Academic credit

Students of the University are responsible for informing themselves of and satisfactorily meeting all regulations pertinent to registration, matriculation, and graduation. In this section are the University regulations. See school-specific pages for regulations that pertain to each school and program.

Credit hour

Credit is recorded in quarter units. A credit hour is defined as 50 minutes of direct faculty instruction per week for 10 weeks in a quarter (11 weeks including finals week) and two to three hours of out-of-class assignments for each unit of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time (e.g., condensed course taught in 5 weeks).

Other academic activities require at least an equivalent amount of work per unit of credit. These include laboratory work (100 minutes when outside preparation is required or 150 minutes when no outside preparation is required), internships, practicums, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.

Course numbers

Courses are numbered as:

Coursework at the  500 level may not apply toward a baccalaureate degree unless the instructor approves it and both deans (dean of the school offering the course and dean of the school in which the student is enrolled) give permission, and provided the credit does not apply toward both an undergraduate and a graduate degree. Approval is not needed if the course is part of a coordinated program.

No courses numbered in the 700s, 800s, or 900s may apply toward an undergraduate degree.

Course waiver

Certain course requirements in a program may be waived on the basis of previously completed coursework, experience, or licensure. An examination for waiver credit, if required, may be taken only once and must be taken before the final quarter of the program of study. Waiver of a specific course requirement does not reduce the number of units required for a program or residency. A waiver examination does not carry academic credit and cannot be used to make up for a course in which an unsatisfactory grade was received. For examination fee, see Schedule of Charges in the Financial Information section.

Permission to waive a course requirement in the School of Pharmacy requires prior approval of the department chair and consent by the dean.

Credit by examination

For certain courses offered by the University, a student in an undergraduate degree program may earn credit by passing an equivalency examination administered by the appropriate school and department. Such an examination is at least equal in scope and difficulty to a final examination in the course, and may include materials supplied by CLEP or other agencies.

A graduate program should be used to acquire new knowledge. Since the purpose of credit by examination is to validate prior knowledge, graduate credit may not be earned by examination. If a required course in the degree program is a repeat of prior learning, the student may request a waiver, thus making it possible to take elective courses that would increase knowledge.

A student currently enrolled in a degree program at this University who desires credit by equivalency examination may petition the dean of the school offering the course, and, upon approval, pay a testing fee. See Schedule of Charges in the Financial Information section for the examination fee.

Equivalency examinations may not duplicate credit already earned through coursework, including courses taken for audit.

A grade of CR (Credit) is given only after the student has completed one quarter—or the equivalent—at this University, and has earned 12 units of credit with a grade point average of at least 2.0 in undergraduate courses.

Units earned by equivalency may not be used as part of the enrolled load.

Equivalency examinations must be taken before the final quarter of residency.

The maximum amount of credit that may be earned by equivalency examination is determined by each school but may not exceed a maximum of 20 percent of the units required for the degree or certificate.