Credit Hours
Southern Connecticut State University follows the NECHE Commission Review of the Credit Hour defined as an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutional established equivalence that reasonably approximates not less than:
- 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
- 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.
Our academic year is divided into two semesters, each approximately 16 weeks long, including finals week. Standard lecture courses are 3-credit hours and meet for either three 50-minute periods or two 75-minute periods per week (or at least 2.5 hours per week and 37.5 hours per semester). Laboratory courses follow a different schedule.
The Credit Calculator can help determine the maximum credit hours that can be awarded when developing a course proposal. This calculator may also be used to determine the required weekly hours needed to met the approved credit hours for a shorter term or session.
Lecture Courses
Hours Per Week
Weeks in Term
Lecture Credits: 0.0
Labs, Internships, and Other Courses
Hours Per Week
Weeks in Term
Lab/Intern/Other Credits: 0.0
Class sessions cancelled due to holidays must outline supplemental academic instruction or participation on the syllabus (i.e. virtual learning environment, special project, etc.) for at least an equivalent amount of work as would have been regularly scheduled.
Departments may opt to run courses on a hybrid schedule delivered partially on ground and partially online. This can provide greater flexibility for students and faculty, while ensuring the appropriate amount contact time to cover course content. Here a couple examples below:
Alternating Sessions
On ground Monday’s 5:00-7:30 converted to Hybrid meets every other Monday on-ground 5:00-7:30pm
Abbreviated Timeslot
On ground Monday’s 5:00-7:30 converted to Hybrid meets every Monday 6:15-7:30pm
Note: Online instruction, assignments, and participation requirements must be clearly outlined on the course syllabus for at least an equivalent amount of work as would have been regularly scheduled.
All courses must meet during the first and last week of the term, part of term, or session that they are scheduled. This may include weekly academic participation through a virtual learning environment for online/hybrid classes or when an in-person session conflicts with a holiday. This is especially important during the attendance reporting period to ensure that proper enrollment verification can be completed to comply with federal financial aid and Veteran Affairs regulations.
Students may start/end a practicum (i.e. student teaching, internship, clinicals, etc.) early/later than the scheduled term dates, so long as they are registered and making progress towards starting a placement, and if all the following apply:
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All students in the program must participate in practicum or clinical experience and its completion is required for graduates to apply for licensure or authorization or practice occupation those students intend to pursue;
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The school has little or no control over the length or start/end dates of practicum or clinical experience. This may be due to constraints imposed by outside licensing bodies, or the need to accommodate schedules of entities with which students are being placed (e.g., school districts or hospitals, etc.); and
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The student is registered for the number of credit hours associated with practicum or clinical experience in the semester in which most of the training occurs, even if starting and ending dates do not exactly align with term dates and/or overlap with another term.