Teaching workload standards at Waterloo

Our Academic Freedom & Tenure Committee often receives questions from current and prospective faculty wondering if the course load they are teaching or being offered is fair compared to other members of their department. Unfortunately, standard course loads are not universally published by departments at Waterloo, so we surveyed our Council of Representatives to gather that information.  

Please note that this is not intended for comparisons between departments or Faculties. We recognize that course loads vary between disciplines for several reasons and we are not advocating for standardization across campus. (One notable exception to this is the matter of tracking and compensating overload teaching—this should be consistent for all our members; no one should be teaching for free.) Rather, we hope this data is useful within departments or similar disciplines. We believe that this information should be readily available to our members (and to prospective faculty) and documented in every department’s addendum to their Faculty’s performance review guidelines or another appropriate and accessible location.

Notes about the responses

Many responses have been edited for length and consistency.
This data was collected in fall 2019 and as such represents a snapshot of norms at that time. We understand that faculty workloads might look very different right now, in the era of emergency remote teaching, but our aim is to capture long-term standards in normal times.
Council members (or, in some cases, other members at our 2019 Fall General Meeting) filled out the survey based on their own knowledge of their departments. Understandably, not all representatives have the same level of knowledge about these practices and not all the information we asked for is readily available in every department, so there are gaps. We welcome new information to help us fill in these gaps!
The list of units is based on our Council of Representatives. The Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing, Math Undergraduate Office and Math Business and Accounting Programs are together at the end of the list.

What is the standard annual course-based teaching workload?

We asked what the standard teaching load is for both professorial-rank and lecturer members, and whether this norm is defined somewhere in departmental documents. We are concerned that many members didn't know where this information could be found. In departments where it is known to be documented, it's generally in the departmental addenda to the Faculty performance review guidelines.

Unit	Standard courseload for 40/40/20 professorial rank faculty	Standard courseload for 80/20 lecturers	Defined in departmental documents (or elsewhere)?
Accounting and Finance, School of
Anthropology	4	n/a	Yes
Applied Mathematics	3	6	No
Architecture	4
Biology	2.5	5 to 6 (for those with a 60/20/20 weighting)	No
Chemical Engineering
Chemistry	3	6
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Classical Studies	4	6	unknown
Combinatorics and Optimization
Communication Arts	4	7	unknown
Computer Science, School of
Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business	4	6	unknown
Earth and Environmental Sciences
Economics	4	7	Yes
Electrical and Computer Engineering			No
English Language and Literature	4	average 7 per year	Yes
Environment, Enterprise and Development, School of
Environment, Resources and Sustainability, School of	4	5	No
Fine Arts			No
French Studies	4	7 sections	No
Geography and Environmental Management	4 (possibly moving to 4 one year and 3 the next)	6 one year, 4 the next year	Yes, except lecturer course load
Germanic and Slavic Studies	4	n/a	No
History
Interaction, Design and Business, Stratford School of		7	unknown
Kinesiology
Knowledge Integration	4	n/a	No
Management Sciences
Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering	3 courses w/supervision of 3 grad students (adjusted based on supervision load)	5	Yes, except lecturer course load
Optometry, School of	Most non-clinical professors have a weighting of 33/33/33. Optometrists: 4.25 courses per year (including clinical teaching) across all three terms. Non-optometrists: approx. 2 across two terms. Clinical professors have a weighting of 40/40/20. Optometrists: 2.5 days/week (approx. 7.5 courses/year.* Non-optometrists: 3 courses.	Clinical lecturers: 4 days/week in clinic (approx. 12 courses) C22:C34	Only clinic days.
Pharmacy, School of	[data entry error]	4 or 5	No
Philosophy	4	7	unknown
Physics and Astronomy
Planning, School of	alternates between 4 one year, 3 the next	6 one year; 7 the next	Yes
Political Science	4	don't know 6-7?	Yes
Psychology	3	6	unknown
Public Health and Health Systems, School of
Pure Mathematics
Recreation and Leisure Studies	3	80-20 (6 courses/year)	Yes
Religious Studies
Sociology		80/20	No
Spanish and Latin American Studies	4	7	Yes
Statistics and Actuarial Science	3	6	Yes
Systems Design Engineering
Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing		6 (4 for 50/50)	unknown
Math Undergraduate Office		No standard. Most common is 6 but ranges from 1–7 depending on service load.	No
Math Business and Accounting Programs	3	6	No

*Note that when Clinical lecturers in Optometry were able to transfer from Clinical lecturers to the professorial ranks, the agreement was that their teaching loads would not change.

