Course load and work load

[stndrddvnt]

I'm currently deciding between two offers, one from a USA school (Stony Brook University Department of Political Science) and one from a Canadian school (University of Saskatchewan Department of Psychology), which has a much smaller course load than what I've been accustomed to seeing at most schools in the USA.  Stony Brook requires 16 courses for the PhD.  To me that seems normal relative to most schools in USA.  Scary, but normal.  Saskatchewan requires only 7 courses (5 for Master plus 2 for Doctor).  Does that mean my life will be much less stressful at the Canadian school?  Maybe I will have more free time to study what I prefer to study on my own, rather than spending so much time in instructed courses.  Maybe I will have more free time to work on my own research.  Maybe I will have more time for sleep and exercise.

 

Also, my teaching responsibilities at Saskatchewan would be only 5 hours/week, plus 5 hours assisting with my adiviser's research.  That seems much easier than 20 hours/week of teaching responsibilities. 

 

I'm just trying to figure out if I should see these differences as benefits.

 

If you are somebody who is at (or has been at) a university with a lighter workload/courseload, how is it for you?  How many years (after Bachelor degree) do students at your university take to complete a PhD? 

 

If you are somebody who is at (or has been at) a university with the heavier workload and courseload, how is that?  Are you able to complete all your teaching responsibilities and your own coursework and your own research within a 40-hour work-week (or close to it), or do you find that you must sacrifice your sleep time and family in order to fit everything in?  Would you have preferred to have a lighter courseload? What benefits, if any, do you think you get from having a heavier workload? 

[Nerd_For_Life]

The number of courses you have to take is not necessarily the best indication of that workload you will experience. The courses may have quite different content and expectations and there may be very different requirements for the degree beyond course work. Comprehensive exams are one example, internship or supervised work/clinic experience may be another. I am currently undertaking a PhD in Canada and while I only have to complete 5 courses, I can assure you that the work load is anything but light. I have comprehensives, proposal defense, field work, dissertation, and working throughout. Average completion time is 6-7 years.