Sonoma State University

Credit Hour Policy

I. Background

This policy is intended to reflect the University’s commitment to best practices in higher education and demonstrate consistency with credit hour requirements dictated by federal law (600.2 and 600.4), updated July 1, 2020, to shift responsibility for compliance to the accreditation agency and/or state. This policy is in compliance with WASC guidelines (implementation June 2021) and CSU policy (memorandum December 21, 2020).

II. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to define the amount of instruction and student work equivalent to a credit hour or one unit of class. This policy also establishes a mechanism for periodic review of credit hour assignments to courses to ensure accuracy and consistency as well as adherence to standard higher education practices.

III. Definitions

Academic Instruction: Defined course activities related to the academic subject that may include but are not limited to: submitting an academic assignment, listening to class lectures or webinars (synchronous or asynchronous), taking an exam, participating in an interactive tutorial, contributing to an academic online discussion, or similar academic activity.

Academic Preparation: Course activities related to preparation for academic instruction including but not limited to: subject-matter research, reading, study time, and completing homework assignments and projects.

Credit Hour:  WASC defines a credit hour as an amount of work represented in stated learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement. Such evidence is an institutionally established equivalency that:

  1. 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 fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit, or 10 to 12 weeks for one quarter 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.a. 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; and
  2. Permits an institution, in determining the amount of work associated with a credit hour, to take into account a variety of delivery methods, measurements of student work, academic calendars, disciplines and degree levels. Institutions have the flexibility to award a greater number of credits for courses that they can show require more student work. 

A credit hour is assumed to be a 50-minute period. In some courses, such as those offered online, in which "seat time" does not apply, a credit hour may be measured by an equivalent amount of work, as demonstrated by student achievement.

IV. Course Modalities and Credit Hours

  • Pursuant to above the definitions, one credit hour for any SSU course is congruent with 15 hours of academic instruction plus 30 hours of academic preparation.
  • Course syllabi for all course modalities (in-person, hybrid, or online) should reflect the expectation that students will spend the appropriate amount of course time academically engaged in instruction and preparation.
  • All credit-bearing undergraduate and graduate SSU courses, regardless of modality, will be consistent in terms of purpose, scope, quality, assessment, and expected learning outcomes with courses bearing the same course prefix as similar courses from the same department and the same matriculation level (e.g. multiple sections of the same course).

V. Credit Hour Confirmation

The Educational Policies Committee and Academic Programs, in their review of all new and revised courses, shall review course syllabi and confirm or deny the accuracy and appropriateness of course credit hours. College Deans and Department Chairs shall ensure compliance with the credit hour definitions in the scheduling of courses each term.

Annual assessment activities, as well as cyclical program reviews, provide opportunities for program faculty to review and to revise, as necessary, the units and corresponding workload for any given course.

Sonoma State will publish a clearly stated practice or process that ensures compliance with the student credit hour definition.

VI. Continuous Renewal

This policy shall be reviewed in ten years from its effective date to determine its effectiveness and appropriateness. This policy may be reviewed before that time as necessary.

Certification of Process

This policy received feedback from Academic Programs, Faculty Fellow for Assessment and Accreditation, School Deans, University Program Review Subcommittee, the Registrar, the University Scheduler, Associated Students, and the Provost’s Council.