How Do College Credits Work?

What Are Credits?

Credits measure how much work a course requires.

The typical formula:

• 1 credit = 1 hour in class per week
• So a typical 3-credit course = 3 hours in class per week 

Typical courses:

• 1 credit: Labs, seminars
• 3 credits: Most standard classes
• 4-5 credits: Language, science with lab

Credits needed to graduate:

• Associate: ~60 credits
• Bachelor's: ~125 - 135 credits , so that means around 43 classes, or 5 - 6 each semester
• Master's: ~30-60 credits

Time Commitment

Most colleges will tell you that, depending on the major, for every one hour spent in class per week you will need to spend 2 - 3 hours doing homework or studying. 

Example: 15 credits per semester (5 classes)

• 15 hours in class
• 30-45 hours homework/study
• = 45-60 hours per week (like a full-time job!)

Pro tip: Balance easy and hard courses so you don't overload yourself.

Semesters vs. Quarters

Many universities and colleges (90%+) are on a semester schedule. Some use a quarter  system. There are also a handful of other schedules used, like ones that do intensive classes on 1-2 subjects only for 3.5 weeks and then move onto another one.

Semester System

• 2 terms per year (Fall, Spring) + optional summer
• 15 weeks each
• Take 4-6 classes per term (12-18 credits)
• 8-10 classes per year
• Schedule: Aug-Dec, Jan-May

Quarter System

• 3-4 terms per year (Fall, Winter, Spring, + optional summer)
• 10 weeks each
• Take 3-4 classes per term (9-12 credits)
• 12 classes per year (more variety!)
• Schedule: Sept-Dec, Jan-March, April-June

Schools using quarters: Stanford, most UCs, Northwestern, Drexel, Rose-Hulman, and more