Programs, Courses & Credits

In this section:

• Academic Definitions
• Rules for Attaining Multiple Credentials
• Modality Definitions

Academic Definitions

The following definitions are applicable to West Virginia University, WVU Potomac State College, and WVU Institute of Technology. 

Degree Designation

A degree, which is an award signifying a rank or level of educational attainment and which is conferred on students who have successfully completed a degree program. The degree is represented by the official degree designation, e.g. B.A. - Bachelor of Arts, B.S. - Bachelor of Science, A.A. - Associate of Arts, etc. The degree designation is noted on the student’s diploma and transcript.

Degree Program

A degree program is defined by the combination of its degree designation (e.g., Bachelor of Science) and a program title that represents the overarching content areas the program's major or majors covers (e.g., Chemistry). Degree programs are approved by the institution and the Board of Governors (BOG) and listed on the official inventory of degree programs. An associate’s degree program requires a minimum of 60 credits. A bachelor’s degree program requires a minimum of 120 credits. Visit the Curriculum and Catalog page of the Office of the University website regarding additional requirements. A master’s degree program requires a minimum of 30 credits. For a doctoral degree, the minimum number of required graduate credits is set by the program. A degree program must include at least one major.

Major

A major is a field of study within an approved degree program with its own curriculum. Typically, an undergraduate baccalaureate major requires a minimum of 30 credits with the majority of credits at the upper-division level. WVU includes major(s) on the students' diplomas and transcripts.

Minor

Minors are only available at the undergraduate level. A baccalaureate minor is an area of study outside of the major that encourages students to pursue a secondary field. A minor comprises at least 15 credits, 9 of which must be upper-division level. Minors are noted on the transcript but not on students' diplomas.

Area of Emphasis

An area of emphasis (AoE) is a focused curriculum within an approved major. An area of emphasis adds a specialization within a major area of study. Undergraduate areas of emphasis comprise 12-18 credits, 9 of which must be upper-division level. Graduate areas of emphasis comprise 6-15 credits. If a course is used by all required Areas of Emphasis offered in a major, that course is part of the major's core requirements and cannot be included in the Areas of Emphasis. Areas of emphasis associated with certification or licensure requirements may exceed the credit limit. Areas of emphasis are noted on the transcript but not on the students' diplomas.

Track

Tracks are used in graduate programs to clarify the different program requirements for students depending on whether or not they will pursue a thesis, research, project, or coursework-based path to completion. Tracks are not included on the transcript or on the students' diplomas. Tracks will no longer be permitted in undergraduate program curricula.

Undergraduate Certificate Program

An undergraduate certificate program is a specialized curriculum designed for students seeking expertise in a specific area for personal or career development. A certificate is awarded with or without an undergraduate degree and comprises 12 to 18 credits of course work, with a minimum of nine hours at the upper-division level (courses numbered 300 or above). Each certificate must have a minimum of 9 unique credit hours, distinct from any other academic credential. The certificate appears on the student's transcript and the institution issues an official certificate of completion. Students who are pursuing an undergraduate certificate without also being enrolled in a bachelor's degree program will not be eligible to receive Title IV federal financial aid.

Graduate Certificate Program

A graduate certificate program is a specialized curriculum designed for students who have previously earned a baccalaureate degree or who are enrolled in a WVU graduate or professional program and who are seeking a specific body of knowledge for personal/career development.  A graduate certificate program can be completed either independently or along with a degree program and comprises 12 to 21 credits.  See the Academic Certificate Policies page for credit limitations applicable to earning a certificate.  The certificate appears on the student's transcript and the institution issues an official certificate of completion.

Teacher Specialization

Teacher specialization is a state-approved curriculum that prepares students to meet teaching certification standards in a specialized content area and at a specific programmatic level. Teacher specializations may be a major, minor or area of emphasis. Teacher specializations are added to a student's transcript only at the time of graduation.

Bachelor's to Juris Doctor (JD)

Students accepted into an approved 3+3 Program will start the JD at the beginning of what would have been their fourth year of undergraduate studies. By coordinating the plan of study for both degrees via the 3+3 Program, students who successfully complete the program obtain both their bachelor's and JD degrees in 181 credit hours and six years, instead of the 211 credit hours and seven years that a student normally must complete to receive both degrees.

