A credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that reasonably approximates not less than: 

1. One hour (50 minutes) of classroom or faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; 
   or 
2. At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other activities as established by the institution, including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading toward the award of credit hours.

Bethel has developed an auditing process for courses that are less than 15 weeks in length to ensure that these courses are equivalent in workload to full semester courses. Bethel University is committed to ensuring that a credit hour is equivalent in all colleges and schools and in all instructional formats. See Bethel's Operating Definitions and Course Evaluation Template for more information.