ASSIGNMENTOFCREDITHOURPOLICY
July2016(revised7-31-16)
Inaccordancewithfederalregulation34CFR602.24(f),theregionalaccreditingagencies(i.e.,MiddleStatesCommissiononHigherEducation)
havebeenchargedwithreviewinganinstitution’spoliciesandproceduresfordeterminingthecredithoursawardedaswellastheapplicationof
theinstitution’spoliciesandprocedurestoitsprogramsandcoursework,andmakea“reasonabledeterminationofwhethertheinstitution’s
assignmentofcredithoursconformstocommonlyacceptedpracticeinhighereducation.”
WiththebeginningoftheAcademicYear2016-17,allfacultymustensurethattheamountofcontacttimeandindependentworktimeexpected
ofstudentsmeettheminimumrequirementsestablishedbythefederalgovernment.Facultymustincludetherequiredhoursofworkontheir
syllabibeginninginthespring2017semester.Pleasenotethatthisisafederalregulation;failuretocomplywiththepolicymayjeopardizeGW’s
accreditationstatuswithMiddleStatesCommissiononHigherEducation.
CREDITHOURPOLICY
Whataretheminimumtimerequirementsforaone-semestercredithour?1
Aminimumof37.5hoursofworkpersemesterisrequiredforonecredithour.Thesehourswillconsistof50minutesofdirectorguided
interactionplus100minutesofindependentlearningperweekduringthecourseofanormal15-weeksemester,whichincludesoneweekfor
exams.Othercombinationsoftimearepossible,whereappropriate(suchasahigherproportionofinstructional/interactionaltimefora
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TheU.S.DepartmentofEducationdefines“credithour”as:“anamountofworkrepresentedinintendedlearningoutcomesandverifiedbyevidenceofstudentachievement
thatisaninstitutionallyestablishedequivalencythatreasonablyapproximatesnotlessthan:
(1) Onehourofclassroomordirectfacultyinstructionandaminimumoftwohoursout-of-classstudentworkforapproximately15weeksforonesemester,or…the
equivalentamountofworkoveradifferentamountoftime;or,
(2) Atleastanequivalentamountofworkasrequiredinparagraph(1)ofthisdefinitionforotheracademicactivitiesasestablishedbytheinstitution,includinglaboratory
work,internships,practica,studiowork,andotheracademicworkleadingtotheawardofcredithours.”
Federalregulationsassumethatacredithourequals50minutesofrealtime.Acommitteerepresentingassociatedeansinallschoolsmetoverthesummerandagreedtothe
credithourpolicyandimplementationprocessbelow.
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laboratoryoralowerproportionofinstructional/interactionaltimeforindependentresearch).Classesmayexceedtheseminimumstoensure
studentsmeetcourselearninggoals.
GUIDELINES
Whatconstitutesdirectinstruction?
Directinstructionorguidedinteractionistheamountoftimeastudentisexpectedtobeengagedindirectorguidedinteractionwithan
instructor.Examplesinclude,butarenotlimitedto,inpersonoronlinelectures,seminars,discussions,artanddesignstudios,supervisedgroup
work,andexaminations.
Whatconstitutesindependentlearning?
Independent,outofclass,learningistheamountoftimestudentsspendoutsideofscheduledordirectinstructionorcontacthourswith
instructortofulfillcourseobjectives.Examplesinclude,butarenotlimitedto,readingassignments,workingoutproblems,preparingforexams,
onlineandface-to-facegroupwork,writingpapers,andworkingonaproject.
Howdofacultycommunicatethattheircoursesmeetstherequisitenumberofhoursforthecreditsassignedtotheirclasses?
Theamountofworkrequiredinaclassiscommunicatedbyfacultymembersandlistedonthesyllabi.Whilethereisnospecificspacewherethis
statementmightgo,facultymightconsiderlocatingtheirstatementsnearthebeginningoftheirsyllabi,wheretheirlearninggoalsare
articulated.Asampletemplateforasyllabusisavailableforfacultytoconsult.Possiblemodelsforstatementsonsyllabiwillvarybycoursebut
couldinclude:
• Sample1:Fall/Spring:3-creditlecture-basedcoursewithdiscussionsections
Over15weeks,studentswillspend2hours(100minutes)perweekinlecture,and1hour(50minutes)perweekindiscussionsection(37.5
hoursforthesemester).Homeworkandotherout-of-classworkisestimatedataround300minutesperweek(75hoursforthesemester)
andincludesa3-hourfinalexamforwhichapproximately10hoursofreviewisassumed.
• Sample2:Fall/Spring:3-creditgraduateseminar
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•
•
•
Over15weeks,studentswillspend2hours(100minutes)perweekinclass.Requiredreadingfortheseminarmeetingsandwritten
responsepapersorprojectsareexpectedtotakeup,onaverage,7hours(350minutes)perweek.Overthecourseofthesemester,students
willspend25hoursininstructionaltimeand87.5hourspreparingforclass.
