Administrative Rule No: 4055-01

Title: Review of Credit Hour Policy

Purpose
Under this administrative rule, the college is committed to periodic review of the application of Board Policy 4055 across the institution to assure credit hour assignments are accurate and reliable.

Statement
Federal Regulations
The definition of the credit hour as set forth in Section 600.2, states:
"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."

Review Process
The review of the credit hour policy will be accomplished by the following:

1. After the Board of Education approves the academic calendar for the following year, the Academic Affairs office will review the approved calendar to identify situations where holidays or non-instructional days may negatively impact classroom instruction time. Scheduling guidelines will be provided each term to all departments related to implementing course section scheduling modifications related to classroom instruction time.
2. The Curricular Issues Committee will review each new and revised course proposal to align contact hours, classroom instructional time, and awarded credit hours.
3. Academic Affairs will regularly review and assure the following:
   1. The scheduling of credit-bearing classroom courses in all formats reflects the credit-hour definition established by federal regulations.
   2. Credit-bearing online courses require student participation in instructor-led asynchronous or synchronous online learning activities equivalent to a minimum of one hour per week and out-of-class student work equivalent to a minimum of two hours per week for each credit hour.
   3. Credit-bearing hybrid courses require a combination of in-person faculty instruction and online, instructor-led, asynchronous or synchronous learning activities equivalent to a minimum of one hour per week and out-of-class student work equivalent to a minimum of two hours per week for each credit hour.
   4. Laboratory and studio work, internships, practicums, and other academic work require at least the equivalent amount of classroom and/or direct faculty instruction and student work as defined in BP 4055.

Variations in the Assignment of Credit Hours

Any variation in the assignment of credit hours must conform to commonly accepted practices in higher education.

Date of Adoption: 4/4/13
Dates of Review: 04/2/2020; 04/30/24
Dates of Last Review: 6/2/16; 4/2/2020; 04/30/24