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Rules for Attaining Multiple Credentials

Undergraduate Multiple Curricula

Multiple curricula refers to the completion of minors, areas of emphasis, or majors in addition to the primary major. If these areas of study are related, some of the credit hours must be unique to each major or minor.

Requirements for multiple curricula include:

• Each baccalaureate major must have a minimum of 50% unique credit hours. Students pursuing a second bachelor’s degree after the conferral of a first bachelor’s degree must complete a minimum of 30 additional credits.
• Each associate major must have 15 unique credit hours.
• A maximum of 6 credits may be shared between multiple areas of emphasis.
• Each minor must have a minimum of 9 unique credit hours distinct from any other academic credential.

Graduate Multiple Curricula

Graduate and professional students may simultaneously or sequentially pursue more than one degree or major (although no more than one PhD degree), one or more certificates in addition to degrees or majors, or more than one area of emphasis within their major(s) according to rules specified below and elsewhere in the Graduate/Professional Catalog. Applicability of courses and credits to degree, major, certificate, or area of emphasis requirements is the decision of the program offering the curriculum. Individual course credits may be applied to no more than two degrees, majors, or certificates.

Students pursuing multiple curricula are urged to consult with their advisor(s) to ensure adherence to credit sharing limitations.

Credit Sharing Limitations for Graduate Degrees and Majors

No more than a total of 12 of the credits required for a graduate degree (other than PhD degrees, which are not dependent on credit accumulation) can be:

• earned prior to admission to the degree program,
• earned prior to graduation with another WVU degree,
• earned at another institute, OR
• simultaneously applied to other degree programs or certificates (e.g., while enrolled in the degree program).

Students who simultaneously earn credits toward two or more WVU degrees must, in most cases, graduate with all degrees in the same term to ensure that all credits, including up to 12 credits shared by the degrees, can be applied. Once a student is awarded a graduate degree, only 12 credits earned to that point in time can be applied to a subsequent degree or major. 

Exceptions: Doctoral programs that require or allow students to earn a master's degree in the same discipline may count the courses earned in the master's degree program toward the doctoral program without credit limitations.  In addition, some approved dual degree programs are allowed to share more than 12 credits.

Credit Sharing Limitations for Graduate Certificates

See Academic Certificate Polices for credit limitations applicable to earning a certificate. See Credit Sharing Limitations for Graduate Degrees and Majors for limitations on applying credits earned as part of a completed certificate to a graduate degree or major. 

Credit Sharing Limitations for Areas of Emphasis 
Normally, students may share a maximum of 3 credits between areas of emphasis with the same major. 

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Modality Definitions

Contingent upon the needs of the unit, faculty/instructors must consult with their respective departmental chairs/college to select the most appropriate instructional delivery modality for their specific course section(s) as noted below. Distance Education Courses are credit-bearing courses in which 50% or more of the course is delivered through distance learning technologies.

All courses should be taught in the modality indicated in the schedule of courses at the time of student registration. In the case of instructor illness or other emergency a course may shift to online instruction with the approval of the appropriate Dean.

Course Delivery Options

• Asynchronous Online: (100% online + asynchronous only) 100% of class sessions are delivered via distance education technologies. There are no campus visits or visits to designated sites. No synchronous events, including lectures, examinations, etc. can be required, as all students must have the same access to key components of the course. If synchronous events are offered, they must be optional and for enrichment purposes only (guest speakers, office hours, etc.), the core benefits of which must also be offered in an asynchronous format. Cannot be self-paced. Substantive instructor-initiated interaction is present.

      Examinations in undergraduate courses are administered fully online asynchronously.

• Synchronous Online: (100% online + synchronous events) 100% of class sessions are delivered via distance education technologies. There are no campus visits or visits to designated sites. May have both synchronous and asynchronous elements. Synchronous learning events may be required throughout the course. Cannot be self-paced. Substantive instructor-initiated interaction is present.

      Examinations in undergraduate courses are fully online, either synchronously (at the regularly scheduled class time) or asynchronously.

• Arranged Low Residency Online: (75-99% online*) At least 75% of class sessions are delivered via distance education technologies. This type of course may require students to travel to attend an orientation, take exams, or participate in other on-site experiences. May have both synchronous and asynchronous elements. Substantive instructor-initiated interaction is present.

      Examinations in undergraduate courses can be offered online or face-to-face.

• Correspondence: (100% online) Course content and exams are usually delivered via distance education technologies. Interaction between the instructor and the student is limited, is not regular, or is not substantive, or is primarily initiated by the student. Can be self-paced. 

      Examinations in undergraduate courses are administered fully online asynchronously.

• Hybrid: (50-74% online*) At least 50% but less than 75% of instruction is delivered via distance education technologies, but some visits to a classroom or designated instructional site are required. The instructor decides which portions of the class are offered in person vs. online.

      Examinations in undergraduate courses may be administered face-to-face or online at the discretion of the instructor.

• HyFlex: All core class content is available both face-to-face and online. Students can choose to attend on campus, online, or move back and forth between the two based on their preference.  May have both synchronous and asynchronous online elements. 

      Examinations in undergraduate courses must be made available to students online, but a face-to-face option
      may also be offered at the discretion of the instructor.

• Traditional/ On-Campus: (less than 50% online*) The majority of instruction is provided in a face-to-face classroom setting and physical attendance is expected.  However, students may be expected to regularly supplement their learning through the use of distance learning technology.

      Examinations in undergraduate courses are available either synchronously and in-person at the regularly scheduled class time or asynchronously online.

*Percentage is provided as a general guideline and is not intended to be a precise measurement.

Distance and Extended Education Program Definitions

https://online.wvu.edu/

At WVU, Distance Programs are categorized in one of the following three ways:

• Fully Online – (100% distant) – No residency requirement - All required credit- bearing and any non-credit bearing courses and activities are conducted at a distance with NO required campus attendance and/or visits to designated locations. Optional campus visits and/or visits to designated locations are permissible.

• Low residency (75-99% distant) – Limited residency requirement - A majority of the credit-bearing and non-credit bearing courses and activities are either entirely online or mostly online. Some credit- or non-credit-bearing activities may require campus visits and/or visits to designated locations. Example activities could be program orientations or cohort-based site visits.

• Blended (50-74% distant) - Extensive residency requirement – At least 50% of the credit-bearing and non-credit bearing courses or activities are delivered entirely online. The remaining credit-bearing courses may be offered as face-to-face, partially at a distance, or as distance delivery courses.

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In this section:

• Cooperative Education

Cooperative Education

General Description

The Cooperative Education Program (Co-Op) alternates terms of on-campus study with terms of full-time employment. As an elective program, Co-Op presents students an opportunity to receive both practical and theoretical training in their chosen field of study over a five-year period. There are several advantages for students who elect to participate in this unique program. The Co-Op experience helps students decide early in their college career whether they wish to pursue their chosen academic major and helps students academically by adding new dimensions of understanding to their academic studies. The Co-Op Program also helps students establish contacts in their field, gain 12 to 20 months of practical work experience, and earn the funds to defray college education expenses.

Co-Op Eligibility Requirements

• Be in the process of completing the first year of a declared BA/BS academic curriculum as outlined in the college catalog
• Earn and maintain at least a 2.2 grade point average, although specific employers may require a higher grade point average
• Be enrolled as a full-time student
• Must be available for 3 work terms

A. FRESHMEN Students may apply to the program during their second semester of study. Upon successful completion of their freshmen year, students are eligible to accept a Co-Op assignment.

B. UPPERCLASSMEN (30 credit hours) Students who have completed more than 30 credit hours may apply to the program if grade point average, student status, and availability requirements are met.

C. TRANSFER STUDENTS may apply to the program during their first semester on campus. Upon successful completion of the first on-campus semester, transfer students are eligible to accept a Co-Op assignment.

Co-Op Availability

Co-Op work assignments are available to students enrolled in all BA/BS academic programs, depending upon the needs of potential employers.

Co-Op Employment

Cooperative Education participants, while on work assignments, are considered to be enrolled as full-time students at WVU Tech. Therefore, student status and financial aid, while not disbursed during Co-Op terms, are maintained. Participants will enroll in a Co-Op course for each work term and this enrollment will be documented on the student’s academic transcript.

Housing arrangements, while the responsibility of the student, are often coordinated by the employer. Each employer establishes his or her own policy on wage and benefit packages. Participants will receive term performance evaluations. There is no obligation on the part of the student or employer to continue employment upon graduation.

Internship Program

The Internship Program was created to better serve both employers and students when career related employment opportunities develop that do not meet the three-term cooperative education work requirement. To be eligible, students must meet the same academic requirements as stated for the Cooperative Education program.

