Credit Hours Policy

Credit hours for approved and proposed courses offered at the College are determined and awarded using the following definitions as established by the State Board of Community Colleges Code.

1. Credit for one semester hour is awarded for each 16 hours of “class work.” Class work is lecture and other classroom instruction. Class work is under the supervision of an instructor. It is the College’s expectation that assignments and course activities are developed so that at least two hours of out-of-class student work occurs for each hour of class work.
2. Credit of one semester hour is awarded for each 32 hours of “experiential laboratory work.” Experiential laboratory work means instruction given to a student by an instructor to increase the student’s knowledge and skills without immediate student application.
3. Credit of one semester hour is awarded for each 48 hours of “faculty-directed laboratory work.” Faculty-directed laboratory involves structured and coordinated demonstration by an instructor with immediate student application.
4. Credit of one semester hour is awarded for each 48 hours of “clinical practice.” Clinical practice is a structured, faculty-directed learning experience in a health sciences program which develops job proficiency. Clinical practice requires significant preparation, coordination, and scheduling by the faculty and is under the supervision of an instructor or preceptor who is qualified for the particular program.
5. Credit of one semester hour is awarded for each 160 hours of “work-based learning.” Work experience involves the development of job skills by providing the student with employment that is directly related to, and coordinated with, the educational program. Student activity in work experience is planned and coordinated by a college representative, and the employer is responsible for the control and supervision of the student on the job.

February 8, 2021