University of Louisville
School of Music
Faculty Load Policy
The School of Music has transitioned to a full-time-equivalency (FTE) model of assignments based on four general types of work activities. Categorizing faculty to one of these four types depends on the history of productivity as reported on the Professional Activities Summary and intended activities as projected on the Annual Work Plan.
Comprehensive faculty loads are the most prevalent and constitute teaching activities comprising 37-38 teaching units (.75 FTE), research/creative activities of .15 FTE, and professional/community service of .10 FTE.
Teaching Intensive faculty teach 43 to 45 units (.86 to .90 FTE), maintain a modest productivity in research/creative activities of .05 FTE, and professional/community service of .10 FTE.
Research Intensive faculty teach 30 units each semester (.60 FTE) and maintain research/creative activities comprising .30-35 FTE. Professional and/or community service activities make up the balance of .05-.10 FTE.
Service Intensive activities are made up of 35 teaching units (.70 FTE), .05 FTE research/creative activities, and .25 FTE professional/community service.
It is important to note that loads for various faculty members often have some variance with the Faculty Load Policy. In some cases, faculty may have loads that are lighter than the formula suggests while some may have heavier loads. This variance is to be expected due to the profile of the student body at any given time, but accommodations are made when possible. Also, faculty load variances are considered with regard to the entire year, not semester by semester. An overload in responsibilities in one semester may be offset by a lighter load the following semester.
Applied and Composition Lessons
½ hour Lesson 1 unit
1 hour Lesson 2 units
Degree Recital Preparation (student's applied teacher) ½ unit
Regular Undergraduate Courses 3 units/contact hour
over 100 students in class 4.5 units/contact hour
WR Courses (three hours) 10 units
over 25 students in class or 40 in 2 sections 11 units
Analysis I and II(two hours) 6 units
over 18 students in class 7 units
Orchestration I and II(two hours) 6 units
over 20 students in class 7 units
Counterpoint I and I(two hours) 6 units
over 20 students in class 7 units
Class Piano Classes 2 units/contact hour
Instrumental Methods Classes 2.5 units/contact hour
Graduate Courses 4 units/contact hour
500-level courses receive 4 units per contact hour providing graduate students
are registered in the class; if only undergraduates are registered, value is 3 units
per contact hour.
Thesis Supervision
Composition 2 units per student (1 sem. max)
Music Education 2 units per student (2 sem. max)
Music History 2 units per student (2 sem. max)
Faculty with students registered during a semester for both Composition Lessons and Thesis will get 3 units total.
Thesis Committee (readers) ½ unit (2 sem. max)
Professional Paper/Senior Thesis (Music History) 1 unit per student (1 sem. max)
Professional Paper/Senior Thesis (Music Education) 1 unit per student (2 sem. max)
Independent Study 2 units per student
Student Teaching/Music Therapy Clinical Supervision 1.65 units/student
Division Head 9 units
Director of Music Therapy 9 units
Director of Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition 9 units
Facilitator (e.g., Brass Facilitator) 2 units (more if heavy load)
Director of an Ensemble Area 18 units
(includes director duties plus a major ensemble)
Director of Bands
Director of Cardinal Marching Band
Director of Choral Activities
Director of Orchestral Studies
Director of Jazz Studies (includes Jazz Week administration)
Major Ensemble (without Ensemble Area Directorship) 2 units/contact hour
Minor Ensemble 2 units/contact hour
Convocation Organizer/Recital Attendance Credit 2 units
Extracted from NASM Self-Study Report
February 2006