Credit Hour Definition

The U.S. Department of Education posted regulations, effective July 1, 2011, that define a credit hour: instruct colleges and universities to establish policies and procedures for assuring conformity to the new definition for purposes of determining eligibility for federal program funding; and instruct the institutions’ accrediting agencies to conduct an effective review and evaluation of the reliability and accuracy of the institution’s assignment of credit hours.

University of Detroit Mercy subscribes to these regulations that define a credit hour as an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that as an institutionally-established equivalency that reasonable approximates not less than:

1. One hour of classroom of direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks (including exam week) for one semester hour of credit; or

2. At least an equivalent amount of work for other activities over a different period of timework as required in this definition, or the equivalent amount of work for other academic activities as established by the University including but not limited to internships, directed studies, practica, studio/work performance, and other work leading to the award of credit hours.

1 credit = minimum of 750 minutes per term = 12.5 hours per term 2 credit = minimum of 1,500 minutes per term = 25 hours per term 3 credit = minimum of 2,250 minutes per term = 37.5 hours per term etc.

This credit hour policy applies to all courses at all levels (undergraduate, graduate, and professional except as noted below), that award academic credit, regardless of delivery method, and is based on a 15 week semester. Academic units are responsible for ensuring that credit hours are awarded only for work that meets the requirements outlines in this policy. This policy allows a mandatory examination period to be counted in the minutes of instruction. The School of Law and School of Dentistry have their own credit hour policies, referenced below and are based on their accreditation.

1. School of Law: The Law School is bound by the American Bar Association Standards of Accreditation of Law Schools. The standards require a minimum course of study of 58,000 minutes of instruction time. Of these, 45,000 of these minutes must be by attendance in regularly scheduled class sessions at the Law School. Law Schools on a conventional semester system typically require 700 minutes of instruction per classroom credit.

At University of Detroit Mercy the School of Law uses 55 minutes per credit per week for a 14 week semester. Therefore, a 3 credit hour course meets 38.5 hours or 2310 minutes for 14 weeks.

2. School of Dentistry: Consistent with other US Dental Schools and accreditation, lecture/seminar courses are 50 minutes per credit, per week; labs and clinics are 3 hours per credit, per week.

Any exceptions to this policy must be approved by the Provost. Revised 8/2016