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Federal Definition of a Credit Hour

LTC implements credit hours in a manner consistent with the federal definition.

Note: Federal Definition of the Credit Hour. Credit hour, as defined in the U.S. Department of Education guidance to institutions and accrediting agencies regarding a credit hour as defined in the final regulations published on October 29, 2010.

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:

One (1) semester credit hour is defined as follows:

  1. one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours 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 outlined in item 1 above 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.

 

One distance or hybrid course credit is defined as an equivalent amount of instruction and student work leading to equivalent learning outcomes as required for a traditional class.

Note: Practicum: A course designed to give students supervised practical application of previously studied theory.

Internship: A course designed to give students supervised, practical training.

Clinical: A course designed to give students opportunities for the direct, supervised observation and treatment of patients/clients.

Evaluative Criteria

Each course assigned a given course identification code utilizes the listed components identical to those designated for that course identification code statewide.

  1. course title;

  2. essential course description;

  3. essential competency areas taught; and

  4. number of semester credit hours awarded for course completion.

  5. credit hour requirements for lectures and lab are met

Specific Computations are as follows:

  • Lecture: 750 minutes of lecture is one credit hour unit

  • Lab 2: 1500 minutes of 2-1 lab time is one credit hour unit

  • Lab 3: 2250 minutes of 3-1 lab time is one credit hour unit

Note: Lab is any learning activity that is not specifically designated as lecture. Activities can include, but are not limited to, demonstration, practicum, internship, or clinical (see definitions below). Designation of an activity as Lab 2 or Lab 3 is at the discretion of the course developer.
Demonstration - teacher assisted learning activities, normally requiring some out-of-class preparation by the student, and may require out-of-class practice assignments.

Practicum - instruction which emphasizes structured activities requiring application and practice of occupational competencies. Normally requires only limited out-of-class preparation by the student and no out-of-class practice assignments.

Internship or Clinical - instruction which emphasizes supervised work-experience activities requiring the application of occupational competencies. Normally requires only limited out-of-class preparation by the student and no out-of-class practice assignments. Clinical is normally associated with health sciences technology related programs.