Credit Hour Policy
Credit Hours
In the determination and awarding of credit for academic courses, North Country Community
College uses the traditional measurement of academic credit known as the Carnegie
Unit. Our
policy is based on the SUNY Credit/Contact Hour policy established on June 30, 1976.
A link to
the SUNY Policy is provided here: https://www.suny.edu/sunypp/documents.cfm?doc_id=168.
At North Country Community College, one (1) credit is awarded for successful completion
of
the following within a given semester:
• Fifteen (15) sessions in a typical lecture/discussion course each lasting 50 minutes
(or
two 75 minute sessions, or one 150 minute session), or
• Fifteen (15) sessions in a typical lab, studio or practicum course, lasting between
100-
150 minutes depending on the course objectives, or
• 40-45 hours of supervised academic activity such as an internship or field practicums,
or
• 45-60 hours (3-4 hours/week) of clinical rotations.*
The application of these guidelines, with few exceptions*, applies equally to courses,
regardless
of the modality of instruction, the location, discipline, program and degree level.
Where they
differ, these guidelines are the minimum number of hours expected. Consistent with
SUNY and
NYSED policy, the College expects that students are tasked with a minimum of two hours
of
course-related activities (e.g. reading, studying, and preparation) for each hour
they are in class.
Thus, a typical awarding of credits for courses at North County Community College
is illustrated
here:
| Course | Credits |
Instructional Time (hours per week) |
Student Time-On-Task Expected (outside class per week) |
| Lecture/Discussion | 3 | 3 hours (150 minutes) | 6 hours |
| Science Lab | 4 | 3 hours lecture, 3 hours lab | 6 hours |
| Internship | 3 | 10-12 hours | none |
| Clinicals* | 1 | 3-4 | none |
* AAS Radiologic Technology clinical rotations are 80 hours of clinical = 1 credit
hour.