Time for studying

Ik everyone is different, but how much time in general should I spend studying for my modules- outside of lesson time? I heard somewhere that it should be around 2 hours per module each week, but that seems a bit too low tbh

Reply 1

UoL Students

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Original post by BirdCatcher49

Hello,

I'm assuming you are a university student. Although it may depend on degree and university, for me as a law student we are required to spend a total of 300 hours per module per year including lectures, tutorials, assessments and independent study. With four modules this equates to about 40 hours per week and 10 hours per subject per week.

In a given week I can have around 13 hours of contact time (lectures and tutorials) and so I should be spending approximately 28 hours per week doing independent study.

I hope this helps and if you have any further ideas please do let me know.

Charlie
Law LLB Student

Reply 2

Coventry University Student Ambassadors

Official Rep

Original post by BirdCatcher49

Hi,

I think it's dependant on the contact times you would have weekly for modules you're taking. For instance, If you have 12 hours of contact time across 3 modules per semester, it’s recommended to spend around 8-12 hours of independent study per module each week, following the general guideline of 2-3 hours of study for every hour of contact time. This means you could aim for 24-36 hours of study each week for all three modules combined; this is personally what I try and aim for. Of course, some modules may require more reading or assignment work, while others might focus more on lectures. The key is to manage your time effectively, stay on top of your reading, and review materials regularly. It’s also helpful to plan ahead for assessments so you’re not overwhelmed at the last minute. While the 2-hour-per-module suggestion is starting point, you might find you need to spend more time, especially when assignments or exams are coming up and recommended readings.

Best wishes,
Sabba | Coventry University Student Ambassador | Law LLB

Reply 3

BCU Student Rep

Official Rep

Original post by BirdCatcher49

Hi @BirdCatcher49,

The amount of time you should spend studying outside of lessons really depends on the complexity of your modules, how much content you need to cover, and your personal learning style. I've heard that 2 hours per module per week is often the minimum guideline, I often need to spend more time, because of all the readings I need to do—especially during busy periods like exam prep or when working on assignments.

A common rule of thumb is 2-3 hours of independent study per hour of lecture/tutorial. So if you have a 2-hour lecture, aim for 4-6 hours of study that week for that module. At least, that's what I try to do anyways, but it really does vary as I notice that some of my modules definitely need more time than others.

Hope this helps,
Danish
BCU Student Rep

Reply 4

UCLan Student

Official Rep

Original post by BirdCatcher49

Hi @BirdCatcher49 ,

This is entirely dependent on the subject you take. As other responses have said, some people spend 30-40 hours a week studying outside class. However, on my course I often do not spend more than 10 hours per weeks completing course work outside contact hours. This is also dependent on the time of year, as during the approach to deadlines or exams, this time may increase.

I recommend assessing the workload you have and creating a plan that allows you to reach your goals within that module each week, whether that's understanding concepts, research, course work or more. This way you can decide the amount of hours that works for yourself, as everyone works at various paces.

I hope this helped, please feel free to ask me any questions,
-Sophia (Business and Management)