How is teaching workload tracked and compensated?

We asked whether and how teaching load is formally tracked and what happens when a member teaches more than the normal load in a given year. On this point, we believe that consistency across campus is important and that no one should be teaching for free.

Unit	Is there a formal tracking system for teaching tasks?	What happens when you teach more than the normal load?
Accounting and Finance, School of
Anthropology	Yes; The Dean's office conducts an annual audit of the teaching load for each faculty member. That data is collected and verified during part of the annual review process.	One-course reduction in a future year (unless it's making up for a course cancelled in a previous year.)
Applied Mathematics	Yes
Architecture
Biology		Mostly done voluntarily used to get paid extra
Chemical Engineering
Chemistry	Yes	It varies depending on the case. Generally, compensation by mutual agreement.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Classical Studies	Not that I know of	So far it has not happened in 11 years.
Combinatorics and Optimization
Communication Arts	n/a	Overload pay or counts towards future teaching.
Computer Science, School of
Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business	Yes	n/a
Earth and Environmental Sciences
Economics	Yes	Compensation is provided in either pay or teaching credits.
Electrical and Computer Engineering	Yes	Course reduction in a future year.
English Language and Literature	Yes	Not allowed.
Environment, Enterprise and Development, School of
Environment, Resources and Sustainability, School of	No	n/a
Fine Arts	No	Course reduction in a future year.
French Studies	No, except in our annual report.	It is considered as overload, but we avoid it as much as possible.
Geography and Environmental Management	Unknown other than being tracked by the chair.	Chair keeps track and it is written on APR. Not sure how overload factors into APR.
Germanic and Slavic Studies	No
History
Interaction, Design and Business, Stratford School of	unknown	unknown
Kinesiology
Knowledge Integration	No	Per Faculty guidelines, it is the faculty member’s responsibility to point out overload teaching during their annual performance review.
Management Sciences
Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering	No	Anecdotally, people are offered buyout at sessional rate or banking of teaching credit.
Optometry, School of	No	Nothing. When I taught an extra grad course, I was told I was “owed a course”, but my subsequent teaching load was not reduced.
Pharmacy, School of	No	Nothing.
Philosophy	Unknown	Unknown
Physics and Astronomy
Planning, School of	Director keeps track in a spreadsheet	Uncommon.
Political Science	Unknown	Course reduction in a future year.
Psychology	Yes	compensation provided in either pay (at the sessional rate) or teaching relief in a future year.
Public Health and Health Systems, School of
Pure Mathematics
Recreation and Leisure Studies	Yes: The department tracks course assignments.	Course reduction in a future year.
Religious Studies
Sociology	Yes (APR and Annual Teaching Preferences form)	A faculty member would receive credit to be counted in a future year. When that credit is used is negotiated with the Chair.
Spanish and Latin American Studies	No	Doesn't happen except occasional directed studies courses. There is no officially remuneration for this extra work, but it is reflected in the faculty Member’s APR score.
Statistics and Actuarial Science	Yes	$10,000 overload stipend or teach reduction the next year.
Systems Design Engineering
Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing	unknown	Teaching reduction in a future year
Math Undergraduate Office	No	Usually paid a sessional rate. Sesisonal wage differs by department.
Math Business and Accounting Programs	on APR	Teaching reduction in a future year

How are teaching credits counted?

We asked specifically about whether teaching credits are counted by section or by course; whether (lecture-based) graduate-level courses are counted the same as undergraduate courses; whether you get the same or more credit for developing a new course; and if there is a minimum number of students required for you to get teaching credit for a course (both grad and undergrad).

We’re pretty sure that many of the responses about minimum enrolment for teaching credit are actually about minimum enrolment for the course to not be cancelled, which may or may not be the same thing, so take those with a grain of salt.

We did not ask about how online courses are counted, but that came up a lot in the responses and we know there’s a lot of interest in that (we also know it’s a complicated answer in many cases). If you know how online courses are counted in your department (and it’s not noted here), let us know.

