Credit Hour Policy

To maintain accuracy and uniformity in academic credit assignments, CGU Online follows the guidelines below for associating contact hours with credit hours across various course types:

1. Lectures, Seminars, Quizzes, Discussions, Recitations
One semester credit hour is awarded for fifteen 50-minute classroom sessions, with each session requiring an estimated two hours of outside study. For example, a 3-credit course would include three 50-minute sessions per week over fifteen weeks, totaling 45 sessions.

2. Group-Supervised Activities (Laboratory, Fieldwork, Workshops, Studio)

• One credit hour is awarded for fifteen sessions of activities, each lasting 150 minutes or more with minimal outside study required.
• If the activity involves substantial outside preparation, fifteen 100-minute sessions may equate to one credit hour.

3. Individual Activities Under Supervision (Independent Study, Individual Studio, Tutorials)

• One semester credit hour is awarded for forty-five 50-minute sessions of independent academic work, overseen through direction, critique, review, and assessment by a faculty member.
• Tutorial study credits are assigned at a rate of one credit per fifteen contact hours of regularly scheduled instructional sessions.

4. Independent Study (Full-Time Placement)
When students engage in full-time academic placements like teaching practicums or clinical internships, one semester credit hour is granted for each week of full-time supervised work.

5. Experiential Learning
CGU Online may award credits for learning gained through structured life or work experiences, such as internships integrated into an academic program. In such cases, one credit hour is granted for every 40-45 clock hours of supervised, academically relevant activity.

6. Credit-by-Examination
CGU Online allows students to earn academic credits by demonstrating subject mastery through formal examination. Such credits may count toward degree completion or reduce the total number of required credit hours.

7. Accelerated / Short-Term Sessions
Credits earned in summer terms, intersessions, or accelerated courses are awarded proportionally, ensuring students do not earn more than one credit per week of full-time academic engagement.