below are recommendations based on your course structure:

What counts as substantive RSI? At least 2 of these 5:ℹ

Providing direct instruction (live or recorded with context)
Assessing and providing feedback on student work
Responding to student questions about course content
Facilitating group discussions with instructor involvement
Other instructor-initiated activities approved by accreditor

📅 Work Distribution Analysis

References & Research Foundation (Current as of January 2025):

Federal Regulations (Currently in Effect):

U.S. Department of Education. (2021). Final regulations: Distance education and innovation. 34 C.F.R. § 600.2. [Effective July 1, 2021; currently enforced]. Requires regular and substantive interaction (RSI) between instructors and students in all distance education courses. Federal compliance mandatory for Title IV eligibility.

Credit Hour Standards (Active):

Center for Innovation in Teaching & Learning (CITL), University of Illinois. (2023). Student workload estimator 2.0. Based on Carnegie Unit definition: One credit hour = minimum 45 hours total student effort per semester (including class time and outside work). Adopted standard across U.S. higher education.

Accreditation Standards (2024-2025 Cycle):

Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC). (2024). Distance education review rubric (2024-25 edition). Current standards for RSI compliance, course design, and workload expectations. In effect for all ACCJC-accredited institutions.

Quality Matters. (2023). Higher education rubric, 6th edition. National benchmark for online course quality, including interaction and workload standards.

Active Learning Research:

Bonwell, C. C., & Eison, J. A. (1991). Active learning: Creating excitement in the classroom. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report No. 1. Washington, DC: George Washington University. [Foundational work; principles reaffirmed in contemporary pedagogy research 2023-2025].

Freeman, S., Eddy, S. L., McDonough, M., Smith, M. K., Okoroafor, N., Jordt, H., & Wenderoth, M. P. (2014). Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(23), 8410-8415.

Current Institutional Implementation Guidance (2023-2025):

Ohio State University, Arts and Sciences. (2024). Regular and substantive interaction (RSI) guidance for faculty. Retrieved from https://ascode.osu.edu/resources/course-design-strategies/regular-substantive-interaction-rsi-guidance/

SUNY Empire State University. (2024). Regular and substantive interaction checklist. Retrieved from https://suny-empire.sunyempire.edu/dlis/design-your-course/regular-and-substantive-interaction/

Foothill-De Anza Community College District. (2025). RSI certification program for online faculty. Retrieved from https://www.deanza.edu/online-ed/faculty/regular_substantive_interaction.html

WCET (WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies). (2024). RSI resource library and compliance toolkit. Ongoing guidance for implementing federal distance education regulations.

All federal regulations, accreditation standards, and quality frameworks cited above are currently in effect and enforced as of January 2025.