How Many Courses Should I Take in a Semester?

Generally, the course load for full-time students is 2.5 credits per term (usually 5 courses). However, many students choose to take a reduced course load, for a variety of reasons. Anecdotally, it is fairly common for students to take 2.0 credits (or 4 courses) per semester to have a lighter workload.

We recommend that you reach out to an academic advisor to discuss your specific situation before making a decision about how many courses to take. Taking a reduced course load could have an impact on the following:

• Your status as a full time student
• Tuition costs
• Residence eligibility
• Scholarship eligibility and government funding (for example OSAP)
• Co-op eligibility
• Visas and study permits (for international students)

For more information, check out Carleton’s webpage about considering a reduced course load.