Departmental Practicums/Internships

A number of programs require supervised Practicum/Internships. The Practicum/ Internship is designed to combine theory and practice in a field integrated with the academic program. Examples include the Department of Social Sciences in the College of Business, Humanities and Social Sciences which require the Practicum Internship and Practicum Seminar for B.S. degree programs in Criminal Justice, Forensic Investigation, Health Services Administration, and Public Service Administration. The Practicum/ Internship and Practicum Seminar are arranged with cooperating sponsors during the student’s senior year for up to 12 credit hours.

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In this section:

• Abbreviations Used in Course Listings
• Schedule Type Definitions
• Courses
• Course Number Guide
• Undergraduate Common Course Numbers & Descriptions
• Independent and Directed Study Classes
• Finals and Last Week of Classes
• Summer Term

Abbreviations Used in Course Listings

Abbreviations Used in Course Listings

Abbreviation	Description
HR	credit hours per course
Lec	lecture period
Rec	recitation period
Lab	laboratory period
GLAB	graded lab
WEB	web-based course
CONC	concurrent - listed with PR meaning the course may be completed at the same time as enrollment in the course for which it is listed
PR	prerequisite - course must be completed in a term prior to enrollment in the course for which it is listed
Coreq	co-requisite - courses must be taken in the same term
Consent	consent of instructor required
CR	credit but no grade

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Schedule Type Definitions

• Lectures are taught by faculty, can be taught in small or large sections and through various pedagogical strategies. Typical lecture courses award 3 credit hours and thus meet either three times a week for 50 minutes or twice a week for 75 minutes with twice that amount of time expected for weekly homework.
• Laboratory courses provide students with experience in manipulating specialized instrumentation, chemicals, other required physical materials, or occur at specific sites.  Laboratories are typically attached to a lecture, both of which must be completed at the same time. Typical laboratories meet once a week for two hours.  Laboratories may be taught by teaching assistants under the direct supervision of a faculty member.  Labs may award credit in which case students will receive a separate grade.  When labs do not award separate credit from the lecture, they are calculated as part of the lecture course’s grade.
• Studios are taught by faculty, can be taught in small or large sections and have a lecture component that is taught through various pedagogical strategies. Like laboratories, these also provide students with experience in manipulating specialized equipment, other required physical materials, or occur at specific sites. Typical studio courses award 3 credit hours and meet multiple times each week but, like laboratories, may meet for more time than 150 minutes a week. Total meeting time plus expected weekly homework should not exceed 450 total minutes of combined time, excepting programs otherwise directed by their accrediting body.
• Recitations accompany large lecture courses and are composed of smaller groups of students from those lecture courses. Recitations award no credit though lectures may require participation in a recitation and use that as part of the lecture course’s grade. Recitations meet once a week for 50 minutes but are not directly attached to a particular lecture section. Recitations may be taught by teaching assistants.
• Practicum: Experiential credits to be earned in a supervised setting by an appropriately licensed or credentialed professional or a faculty member typically involving interactions with clients. The practicum experiences are mapped to the program learning goals.  On campus practicum will follow the appropriate scheduling guidelines, depending the length and timing of the experience.  Off campus courses will meet on a schedule that reflects the professional setting and may include requirements for specific on-site hours based on the program’s accreditation requirements or programmatic learning outcomes.
• Clinical: Experiential credits to be earned in a supervised clinical setting by an appropriately licensed or credentialed professional, typically involving interactions with patients/clients. The clinical experiences are mapped to the program learning goals.  Typically, clinical courses will meet on a schedule that reflects the working environment of clinical setting and may include requirements for specific on-site hours based on the program’s accreditation requirements or programmatic learning outcomes.

Courses

Most courses taught at WVU Tech extend over one full term, although there are some courses that are exceptions to this norm (e.g., four-week or eight-week courses). Courses are considered successfully completed and credit for successful completion is awarded only when the student attends a class over its entire scheduled time frame and submits the necessary work to meet all requirements. Any exceptions to this practice must be approved by the Classification and Grades Committee.

Course Number Guide

For convenience, each course of study is designated by the name of the department in which it is given and by the number of that course. The guide for numbering courses is as follows:

Courses 100 Freshmen/Underclassmen: Intended primarily for freshmen, although upper-division students may take them if needed to complete degree requirements.

Courses 200 Sophomores/Underclassmen: Intended primarily for sophomores. These courses may have 100 or 200-level prerequisites.

