A credit represents the work or equivalent of at least 15 class hours a semester. According to the U.S. Department of Education guidelines, a credit hour is defined as, “An amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than:

• 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; or
• At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution, including laboratory work, internships, practicums, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.”

A normal class schedule of full-time graduate students is 6 credits, and students carrying fewer than 6 credits are classified as part-time. In the majority of the graduate programs offered by Bay Path University, a semester usually consists of two consecutive eight-week terms while select programs may choose to run a full 14-week term.