Thought I would start a new thread after hours of work came up on another thread. I thought a full workload was 3 classes of 3 hours per week, but apparently some instructors have more. This 9 hours would involve, on average, 100 to 150 students. What is your experience?
It all depends. I know people at big research universities who teach 2-2 (i.e., two classes per semester) or less; I once pulled a 5-5. 30-35 students per section is the norm; altho' huge lectures of 150+ aren't uncommon at the big boys (most places that have mega-classes also have grad students running discussion sections). Would love a 3-3 right now: doing a 4-4 with three preps (tho' one's an accelerated adult ed.) Back to Han dynasty China.... Jon Porter (PhD Nottingham) Lecturer, C&T Program, Butler Univ.
As Jon stated, a "full-time" teaching load means much different things at different schools. One of my professors in graduate school (research university) complained that he had to teach a third course one semester, while full-time teachers at a 2-year college where I've taught as an adjunct are saddled with 5 courses every semester. Bruce
The difference being that full-time faculty at large research universities are expected to produce research and publish in addition to teaching duties, whereas at a school primarily focused on teaching (like a 2 year school or any non-research oriented school), their primary duty is to teach. Many professors at large research universities seem to consider it a big inconvenience that they have to teach any courses at all. Then again, at the same schools you find great instructors who really love to teach, so it's a mixed bag. Sorry to get a bit off the subject.
How about adjunct instructors? I know of some that are teaching a total of eight courses a semester (spread out over three different schools). I wonder what is the maximum load?
Maximum load? As much as you can get/stand. And with pay starting at between $1400 and $1800 a class, you teach as much as you can get. Jon Porter now thankfully full time (but not tenure-track)
At major universities, I have seen faculty workload vary from 0 to 5 courses per semester, depending on the stature of the faculty member, whether one is a masters or doctoral advisor, department chair, heading up a research institute or initiviate and many other factors. Community college faculty typically are not expected to do research (and certainly do not serve of thesis or dissertation committees) and so generally teach a full 5 class load. Adjunct faculty at most institutions are limited to a maximum of three courses (this can vary somewhat, though). If you teach at more than one institution (a "freeway" faculty) you could, in theory, teach as many courses as you can physically endure. One adjunct faculty at a former institution of mine taught at University of Redlands, College of the Desert and Chaffey College, which are not very close to each other. He basically had no life until he was hired full-time as a faculty at a Philadelphia Art College. Tony
