UI COM Policy on Credit Hours for Coursework

The purpose of this policy is to define the minimum amount of student coursework per credit hour for courses for which academic credit is granted.

Per UIC Contact/Credit Hour policy 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 the time defined below.  The type of work may include direct faculty or classroom time or indirect, out of classroom time. The minimum total amount of time must meet the definition outlined below.

The procedures set forth in this policy will define a curricular standard to facilitate and assess compliance with the policy on an institutional and programmatic basis. It is not intended to audit a student’s time within a course to determine if credit should be awarded.
Type of Course Direct Indirect Total work time
Lecture/Discussion One (1) fifty-minute period classroom or direct faculty instruction per week for 15 weeks Two (2) fifty- minute periods of out- of -class student work per week for 15 weeks 150 minutes per week for 15 weeks or equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time (ie 37.5 hours per week)
Laboratory, Practicum, Clinical Field or Similar Two (2) fifty-minute periods of laboratory or practice per week for 15 weeks Two (2) fifty- minute periods of out- of -class student work per week for 15 weeks 200 minutes per week for 15 weeks or equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time (50 hours per week)
Online/Other academic activities One (1) fifty-minute period classroom or direct faculty instruction per week for 15 weeks Two (2) fifty- minute periods of out- of -class student work per week for 15 weeks 150 minutes per week for 15 weeks or equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time

UIC Policy, Reviewed by CCIA 10/2/24