Credit

Georgia College uses the Carnegie standard to determine the appropriate amount of credit awarded for undergraduate and graduate course work. Academic credit is awarded in semester credit hours.

Semester credit hours will be granted as follows:

Lecture, seminar, and recitation courses:

A minimum of 750 minutes of instruction (excluding final examinations), with a minimum of 1500 minutes of out of class work, for each semester credit hour earned.

Laboratory and studio courses:

A minimum of 750 minutes of instruction (excluding final examinations), with a minimum of 1500 minutes of out of class work, for each semester credit hour earned, OR
A minimum of 1500 minutes of instruction (excluding final examinations), with a minimum of 750 minutes of out of class work, for each semester credit hour earned, OR A minimum of 2250 minutes of instruction (excluding final examinations), for each semester credit hour earned.

Supervised independent study, research, individual studio, private lessons:

The amount of effort required for one unit of undergraduate academic credit is determined by the supervising faculty and the department chair of the discipline in which credit is awarded. Instructors should make adjustments so that the total hours of work required by students is equivalent to that of a traditional class.

Practicums, internships, student teaching:

A minimum of forty hours of supervised, discipline-appropriate academic activity for each semester credit hour earned.

Courses conducted through alternative delivery methods, including, but not limited to, online, hybrid, and distance education, should be structured so that the total number of minutes of instruction and out of class work is equivalent to that of a traditional face-to-face class.

Fully and partially distance classes must be approved through a formal institutional faculty review process and must demonstrate that the learning outcomes and level of student achievement are equivalent to a traditionally delivered course. Hybrid courses need to undergo the standard course review process.

Courses offered in an abbreviated format are expected to contain the same number of minutes of instruction and out of class work as classes scheduled for a full term.

At its discretion, Georgia College will award semester credit hours for proficiency demonstrated through credit-by-examination, including Advanced Placement, College Level Proficiency Examinations, International Baccalaureate, and course challenges.  Credit provided will be equivalent to the hours of credit currently assigned to the course in which the student demonstrates proficiency.  Decisions regarding credit-by-examination will be made by the academic department responsible for the subject matter addressed in the examination

Departments may present educational justification for departures from this policy to the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs.

This policy is consistent with Federal Guidelines established in 34 CFR 600.2, as well as University System of Georgia Policy 3.4.1.