Ohio Administrative Code|Rule 3357:15-13-39 | Length of programs, semesters and credit hours.

                                                
(A) Stark state college follows the Ohio
		  department of higher education guidelines for the length of programs,
		  semesters, and credit hours. The length of associate degree programs falls
		  between a minimum of sixty credit hours and a maximum of sixty-five credit
		  hours unless it can be shown that additional coursework is required to meet
		  professional accreditation or licensing requirements. Programs requiring hours
		  beyond the sixty-five credit hours maximum in order to meet accreditation or
		  licensing requirements are expected to align similarly to like programs at
		  other two-year public institutions, must have the permission of the provost and
		  chief academic officer, and shall not exceed seventy-three semester credit
		  hours. The length of a semester shall consist of no fewer than fifteen calendar
		  weeks and no more than seventeen calendar weeks of instructional time. Term
		  lengths at Stark state college in the fall semester and spring semester range
		  from one week to sixteen weeks of instruction. Term lengths in the summer
		  session range from one week to ten weeks of instruction.
(B) The number of credits which should be awarded for the
		  completion of courses in associate degree programs is determined by the
		  instructional arrangements as follows:
(1) Classroom: Classroom
			 instruction is formalized instruction, conducted on-or off-campus, in which the
			 instructor presents an educational experience to students, applying any
			 combination of instructional methods.
(a) This definition is applicable only when the course
				organization requires that the instructor bear the primary responsibility for
				the instructional activity and is directly involved with all students in the
				class. Students will be expected to work on out-of-class assignments on a
				regular basis which, over the length of the course, would normally average two
				hours of out-of-class study for each hour of formal class activity. This
				out-of-class study shall not be counted as part of the classroom hour for
				credit.
(b) One hour of credit shall be awarded for each seven hundred
				fifty minutes of classroom instruction for a semester calendar
(2) Laboratory:
			 Laboratory instruction is educational activity with students conducting
			 experiments, perfecting skills, or practicing procedures under the direction of
			 a faculty member.
(a) One hour of credit shall be awarded for a total of two
				thousand two hundrd fifty minutes laboratory instructional time for a semester
				calendar.
(b) If laboratory instruction is supplemented by out-of-class
				assignments which would normally average one hour of out-of-class study
				preparing for or following-up the laboratory experience, then one hour of
				credit shall be awarded for a total of one thousand five hundred minutes
				laboratory instructional time for a semester calendar.
(3) Clinical laboratory:
			 Clinical laboratory instruction applies only to health technology programs,
			 during which students are assigned to laboratory sections which meet at a
			 health-related agency rather than in on-campus laboratory facilities. Clinical
			 laboratory sessions provide a realistic environment for student learning. These
			 laboratory hours should be directly supervised by regular faculty members,
			 full-time or part-time, of the college.
Credit hours for the clinical laboratory
			 experience will be awarded on the same basis as laboratory instruction.
(4) Directed practice:
			 This definition applies primarily to programs in the health technologies,
			 during which the student is assigned to practice experiences under constant
			 supervision at an external agency. The student should receive individual
			 instruction and critique in the performance of a particular function. Adjunct
			 faculty, who may or may not be paid by the college, may be used for the direct
			 supervision of students and for the delivery of part of the didactic phase of
			 the experience.
(a) The faculty member coordinating the directed practice
				conducts at least one lecture session each week for participating students,
				provides the final grade for each student, and visits students at least once a
				week.
(b) One hour of credit shall be awarded for a total of four
				thousand five hundred minutes of directed practice instructional time for a
				semester calendar.
(5) Practicum: Practicum
			 instruction is on or off-campus work experience, integrated with academic
			 instruction. Students concurrently apply theoretical concepts to practical
			 situations within an occupational field. To assure proper coordination of the
			 experience, the practicum is coordinated by a faculty member who visits the
			 student at least once biweekly, provides the final grade, and teaches at least
			 one course on the campus.
(a) Each student who is enrolled in a practicum shall also be
				enrolled in an on-campus seminar. 
(b) A maximum of nine semester credit hours or thirteen quarter
				credit hours may be earned in practicum, or any combination of practicum
				cooperative work experience, over the associate degree program. One hour of
				credit shall be awarded for a total of six thousand three hundred minutes
				practicum instructional time for a semester calendar.
(6) Cooperative work
			 experience: A cooperative work experience is on or off-campus paid employment.
			 It augments formal classroom instruction. The experience is coordinated by a
			 faculty member of the college who visits the job site for a conference with the
			 student and supervisor at least once during the semester, and assigns the
			 course grade to the student after appropriate consultation with the
			 supervisor/employer.
(a) Each student who is enrolled in cooperative work experience
				shall also enroll in an on-campus seminar.
(b) One hour of credit shall be awarded for a total of nine
				thousand minutes cooperative work experience instructional time for a semester
				calendar. A maximum of nine credit hours for a semester calendar may be earned
				in cooperative work experience, or any combination of cooperative work
				experience and practicum, over the associate degree program.
(7) Field experience:
			 Field experience is planned, paid work activity that relates to an individual
			 student's occupational objectives. With permission of a faculty advisor,
			 the field experience replaces elective or required courses in a student's
			 associate degree program. The experience is coordinated by a faculty member of
			 the college who assists the student in planning the experience, visits the site
			 of the experience for a conference with the student and his/her supervisor at
			 least once during the semester, and assigns the course grade to the student
			 after appropriate consultation with the employer/supervisor. 
A maximum of nine credit hours for a semester
			 calendar may be earned in field experience, or in any combination of field
			 experience, cooperative education experience, and practicum over the associate
			 degree program. One hour of credit shall be awarded for a total of ten thousand
			 eight hundred minutes field experience instructional time for a semester
			 calendar.
(8) Observation:
			 Observation occurs when students participate in an educational experience as
			 observers of practitioners representative of the occupational area. Students
			 may participate at times in the actual work activity. Observation hours are
			 coordinated by faculty members who receive reports from the students of their
			 observational experiences and provide assessments of students' progress
			 toward the achievement of the objectives of the experience.
One hour of credit shall be awarded for a total
			 of thirteen thousand five hundred minutes observation instructional time for a
			 semester calendar.
(9) Seminar: A seminar is
			 a less formal educational experience than a classroom/lecture/discussion class.
			 A relatively small number of students engage in discussions directed by a
			 faculty member.
Credit is awarded for seminar hours on the same
			 basis as that for the classroom hour discussed in this rule.
(10) Miscellaneous
			 applications courses: Miscellaneous application courses are those for which
			 extended periods of concentrated practice are required of the student
			 subsequent to sessions of individualized instruction. Courses in applied music
			 and journalism or courses of an independent study nature are
			 examples.
One hour of credit shall be awarded for a total
			 of six thousand three hundred minutes of instructional time for miscellaneous
			 applications courses for a semester calendar.
(11) Studio course:
			 Studio courses require little or no out-of-class study.
(a) One hour of credit shall be awarded for a total of two
				thousand two hundred fifty minutes of instructional time for a studio course
				for a semester calendar. If supplemented by out-of-class assignments which
				would normally average one hour of out-of-class study preparing for or
				following-up the studio experience, one hour of credit shall be awarded for a
				total of one thousand five hundred minutes instructional time for a semester
				calendar.
(b) Instructors who teach such courses have primary
				responsibility for assigning the work activity or skills objectives to the
				student and personally provide whatever instruction is required. In addition,
				the instructor periodically assesses the student's progress and assigns
				the final grade.