Definition of Credit Hour:
A credit hour represents the amount of work that reasonably approximates not less than one hour of face-to-face instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work for approximately fifteen weeks or an equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time. The college shall record one semester hour of credit for any student attending a lecture class if the student has made satisfactory progress in the class and the class consists of at least 750 minutes of class instruction, plus time allowed for a final examination. The college shall record one semester hour of credit for any student attending a laboratory class if the student has made satisfactory progress in the class and the class consists of at least 1,125 minutes. The college shall record one semester hour of credit for any student who completes a minimum of 2,700 minutes in on-the-job training, internships, studio work, or clinical experiences in health occupations.
The number of semester hours of credit allowed for each distance education or blended hybrid course shall be assigned by the college based on the amount of time needed to achieve the same course outcomes in a purely face-to-face format.
In accordance with K.S.A. 1999 Supp. 71-601 (a) “Credit hour” means the basic unit of collegiate level instruction, as determined by the state board, in a subject or course offered at a level not higher than those subjects or courses normally offered to freshmen and sophomores in four-year institutions of post-secondary education which subject or course is approved by the state board. Credit hour does not include within its meaning instruction in a subject or course taken by a student enrolled for audit or in any subject or course not approved by the state board. The state board shall determine whether the subjects and courses offered in the community colleges are at the level of freshmen courses and sophomore courses offered in the state educational institutions and shall not approve any subject or course offered at a higher level.
The Kansas Board of Regents has approved the following recommendations regarding credit hour:
- A minimum of 750 lecture minutes would constitute one credit hour.
- A minimum of 1125 lab minutes would constitute one credit hour.
- A minimum of 2700 minutes of occupational work experience would constitute one credit hour. (This could be in the form of an internship, occupational work experience, OJT, clinical experience or a similar live work experience.)
Additionally, the Kansas Board of Regents defines distance education as either an asynchronous or synchronous instructional delivery system in which faculty and students are physically separated in place or time. Teaching and learning are supported by a wide spectrum of existing and evolving media. Any program in which the proportion of content delivered via distance learning is 50% or more will be considered as a distance education program. These offerings will include those offered wholly online and blended or hybrid programs in which a substantial proportion of the content is delivered through mediated delivery technology to facilitate such activities as online discussions, interactive television, and limited numbers of face-to-face meetings.
For the purpose of clarity, the following descriptions are recommended:
- Lecture—a period of classroom activity devoted to formal instruction.
- Laboratory—consists of educational activity in which students will be carrying out experiments, perfecting skills, or practicing activities under the direction of a faculty member.
- Occupational Work Experience—a learning activity that is related to a student’s occupational objectives in which a live work experience is integrated with academic instruction.
- Distance education—an equivalent amount of instruction and student work leading to equivalent learning outcomes as required for lecture/laboratory as described above.