Overview of Contact and Credit hours: 

A contact hour is a measure that represents an hour of scheduled instruction given to students.

A semester credit hour is normally granted for satisfactory completion of one 50-minute session (contact hour) of classroom instruction per week for a semester of not less than fifteen weeks. This basic measure may be adjusted proportionately to reflect modified academic calendars and formats of study.

One credit hour should involve an input of approximately three hours per week for the average student (e.g. one hour of class and two hours of out-of-class preparation). Typically, a three semester credit hour course meets three 50-minute sessions per week for fifteen weeks for a total of 45 sessions.

For assistance in determining contact hour to credit hour equivalency, please use the formula worksheet at the bottom of the page.

Semester credit hours are granted for various types of instruction as follows:

1. Lecture, discussion or seminar: one contact hour constitutes one credit hour (1:1)
2. Completely Self-Contained (SC) laboratory or problem/exercise period: 3 contact hours constitutes one credit hour (3:1)
3. Non-Self-Contained (NSC) Laboratory Session (requires outside preparation by student): 2 contact hours constitutes one credit hour (2:1)
4. Studios: 1.5 contact hours constitutes one credit hour (1.5:1)

Lab definition:
Laboratory describes a class in which all students are “practicing” an application of a scientific or technical nature that, for the most part, has already been delivered in the lecture class. Content in a lab is based on theory or content from an associated course. Further, all the students in the room are following a similar set of instructions. Because it is instruction-based, it requires less minute-to-minute responsibility for the faculty member to interact with individual students than in a studio. The role is facilitation of students in an exercise-oriented activity for which there is a single goal or outcome.

Studio definition:
Studio describes a class in which all students are engaged in creative or artistic activities, which are new and unique and not formulated in a lecture setting. Every student in the room is performing a creative activity to obtain a specific outcome. Because it is not instruction-based, this requires more minute-to-minute responsibility for the faculty member to engage individual students towards their goal.

Internships, field work and practicums should use the following upper limits as guidelines:

1.  “1/4 time" internship, field work course, or practicum: 10 contact hours constitutes 3 credit hours
2.  “1/2 time" internship, field work course, or practicum: 20 contact hours constitutes 6 credit hours

Other proposed credit hour/contact hour combinations will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis using the above guidelines:

• One hour of supervised problem/exercise period in which no new material is introduced may be added when appropriately justified. 
• Credit offered for courses of less than a semester's duration should be commensurate with the above guidelines.
• Course offered for 0 credit hours cannot be required as part of a degree program.
   

For assistance in determining contact hour to credit hour equivalency, please use the guidelines and formula worksheet for semester and summer sessions below:

(Please save/download a local copy for use on your computer)

• Contact Hour Equivalency Calculations and Formula -- Excel File
• Summer Session Contact Hour Schedule -- Excel File