Credit Hour Policy
Onsite Courses
The basic definition of 1 credit hour = 13-14 hours of class time + 26-28 hours of independent work (117-126 hours total for a 3-credit hour course) when the course is offered in a traditional semester length calendar and in the face-to-face instructional modality. Assuming the standard 6:00-10:00 p.m. standard meeting time for onsite GPS courses, the reduced direct student-faculty contact time requires additional independent work by students as illustrated below.
5-week course:
- 20 hours total in-class contact time during the course
- 97-106 hours total in independent learning activity (19-22 hours per week)
6-week course:
- 24 hours total in-class contact time during the course
- 93-102 hours total in independent learning activity (16-17 hours per week)
8-week course:
- 32 hours total in-class contact time during the course
- 85-94 hours total in independent learning activity (11-12 hours per week)
Online Courses
Online courses with all independent learning activity will operate within the following structure and guidelines:
5-week course:
- 23-25 hours per week of independent learning activity
6-week course:
- 19-21 hours per week of independent learning activity
8-week course:
- 15-16 hours per week of independent learning activity
Courses offered in a blended format will be evaluated once the amount of face-to-face contact time is identified.