Assigning Credit Hours

16-Week Courses‡

Course Credit Hours*Total Course Contact Hours†Weekly Contact Hours† (hours of organized instruction per week)Weekly hours of expected student work, apart from instruction time
11612
23224
34836
46448

8-Week Courses

Course Credit Hours*Total Course Contact Hours†Weekly Contact Hours† (hours of organized instruction per week)Weekly hours of expected student work, apart from instruction time
11624
23248
348612
464816

4-Week Courses

Course Credit Hours*Total Course Contact Hours†Weekly Contact Hours† (hours of organized instruction per week)Weekly hours of expected student work, apart from instruction time
11648
232816
3481224
4641632

* This contact hour/student work expectations calculator may not apply to independent study, dissertation, service learning, internship, and other similar credits.
† Contact Hours based on 50 min classroom period (1 contact hour = 50 minutes)
‡ Based on academic calendar definition of 16-week full term including finals week

An equivalent amount of work is required in courses and academic activities where direct instruction is not the primary mode of learning, such as online and hybrid courses, laboratory work, independent study, internships, practica, studio work, etc. Credits will be awarded on the basis of documented learning objectives, expected learning outcomes, and student workload expectations within a specified period of academically engaged time.

Credit hours assigned to a course delivered online must equal the number of credit hours for the same course delivered face-to-face. An online course credit hour requires 3 hours of student work for each week and this work can include reading, research, online discussion and instruction, assigned group activities and preparation of papers or presentations.