As the deadline to add new classes approaches Monday, the balancing act between taking desired courses and graduating on time leaves some students questioning Boston University’s overload policies and course limitations.
“Sixteen to 18 credits are adequate for a lot of students,” College of Communication sophomore Amanda Gilstein said. “But there are definitely students who could take more than 18 credits and be able to handle it.”
College of Arts and Sciences Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs Wayne Snyder said in an email he thinks the standard four course load is the ideal system.
“A student should be concentrating on these classes, thoroughly learning the material in four classes, rather than taking many classes and doing less well in them,” he said.
CAS requires a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.3 or higher, senior status — which is 88 credit hours — to take more than 18 credits. Students must pay additional tuition if they wish to take more than 18 credit hours, according to the BU Undergraduate Bulletin.
“I don’t feel spreading yourself thinner is better,” Snyder said. “Four courses is enough for one term.”
The requirements for overloading on courses are left up to each individual school to determine, according to the university registrar’s website. The most common number of courses a student can take without overloading is 18 credits per semester.
Students at other universities take advantage of different policies for credit limits and overloading on courses. The University of Minnesota has a “13 credit policy” where any course after 13 credits is free, UMN Twin Cities counselor Mark Galarneau said.
“Theoretically, you could take as many courses as you want,” he said. “Although I have never seen a student take more than 22 or 23 credits.”
UMN Twin Cities students who want to take more than 20 credits must still receive approval from their school, but many students meet the requirements.
“I know people who are taking 24 credits, which is about six to seven classes,” UMN Twin Cities sophomore Danielle Dembosky said.
Dembosky said most classes at her school range from 3 to 5 credits each, depending on how often the class meets and the course intensity.
“They do encourage us to take more classes, but it’s never in an overwhelming or money-grabbing way,” Dembosky said. “They’re very into self-improvement and being you.”
The policy is intended to encourage students to graduate in four years and increase the overall graduation rate, according to the UMN “One Stop” website.
Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Associate Dean Melanie Matthies said Sargent determines what type of course load is worth four credits. Even then, professors often add about 20 percent more work to that amount, she said.
“We don’t have a lot of trouble with them being challenged here,” Matthies said. “They’re challenging themselves.”