Credit hours - what is credit hours in universities in the United States?

The system of academic credits, or credit hours, is used in many countries of the world, but in the US it has its pronounced features. Those who are planning to enroll and study in the United States, it is important to understand how it works.

Know what a Credit hour, it is necessary to choose the optimal cost and content of the program, to get at the good – not overwhelmed and not too simple - the curriculum and to understand how it will be evaluated your academic performance.

Credit hour – what does that mean?

Credit or credit hour is a standard unit indicating the weekly academic load of the student. It includes both the work with the teacher/ supervisor, and independent study. A certain number of credit hours assigned to the student at the end of each semester.

On the basis of the credits is governed by workload, calculated grade point average - GPA, diploma, awarded the degree, set tuition fees. By scoring compares American and foreign documents on education is necessary when entering a University.

Also when transferring from one University to another passed the items counted based on the student credit units. And even the official status of "student" that operate the public service of the United States , includes information on the University, the program, the current semester or trimester with the indication of credits.

Credit can be called in English: a semester credit hour, SCH, college credit (hour), unit, and in Russian it is also called a credit hour. In the Russian education system analog credit hour does not exist.

How many credits are assigned modules of different types

Credits are given for the training modules of five basic types: lectures and seminars, laboratory research, an internship or for internship.

Depending on the type of training module, it will be assigned a different number of transcripts, or credit, of units:

• The module of lectures and workshops = 1 hour of work in class with teacher + 2 hours of preparation each week during the semester.
• Laboratory module = 1 hour of lecture or work with the supervisor + 1-2 hours of laboratory work + 2 hours of preparation each week during the semester.
• Practice = 3-4 hours of practical work with the scientific Director or independently each week during the semester.
• Research work = 1 credit hour practices.
• Internship – credit hours for the internship is the result of an agreement between the University administration and the employer. Are calculated in much the same way as the loans in practice.

How many credit units recruited per semester

The credits show a weekly academic load of the student. But they are not credited for each week of work, and for the entire duration of a semester 15-16 weeks. That is, if in the schedule there are 3 lecture classes per week, at the end of the semester the student will receive 3 credits. But to earn them, he will take 45 hours of classroom work and 90 hours of independent.

Most programs involving work in the laboratory, and usually include 4 lessons per week. Thus, per semester recruited 4 laboratory credits, meaning 45 -90 hours in the classroom and with the supervisor and 90 hours of independent.

For the internship depending on the program credit hours will be awarded for the work in the hospital, in the artistic, theatrical or music Studio, teaching activities, surveys, etc. typically, application programs, each student needs unit of a practical training consisting of 3 sessions per week. It will give per semester 3 credits will be 135-180 hours of academic load.

How many credit units you need to gain during the training programme, please click here.

Other credit system in the United States

The other is fairly common in the US system - Quarter Calendar Credit Hours. In this case, the academic year is divided into 3 or 4 pieces, and each scoring unit "weighs" less than semester system.

Credit semester system is approximately 1.5 times morethan in timestravel.

Mapping credit units may be required, for example, to evaluate educational programs of different universities or when transferring to another University. In the latter case, for the most accurate transfer of credits from system to system it is better to consult a specialist.

In addition, some universities develop their own credit system.

It is important to note that common to all American universities in the credit system, strict standards of academic load and evaluation does not exist. Also, the American practice of awarding academic credits quite significantly different from the European.