Section 3: Comprehensive Standards
3.4.6 The institution employs sound and acceptable practices for determining the amount and level of credit awarded for courses, regardless of format or mode of delivery.
Judgment of Compliance:
Compliance
Narrative/Justification for Judgment of Compliance:
Christopher Newport University is in compliance with this comprehensive standard. The university operates under the guidance provided by AACRAO, the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV), General Requirements for Graduation enumerated in the Undergraduate Catalog, as well as the policies and procedures governing curriculum in the University Handbook, Section IV, Academic Regulations and Information.
The number of credits awarded for each course, as well as the number of weekly lecture hours, and the number of weekly laboratory, practicum, or studio hours appear as a “triplet” following each course title in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs. Course credit is usually determined by the amount of time spent in instruction. A three (3) credit course requires 42 total hours over the semester to be spent in lecture or 126 total hours over the semester to be spent in laboratory work. A two (2) credit course requires 28 total lecture hours or 84 total laboratory hours. A course of shorter duration than 14 weeks (such as a summer term course) meets for the same total hours as a fall or spring semester-long course for the same credit. As the Undergraduate Catalog indicates, for example, a course designated as (4-2-6) refers to a four-credit course, which has two lecture hours and six laboratory/practicum/studio hours per week. All courses in the university curriculum and any new courses added to the curriculum require “triplet” assigned credit hour designations to be included on the curriculum proposal form used to review college courses in the curriculum review and approval process.
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Since the implementation of Banner operating system, pre-requisites for courses have been more widely applied, enforcing the philosophy that students should acquire basic knowledge before entry into 300 and 400 level courses. The Undergraduate Catalog explanations of differences between 300 and 400 level courses vary widely and range from the very general statement in Course Descriptions in the Undergraduate Catalog, “courses numbered 100-200 series are primarily for freshmen and sophomores, 300 series for juniors, and 400-series for seniors,” to more detailed differences, such as that in the Department of History, in the Undergraduate Catalog. Assigning numbers to new courses is governed by the curriculum processes in the University Handbook. In addition, academic departments may review appropriateness of course series numbers, at their own initiative or in response to a request from the dean’s office, Program Review Committee, and/or their assessment review. For example, this year the Department of Fine Art and Art History reviewed and renumbered studio art courses.
Luter School of Business
The Luter School offers only three-credit courses. Formats vary and include any combination of lectures, group projects, and active learning exercises; however, course content, assignments/projects, and expected student outcomes drive the decision regarding credit hours.
The only type of course in which credit hours may vary is independent study. In the Luter School, the faculty member must submit a study plan to the department chair, who must approve the plan and the credit-hours to be awarded. There are no written guidelines. In an effort to achieve consistent results, the chair typically makes the decision in consultation with the faculty member and the dean.
The decision to offer a course at the 200, 300, or 400 level is determined by both content and the required knowledge. Courses offered at the 200, 300, or 400 level have 100- or 200-level prerequisites that develop appropriate skills and introduce appropriate knowledge sets.
The Luter School offers a 3-credit hour internship (BUSN 480) that requires a project that takes on the character of academic research, a paper, and a presentation. The sponsoring supervisor and the faculty member work with the student to define the total work to be completed.
Graduate Studies
Courses in the graduate curriculum are numbered at the 500 or 600 level. The 500 level applies to courses that require few prerequisites and the 600 level to courses that build upon 500 level courses. Courses may be cross-listed at the 400/500 levels with approval of the Graduate Curriculum Committee and the Graduate Faculty Council. The students enrolled in the 500 level of a cross-listed course must cover the materials in more depth and at a deeper conceptual level, and may be required to produce a larger amount of work or have work graded on a different scale than undergraduate students. The Graduate Course Proposal Form requires an explanation of these differences.
Support Documentation:
University Handbook 06-07: Section IV Academic Regulations and Information
Undergraduate Catalog 06-07
Graduate Catalog 06-07
Department of History Example
Undergraduate Course Proposal
Graduate Course Proposal
Joseph W. Luter, III School of Business Curriculum Committee Minutes
BSBA Curriculum Flowchart
Joseph W. Luter, III School of Business Internships
Additional Live Web Resources:
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