6,081: Requirements for Course Components
Revised: November 2021
Accreditation guidelines typically expect that contact hours correspond to credit levels associated with a course. A course with 3 hours of lecture and no lab, studio or discussion hours per week during a 15-16 week semester is equated with 3 student credit hours and would be listed in the catalog as 3 units lecture. A student is expected to have additional outside work of 6 hours per week (studying, homework, etc.) on average for a typical 3 credit lecture class.
A typical lab/studio course would be equal to 1 student credit hour for each 3 hour lab/studio per week. The components would be shown as 1 unit lab/studio.
For a course with both 3 hours of lecture and 3 hours of laboratory, the components would be 3 units lecture; 1 unit lab, 4 credits.
A course with 3 hours of lecture and 3 hours of discussion per week would have the following components: 3 units lecture; 1 unit discussion, 4 credits.
The value of the information on course components is at least twofold: it allows students to know what to expect when planning their schedules and the Scheduling Office to determine time allocations for a course.
The UCCC will determine whether or not the components proposed for a new course or for the revision of an existing course is acceptable. Generally, to be acceptable, the components should align correctly with the expected teaching format for the course and typical workloads for students. If a department is proposing a component configuration that is non-traditional, the department should provide an explanation for the UCCC to review.