POLICY PURPOSE

This policy provides the definition of the credit hour, the calculations involved in determining the credit hour in the various academic programs and courses, the time both in-class and out-of-class that is necessary for a student to earn a credit hour, and the procedure for determining the credit hour.

B.  POLICY APPLIES TO

This is applicable to all students and faculty and includes all CSU-Pueblo academic programs.

C.  DEFINITIONS

Please see table below for sample calculations.

D.  POLICY STATEMENT

The University is committed to providing instruction that meets the required number of credit hours assigned to a course and that ensures adherence to Federal and State requirements. Clearly defining the credit hour criteria demonstrates the University’s commitment to our students and to the requirements defined by the U.S. Department of Education and the Colorado Department of Higher Education.

1.  Credit Hour (for a typical fall or spring “full term” course):

For minimum state and federal compliance, a traditional lecture class requires 750 minutes in-class and 1,500 minutes outside-of-class; the total clock time is defined as 2,250 minutes minimum per credit hour For a 3 credit hour class that is a total of 3 X 2,250, or 6,750 minutes.

This is the minimum and is exclusive of any cancellations due to inclement weather, power outages or other events which may cancel classes.

For a traditional 3 credit lecture course at CSU-Pueblo, sample calculations would be:

MWF 14 (weeks) x 55 (minutes) x 3 (days) = 2,310 minutes plus twice that amount outside-of-class. To this subtotal of 6,930 minutes we add 140 minutes for the final exam yielding a total of   7,070 minutes.

TuTh 14 (weeks) x 80 (minutes) x 2 (days) = 2,240 minutes plus twice that amount outside-of-class. To this subtotal of 6,720 minutes, we add 140 minutes for the final exam yielding a total of 6,860 minutes.

Both MWF and TTH 14 week formats meet the 6750 required minutes of combined in and out-of-class activity and each meets the in-class requirement of 2250 minutes.

2.  Alternative Time Frames: For courses offered in alternative or compressed time frames, such as summer session, in-class instructional time and outside-of-class student preparation time will be equivalent to that required in a full term course.

3.  Fall Technology-enhanced, Hybrid, or Online Courses  

• Technology-enhanced is a course in which 1%-24% of the course activities take place online. These courses typically use web-based technology to extend what is in essence a face-to-face course.
• Hybrid is a course in which 25%-75% of the in-class course activities take place online (either synchronously or asynchronously).
• Online is a course in which 76%-100% of the in-class course activities take place online. 

Calculation of credit hour:

Courses offered through the technology-enhanced, hybrid, or online modalities are to be delivered so that the sum of faculty instruction and student preparation time is equivalent to the relevant credit hour calculations in sections D.1.

E. PROCEDURES

1.  Initial establishment of course credit hours. When new courses are approved by department and college or school curriculum committees, course credit hours assigned will be evaluated for appropriateness based on a review of the course description, which includes learning objectives, texts and other resources used, course requirements, and detailed course outlines.

2. Periodic review. Application of the Credit Hour Policy shall be reviewed by the departments, chairs and deans during the Academic Program Review process. Departments, chairs and deans are expected to ensure that credit hour assignments are accurate, reliable, and appropriate to degree level. 

Evidence to support credit hour assignments includes course syllabi, course learning objectives, assignment schedules, and class schedules identifying the times that classes meet (if applicable).  

Colorado State University-Pueblo Academic Credit Hour Summary Chart*

The requirements that follow represent minimums for typical students. Some deviation in excess of these requirements may occur at the undergraduate or graduate level. 

Approved by Dr. Timothy Mottet, President                        

August 16, 2018