Huntingdon College Credit Policy

Purpose:

This policy establishes definitions and guidelines for determining the credit hours awarded for all courses, regardless of academic level or mode of delivery, at Huntingdon College. This policy should guide faculty in developing and approving courses that meet the Federal definition of credit hour. To this end, this policy consists of two components:

• Amount of Credit
• Level of Credit – Course Numbering System

Amount of Credit:

Federal Definition of the Credit Hour

“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:

1. 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 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.”

Huntingdon College Definition of the Credit Hour

In accordance with the Federal Definition of the Credit Hour and The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Credit Hour Policy, Huntingdon College offers the following definition of a credit hour for the amount of credit associated with each course offered at the College.

Definition:

Huntingdon College defines one credit hour as the unit of work that typically includes the equivalent of the combination of the following:

• A 50 minute period of classroom or faculty instruction regardless of delivery mode; and
• 2 to 2.5 hours of out-of-class student work on assignments each week during a semester which is approximately 15 weeks in length (or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time)

The same general expectation of student work exists for credit awarded for laboratory experiences, ensemble, studio instruction (music), practica (teacher education), internships, clinical experiences, and distance learning courses, although there will be variations to accommodate differences among academic disciplines and the structure of the courses.

Level of Credit:

Course Numbering System and Course Levels

Instructional courses published in the annual Huntingdon College Catalog are numbered according to the following guidelines:

• 100-199: Introductory courses or course sequences typically taken by freshmen or sophomores.
• 200-299: Introductory and intermediate courses or course sequences with or without prerequisites taken by freshmen or sophomores.
• 300-499: Advanced courses or course sequences with specific prerequisites (courses, class standing, or special permission) ordinarily taken by juniors or seniors.
• 500-599: Courses available for graduate students only.