Unit	Teaching credits counted by section?	Grad-level lectures same as undergrad?	New course prep: same or more credit?	Online course: same/more/less credit?	Minimum course enrolment for undergrad (UG) and/or grad courses?
Accounting and Finance, School of
Anthropology	Yes	Yes	Same as existing course		UG only, around 15, but not yet formalized.
Applied Mathematics	Yes	Yes	Same as existing course		No
Architecture
Biology	1 unit of a repeated course in the same semester = 0.5; in different semesters = 1.0 units	n/a	Same, but new faculty teach less in first year or two		UG only, around 10
Chemical Engineering
Chemistry	Yes	Yes	Same as existing course		Loosley, 10 for UG courses. Credit given for core and maybe historically high-enrolent (>10) elective grad courses.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Classical Studies	Yes	Yes	Arbitrary		No, but under discussion for both UG and G.
Combinatorics and Optimization
Communication Arts	Yes	n/a	Same as existing course		Yes, <5, maybe 6–15 (depends on dean).
Computer Science, School of
Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business	Yes	Yes	At the discretion of the director		No
Earth and Environmental Sciences
Economics	Yes	Yes	Same except online courses (online courses get more).	There is a formula that defines level of credit.	Not defined but in progress for undergrad
Electrical and Computer Engineering	Yes	Yes	Same, but noted in performance review		Yes, 5 for both grad and UG.
English Language and Literature	Yes	Yes	Same except online courses	More	Yes, 15 for UG, 10 for grad.
Environment, Enterprise and Development, School of
Environment, Resources and Sustainability, School of	No (though chair might make adjustments on a case-by-case basis)	Yes	Same (unless agreed upon in advance), but accounted for in performance review		Yes, normally 10. Decided before the term starts. Not for grad courses.
Fine Arts	Yes	Yes	Same except online courses	More	Nominally 15 for UG but not practiced.
French Studies	Yes	Yes	Same, but accounted for in performance review		15 for UG, 6 for grad. Courses are often mixed-level to meet minimums.
Geography and Environmental Management	Yes	Yes	Same, but noted in performance review		Rare.
Germanic and Slavic Studies	Yes	Yes	Same except online courses	More	No
History
Interaction, Design and Business, Stratford School of	Yes	Yes	Same as existing course
Kinesiology
Knowledge Integration	No	n/a	Accounted for on a case-by-case basis in performance review.	First online course prep gets a course release.
Management Sciences
Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering	Yes	Yes	Same as existing course		Yes, 10 for UG, 5 for grad, by add/drop date. Lower if first offering of the course.
Optometry, School of	No	Only ones with higher enrollment	Same, but new faculty teach less until tenure		unknown
Pharmacy, School of	Yes	Yes	Same as existing course		Not officially
Philosophy	Yes	Yes	Nope (although asked about on APR)		unknown
Physics and Astronomy
Planning, School of	Yes	Yes	Acknowledge new course/design on APR forms but not sure how it is quantified.	Online course prep = one course buyout	Canceled if under 5–6 students. Small grad classes often combined with UG.
Political Science	Yes	Yes	Same, but noted in performance review		Yes for both grad and UG, by week 1
Psychology	Yes	Yes	Same as existing course	Less	15 for UG, 6 for grad, otherwise cancelled and assigned other teaching.
Public Health and Health Systems, School of
Pure Mathematics
Recreation and Leisure Studies	No	Yes	Same, but accounted for in performance review		Yes, 10 for UG, 5 for grad.
Religious Studies
Sociology	Yes	Yes	New course prep is counted in APR as part of teaching and training activities. It is not measured quantitatively, but is instead recognized as part of a faculty member’s overall contribution to teaching.		Yes, 15 for UG, 6 for grad, right before the course starts
Spanish and Latin American Studies	Yes	n/a	Same except online courses. Accounted for in performance review.	More
Statistics and Actuarial Science	Yes	Yes	Same except online courses	Online course development gets 2 course credit.	n/a
Systems Design Engineering
Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing	Yes	Yes	Same as existing course		unknown
Math Undergraduate Office	Yes	n/a	Inconsistent (some have gotten zero credit, some get up to two course releasess, some get monetary compensation).		No
Math Business and Accounting Programs	Yes	Yes	Same as existing course		Yes, around 10

If you have anything to add or correct, please use this form to submit new information.

Teaching workload standards at Waterloo

Notes about the responses

What is the standard annual course-based teaching workload?

How is teaching workload tracked and compensated?

How are teaching credits counted?

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