Regulations on the apportioning of academic points for undergraduate and graduate coursework are set forth by the New York State Education Department (NYSED). The Office of the Provost bears responsibility for university compliance with NYSED regulations, and works with all Columbia schools to this end.

The Provost’s Office delegates to the curriculum committees of the schools the task of ensuring that all courses carry an appropriate number of points of academic credit. The CC-GS Joint Committee on Instruction is therefore tasked with ensuring consistency of practice within and among academic programs, and to protect the integrity of the undergraduate degrees earned by our students.

Points are assigned to courses based on a minimum of in-class time in combination with a minimum of out-of-class hours for course assignments. The relevant NYSED regulation states, "Semester hour means a credit, point, or other unit granted for the satisfactory completion of a course which requires at least 15 hours (of 50 minutes each) of instruction and at least 30 hours of supplementary assignments, except as otherwise provided pursuant to section 52.2(c)(4) of this Subchapter. This basic measure shall be adjusted proportionately to translate the value of other academic calendars and formats of study in relation to the credit granted for study during the two semesters that comprise an academic year."

Thus, each point of academic credit requires a minimum of three hours work each week in a Fall or Spring semester (i.e., a 15-week semester with 14 weeks of classes and 1 week of exams). These three hours are typically divided into one hour of classroom instruction (with an hour of classroom instruction defined as at least 50 minutes) and two hours of independent work (which may include readings, problem sets, papers, individual or group projects, and so forth).

Courses taught in the Summer Term are subject to the same New York State guidelines, so that the same total hours for points of credits noted above must apply to courses taught in the Summer albeit in a compressed schedule -- whether that compressed schedule is a Session A or Session B term of six weeks (inclusive of class meetings and exam period) or a Session X term of twelve weeks (inclusive of class meetings and exam period).

*This typical ratio between in-class hours and out-of-class work hours of 1:2 can be adjusted to a certain degree, provided that the total minimum number of hours of classroom contact plus out-of-classroom work per week meets the required minimum of three hours per week per point.

Additional information on course points can be found in the Provost’s policy on credit hours (see below).  

For instructors/administrators proposing a new course

Instructors proposing a new course to the COI should provide to the administrator who will submit the Course Proposal module in Course Management the information about the number of points proposed for the course, as well as the total hours of meeting time per week and the expected total hours of workload per week for students. It is understood that this value is only an estimate, and represents an average value over the duration of the course; in addition, time devoted to the course will vary by student.

Instructors proposing a course for which there is variance from the recommended balance of in-class and out-of-class activities (1:2) will be required to provide a clear and compelling rationale for this exception.

For instructors/administrators proposing a change in points for an existing course

For an existing course, instructors should provide to the administrator who will submit the Course Proposal module in Course Management the information about the number of points proposed for the course, as well as the total hours of meeting time per week and the expected total hours of workload per week for students.

Instructors proposing a course for which there is variance from the recommended balance of in-class and out-of-class activities (1:2) will be required to provide a clear and compelling rationale for this exception.

For programs proposing changes in points for numerous courses

Academic departments, centers, and institutes can propose changes in points for multiple courses at one time if the rationale for the adjustment in points is the same for all courses under consideration. These proposals would not be submitted through the online Course Management system but would instead be submitted directly to the COI by email at cc-gs-courses@columbia.edu.

Proposals should include the syllabi for all courses to be changed and a statement of the overarching rationale for the changes, as well as special attention to any courses for which the proposed change in points would involve a move away from the recommended 1:2 balance of in-class and out-of-class hours. In addition, because NYSED requires any program that is significantly changed to be re-submitted for approval, proposals should also include a description of any changes to the requirements for the major and/or concentration that would ensue with the change in points for these classes.

Please direct any questions about the policies on course points or on the process for proposing changes in points to cc-gs-courses@columbia.edu.

Provost Office's policy on credit hours

Columbia University's policy on credit hours, as issued by the Provost Office:

Columbia uses credit hours to measure the amount of work required in order to complete its courses. Each unit of credit represents at least three hours of work per week for approximately 15 weeks. This standard complies with the regulatory requirements of the federal and New York State governments and with the accreditation requirements of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Students normally spend at least 50 minutes per week in class for each credit they receive and are expected to devote at least another two hours to studying for their course outside of the classroom. Schools may modify the ratio between the students' work in and outside the classroom as long as the total expectation is at least three hours. For example, it may be appropriate to reduce the time spent in the classroom when a school awards credit for internships, field work or clerkships when those activities require a substantial commitment of time. Classroom hours include time spent in lecture courses, colloquia, seminars, laboratory sections, discussion sections and studios.

Columbia uses a comparable standard in assigning credits to its on-line courses where students may progress through the lectures and other class activities at their own pace. For each credit, they are expected to spend a minimum of approximately 45 hours over the term, either in fulfillment of the on-line requirements of the course, or in reading and completing other assignments for the course.

