Academic Policies

Credit Hour Policy

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All courses at ArtCenter College of Design must meet the federal requirement for credit hours. A credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than:

  1. For lecture-based courses such as seminars: one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work each week for one semester or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
  2. For studio, workshop, and lab-based courses: At least an equivalent total amount of work as required in paragraph [1] of this definition, divided between classroom/direct faculty instruction and out-of-class student work each week, the latter of which can include other academic activities as established by the institution, including laboratory work, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.
  3. For internships and practica: At least an equivalent total amount of work as required in paragraph [1] of this definition, consisting primarily of out-of-class student work each week, including other academic activities as established by the institution, such as internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work, with the option of classroom/direct faculty instruction, leading to the award of credit hours.

The above policy is applicable to all courses offered, regardless of the mode of delivery and/or session length (e.g., full term-length, weekend mode, abbreviated term, face-to-face, hybrid, online, etc.).

Institutional Procedures for Determining Credit Hour Assignments

Upon proposing a new course, ArtCenter educational programs work with their Chairs, Divisional Deans and Enrollment Services (Registrar’s office) to verify that the credit hour assignment for the course is appropriate. Curricula are reviewed annually by these same parties via the annual curricular update process, which includes review of the credits assigned to courses.