Clock to Credit Hour Conversion

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Clock to Credit Hour Conversion

• SASFAA 2005 Conference
• Atlanta, Georgia
• February 13-16, 2005

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Regulatory and Handbook Citations

• 34 CFR 668.8(k) (l)
• 2004-05 SFA Handbook pages 2-54 through 2-56

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When are Conversions Required

• Undergraduate programs offered in credit hours
  unless
• Program is at least two academic years in length,
  provide an associate, bachelors or professional
  degree or
• Each course in program acceptable for full credit
  toward that institutions associate, bachelors
  or professional degree

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Exceptions

• Public and private nonprofit hospital-based
  diploma schools of nursing
• Equivalent degree as determined by the Secretary
• Schools not permitted to ask for a determination
  that a nondegree program is equivalent to a
  degree program

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Acceptable Doesnt Mean Accepted - Example

• Student completes 2 year program in plumbing
• Enrolls in schools bachelors program in
  construction technology
• Any of five plumbing courses taken by the student
  may be used to satisfy the plumbing requirement
  for construction tecnology

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Example Continued

• Construction technology requires only two
  plumbing electives and only two are accepted
  toward the degree
• All the plumbing courses are acceptable in the
  degree program the fact that only two are
  accepted does not disqualify the plumbing program
  for the exception

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Evaluating Programs That Do Not Qualify For
Exemption

• Step 1 - Determine total number of clock hours of
  instruction in each term of the program
• Step 2 - Apply the appropriate conversion formula
• Determines the revised number of credit hours in
  each term of the program

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Evaluating Programs That Do Not Qualify For
Exemption

• Step 3 - Evaluate eligibility of the program by
  determining total revised number of credit hours
  in the program
• Step 4 Determine the eligibility of a student
  in each term of the program based on the credit
  hours arrived at through application of the
  formula

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Conversion Formulas

• Semester or trimester hour programs
• Number of clock hours in credit hour program
• ______________________________________
• 30
• Quarter hour programs
• Number of clock hours in credit hour program
• ______________________________________
• 20

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Conversion Results

• School must apply the requirements under types of
  eligible programs at a proprietary or
  postsecondary vocational institution

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Program Minimums

• A program offered in semester or trimester hours
  must provide at least 16 semester or trimester
  credit hours over 15 weeks of instructional time

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Program Minimums

• A program offered in quarter hours must provide
  at least 24 quarter credit hours over 15 weeks of
  instructional time

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Program Minimums

• A ten-week program that admits as regular
  students only persons who have completed the
  equivalent of an associate degree must provide at
  least 8 semester or trimester credit hours, or 12
  quarter hours

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State and Accrediting Agency Approvals

• Some state/accrediting agencies approve the
  number of credits in programs
• These credits are not used for Title IV programs
• Credits for Title IV purposes
• Determined by the conversion formula
• Never more than those approved by
  state/accrediting agency

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Clock/Credit Hour Conversion Example

• Setup
• SU offers a two-year non-degree program measured
  in credit hours
• Courses in program not creditable toward a degree
  at the SU
• Students earn 16 credits per semester

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Clock/Credit Hour Conversion Example

• Determinations
• SU determines 1440 clock hours of instruction in
  the program
• 330 hours in 1st and 2nd semesters (660 1st year)
• 390 hours in 3rd and 4th semesters (780 2nd year)
• SU applies conversion formula for Title IV
• 11 credit hours for first two semesters
• 13 credit hours for last two semesters

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Clock /Credit Hour Conversion Example

• Step 1
• 330 clock hours of instruction in semesters one
  and two
• 390 clock hours of instruction in semesters three
  and four
• Total number of clock hours of instruction in the
  program
• (2 X 330) (2 X 390) 1,440

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Clock/Credit Hour Conversion Example

• Step 2
• 330 clock hours 11 credit hours in semesters
• ------------------- one and two
• 30
• 390 clock hours 13 credit hours in semesters
• ------------------- three and four
• 30

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Clock/Credit Hour Conversion Example

• Step 3
• Program is at least 15 weeks in length
• Program offers 24 credit hours of instruction
• Program remains an eligible program

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Clock/Credit Hour Conversion Example

• Step 4
• First two semesters (11 credits) students are
  paid for ¾ time attendance
• Third and fourth semesters (13 credits) students
  are paid as full-time students

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Considerations

• Rounding
• Do not round conversion results up
• Clock Hour
• No more than one clock hour per 60 minute period
• Clock hour is an actual hour of attendance
• Each hour may include a 10 minute break

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Considerations

• Notification
• Change from or to clock hours or credit hours
• Must notify the Department within 10 calendar
  days of the change via E-App accessible through
  the Schools Portal or eligcert.ed.gov
• Department will not recognize a change unless
  notification via E-App is accomplished

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Considerations

• Eligible Institution (admissions standards)
• May admit as regular students (refer to following
  slide) only
• Persons having a high school diploma or its
  recognized equivalent or
• Persons beyond the age of compulsory attendance
  in the state in which the institution is locate

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Regular Student

• A person who is enrolled (or is accepted for
  enrollment) in an eligible program for the
  purpose of obtaining a degree, certificate, or
  other recognized educational credential
• 34 CFR 600.2