A credit hour is a standardized unit of academic credit that typically represents one hour of instruction per week over a term. It is foundational to course planning, degree requirements, and financial aid eligibility.
This category defines terminology used by registrars, curriculum designers, and accreditation agencies to structure academic offerings and track student progress.
A unit representing one hour of classroom instruction and two hours of out-of-class work per week.
Actual time spent in instruction, used to calculate credit hours.
A credit hour based on a 15-week term of instruction.
The total number of credit hours a student is enrolled in for a specific term.
Enrollment in a minimum number of credit hours (typically 12+ per term) required for full-time student classification.
The acceptance of earned credit hours from another institution toward a degree program.
Competency-based education and modular learning are challenging traditional credit hour definitions. Institutions are now exploring flexible, outcome-driven alternatives to better serve non-traditional and lifelong learners.