Student Status
Semester Credit Hours
The academic year is divided into two semesters from August through December and January
through May.
Courses taught in the standard delivery method: One semester credit hour is counted for each “hour” of class or lecture time – or each two or three clock hours of laboratory or studio work – per week during the semester. Most classes will end with ten minutes remaining on the hour to allow time to move to the next class, so each 50 minutes can be counted as a full hour. A 3-semester-credit-hour lecture course, for example, meets at minimum 150 minutes (2.5 hours) per week over 15 weeks.
Courses taught in the accelerated delivery, online/blended delivery or other non-standard format: One semester credit hour consists of not less than 38 hours of instruction, individual learning activities (such as pre-course assignments, course assignments, preparation time), and team-based collaborative learning activities. Completion of graded outcomes that measure student achievement of learning objectives are comparable to those achieved via the standard delivery method.
Student Classification
The classification of students is determined at the beginning of each semester according to the number of credit hours completed, as follows:
| Year | Semester Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Freshman | Less than 30 |
| Sophomores | 30 to 59.99 |
| Juniors | 60 to 89.99 |
| Seniors | 90 or more |
Since students progress toward the completion of degree requirements at different rates, the classification will not necessarily coincide with a student’s class year.
Academic Status
A full-time undergraduate student is registered for a minimum of 12 semester credit hours. The normal course load is 15 semester credit hours per semester. No student may register for more than 18 hours of credit per semester without the permission of the faculty advisor.
| Academic Status | Semester Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Part-time academic status | 1-11.99 |
| Full-time academic status | 12-18 |
| Full-time academic status + Overload | 18.01 or greater (additional tuition fee is assessed) |
Important Note: Above are Benedictine University policies for academic status. The Office of Financial Aid may use different status levels based on specific financial aid policies.
Official Transcripts
The transcript is your official record of your academic career and courses taken at Benedictine. See the Office of the Registrar website at www.ben.edu/transcripts for details on ordering official transcripts. Unofficial transcripts can be obtained through MyBenU.