Courses 300 Juniors/Upperclassmen: Intended primarily for juniors. These courses may have extensive prerequisites or be limited to specific majors.

Courses 400 Seniors/Upperclassmen: Intended primarily for seniors and graduate students. These courses are typically limited to advanced undergraduate students within a particular major or degree program.

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Undergraduate Common Course Numbers & Descriptions

199. Orientation to [subject/field]. 1-2  Hr. Orientation to degree programs and requirements, departmental resources, curriculum options, student responsibilities, and opportunities.

293. Special Topics. 1-6 Hr. PR: Consent. Investigation of topics not covered in regularly scheduled courses.

298. Honors. 1-3 Hr. PR: Students in Honors Program and consent by the honors director. Independent reading, study, or research.

393. Special Topics. 1-6 Hr. PR: Consent. Investigation of topics not covered in regularly scheduled courses.

490. Teaching Practicum. 1-3 Hr. PR: Consent. Teaching practice such as a tutor or assistant.

491. Professional Field Experience. 1-18 Hr. PR: Consent. (May be repeated up to a maximum of 18 hours.) Prearranged experiential learning program to be planned, supervised, and evaluated for credit by faculty and field supervisors. Involves temporary placement with public or private enterprise for professional competence development.

492. Directed Study. 1-3 Hr. Directed study, reading, and/or research.

493. Special Topics. 1-6 Hr. PR: Consent. Investigation of topics not covered in regularly scheduled courses.

494. Seminar. 1-3 Hr. PR: Consent. Presentation and discussion of topics of mutual concern to students and faculty.

495. Independent Study. 1-6 Hr. Faculty-supervised study of topics not available through regular course offerings.

496. Senior Thesis. 1-3 Hr. PR: Consent.

497. Research. 1-6 Hr. Independent research projects.

498. Honors, 1-3 Hr. PR: Students in Honors Program with consent by the honors director. Independent reading, study, or research.

499. Global Service Learning. 1-3 Hr. PR: Consent. Theory and practice of global service-learning. The main objective will be to pair the experiential aspects of meaningful and sustained service in the host community with work from the student’s anchor course by offering a methodological framework for cultural immersion and community service as well as adding to the content of the anchor course.

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Independent and Directed Study Classes

Independent Study Classes

Independent study classes are offered to students in order to provide opportunities for content exploration not typically offered via the normal course rotation.

Students interested in pursuing independent study should contact their academic advisers to determine if independent study is a viable option for them and to identify the process specific to their college and major.

Directed Study Classes

Directed study classes may occasionally be contracted when:

1. The student has achieved a GPA of 2.0 or higher,
2. The course requested for directed study is a requirement for graduation under the student's major, and

1. There is no possibility of taking the course by the expected graduation date, or
2. Unavoidable schedule conflict between required courses that are part of a sequence for which a real hardship would occur for the student to be able to complete their program within the expected time frame.

Students should consult with their academic advisers to see if directed study is a viable option for them. All requests for directed study classes require official approval.

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Finals and Last Week of Classes

• Examinations
• Final Examination Policy
• Multiple Examinations on the Same Day
• Evening Classes
• Two-Semester Courses
• Examinations
• Common Examinations
• Last Week of Classes and Preparation Days

Examinations

The modality of examinations in a course is dependent on the modality of the section of the course. Please refer to the appropriate section of the catalog for more details.

In undergraduate synchronous courses, whether delivered online or face-to-face, regular examinations take place during set class time, unless the course has been approved for common exams (see below), or in case of courses where a professional program requires a specific testing mode.

Regular Exams and Final Exams are held in the location of the regularly scheduled class meeting unless students are otherwise notified.

Final Examination Policy

The last week of each semester of the academic year is designated as finals week. Final examinations for the summer term are given on the last day of classes. The undergraduate final examination schedule for each academic term is determined by the Office of the University Registrar at the Morgantown location, the Office of Academic Affairs at the WVU Potomac State College, and the Office of the Registrar at WVU Institute of Technology. The final examination date and time for a class is determined by the class meeting time; except for online asynchronous courses, which do not have a set class time.. 

No change in time from the published official examination schedule is permitted without approval of the dean of the college or school and the Provost’s designee at the Morgantown location, Dean of Academic Affairs at the WVU Potomac State College, or the Campus Provost at WVU Institute of Technology. Face-to-face finals are held in the location of the regularly scheduled class meeting unless students are otherwise notified.

