Answered By: Ken Fujiuchi
Last Updated: Apr 17, 2020     Views: 25

The SUNY policy on Credit/Contact Hour establishes expectations regarding the number of contact hours per credit hour. This is consistent with NYSED definition of credit hour described in question 8. In this policy, short sessions are addressed as follows: Credit hours may be earned in short sessions (summer sessions, intersessions, etc.) proportionately to those earned for the same activity during a regular term of the institution, normally at no more than one credit per week of full-time study.

The one credit per week limit is derived from the instructional and supplementary assignment hours expected per credit hour. One (1) credit hour equals the equivalent of 15 instructional hours and 30 supplementary assignment hours. Therefore, 1 credit hour per week would equate with the equivalent of 45 hours of work per week. Much more than 1 credit hour per week would present a logistical challenge. But, for example, if a campus can ensure that a student registered for 1.5 credit hours per week is able to complete the equivalent of 67.5 hours of work per week, that would be possible.

Though, campuses should be quite careful about this and it would be inadvisable to consider anything more than 1.5 credit hours per week. Additionally, campuses should engage their financial aid officer to determine financial aid considerations.