Hours and Units of Calculation

The Course Outline of Record Header

San Mateo County Community College District Hours/Units Language

(Approved by the SMCCD District Curriculum Committee May 2016)

The Colleges of the San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD) have aligned their practice regarding credit hour calculations in accordance with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Hours and Units Calculations document Links to an external site.(October 2015).

Credit Hour Calculations

Colleges within the San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD) follow the standards for credit hour calculations outlined in Title 5 §55002.5, 55002(a)(2)(B), and 55002(b)(2)(B) and guidelines set forth by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) for courses not classified as cooperative work experience.

As outlined by the CCCCO in its Hours and Units Calculations Memo (October 2015), the total of all student learning hours for a course (in-class lecture, lab, activity, clinical, TBA + outside-of-class hours) is divided by the hours-per-unit divisor to give the units of credit for a course:

Student Learning Hours Calculation Formula

For colleges in the SMCCCD, the hours-per-unit divisor used in this calculation is 48-54. As a result, a course of a given unit value will have a range of total student learning hours, expressed as a minimum and maximum. The minimum and maximum hours associated with that course will be listed on the Course Outline of Record (COR) (e.g., a 3-unit lecture course will be listed as having a minimum of 48 student learning hours and a maximum of 54 student learning hours per semester). Courses in the SMCCCD are required to remain within the student learning hours range listed on the COR.

Minimum and Maximum Hours

For examples of the student learning hours ranges associated with each unit level, please refer to the Minimum/maximum hours per unit and FLC chart shown below. This chart is intended to assist faculty in calculating the minimum and maximum semester hours for a course based on units and type of course. Please see the appendix of the current AFT 1493 contract for more information on FLCs.

Lecture Lab Minimum Maximum Hours Per FLC Chart

Instructional Categories

Courses offered at colleges in the SMCCCD fall into two instructional categories: lecture and laboratory. The ratio of in-class to outside-of-class hours per unit of credit for each of these instructional categories is as follows:

Instructional Category Chart of In-class and Outside-of-Class hours

Outside-of-class hours can also be offered as To Be Arranged (TBA) hours, and these count toward the total student learning hours for the course.

Unit Increments Issued

Colleges within the SMCCCD award units in 0.5-unit increments.

Cooperative Work Experience

Colleges in the SMCCCD award units for cooperative work experience according to CCCCO guidelines. 75 hours of paid work or 60 hours of non-paid work is equal to 1 unit of semester credit.

References

California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (October 2015) Hours and units calculations. Retrieved from http://extranet.cccco.edu/Portals/1/AA/Credit/2015/HoursandUnitsCalculationsforCreditCours esInstructions.pdf Links to an external site.

Walker, P.D. (October 2015) Policy change for hours and units calculations for credit courses. Retrieved from http://extranet.cccco.edu/Portals/1/AA/Credit/2015/AA- 26_PolicyChange_HoursandUnitsCalcsCreditCoursesMemo.pdf Links to an external site.