The institution’s assignment and award of credit hours shall conform to commonly accepted practices in higher education. Those institutions seeking, or participating in, Title IV federal financial aid, shall demonstrate that they have policies determining the credit hours awarded to courses and programs in keeping with commonly-accepted practices and with the federal definition of the credit hour, as reproduced herein for reference only, and that they also have procedures that result in an appropriate awarding of institutional credit in conformity with the policies established by the institution.
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:
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 activities as established by an institution, including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading toward to the amount of credit hours. 34CFR 600.2 (11/1/2010).
Definition of Credit Hours
Kaskaskia College policies and procedures in regard to credit hours adhere to all guidelines of the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB), whose guidelines, in turn, adheres to all guidelines of the United States Department of Education and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Course credit determinations, regardless of delivery modes of instruction and/or length of the course, will be made in accordance with the Administrative Rules of the ICCB. See ICCB Administrative Rules Manual – Section 1501.309 Course Classification and Applicability.
Consistent with ICCB guidelines and the UD DOE, the actual amount of academic work that is required of a single semester credit hour is calculated as follows:
Lecture
Courses with students participating in lecture/discussion-oriented instruction will be assigned one semester credit hour or equivalent for each 15 classroom contact hours of instruction per semester or equivalent. It is assumed that two hours of outside study will be invested for each classroom contact hour.
Laboratory
Courses in which students participate in laboratory/clinical-laboratory oriented instruction will be assigned one semester credit hour or equivalent for each 30-45 classroom contact hours of instruction per semester or equivalent. It is assumed that one hour of outside study will be invested for each two laboratory contact hours.
Internships
Students who participate in nonclinical internships, practicum, or on-the-job supervised instruction shall receive one semester credit hour or equivalent for each 75-149 contact hours per semester, or equivalent. For clinical practicums, students shall receive one semester credit hour or equivalent for each 30-60 contact hours per semester or equivalent. It is assumed that one hour of outside study time will be invested from each two clinical practicum contact hours.
Replaces Credit Hour Policy 3.09
Approved August 27, 2018