Credit Hour Unit Definition

Credit Hour

One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week for 15 weeks, or equivalent academic activities, to achieve the student learning outcomes for the credit hour.

Laboratory and studio classes usually earn one credit for each two hours of attendance or equivalent for a semester unless otherwise indicated.

Credit Hour Procedures

The responsibility of ensuring that the credit hour requirements for time and student learning outcomes are met lies with the faculty member instructing the class and with the academic department chair.

The student learning outcomes for a course must be the same regardless of whether the credit hour(s) is delivered in the traditional format or by equivalent academic activities.

In situations where a credit hour(s) is offered in a non-traditional format and there is no class section offered in the traditional format, department chairs will consult with the instructor to ensure that credit hour(s) requirements are similar to the traditional format. This includes but is not limited to internships, independent studies, experiential learning activities, and online courses.