University courses are expressed in semester hours. A semester hour is consistent with the Carnegie Unit of one hour of faculty directed instruction and a minimum of three hours of academic work for graduate (GR) level courses. A nine-semester-hour graduate load stipulates 9 hours of faculty-directed instruction and 27 hours of student academic work each week. Student academic work contributes to established learning outcomes and is verified by evidence of student achievement.
An equivalent amount of work is required for lectures, labs, internships, summer courses, online courses, independent study (GR), or other course types leading to the award of credit hours. Schools may determine contact time over the minimum requirements as needed. A full-time graduate course load is nine hours per semester including the summer session. Except by permission of the office of the Graduate Dean, a student may not register for 12 or more semester hours.