Assignment of Credits

Policy 402.6–Assignment of Credits 

Federal regulations require colleges to establish and publish their policy on how student credit hours are calculated for degree and credit-bearing certificate programs.

Warren County Community College determines credit hours in compliance with New Jersey licensure requirements (N.J.A.C. 9A:1-1.2), which define a credit hour as follows:

      “Semester credit hour” means 50 minutes of face-to-face class activity each week for 15 weeks (or the equivalent attained by       scheduling more minutes of face-to-face class activity per week for fewer weeks in the semester) in one semester complemented by at least 100 minutes each week of laboratory or outside assignments (or the equivalent thereof for semesters of different length).

Credit assignment for field studies, laboratory sections, internships and clinical assignments are calculated using a 3:1 ratio.  That is, 3 hours per week for a 15 week period (or equivalent for shorter duration classes) is assigned a 1 credit course load.

The College requires instructors teaching the same course use the same text(s) and the same master syllabus.  This master syllabus covers learning goals and objectives as well as the content areas to be covered in the course, which are identical to “face-to-face” courses.  Therefore, the College can demonstrate that the distance education and hybrid courses are entitled to be calculated with the same credit load as the on-campus sections.

All credit courses must be submitted for review by the New Jersey Community College Course Review Committee.  This committee approves the assignment of credits and approves credit load for purposes of determining state funding allocations.  All new programs must be reviewed and approved by the New Jersey President’s Council in accordance with N.J.S.A. 18A3B-8(c).  The assignment of credits in externally credentialed programs is also subject to the requirements of external accrediting agencies.