The purpose of this policy is to define credit hours, as used at Parami University. 

Scope

This is an academic policy, affecting students and academic staff of the University.

Referenced Laws, Regulations, and/or Policies 

The Higher Education Licensure Commission, Office of the State Superintendent Of Education of the District of Columbia, requires that a postsecondary degree-granting educational institution shall maintain that all credits awarded for courses in degree programs shall be measured in credit hours. 

(D.C. Mun. Regs. Tit. 5, § A8004.9) 

Compliance/Policy Statement 

Parami University uses the Carnegie definition of semester credit hour, as used in many American universities.

Definition

One semester credit hour is defined as the sum of the instructional contact time equivalent to 50 minutes per week for 15 weeks (50 minutes × 15 weeks = 750 minutes = 12.5 hours) and the self-directed study time equivalent to 100 minutes per week for 15 weeks (100 minutes × 15 weeks = 1,500 minutes = 25 hours). Thus, the total academically engaged time is 2,250 minutes (37.5 hours). Instructional contact time requires direct synchronous faculty and student class interaction while self-directed study time involves class preparation such as readings, homework, and take-home quizzes. Students are expected to complete two hours of self-directed study for each hour of instructional contact in class.

Academically engaged time = instructional contact time + self-directed study time

Parami University Classes

All classes at Parami University bear 4 credits and are delivered on a 15-week semester basis. Each class is conducted via two synchronous instructional contact sessions per week. Each session is 100 minutes in duration. Thus, the instructional contact time is 200 minutes per week, which amounts to 3,000 minutes per semester (200 minutes per week Х 15 weeks), equivalent to 50 hours. This in turn gives rise to self-directed study time of 400 minutes per week, which amounts to 6,000 minutes per semester (400 minutes per week Х 15 weeks), equivalent to 100 hours. This gives rise to 150 academically engaged hours per semester for every 4-credit hour course.