Field of Study and Students' Workload in Higher Education: Ireland and Austria in Comparative Perspective

There is a growing recognition of the importance of 'field of study' in social research. However, few of the existing studies explore the extent to which different fields of study facilitate or constrain opportunities to engage in employment and students' perceptions of their work load in higher education. This article aims to explore the workload of higher education students across different fields of study in comparative perspective. Contrasting Ireland and Austria enables us to explore the way in which the institutional context influences student workload. Analyses of the survey data were conducted to explore the extent to which field of study influenced time spent at formal classes, on personal study and in term-time employment. Regression models were used to estimate the effect of field of study, controlling for a number of factors, including higher education institution, personal characteristics and other potential constraints on student time. Finally, we analyse the effect of student workload on overall satisfaction levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]; Copyright of International Journal of Comparative Sociology (Sage Publications, Ltd.) is the property of Sage Publications, Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)