Contact and Credit Hours
General Standards
- Contact and credit hours must align with the course’s approved components and credit designation in the course catalog.
- NC State follows the Carnegie Unit, which defines 750 minutes of contact time per term for each credit hour.
- Ratios between contact and credit hours vary by course component (e.g., lecture, lab, studio).
- A full list of contact-to-credit hour ratios by component can be found here.
Credit Hour Restrictions
- Course sections may not deviate from the approved number of credit hours listed in the catalog.
- The only exception is for variable credit courses, where the range (e.g., 1–3 credits) may be adjusted.
- Any change must be within the approved range.
- Adjusted credit hours must still reflect appropriate contact time.
Example: Three-Credit Lecture Course
- Lectures use a 1:1 ratio of credit to contact hours.
- Each credit = 750 minutes per term.
- So, 3 credits × 750 minutes = 2,250 total minutes required for the term.
- For a standard 15-week semester:
- 2,250 ÷ 15 = 150 minutes per week
- Or, accounting for 14 class meetings and a final exam:
- 150 x 14 = 2100 + 150 minute final exam clears to 2,250 contact hour requirement
- Or, accounting for 14 class meetings and a final exam:
- 2,250 ÷ 15 = 150 minutes per week
Weekly Scheduling Options
- 50 minutes × 3 days/week (e.g., MWF)
- 75 minutes × 2 days/week (e.g., MW or TTh)
- 165 minutes × 1 day/week (includes a 15-minute break)
Tip: A 10–15 minute break is recommended for every 90 minutes of instruction. This break should be included in the scheduled class time.