The University operates on a semester calendar. Typically, a semester will encompass fifteen weeks, and each corresponding credit equates to fifteen hours of instruction or the equivalency of the two. Courses taught online from a distance and on site have similar equitable outcome expectations. Online distance education courses will use a variety of platforms to verify credit hour requirements are met for individual courses. Students should plan to spend an average of between two and three hours out of class study for each credit hour of instruction. Courses with required laboratory or studio time typically have thirty hours of supervised laboratory or studio time for each credit. Non-didactic courses, such as internships, and field experiences, and clinics require sixty hours of documented work time for each credit hour.
Definition of Credit Hour
A credit hour is an amount of work that reasonably approximates not less than:
- Fifty to sixty minutes of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of- class student work each week for fifteen to sixteen weeks for one semester hour of credit or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
- 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.
- Laboratory courses are calculated as an average of 25 hours per term constituting two contact hours to one credit hour equaling a 2:1 ratio or the equivalent.
- Clinicals, practicums, internships, and similar type courses that follow the clock hour definition are calculated on a 3:1 or 4:1 ratio (1 credit hour = 3-4 clock hours per week) or the equivalent
Definition of Continuing Education Unit
A typical CEU represents approximately ten contact hours of experience in a structured continuing education experience (class, seminar, retreat, practicum, self-study, etc.) that is supervised in some way by a qualified continuing education provider.
CEUs are similar in theory to academic credits but differ in two important respects:
- CEUs are not awarded for academic study and do not represent, or provide, academic credit; and
- They may be awarded for a variety of experiences in different settings whose only common criterion is that they be measurable, supervised educational or training experiences with defined starting and ending points.
Criteria for Certificate Programs
A certificate for academic credit program will have a minimum of 12 credits, and is noted as a credential earned, but is not considered a degree.