Academic Credit & the 4-4 Curriculum

Students typically take four 4-credit courses each semester (a 4-4 curriculum). Saint Michael's also offers a number of half-courses (two credits each), along with a small selection of courses with other credit values. Full-time tuition allows students enroll in a maximum of 19 credits each semester. Students who take at least 12 credits are considered full-time students. Students must successfully complete a minimum of 128 credits to graduate. The 4-4 curriculum presents a focused and in-depth experience that emphasizes critical and careful reading, writing, research, and various kinds of experiential learning.

Students are expected to devote a minimum 2.5 hours per week, per credit of coursework. For each traditional 4-credit course, this means spending an average of 10 hours of effort per week, per course throughout the 15-week semester. In traditional classroom-based courses, just over three of these hours (190-195 minutes) are spent in class. Consequently, for this type of course, students should expect to spend at least an additional 7 hours of effort per week (on average) outside of class on readings, homework, writing papers, research, take-home exams, studying for in-class quizzes and exams, and meetings with fellow students and the instructor. In courses that are not primarily based in a classroom, students are expected to complete at least an equivalent amount of work (10 hours/week/4-credit course), which may include laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work and other forms of academic work. In half course (2 credits), there is an expectation of at least 5 hours of work per week, including in-class time.

Courseloads

Full-Time Student Status

An undergraduate student who is actively enrolled in 12-19 credits is considered to be a full-time student during the fall and spring semesters.

Part-Time Student Status

Undergraduate students enrolled in fewer than 12 credits during the fall and spring semesters are considered part-time students.

Course Overloads

An undergraduate student with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher may be permitted to enroll in more than 19 credits. The student must submit a Course Overload Request Form to the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Education. The course overload may only be added during the Drop/Add Period. The student is charged a overload tuition fee which may be waived for overload credits in music ensemble courses or for students in the Honors Program.