Sample3:Summer3-credit,6-weeklecture-basedcourse
Summercoursesaretwiceasintensiveasthoseheldduringtheacademicyear.Over6weeks,studentswillspend7.5hours(375minutes)
perweekinclassor37.5hoursand12.5hours(625minutes)perweek,or75hoursoverthesummersessionengagedinout-of-classwork.
Instructionaltimeincludesa3-hourfinalexam.
Sample4:1-creditskillscourse
Over6weeks,studentswillspend12.5hours(750minutes)inclassand25hours(1500minutes)outsideofclassdevelopingskills.This
amountstoalittleover2hoursofinstructionaltimeand4+hoursdevelopingskillsperweek.
Sample5:3-creditindependentstudyorindependentresearchcourse
Over15weeks,thestudentwillmeetwiththeinstructorfor7.5hours(375minutes)andwillbeexpectedtospendanaverageof7hours
(350minutes)perweekor105hourspersemesterresearchingandproducingasubstantialpaperorproject,orengagedinaninternshipand
writingapaperabouttheirexperience.
Sample6:Fall/Spring3-creditartordesigncourse
Artanddesignstudiocoursesareexpectedtomeetaminimumof1.5hours(75minutes)ofinstructionaltimepercredithourand1.5hours
(75minutes)ofoutofclasstimeforeachcreditearned(NASADStandard).Over15weeks,a3-creditstudiocoursewillmeetfor4.5hours
(225minutes)forstudioinstructionperweek,andstudentswillbeexpectedtospend4.5hour(225minutes)perweekworkingontheir
artworkandpreparingforclass.
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TableforCalculatingDirectInstructionandIndependentLearningperCreditHour
Courseformat
Credit
unit
Traditional,Online,orHybridCourses
Directinstruction Independentlearning
50minutes
100minutes
150minutes
200minutes
150minutesof
instructor/TAtime
300minutes
75minutes
150minutes
225minutes
300minutes
Variable
100minutes
200minutes
300minutes
400minutes
Limited/variable
150minutes
300minutes
450minutes
600minutes
Limited/variable
Total
hours/week
2.5hours
5hours
7.5hours
10hours
2.5hours
Limited/variable
75minutes
150minutes
225minutes
300minutes
150minutes
Limited/variable
150minutes
300minutes
450minutes
600minutes
150minutes
2.5hours
2.5hours
6hours
7.5hours
10hours
2.5hours
75hours
37.5hours
90hours
112.5hours
150hours
37.5hours
Variable
300minutes
300minutes
5hours
3
4
Variable
Variable
450minutes
600minutes
450minutes
600minutes
7.5hours
10hours
75hours
112.5hours
150hours
1
2
3
4
Variable
Variable
Variable
Variable
Variable
Variable
Variable
Variable
150minutes
300minutes
450minutes
600minutes
2.5hours
6hours
7.5hours
10hours
37.5hours
90minutes
112.5hours
150hours
Lecture/Seminar
Laboratory/discussion
1
2
3
4
1
Studio
Internships,field/clinical
experience
2
1
2
3
4
1
2
OnlineorHybrid
4
Total
minutes/week
Totalsemesterhours
(15weeksemester)
37.5hours
75hours
112.5hours
150hours
37.5hours
SummerandAcceleratedCourses
Courseformat
Credit
unit
4weeks(2days/weekfor3
hours50minutes)
6weeks(4days/weekfor
1.5hours/day)
6weeks(4days/weekfor2
hours/day)
6weeks(2days/weekfor2
hours/day)
6weeks(2days/weekfor2
hours10minutes/day)
6weeks(2days/weekfor2
hours15minutes/day
6weeks(2days/weekfor2
hours20minutes/day)
6weeks(2days/weekfor3
hours/day)
6weeks(4days/weekfor2
hours/day)
8weeksonlineorhybrid
10weeksonlineorhybrid
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
4
3
3
Directinstruction
Independentlearning
460minutes
7.67hours)
360minutes
(6hours)
480minutes
(8hours)
240minutes
(4hours)
260minutes
(4.3hours)
270minutes
(4.5hours)
280minutes
(4.67hours)
360minutes
(6hours)
480minutes
(8hours)
Variable
Variable
1260minutes
(20.46hours)
765minutes
(12.75hours)
645minutes
(10.75hours)
885minutes
(14.75hours)
865minutes
(14.4hours)
855minutes
(14.25hours)
845minutes
(14.1hours)
765minutes
12.75hours)
1020minutes
(17hours)
Variable
Variable
5
Total
minutes/week
Total
hours/week
1687.5minutes
28.125hours
Totalsemesterhours
(15weeksemester)
112.5hours
1125minutes
1125minutes
18.75hours
112.5hours
18.75hours
112.5hours
1125minutes
18.75hours
112.5hours
1125minutes
18.75hours
112.5hours
1125minutes
18.75hours
1125minutes
18.75hours
112.5hours
1125minutes
18.75hours
112.5hours
1500minutes
25hours
150hours
1125minutes
1125minutes
14hours
18.75hours
112.5hours
112.5hours