Courses and Special Programs

General Course Information

Course Numbering and Sequencing

• Courses numbered 100–199 are considered introductory.
• Courses numbered 200–299 are considered intermediate.
• Courses numbered 300–499 are upper-division and are designed for juniors and seniors.

Certain sequential courses require the satisfactory completion of the first semester of the course for admission to the second semester.

The credit value for each course is based upon the amount of scheduled meeting times. A change in the credits assigned to a scheduled course will NOT be permitted.

Course Load

Full-time matriculated students have a normal course load of 15 credits each semester over an eight-semester period. The minimum course load for a full-time student is 12 credits, and the maximum course load is 19 credits per semester. A student wishing to carry more than 19 credits in any semester must have the permission of the provost or his designee. Such permission will be granted only in rare cases to students with a GPA less than 3.00.

A matriculated student who wishes to change between full- and part-time status need only course-register for the appropriate number of credit hours for the semester in which the change is effective.

Student Classification

The College utilizes the following guidelines for student classification:

• 0–29 credits earned = freshman
• 30–59 credits earned = sophomore
• 60–89 credits earned = junior
• 90–120 credits earned = senior

Study Hours

In general, students are expected to spend two hours per week in outside reading, assignments, research, library work, etc., for every one hour they spend in class. For example, a student who is enrolled in 15 credits during a semester will spend 15 hours per week in class and another 30 hours each week engaged in academic pursuits outside the classroom, for a total expected time commitment of 45 hours per week (also subject to change).