The Course Catalog specifies the credit hour value for each course. This policy ensures variable credit hours correlate to student workload.
A credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than:
(1)One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
(2)At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.
Alternatively, a credit hour is defined as the learning that takes place in at least 45 hours of learning activities, which include time in lectures or class meetings, in-person or online, laboratories, examinations, presentations, tutorials, preparation, reading, studying, hands-on experiences, and other learning activities; or a demonstration by the student of learning equivalent to that established as the expected product of such a period of study.
In all cases, learning in for-credit courses is guided by a qualified instructor and includes regular and substantive student-instructor interaction.
Graduate students
Some courses such as Directed Study, Research, Seminars, Study Abroad and Topics may offer variable credit which allows a graduate student to register for the number of credits which correlate to the student’s course workload.
A student is prohibited from registering for more or fewer credits than indicated for a course.
A student may not change credit hours after the Variable Credits deadline published in the Dates and Deadlines calendar without approval from the dean’s office.
The instructor and student are both responsible for ensuring the student’s workload correlates to the number of credits for which the student is registered.
04-26-2023
