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POLICY TITLE:

Credit Hour

APPLIES TO:

Students and Faculty

ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY:

Office of the Registrar

Office of the Provost and Vice President of Academic & Student Affairs

APPROVED BY:

Kentucky State University Board of Regents

EFFECTIVE DATE:

August 8, 2025

NEXT REVIEW DATE:

August 8, 2028

POLICY STATEMENT:

To ensure academic quality, integrity, and compliance, Kentucky State University (KSU) defines, awards, and reviews academic credit in accordance with the requirements of the federal government and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). This policy provides the official university definition of a credit hour and the framework for its application.

DEFINITIONS:

Credit Hour

KSU adopts the federal definition of a credit hour (34 CFR § 600.2). A credit hour is an amount of work represented by intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that reasonably approximates:

Not less than one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class

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student work each week for approximately fifteen (15) weeks for one semester credit hour; or

At least an equivalent amount of work for other academic activities, including laboratory work, internships, practice, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.

For the purpose of this policy, KSU defines one hour of instruction as fifty (50) minutes of contact time. A standard one-credit-hour course therefore requires a minimum of 750 minutes of instructional contact time per semester, or its equivalent.

PROCESS:

Institutional Responsibility

KSU is responsible for determining the credit hours awarded for all academic courses and programs in a manner that is consistent and reliable. The credit hour is a minimum standard; KSU may establish a higher standard requiring more student work per credit hour.

Application of the Credit Hour Standard

The relationship between instructional time and student work may vary based on the course content and delivery method. The credit hours assigned to a course must be appropriate for the expected learning outcomes.

Traditional Courses (Lecture, Seminar): A course that meets for three (3) 50-minute sessions per week for 15 weeks would typically be assigned three (3) credit hours.

Laboratories and Studios: These courses require additional contact time. Typically, two to three hours of laboratory or studio work per week are required for one credit hour.

Internships and Practica: Credit is awarded based on a required number of supervised contact hours and related academic work as determined by the program faculty and approved through the curriculum process.

Online and Hybrid Courses: These courses must have learning outcomes and require an amount of student work equivalent to their face-to-face counterparts. Credit hours are awarded based on the documented amount of time a typical student is expected to engage with the material, participate in activities, and complete assignments.

Review and Approval

The assignment of credit hours for all courses is determined during the university's official curriculum approval process. The curriculum committees, Office of the Registrar, and Office of the Provost are responsible for reviewing course proposals to ensure compliance with this policy.

REFERENCES AND RELATED MATERIALS:

KSU Catalogs

SACSCOC Credit Hours Policy Statement

34 C.F.R. § 600.2

CONTACTS:

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Subject	Office	Telephone	E-mail
General Questions	Office of the Provost	(502) 597-6946	Michael.Dailey@kysu.edu
Policy Questions	Office of the Registrar	(502) 597-6234	Yolanda.Benson@kysu.edu

HISTORY:

Revision Type	Date of Issuance/Revision	Drafter(s)/Editor(s)
Issued ("Credit Hour Policies")	Circa 2018	Unknown
Substantive Revisions and Renaming	June 2025	Zach Atwell