The following are Pratt Institute's policy on "credit,” NASAD standards and federal and state regulations.
Each term is a minimum of 15 weeks; special sessions are of variable length. For courses that are passed, one credit is earned for each period (50 minutes) of lecture or recitation, or for approximately one and one-half periods of laboratory or studio work each week throughout the term or the equivalent throughout the sessions. Each credit a student carries requires not fewer than three hours of preparation per week including lecture and recitation, laboratory and studio work, and homework.
Sources: Pratt Institute Graduate Bulletin, p. 271; and Undergraduate Bulletin, p. 307.
Effective Date(s): July 1, 2011
Credit hour: Except as provided in 34 CFR 668.8(k) and (l), 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 trimester hour of credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit, 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.
Source: US Department of Education, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr;sid=473ab369b9b3a0636d2a56d0122de50f;rgn=div2;view=text;node=20101029:1.21;idno=34;cc=ecfr;start=1;size=25
(o) Semester hour means a credit, point, or other unit granted for the satisfactory completion of a course which requires at least 15 hours (of 50 minutes each) of instruction and at least 30 hours of supplementary assignments, except as otherwise provided pursuant to section 52.2(c)(4) of this Subchapter. This basic measure shall be adjusted proportionately to translate the value of other academic calendars and formats of study in relation to the credit granted for study during the two semesters that comprise an academic year.
Source: NY State Education Department, Office of College and University Evaluation (NYSED-
OCUE), Title 8 Chapter, Regulations of the Commissioner, § 50.1
Definitions http://www.highered.nysed.gov/ocue/title_8_chapter_ii_regulations_o.htm#%A7%2052.1%20Registration%20of%20postsecondary%20curricula .
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Effective Oct 2011 (Revision in entire item a, and addition of item d)
III. ART AND DESIGN PROGRAM COMPONENTS
A. Credit and Time Requirements
2. Awarding Credit a.
Credit shall be awarded consistently according to the published credit policies of the institution and in compliance with NASAD standards. Institutional policies shall establish the credit hour in terms of time and achievement required. The minimum time requirement shall be consistent with or reasonably approximate the following: (1) a semester hour of credit represents at least three hours of work each week, on average, for a period of fifteen to sixteen weeks, (2) a quarter hour of credit represents at least three hours of work each week for a period of ten or eleven weeks. Credit for other kinds of academic requirements or offerings that are in different formats, use different modes of delivery, or that are structured to take a different amount of time is computed on the same basis in terms of representing at least the equivalent amount of work. Policies concern- ing achievement shall be consistent with the principle that credit is earned only when curricular, competency, and all other requirements are met and the final examination or equivalent is satisfactorily passed.
NOTE: The above standard does not (i) require that a credit hour definition at any institution for any course or purpose duplicate exactly the definition provided in items a. (1) and (2), or that all programs or courses within a single institution follow the same credit hour policies;
(ii) restrict an institution from requiring more student work per credit hour than indicated in items a. (1) and (2); (iii) dictate the ratio of in-class versus out-of-class work; or (iv) prevent an institution from establishing means and methods for equating the direct assessment of student learning to the awarding of one or more credit hours. b.
In lecture/discussion courses requiring outside preparation, one hour of credit represents one hour each week of the term in class, and two hours of work outside class. In studio/laboratory courses, one hour of credit represents three hours of studio/laboratory time and space each week of the term: normally, studio classes led by an instructor meet for a minimum of 1.5 hours per week for each credit granted, and more often than not, for two hours per week; the remaining time is for studio/laboratory class preparation. Any explanations and justifications regarding variations from these norms are to be substantiated with evidence of student achievement relevant to the purpose of the course.
In all cases, faculty contact must be sufficient to ensure the development of knowledge and skills required by each course. Normally faculty contact is greater at the foundation or introductory level. c.
When institutions offer programs and courses for abbreviated time periods, or in independent study, they must ensure that students completing such programs or courses acquire levels of knowledge, competence, and understanding comparable to that expected of students completing work in the standard time period. For example, in order to earn one hour of credit during a summer session, students must attend approximately the same number of class hours and make the same amount of preparation as they would in attending a one-hour-per-week course for one term during the regular academic year. d.
Institutions or curricular programs using a clock-hour system must ensure that their system and their conversions of clock hours to credit hours are consistent with credit and time requirements as stated in Section III.A. Normally, institutions participating in federal Title IV programs also follow federal regulations regarding clock hour definitions, calculations, equivalencies, and policies.
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Source: NASAD HANDBOOK 2010-11, p. 62. http://nasad.arts-accredit.org/site/docs/Handbook/NASAD_Handbook_2010-11_T.pdf
See Addendum, page 13: http://nasad.arts-accredit.org/site/docs/Handbook/Addendum_to_NASAD_HB_2010-11-Oct2011.pdf
III. ART AND DESIGN PROGRAM COMPONENTS
A. Credit and Time Requirements (always applicable in postsecondary institutions)
2. Awarding Credit a.
Credit shall be awarded consistently according to the published credit policies of the institution and in compliance with NASAD standards. Normally, a semester hour of credit represents at least three hours of work each week, on average, for a period of fifteen to sixteen weeks. b.
In lecture/discussion courses requiring outside preparation, one hour of credit represents one hour each week of the term in class, and two hours of work outside class. In studio/laboratory courses, one hour of credit represents three hours of studio/laboratory time and space each week of the term: normally, studio classes led by an instructor meet for a minimum of 1.5 hours per week for each credit granted, and more often than not, for two hours per week; the remaining time is for studio/laboratory class preparation. Any explanations and justifications regarding variations from these norms are to be substantiated with evidence of student achievement relevant to the purpose of the course.
In all cases, faculty contact must be sufficient to ensure the development of knowledge and skills required by each course. Normally faculty contact is greater at the foundation or introductory level. c.
When institutions offer programs and courses for abbreviated time periods, or in independent study, they must ensure that students completing such programs or courses acquire levels of knowledge, competence, and understanding comparable to that expected of students completing work in the standard time period. For example, in order to earn one hour of credit during a summer session, students must attend approximately the same number of class hours and make the same amount of preparation as they would in attending a one-hour-per-week course for one term during the regular academic year.
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