i was thinking of applying for MA programs, granted the coursework will be more difficult than what i had as an undergrad, approx. how many credits are doable per semester?
Depends upon the course & what else you're doing (e.g., work, volunteering, research, family obligations). I've taken up to 14/15 credit hours, which is the max allowed for our program. 9 hours is considered full-time (typically 3 classes), but most can usually take an additional class if they're willing to put the time into it.