How Slow Can You Go?

How many classes should you take a semester when you are in graduate school? If you were used to taking five or six classes a semester as an undergraduate, you may be surprised to find that graduate students typically take one to three classes a semester. If you have a family and a full-time job, one class will be enough. If you are single, not employed, well-organized, and able to handle stress, then you may be able to tackle three classes a semester. Don't feel that you always have to take the same number of classes. Maybe you know that you are always busier in the spring than the fall, so you decide to take only one class in the spring and two in the fall.

As you decide how many classes to take, you need to balance the burnout you might feel from being overloaded with too many classes against the burnout you might feel from taking year after year of classes. In addition, consider the financial cost of stretching out your graduate program. Which option will cost more in the long run: working and taking fewer classes for a longer time or attending school full time and getting a better-paying job more quickly?

You also need to consider any financial aid requirements. Your fellowships and other financial aid may require you to take a certain number of course hours a semester. If you're not sure how many courses to take, talk to your advisor.