Academic Credit

Springfield College abides by the Federal Credit Hour Definition.  The U.S. Department of Education has created a series of regulations for institutions that wish to retain their title IV financial aid eligibility. The federal regulation defines the 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 15 weeks for one semester hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time, or:

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.

As part of their regular review of institutions, accreditation agencies will be responsible for ensuring that such institutional policies exist and that they are used to ensure that the institution’s award of credit meets these standards.

Credit hour Equivalencies for Different Teaching Formats:

In the federal definition of the credit hour, the formula is quite specific in determining the numbers of hours of direct instruction required plus the hours of student work needed beyond direct instructional hours in order to earn academic credit.

Federal Credit Hour Definition:

The U.S. Department of Education has created a series of new regulations for institutions that wish to retain their title IV financial aid eligibility. One regulation requires that institutions develop and adopt guidelines to ensure that all courses offered by the institution meet newly stated federal credit hour regulations. The federal regulation defines the 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 15 weeks for one semester hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time, or:

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.”

As part of their regular review of institutions, accreditation agencies will be responsible for ensuring that such institutional policies exist and that they are used to ensure that the institution’s award of credit meets these standards.

Credit hour Equivalencies for Different Teaching Formats:

In the new federal definition of the credit hour, the formula is quite specific in determining the numbers of hours of direct instruction required plus the hours of student work needed beyond direct instructional hours in order to earn academic credit.

Converting the new definition into a table, the hours required are: