Credit Hour Calculator

Calculate your total credit hours, track semester workload, and plan your path to graduation requirements.

About This Calculator

The Credit Hour Calculator helps students track their academic workload and progress toward graduation. It calculates semester credit totals, weekly study hours, and estimates remaining time to complete degree requirements.

How to Use

Enter each course name you're taking
Input the credit hours for each course
Add class hours per week (contact hours)
Set your degree requirements and completed credits
Click Calculate to see your workload and progress

📚 Understanding Credit Hours

Credit hours (or semester hours) represent the amount of work expected in a course. Typically, 1 credit = 1 hour of classroom instruction + 2 hours of outside work per week over a semester.

Full-time status: Usually 12-18 credits per semester. Part-time is typically under 12 credits. Overload (requiring approval) is usually 18+ credits.

Degree requirements: Bachelor's degrees typically require 120-130 credits. Associate degrees require 60-65 credits. Master's degrees require 30-60 credits.

🧮 Credit Hour Formulas

Total Study Time per Credit:
Weekly Hours = Credit Hours × 3 (including homework)

Semesters Remaining:
Semesters = Remaining Credits ÷ Credits per Semester

📊 Course Load Guidelines

Credits	Status	Est. Weekly Hours
1-11	Part-time	3-33 hours
12-15	Full-time (Normal)	36-45 hours
16-18	Full-time (Heavy)	48-54 hours
19+	Overload	57+ hours

💡 Practical Use Cases

Semester Planning: Balance course load with work or extracurricular activities
Graduation Planning: Map out remaining semesters to graduate on time
Financial Aid: Ensure you meet credit requirements for aid eligibility
Transfer Credits: Track credits from multiple institutions
Summer Sessions: Plan accelerated course schedules

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How many credits should I take per semester?

Most students take 15 credits per semester to graduate in 4 years (120 credits ÷ 8 semesters). Consider your work schedule, course difficulty, and personal commitments when deciding.

What's the difference between credit hours and contact hours?

Credit hours are the academic value of a course. Contact hours are actual classroom time. Labs may have different ratios (e.g., 3 contact hours = 1 credit for labs).