Unit of Academic Credit

The State University of New York at Fredonia defines the credit hour in accordance with United States Department of Education regulations, USDE Guidelines for Preparing/Reviewing Petitions and Compliance Reports, January 2012, p. 74.

Credit hour:  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—

 (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.