Academic workload and quality of life: A preliminary assessment of credit-hour allocation at the School of Psychological Sciences

Abstract

Academic workload is a relevant factor influencing both the quality of higher education and student well-being. In recent decades, the Tuning Latin America Project has promoted the use of academic credit systems to enhance the comparability of academic programs and facilitate graduate mobility. At the same time, previous research has highlighted the need to review academic workloads due to their association with stress, anxiety, and academic dishonesty. This study aimed to identify the autonomous learning hours assigned by faculty members at the School of Psychological Sciences of the University of San Carlos of Guatemala and to examine their correspondence with the institutional credit-hour allocation system. A quantitative, cross-sectional, and descriptive study was conducted based on the analysis of 21 questionnaires completed by faculty members teaching theoretical and practical courses. The results showed that only 23.81% of the courses complied with the institutional standard of 32 hours of independent work for theoretical courses and 128 hours for practical courses, whereas 38.10% exceeded the standard and 38.10% fell below it. In addition, considerable variability was found in the estimation of student workload, particularly in practical courses. The findings reveal discrepancies between the academic workload assigned by faculty and that established in the curricular guidelines. Therefore, a review of workload allocation criteria and learning activities is recommended to promote a better balance between academic quality and students’ quality of life.