Academic Policies, Procedures and Regulations

Credit Hour Definition

For undergraduate courses, as well as most graduate courses, a semester hour of credit typically represents 45 hours of work over the course of a term, the sum of in-class contact time and out-of-class work. A three-credit course represents 135 hours of work. For RISD’s 13 week semester a three-credit class should represent approximately 10.5 hours a week of work; in Wintersession’s 5-week term this is equal to 27 hours per week.

Examples:

• 3-credit lecture/discussion course that meets 3 hours per week would typically expect students have an additional 7.5 hours of outside work to complete.

• 3-credit studio/laboratory courses that meet 5 hours per week would typically expect students have an additional 5.5 hours of outside work to complete.

• 6-credit studio/laboratory courses may still meet 5 hours per week but would then typically expect students have an additional 16 hours of outside work to complete. Or, if meeting twice per week for 5 hours each, the outside work would equal 11 hours.

• 3-credit EFS foundational studio courses meet 7.5 hours per week would typically expect students have an additional 3 hours of outside work to complete.

• 3-credit Wintersession courses meet 12 times in 5 weeks, the contact time for a studio class is 5 hours, 60 in class hours in total, and 75 out of class hours spent on work (average is 15 hours per week)

Courses and credits are approved by Department Heads and Divisional Deans, then by the College Curriculum Committee or Wintersession Curriculum Committee as needed and called for by the rules of the Committee. The Deans, Department Heads, and applicable Curriculum Committee are responsible for ensuring accurate and reliable application of credit hour policies.

Academic Year and Course/Credit Load

For most students, the academic year consists of two semesters (Fall and Spring), and a Wintersession term which is optional for some programs. The normal credit load is 30 credits per academic year, with 12 to 15 credits per semester, in Fall and Spring, and 3 credits during Wintersession.  Twelve (12) credits per semester is the minimum requirement for full-time enrollment (successfully completing 12 credit each semester is the minimum requirement, along with meeting a minimum GPA standard, to remain in good academic standing).    

Registering for less than 12 credits in a semester is not permitted. Students who do not complete at least 12 credits in a semester will be placed on academic probation and run the risk of jeopardizing their financial aid.

International students on an F-1 Visa must enroll in at least 12 credits to maintain their visa status. Any internships done in the United States must be credit bearing and require Curricular Practical Training (CPT) work authorization. Please see the International Student & Scholar Affairs (ISSA) Office for more information.

Requests to enroll for less than 12 credits (referred to as “reduced load”) are considered according to the policy described in the section entitled “Full-time Enrollment Requirement” in the Registration Policies. Requests for reduced load must be made in writing to the Academic Standing Committee using the ‘Request for Exception to Academic Policy’ form and submitted to the Registrar’s Office no later than one month prior to the start of classes.

Undergraduate students may take credit bearing courses at RISD in the Summer under limited circumstances. These circumstances include internships (for which registration is completed prior to beginning the internship), Summer Travel courses through RISD Global, and enrollment in the Summer Experimental & Foundation Studies Program, which offers up to nine credits to incoming students, as well as continuing students, seeking to make up coursework in Foundation Studies. RISD Continuing Education offers credit bearing courses that may be approved for transfer to a RISD degree program.

Graduate students may take credit bearing courses at RISD in the Summer under limited circumstances. These circumstances include internships (for which registration is completed prior to beginning the internship), Summer Travel courses through RISD Global, and enrollment in the Summer Experimental & Foundation Studies Program which offers up to nine credits to incoming graduate students seeking to make up coursework in Foundation Studies to meet a condition of admission. In addition, select graduate programs have Summer credit requirements, such as the MLA in Landscape Architecture, the MAT program in Art Education, the MDes program in Interior Studies (Adaptive Reuse), the MDes program in Interior Studies (Exhibition and Narrative Environments) and the MA in Interior Architecture.

Credit Load Maximums

The normal credit load is 12-15 credits per semester, and 3 credits in the Wintersession term, accumulating in 30 credits per year on average. The maximum credit load for Fall and Spring semesters is 16 for students entering prior to Fall 2024 and graduate students; 15 for undergraduates entering Fall 2024 or later. The maximum credit load  for Wintersession is 3. The semester credit limit includes professional internships for credit, and any courses taken simultaneously at another institution, including Brown University.

Students may register for no more than two (2) Liberal Arts courses (6 total credits) during the Fall and Spring semesters.

Students with extenuating circumstances may petition to exceed the semester limit to a maximum 18 credits. This petition, available through the Registrar's Office, must receive support from the student's Department Head, Academic Advisor and Division Dean.

During Summer, professional internships taken for credit, RISD Continuing Education courses, or other transferable credits, do not count towards any term credit limits.