Policies & Procedures Manual

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Laboratory: For science and Career & Technical Education laboratory work, a credit hour is defined as at least 1500 minutes of student-teacher contact. For example, a one credit hour laboratory should meet for at least 100 minutes (1 hour and 40 minutes) each week for 15 weeks or 1,500 minutes during the semester. Credit hour assignment for laboratory work is compliant with Section 3.3.4 (“Semester Credit Hour Definition”) of the MCCB Division of Workforce, Career, and Technical Education Office of Curriculum and Instruction Policies and Procedures Manual. An exception to the rule for laboratory instruction exists for the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program, wherein a credit hour is based on local interpretation of best practice in nursing. Hybrid: Hybrid delivery flexibly combines face-to-face presentation and interaction, content delivered online, and out-of-class work. In a hybrid course it is the responsibility of the instructor to ensure required online activity in addition to the presentation component accumulates to an amount satisfying the Carnegie semester unit of credit presented above. ECCC may also classify certain shortened semester (“intensive”) term lecture-based and video courses as hybrid in order to facilitate adherence to the credit hour definition. Intensive: Intensive courses are shortened semester deliveries within a regular semester. For instance, within a particular full term, there may be complete courses which begin and end within that term for a shorter length of time i.e. eight weeks. In general, if the class is lecture format, the seat times per week for these courses are prorated so that the classes contain the same total minutes as if scheduled for a full term. In cases when lecture minutes cannot equate, these courses may be classified as hybrid with the appropriate adjustments made, often within an online learning management system component, to ensure equivalence of student-teacher contact. Video: Video courses are delivered in lecture format employing live interactive video technology to students located at off-campus teaching sites. In general video classes are treated the same as lecture for credit hour purposes. If a video course is scheduled within an intensive term, the course is classified as hybrid. Online: Online courses are delivered completely electronically (with the exception of at least one proctored examination component) via a learning management system. The instructor of an online course is responsible for ensuring that electronically delivered content and activities delivered in this mode aggregate to an equivalence satisfying the Carnegie semester unit of credit presented above. Clinical: Credit hours for clinical environments in the allied health programs (Licensed Practical Nursing, Surgical Technology, and Emergency Medical Technician/Paramedic) are awarded on a basis of one credit hour per three scheduled clinical hour’s participation by the student. This credit hour-to-clinical time ratio is compliant with Section 3.3.4 (“Semester Credit Hour Definition”) of the MCCB Division of Workforce, Career, and Technical Education Office of Curriculum and Instruction Policies and Procedures Manual . Work Based Learning: Work Based Learning (WBL) awards credit hours for student internship experiences. A credit hour from WBL is awarded per 90 hours of internship participation. Determination of Levels of Credit: Credit-bearing courses are distinguished between the Developmental-, Freshman-, or Sophomore-level curriculum. ECCC makes such distinctions in accordance with the State of Mississippi uniform course numbering system which facilitates articulation between the state public two-year college and the institutions of higher learning. The state curriculum review cycle, in which the College participates, contributes toward recommendations as to level in course numbering.

Review Procedure