Except for evening and asynchronous online classes, no final examinations may be given before the examination period begins, and no change in time from that published in the official examination schedule is permitted without approval, excepting classes testing in the University Testing Center in Hodges Hall. An instructor with a compelling reason to change the time of an examination must obtain the approval of the dean of the college or school and the Provost’s designee at the Morgantown location, Dean of Academic Affairs at WVU Potomac State College location, or the Campus Provost at WVU Institute of Technology location.  The instructor must then announce the alternative examination procedure to the students via their official institutional email address. Final examinations delivered in the University Testing Center will be made available to students for a minimum of three consecutive days during finals week (the initial scheduled date plus two more consecutive days before or after that date). Students will schedule their own time to take these exams in the University Testing Center.

During regular terms, asynchronous final examinations made available before the beginning of finals week must also be available for a minimum of three consecutive days during finals week.

For all modes of delivery, no class-related activity, except for office hours, may be scheduled during the finals week.

Assignments given in place of a final exam or “take-home” final examinations, excluding projects or assignments that are intended to be completed across the entire semester, may not be due before the final examination date and time for that class. 

A student may address complaints related to the final examination procedures in a course to the dean of the college or school in which the course is offered.

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Multiple Examinations on the Same Day

If a student has more than three final examinations on a single day, they may contact one of their instructors to schedule a make-up examination.  If an arrangement cannot be made, the student should contact an associate dean’s office. 

If students have two final examinations scheduled during the same common examination time period, they must contact the departments administering the common examinations to make arrangements for a make-up examination.
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Evening Classes

Final examinations for evening classes (classes meeting at 6 p.m. or later, or classes meeting at 4 p.m. or later if the class meets once a week) are scheduled during the last week of class.  Final examinations for evening classes at WVU Institute of Technology occur during finals week and are on the undergraduate final examination schedule from the Office of the Registrar at WVU Institute of Technology.
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Two Semester Courses

In a course extending over two semesters with continuous subject matter, the second-semester final examination may include content from the first semester.
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Examinations

The modality of examinations in a course is dependent on the modality of the section of the course. Please refer to the appropriate section of the catalog for more details.

In synchronous courses, whether delivered online or face-to-face, regular examinations take place during the set class time, unless the course has been approved for common exams (see below), or in case of professional-level courses where a specific testing mode is required by an outside agency.

Regular Exams and Final Exams are held in the location of the regularly scheduled class meeting unless students are otherwise notified.

Common Examinations

Some face-to-face and hybrid multi-section courses use a common examination time, as indicated on the Schedule of Courses (Regular Exams) and on the Schedule of Final Exams.

Only approved courses (with days and times listed on the Schedule of Courses or listed on the final examination schedule) may use a common examination time. On the Morgantown location, common examinations may only be administered for courses in which the total course enrollment exceeds 500 students or there are more than 20 sections of the course.

Students will be notified of their assigned location for the common exam.

If a department wants a course to be considered for a common final examination, the unit will need to demonstrate that it is not possible to generate multiple equivalent exams from a test bank, or that, because of documented issues of academic dishonesty, a common examination is required to ensure the integrity of the test.  Common examinations are approved at the course level, so all sections of a course must follow the common examination schedule. Requests for a common final examination must be reviewed by the Academic Policy Committee, which will make a recommendation to the appropriate provost.

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Last Week of Classes and Preparation Days

When the calendar permits, a preparation day for finals will be added to the academic calendar.  Preparation days for finals are free days on which no papers are due, no quizzes or examinations are administered, and there are no class-related activities other than office hours.

In undergraduate courses of 16 weeks duration, no substantial examinations or quizzes may be given during the last week of classes preceding finals except for practical laboratory tests and make-up examinations.  An examination or quiz is considered substantial if it covers 20% percent or more of the course content, or represents more than 20% of the final grade. Exceptions to this policy must be approved by the dean of the college or school.  Additionally, as per Board of Governor’s Academic Rule 2.5, instructors who administer such assessments must provide meaningful feedback to students prior to the final examination for the course.
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Summer Term

WVU Tech has one summer term, which begins mid-May and ends in early August. Requirements for admission and work performance for the summer term are the same as for fall and spring terms. Courses are offered in a variety of time frames, e.g., one week, three weeks, six weeks, eight weeks, and 12 weeks. Summer offerings vary from year to year. For complete information concerning course offerings during the summer term, please visit courses.wvu.edu. Most summer courses are offered through an on-line format.

