Credit Hour Policy

Central Global University (CGU) follows internationally recognized academic standards in defining, assigning, and managing credit hours for all undergraduate, graduate, diploma, certificate, and doctoral programs. This Credit Hour Policy outlines the framework used to measure and record student academic workload, instructional time, and course value within the university’s credit-based academic system.

Purpose of the Policy

This policy ensures consistency, transparency, and academic integrity in how CGU assigns credit hours to academic courses and programs, aligning with accreditation standards, institutional regulations, and best practices in higher education.

Definition of a Credit Hour

At Central Global University, a credit hour is a unit of measure representing the amount of work a student is expected to complete to achieve the intended learning outcomes of a course.

One credit hour typically consists of:

• One hour (50–60 minutes) of direct faculty instruction per week, plus
• A minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work (such as reading, assignments, projects, and independent study) per week

This structure applies across a standard 15–16 week academic term.

For courses delivered through alternative schedules (e.g., intensive or short-term formats), an equivalent total number of instructional and student work hours is required to meet the credit hour standard.

Credit Hour Allocation by Course Type

• Lecture-based Courses: 1 credit hour = 1 hour of class instruction + 2 hours of student preparation per week
• Laboratory, Studio, or Practical Courses: 1 credit hour = 2–3 hours of supervised practical work per week
• Internship, Thesis, or Research Projects: Credit hours assigned based on the scope of work, learning objectives, and faculty supervision, in accordance with program-specific academic guidelines
• Online or Distance Learning Courses: Must demonstrate equivalent student learning outcomes and total academic engagement hours as face-to-face courses to earn the same credit hour value

Program Credit Hour Requirements

Each academic program at CGU has defined minimum credit hour requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree Programs: Minimum of 120–130 credit hours
• Master’s Degree Programs: Minimum of 36–48 credit hours
• Doctoral Programs: Minimum of 60 credit hours beyond the Master’s level, including dissertation work
• Diploma and Certificate Programs: Varies by program, typically 12–30 credit hours

Specific credit hour requirements for each program are detailed in the university’s official academic catalog and program handbooks.

Transfer and Recognition of Credit Hours

Credit hours earned from other accredited institutions may be accepted toward a CGU program, subject to:

• Equivalency with CGU course content and academic standards
• Approval by the university’s Academic Affairs Office
• A maximum number of transferable credits as defined by the program regulations

Transferred credits are recorded on the student’s academic transcript but are not calculated into the CGU cumulative grade point average (CGPA).

Policy Compliance

All academic departments and programs at Central Global University are responsible for adhering to this Credit Hour Policy when designing curricula, developing syllabi, and delivering academic programs. The university periodically reviews course credit assignments to ensure consistency with institutional, accreditation, and regulatory standards.