Credit Hour Policy

In accord with the Federal definition of a credit hour (as noted above), an hour of academic work (semester credit hour) is equivalent to fifty (50) minutes of direct faculty classroom instruction (often called a “contact hour”) each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester, or sixty (60) minutes of independent study work each week for the same period of time. Fifteen (15) contact hours of direct faculty classroom instruction (including the final exam period) by each student is required for each unit of credit (one credit hour). In addition, homework and/or other course assignments will require that an average student will engage in a minimum of two hours of homework for each hour spent in the classroom. The following standards establish the minimum requirements of an academic unit of credit:

a. Each unit of credit requires a minimum of fifteen (15) contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing or evaluation, seminar, or colloquium. Students are normally expected to engage in a minimum of two hours of homework for each hour spent in the classroom (e.g., 6 hours per week for a 3 credit course).

b. Faculty directed laboratory experiences (or similar activities) require a minimum of 28 to 42 contact hours for each unit of credit (credit hour).

c. An internship, practicum or similar experiential learning activities requires a minimum of 45 hours of work for each unit of credit (credit hour).

d. In accord with current norms in American higher education, for primarily online or online delivery modes, the course will be designed and expectations established so that in order to achieve satisfactory performance, students will spend the equivalent of (15) 50-minute periods per semester per credit per course and the appropriate amount of outside of class time engaged with the course material in a combination of ways such as: completing online modules, reading articles or text, viewing recorded lectures, completing assignments, presentations, synchronous or asynchronous discussion with the instructor or other students, taking exams, group projects, service learning, and other activities that include instructor interaction and involvement. Completion of laboratory experiences conducted using either digital technology or purchased supplemental materials will require extra time and should be designed with expectations that the time required is comparable to completion of similar activity in a laboratory space.

e. Shortened academic sessions (including condensed semesters, intersession classes, or summer classes) are expected to maintain an equivalent amount of time (contact and outside of class time) as those classes in the 15-week format.

It is understood that the hour requirements specified above represent minimums for average students.

This policy applies to all types of instruction, including but not limited to:

Courses/programs (including international programs and courses)
Laboratories
Studios
Internships
Any experiential learning activities outside the internship category for which credit is awarded
Distance education/online
Practica
Guided Independent Study

For items (1) through (8) above, and any other academic work leading to the award of credit hours, there must be documentation of the application of the policy.

Credit Hour Policy

Academics

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