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In this section:

• Classification of Students
• Course Overload
• Credit Hours
• Academic Credit for Military Training
• Credit by Examination

Classification of Students

Students are classified as freshmen, sophomores, juniors, or seniors. These classifications are based upon the number of hours completed. The classifications are as follows:

Classification of Students

Classification	Hours
Freshman	1-29 Earned Credit Hours, Inclusive
Sophomore	30-59 Earned Credit Hours, Inclusive
Junior	60-89 Earned Credit Hours, Inclusive
Senior	90 or More Earned Hours

Course Overload

The maximum credit-hour load for fall and spring terms is 20 credit hours, and the maximum allowable for summer is 14. Exceptions may be permitted after consultation with the student’s advisor. Registration for loads in excess of these maxima must be accompanied by a properly executed waiver form signed by the student’s advisor, department chair, and dean of the college.

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Credit Hours

Academic advancement is measured by credit hours. Earning one credit hour generally means attending a 50-minute lecture class (one clock hour) each week of the full term. Laboratory credit of one credit hour generally means laboratory work of two to three clock hours per week. Course descriptions in the catalog show the number of credit hours for the course and the number of hours of lecture and/or laboratory per week. Credit hours for web-based courses are determined by comparison of the amount of material presented to that covered in an equivalent face-to-face course. Students are expected to devote additional hours to study outside of the classroom or laboratory for academic success.

• Full semester lecture:  Fifty minutes (~one hour) of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of 120 minutes of out-of-class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester hour of credit. 
  • 1 credit over 15 weeks = (1 hour in class per week x15 weeks) + (2 hours of homework per week x 15 weeks) = 45 hours of coursework
  • 3 credits over 15 weeks = (3x15) + (6x15) = 135 hours of coursework
• Part Semester Courses:
  • Courses delivered in a part of term no shorter than 5 weeks long should require an equivalent amount of work
    • 3 credits over 8 weeks = (6 in class per week x 8 weeks) + (11 hours of homework per week x 8 weeks) = 136 hours of coursework
  • Courses delivered in a compressed format (typically 4 weeks or less) need not adhere to the definition above but, instead, demonstrate equivalent student outcomes via assessment.
• Full semester non-lecture courses: For other activities as established by an institution, including laboratory work, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours, where outside of class work is very limited, the calculation typically should still reflect the overall hours of coursework for the length of the semester
  • A lab that meets twice a week for 4 hours would have the following calculation:
    3 credits over 15 weeks = (8 hours in =lab per week x 15 weeks) + (1 hour outside of class per week x 15 weeks) = 135 hours of coursework

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Academic Credit for Military Training

Academic credit may be granted to veterans or National Guard or Reserve members for successful completion of formal service-school training programs on the basis of evaluations made by the Commission on Accreditation of Service Experiences and published in the American Council on Education’s (ACE) “Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services.” Students who apply for such credit are required to submit official records such as the DD-214, transcript of in-service training, certificates or diplomas, or in-service training certified on DD Form 295 (Application for Evaluation of Educational Experiences during Military Service). Students may also request a record of their educational experiences (course work and occupational) associated with the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard by submitting a request through the Joint Services Transcript Portal. Active duty National Guard and Reserve in listed Air Force personnel may request an official transcript of their education experiences through the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF).

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Credit by Examination

A current student with sufficient proficiency in material covered by a specific course may apply for credit for this course by examination. A student who desires to obtain credit by examination must petition the chair of the program that provides the course to be allowed permission to attempt an examination for credit. The chair of the concerned department shall determine the general proficiency of the student by preliminary examination. Assuming strong performance by the student, the chair may recommend to the committee on Classification and Grades that the student be given the opportunity to attempt examination for credit. If approved, the student will then sit for a comprehensive departmental examination that is administered by an examining board of one or more faculty, who are appointed by the department in which credit is being sought. Credit will be granted if a minimum grade of “C” is attained. The test and results shall be presented to the Classification and Grades Committee for final review (a fee of $20 per credit hour will be assessed). A student who fails a departmental examination may not apply to retake it. Nor may a student request an examination on the basis of an audit course or one in which a grade less than “C” was earned.

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