A
unit of undergraduate academic credit is awarded to a student upon the
successful completion of an approved instructional course, or by the
demonstration of competency, demonstration of proficiency, or fulfillment of
learning outcomes that is the equivalent to that provided by an approved
instructional course.
Historically,
a unit of academic credit is the measure of the total time commitment an
average student is expected to devote to learning per week of study. Generally,
one unit of credit represents a total of three hours per week of in-class and
out-of-class work (Carnegie Unit of Credit). In this context, an hour is
defined as 50 minutes. IUPUI guidelines for academic calendar requires a
3-credit lecture class to meet for a minimum of 2,250 minutes excluding the
final examination period. Emerging delivery methodologies may necessitate
determining a unit of undergraduate credit with non-time based methods. These
courses shall use demonstration of competency, demonstration of proficiency, or
fulfillment of learning outcomes to insure these courses are equivalent to
traditionally delivered courses.
Regardless
of the method of determining a unit of undergraduate academic credit, the quality
of student learning must be the primary concern of all IUPUI faculties in the
context of awarding a unit of undergraduate academic credit. Quality of
learning requires continuous evaluation and assessment of student learning
outcomes to justify awarding a unit of undergraduate academic credit. Quality
of learning also requires regular student attendance/participation to justify
awarding a unit of undergraduate academic credit.
The following standards for a unit of academic credit may only be
modified by an academic unit when necessary to fulfill requirements of an
accreditation agency. If modification of the following standards is necessary,
these standards should be treated as a minimum requirement for a unit of
academic credit:
a.
For traditional delivery methodologies (major
semester), one unit of undergraduate academic credit equals:
1 hour of lecture, seminar, or recitation and two hours of
study per week, or
2 hours of laboratory, studio, or similar activities and one hour of study per week, or
3 hours of laboratory, studio, or similar activities per
week, or
3
hours of supervised independent study per week or
45
- 75 total hours of supervised clinical or fieldwork experiences (additional preparation time
may be required).
For traditional delivery methodologies other
than major semesters, total hours shall equal the above guidelines.
b.
For non-traditional, synchronous delivery methodologies, one unit of
undergraduate academic credit equals one hour of lecture or student/faculty
interaction and two hours of study. Synchronous delivery methodologies include
but are not limited to live television courses, tape delayed television
courses, and web-based virtual lecture courses.
c.
For non-traditional, asynchronous delivery methodologies, one unit of
undergraduate academic credit shall be determined by:
i.
demonstration of competency, demonstration of proficiency, or
fulfillment of learning outcomes as judged by the appropriate faculty to be
equivalent to a traditionally defined unit of undergraduate credit, or
ii. what is judged by the
appropriate faculty to be equivalent to a time commitment of three hours per
week for an average student.
Asynchronous
delivery methodologies include but are not limited to correspondence
instruction, computer-based instruction, and courses combining differing
delivery methodologies.
d.
For internships, student teaching, independent study, and like
educational activities which are not under the direct supervision by an IUPUI
faculty member, one unit of undergraduate academic credit is commensurate with
the hours involved and quality of the learning experience and is determined by
the credit-awarding unit. Academic credit is awarded when the student fulfills
the objectives and/or obtains the required competencies as set by the
credit-awarding unit.
e.
For supervised undergraduate research and similar activities, the
amount of effort required for one unit of undergraduate academic credit is
determined by the supervising faculty and/or advisory committee.
f.
Special credit may be awarded to degree-seeking IUPUI students who
possess, by previous education or experience, a background in a discipline
represented by an IUPUI program. The categories under which students are
awarded credit are (1) credit by credentials, (2) credit by experience, and (3)
credit by examination. Each school and many disciplines have different policies
that define how these mechanisms apply to students seeking credit. [2000-2002
IUPUI Campus Bulletin]
(approved by IUPUI Academic
Affairs Committee
(approved by the IUPUI
Faculty Council