Academic Expectations
Students entering William Woods University should be prepared for a considerable amount of work outside the classroom. These requirements differ from class to class and from discipline to discipline. One hundred-twelve student hours are required for a three credit-hour course therefore, students should plan to spend time out-of-class for various course lengths as indicated below.
Sixteen-week long courses: Approximately seven hours of course engagement each week. Actual time spent may vary by student ability, experience, and prior education.
Ten-week long courses: Approximately eleven hours of course engagement each week. Actual time spent may vary by student ability, experience, and prior education.
Eight-week long courses: Approximately fourteen hours of course engagement each week. Actual time spent may vary by student ability, experience, and prior education.
Five-week long courses: Approximately twenty-two and a half hours of course engagement each week. Actual time spent may vary by student ability, experience, and prior education.
Academic Credit Hour Definition:
The University has adopted the following United States Department of Education definition of a credit hour: A credit hour is 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.