Credit Hour Policy
Consistent with the federal definition of a credit hour stated in the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) policy statement on credit hours, LSUHSC-NO defines credit hours as 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 one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours 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 outlined in item 1 above 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.
LSUHSC-NO operates on a 15-week semester schedule and uses credit-to-contact-hour ratios to calculate the level of credit.
- Undergraduate lecture courses have a ratio of 15 contact hours to 1 credit hour.
- Undergraduate lab/simulation/clinical courses have a ratio of 30 contact hours to 1 credit hour.
- Graduate level lecture courses have a ratio of 15 contact hours to 1 credit hour
- Graduate lab/simulation/clinical courses have a ratio of 45-60 contact hours to 1 credit hour.
LSUHSC-NO record credits on the official transcript in either credit hours or course hours, depending on the academic program.