Earning Credit/Credit Hour Definition
Earning Credit/Credit Hour Definition
A “credit hour” is an amount of work that reasonably approximates:
- not less than one (1) hours of classroom or direct faculty instruction and two (2) hours of out-of-class student work per week for fifteen (15) weeks, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
- at least an equivalent amount of work as required in subparagraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the School of Law, including simulation, field placement, clinical, co-curricular, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.
For purposes of this definition, fifty (50) minutes equals one (1) hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction, and sixty (60) minutes equals one (1) hour for out-of-class student work.
The fifteen (15) week semester includes one (1) week for final examinations. Classes without an examination include additional direct faculty instruction during the course of the semester to account for the exam hours in week fifteen.
Based on the fifty (50) minutes of classroom or direct faculty instruction and two (2) hours of out-of-class student work per week over the fifteen-week (or its equivalent) period, at least 42.5 hours of total in-class instruction and out-of-class student work is required per credit. Below is the per week work expected for a fifteen (15) week semester course.
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Credits
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Classroom or Direct Faculty Instruction
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Out-of-class Student Work
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2
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100 minutes per week
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4 hours per week
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3
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150 minutes per week
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6 hours per week
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4
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200 minutes per week
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8 hours per week
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This policy shall be enforced by the Associate Dean for Academics.
Definitions
- Classroom or direct faculty instruction includes all scheduled class meetings, tutorials or other one-to-one or small-group meetings with the instructor and taking in-class examinations.
- Out-of-Class work includes time spent preparing for class (reading or completing class assignments); preparing for the in-class exam, completing the take home exam, and/or preparing and completing other assessments; researching and writing any required paper(s) or other writing assignments; performing clinical or field placement work; and attending educational events as mandated by the instructor.
Classroom and Non-Classroom Hours
Classroom Hours
Lecture, seminar, and skills courses count towards classroom hours.
Non-classroom Hours
Students are limited to 22 credit hours of non-classroom credits that may count towards 86 credits of the J.D. Externship, Independent Study courses, and Co-Curricular Activities for Credit are considered non-classroom hours.