The maximum student load is eighteen (18) semester hours of credit in each of Terms I and II and twelve (12) semester hours of credit in Term III. Under extenuating circumstances, students may, with the consent of a counselor or advisor, take additional credit hours.

All credit courses show a specified number of credits that generally indicate the amount of work required. A 3-credit lecture/discussion course normally meets 3 clock hours per week during the 16-week terms. More clock hours per week are required during the abbreviated terms such as the Express and Summer. Despite some variation in the out-of-class work required to succeed in individual classes, 2 hours outside of class for every hour in class is the normal expectation. That means that a student taking a 15 credit hour course load (during Terms I or II) will need to devote a total of 45 hours each week to his/her academic effort.

Dedicated students who are working half-time often succeed with a 12-17 hour load but few students are able to work full-time and succeed in a full-time course load. Students who are working, or have other similar obligations, should consider the following scale as they make decisions about their schedules:

Employment	Recommended Academic Load
No More Than Hours Per Week	Term I or II 16 Weeks	Express Term 12 Weeks	Summer Term III 10 Weeks	Express Term 6 Weeks
20 Hours	12-15 Credits	9-12 Credits	6-10 Credits	4-6 Credits
30 Hours	9-12 Credits	6-9 Credits	3-6 Credits	3-5 Credits
40 Hours	6-9 Credits	3-6 Credits	3-5 Credits	2-4 Credits

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Last revised May 29, 2008
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