Credit Ascription

CalSouthern recognizes a credit hour to be based on the amount of work required to meet intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of learner achievement. This is in line with the Federal definition of a credit hour, as follows:

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 of credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit,

(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.

Additional considerations from verbiage accompanying the Federal credit hour definition, taken from Enclosure A of the October 29, 2010, Department of Education member Gen-11-06:

In the case of distance education and correspondence education, academic engagement would include, but not be limited to, submitting an academic assignment; taking an exam; an interactive tutorial, or computer-assisted instruction; attending a study group that was assigned by the institution; contributing to an academic online discussion; and initiating contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course.
Merely logging into the electronic classroom does not constitute academic engagement.

CalSouthern’s Credit Hour Policy is a consolidation of these Federal statements and applies equally to courses of varying credits, duration, and degree levels.

Credit Hour Policy

Learners in CalSouthern courses should expect to dedicate the approximate times below towards academic activity:

16.88 hours per week for an eight-week, 3-semester credit course
8.44 hours per week for a 16-week, 3-semester credit course

Courses that vary from the 3-semester credit hour format may have additional or reduced hours of academic activity as defined by the Credit Ascription policy.