Classification of Curriculum Students

Full-Time Students

 Students registered for 12 or more credit hours (nine or more credit hours during the summer session) are considered full-time students.

Part-Time Students

 Students enrolled for one through 11 credit hours (one through eight credit hours in the summer session) are considered part-time students.

Pell Grant Students

 Students receiving a Pell Grant must be enrolled 12 or more hours regardless of the semester to be considered full-time for financial aid purposes.

Credit Hours

Credits for courses leading to Associate in Applied Science degrees, vocational diplomas and certificates, and the Associate in Arts are earned on a semester credit hour basis.

  1. Credit of one semester hour is awarded for each 16 hours of class work. Class work is lecture and other classroom instruction that is under the supervision of an instructor.
  2. Credit of one semester hour is awarded for each 32 or 48 hours of laboratory work. Laboratory involves demonstration by an instructor, and experimentation and application by students. Laboratory is under the supervision of an instructor.
  3. Credit of one semester hour is awarded for each 48 hours of clinical practice. Clinical practice is a structured, faculty-directed learning experience in a health sciences program which develops job proficiency. Clinical practice requires significant preparation, coordination, and scheduling by the faculty and is under the supervision of an instructor or preceptor who is qualified for the particular program.
  4. Credit of one semester hour is awarded for 160 hours of work experience such as cooperative education, practicums, and internships. Work experience involves the development of job skills by providing the student with an employment situation that is directly related to, and coordinated with, the educational program. Student activity in work experience is planned and coordinated by a College representative, and the employer is responsible for the control and supervision of the student on the job.

Work Experience

Work experience is a learning experience in an employment situation. Work experience involves the development of job skills by providing the student with an employment situation that is directly related to, and coordinated with, the educational program. Work experience is a required component of some curriculum programs. The work experience portion of a curriculum is approved as a part of the curriculum application and each time a curriculum standard is filed. Student activity in work experience is planned and coordinated by an institutional representative and the employer, with control and supervision of the student on the job being the responsibility of the employer and the institution.