Gwynedd Mercy University
AY2023-2024 Graduate Academic Catalog
regulations for credit hours as specified in the Higher Education Opportunity Act as : “ One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit , or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit , or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time .”
At Gwynedd Mercy University , a three-credit course represents 42 hours of classroom instruction or its equivalent , not including final examination or homework as normally interpreted . The following guidelines are intended to assure compliance with the standard across the various course delivery formats offered by the institution , a consistency in when and how the equivalency is applied across formats , and the maximum opportunity for faculty to exercise academic freedom in meeting the extant standard while achieving the goals , objectives , and outcomes of the specific course .
Term Programs : Ordinarily , courses offered within a Term Program format will meet the 14 hours of classroom instruction per credit hour ( i . e ., 42 hours for a three-credit course , 56 hours for a four- credit course , etc .). However , if a class or classes in a course must be cancelled due , for example , to the closing of the University for Inclement Weather or the illness or other appropriate unavailability of the faculty member , then additional structured instructional activity ( or activities ) would be required to meet the equivalency standard . For example , if classroom instruction turns out to be 38 hours face- toface , the faculty will determine the appropriate “ out of classroom ” instructional activities for the additional four hours required to meet the semester standard . Wherever possible , this contingency will be explained in the syllabus and documented accordingly .
Non-Term and Accelerated Programs : There are a number of outcome-based formats at the university in which instructional time is less than the 14 hours per one semester credit but meet the equivalency standard set forth in the regulation . In these alternative formats , the instructional time , and the additional outside of classroom alternative instructional activities (“ Alternative Equivalent Instruction ” or AIE ) must meet the one semester credit hour per 14 hours ’ classroom instruction , or its equivalent as determined by the faculty ( i . e ., 42 hours for a three- credit course ; 56 for a four- credit course , etc .). For example , if a three- credit course in a seven-week format meets face-to-face for 28 hours , an additional 14 hours of structured , alternative equivalent instruction activities ( AIEs ) are required ; for a five-week course that meets 20 hours face-to-face , an additional 22 hours of alternative equivalent instruction activities would be needed . Online courses require 42 hours of appropriate alternate equivalent online instruction activities to meet the minimum threshold . The syllabus for the course should reflect the type of AIE ’ s to be utilized .
Withdrawal Policies
Withdrawal from a Course – in a Term Program Students who desire to withdraw from one or more courses may do so within the course withdrawal period . Students who do not officially withdraw from a course will earn the appropriate grade based on the quality of their academic performance during the course and the grading policies within the course syllabus .
Any student who seeks to withdraw from courses within the course withdraw period must submit a Course Withdrawal form to the Registrar ’ s Office . The Course Withdrawal form can be found on the Registrar ’ s Office website . The deadline for course withdrawal is published each semester / session in the Academic Calendar ( see “ Academic Year ”) and may be obtained through the Registrar ’ s Office , on the Registrar ’ s
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