All courses are recorded in terms of academic credit hours. Generally, one credit hour of instruction is equivalent to one 50-minute class period per week for 16 weeks. Courses that include laboratory work specify the number of lab hours required weekly. For self-paced courses or field experiences, credit hour value is not determined by class meetings.

Full-Time Students
Students who register for 12 or more credit hours per semester are considered to be full-time students. The normal semester load for full-time students is 12 to 18 credit hours; however, some programs require more.

Part-Time Student
Students who register for fewer than 12 credit hours per semester are considered to be part-time students.

Classification of Students
Students who have earned fewer than 29 credit hours are classified as freshman. Those who have accumulated 30 or more credit hours are classified as sophomores.

Student Load
A full-time course load is 12 through 18 credit hours during a regular semester and 6 through 12 during an eight-week summer session. Students exceeding 18 hours in a regular semester or 12 hours in a summer session require approval by the Assistant Vice President and will be assessed additional tuition.