Credit Hour

A credit hour is the unit of measurement used by colleges and universities to quantify the amount of instructional time required for a course. Typically, one credit hour represents one hour of classroom instruction per week throughout a semester (usually 15 weeks), plus additional time for homework and study. Most courses are worth 3 credit hours, meaning 3 hours of in-class time plus approximately 6-9 hours of outside work per week. Credit hours determine course load, tuition costs, financial aid eligibility, and progress toward degree completion. They also play a crucial role in GPA calculations and transfer equivalencies between institutions.