03:01:01 Definition of a Credit Hour

Purpose

To define credit hours awarded for courses and programs that conform to commonly accepted practices in higher education and to Commission policy.

Policy

Walters State Community College subscribes to the federal definition of the credit hour as applicable to semester hours of credit awarded. A credit hour is the amount of work represented in student learning outcomes verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency reasonably approximating not less than one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours out-of-class student work each week for the time period of

• approximately 15 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 for other academic activities as established by the institution. These activities may include laboratory work, internships, practiums, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.

To ensure adherence to the federal definition of the credit hour, Walters State Community College has in place Multiple Section Verifications Inclusion Guidelines for Academic Divisions requiring that all full-time and part-time instructors use a template syllabus, address the same competencies and course content as outlined in the syllabus, and receive instruction inclusive of common course content and syllabus outcomes as well as the importance of fulfilling the obligation set forth in the syllabus. Each division dean monitors all syllabi using a collection process carried out by the division secretary. Any noted discrepancies between course student learning outcomes and actual classroom practices are addressed by the dean and corrected by the full-time or part-time faculty member.

11/12; 05/16; 08/23