The University has delegated to the deans of the individual schools the responsibility for ensuring that all of the courses comply with its credit hour policies. Each school has a curriculum committee (often known as its Committee on Instruction or Curriculum Committee) whose approval is required for every new program and every course it offers. As part of its evaluation of new programs and courses, the curriculum committee assesses whether it complies with this policy. Faculty must obtain the approval of the appropriate curriculum committee in order to modify the time commitments they expect of their students

Provost Office's guidance on credit hours for online and hybrid courses

Columbia University Credit Hours Policy - On-campus courses - issued by the Provost Office:

Columbia uses credit hours to measure the amount of work required in order to complete its courses. Each unit of credit represents at least three hours of work per week for approximately 15 weeks. This standard complies with the regulatory requirements of the federal and New York State governments and with the accreditation requirements of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

In an in-person course, one credit is expected to require at least 50 minutes in class and at least two hours of preparation and study outside of class. Schools may modify the ratio between the students’ work in and outside the classroom as long as the total expectation remains at least three hours. Classroom hours include time spent in lecture, colloquia, seminars, laboratory sections, discussion sections and studios. The full policy on credit hours is available here: https://provost.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/content/Academic%20Programs/Credit_Hours_Policy_Statement.pdf

Credit Hour Guidance – Online and Hybrid Courses

Columbia uses the same standard in assigning credits to its online and hybrid courses where students progress through the lectures and other class activities with components that are both inside and outside:

• the virtual classroom in the case of online courses, or
• the physical and virtual classrooms in the case of hybrid courses.

For each credit, students are expected to spend a minimum of three hours per week on course requirements including completion of assignments (with one credit representing approximately 45 hours over the term).

When determining the amount of in-class v. out-of-class work in an online course, faculty are encouraged to think of instructor-led activities versus student-led activities. Instructor-led activities can be conducted by faculty as well as graduate students who are appointed by their schools and programs to assist in the instructional programs of their units.

Our guidance is:

• Activities that are facilitated or led by the instructor synchronously (i.e. live) will count 100% toward contact or classroom hours.* These activities should include live engagement with students (e.g. course discussions, real-time questions and answers by audio/video, utilization of chat function, and polling). Please note that while live lectures and recitations count towards contact or classroom hours, office hours (whether led by the instructor or TA) only count toward out-of-class work.
  
  *Students who will take courses online from a different time zone should register for courses with synchronous sessions that fall at a time that is possible for them to attend. Recordings of these synchronous sessions can be made available to students in case they are absent from some lectures or to help them re-review the material (e.g. in preparation for exams).
• Activities that are facilitated or led by the instructor asynchronously (i.e. pre-recorded) can either count as:
  • 100% toward out-of-class work, or
  • A certain conversion percentage (not to exceed 50%) toward contact or classroom hours.
    • This conversion percentage (between 0% and 50%) will be determined by each school based on the school’s pedagogical needs and regulatory/accreditation requirements.
    • In schools where the conversion percentage is not 0%, these instructor-led asynchronous activities may not exceed 50% of the contact or classroom hours of the course (i.e. instructor-led synchronous activities need to constitute at least 50% of the contact or classroom hours of the course).
  • Activities that are student-led will count 100% toward out-of-class work.

Just as with in-person class time or lecture, instructors should strive for approximately 50 minutes of ‘contact’ hours, and at least another two hours of out-of-class activities for each unit of credit the students will earn in a course.

Approximate hours of teaching and learning per week for a standard 15-week semester.*

*For immersive courses offered during a half semester (i.e. utilizing the A/B feature of the Academic Calendar), the number of in-class, out of class, weekly total, and term total hours should each be double those of the 15-week semester.

Moving your class sessions to a virtual space, such as Zoom video conferencing, brings new opportunities for active learning and student engagement. This resource by the Columbia Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) (https://ctl.columbia.edu/resources-and-technology/teaching-with-technology/teaching-online/active-learning/) provides simple strategies that combine active learning principles with online tools so students can encounter and engage with information and ideas, and reflect on their learning. These strategies apply to both small and large class sizes, subject to the participant limit of your video conferencing program and license.

Instructor-led Asynchronous Activities

Instructors can use a combination of asynchronous instructor-led activities that include but are not limited to the following:

• Multimedia content created or curated by instructors to guide lessons. This can include short videos scaffolded with quizzes, polls, or other vehicles that support active learning.
• Peer and faculty-led interactions - e.g. discussion boards, collaborative assignments/case study discussions, and breakout groups or
• Formative and Summative assessments to check learning. (Exams, quizzes, or other projects that would normally be proctored by the instructor or TA in-class can count towards instructor-led hours).

Asynchronous learning gives students the flexibility to access course information, demonstrate their learning, and communicate from anywhere and at any time. The following CTL resource provides tips for setting up an online course that allows students to engage effectively with course material, activities, each other, and the instructor at different times: https://ctl.columbia.edu/resources-and-technology/teaching-with-technology/teaching-online/asynchronous-learning/

Student-led Activities (Out-of-class work)

Expectations of preparation and study outside of class will be similar in an online course as in an in-person course. The out-of-class work that was assigned in an in-person course will remain the same. Examples of student-led activities include, but are not limited to, readings, group projects, individual homework assignments, and reflection essays.

To calculate how student-led activities should be weighted in the calculation of course credit, you can use the Rice Course Workload Calculator method for calibrating according to difficulty and purpose and includes reading and writing assignments, discussion board prompts and other collaborative writing assignments. The calculator also has a standard for quizzes and exams.

Additional Resources

The CTL offers many useful resources, including guides and programs ranging from standalone workshops and workshop series to immersive multi-day institutes and semester-long seminar programs. The CTL recently introduced the Hybrid and Online Teaching Institute, that guides faculty through adapting their courses from an in-person to an online or hybrid format (see https://ctl.columbia.edu/faculty/offerings/seminars-institutes-for-faculty/hybrid-online-teaching/ for more details).

As you plan for Fall 2020, the CTL has created online resources and workshops to help instructors adapt to teaching online and best prepare for the upcoming semester. Resources and workshops provide guidance on adapting courses to an online or blended format, teaching with technology such as CourseWorks (Canvas), Zoom, and Panopto, and pedagogical strategies for teaching and engaging students online. For more information, see: https://ctl.columbia.edu/teachingonline.