Credit Requirements For Northeastern University, Florida Students Explained

Northeastern University's credit requirements vary depending on the student's level and program. For undergraduate students, full-time status requires a minimum of 12 semester hours of undergraduate credit per semester, while graduate students need a minimum of 8-9 credits per semester to be considered full-time. Northeastern University's primary standard for establishing course credit is the semester/quarter hour or Carnegie Unit, the same standard used by the federal government. This means that one hour of credit is awarded for a lecture/seminar class meeting 50 minutes per week during a 15-week semester, along with two hours of outside preparation per week. To receive a bachelor's degree, students must earn a minimum of 64 Northeastern University semester hours, and a minimum of 128 total semester hours is required for graduation.

Undergraduate students must complete 128 semester hours

Northeastern University's primary standard for establishing course credit is the semester/quarter hour, or Carnegie Unit—the standard used by the US federal government. For context, one hour of credit is awarded for a lecture/seminar class meeting 50 minutes each week during a 15-week semester or 12-week quarter. Students are also expected to put in two hours of preparation each week for every hour spent in class.

Undergraduate students at Northeastern University must complete 128 semester hours to graduate. This is the minimum number of total semester hours required to graduate from the university. Additionally, students must earn a minimum of 64 Northeastern University semester hours to receive a bachelor's degree. This means that students can receive up to 64 credits from another institution and still graduate with a bachelor's degree from Northeastern.

To be considered a full-time undergraduate student, one must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 semester hours of undergraduate credit for the semester. A maximum course load for an undergraduate student is 18 semester hours taken across a 15-week semester, with no more than 9 semester hours per half-semester session.

Special students are enrolled on a part-time basis, with no more than 6 semester hours per semester. Credit can be earned for a maximum of 12 semester hours over time. Students interested in taking more than 12 semester hours must make a formal application to the degree program through Northeastern University's online application portal.

64 Northeastern semester hours for a bachelor's degree

Northeastern University students are required to earn a minimum of 64 Northeastern University semester hours to receive a bachelor's degree. This is a university-wide requirement, and individual program requirements may exceed this minimum.

The primary standard for establishing course credit at Northeastern University is the semester/quarter hour, or Carnegie Unit—the same standard used by the federal government. One hour of credit is awarded for a lecture/seminar class meeting 50 minutes each week during a 15-week semester or 12-week quarter, plus a minimum of two hours of outside preparation each week.

For undergraduate students, full-time status is achieved with a minimum of 12 semester hours of undergraduate credit for the semester. A maximum course load is 18 semester hours taken across a 15-week semester, with no more than 9 semester hours per half-semester session.

For graduate (non-doctoral) students, full-time status is achieved with 9 quarter hours of graduate credit for the quarter. An exception is made for students in master's degree programs requiring only 4-credit courses, in which case, 8 quarter hours of graduate credit are needed for full-time status. A maximum course load for a graduate (non-doctoral) student is 16 credits taken across a 12-week term, with no more than 8 credits per 6-week session.

Full-time status: 9 quarter hours of graduate credit

Northeastern University defines full-time status for graduate (non-doctoral) students as being enrolled in 9 quarter hours of graduate credit for the quarter. This is the equivalent of 8 semester hours of credit. An exception is made for students in master's degree programs requiring only 4-credit courses, where full-time status is 8 quarter hours of graduate credit.

Full-time status is important for international students to maintain their visa eligibility. F-1 students, for example, must maintain full-time status throughout the academic year and are expected to study on-ground. They cannot enroll in an online course without first speaking to a college academic advisor to confirm eligibility. If an F-1 student needs to drop a course, they must drop the online course first to maintain their full-time status.

The university also offers a maximum course load option, which is different from full-time status. For graduate (non-doctoral) students, this is 16 credits taken across a 12-week term, with no more than 8 credits per 6-week session. To be eligible for a course overload, a graduate student must have successfully completed 12 or more credits a term at Northeastern University, have a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.500, and provide a rationale to support their request.

Undergraduate students at Northeastern University are considered full-time if they are enrolled in a minimum of 12 semester hours of undergraduate credit for the semester. Similarly to graduate students, there is a maximum course load option, which is 18 semester hours taken across a 15-week semester, with no more than 9 semester hours per half-semester session. To be eligible for an undergraduate course overload, students must have a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.000 and provide a rationale for their request.

Course credit guidelines: 1 hour = 50 mins lecture/seminar

Northeastern University's primary standard for establishing course credit is the semester/quarter hour, or Carnegie Unit—the standard used by the federal government.

Lecture and Seminar Courses

For lecture and seminar courses, one hour of credit is awarded per 50-minute session each week over a 15-week semester or 12-week quarter. This also requires a minimum of two hours of outside preparation by the student per week. This means that a three-credit-hour course meets for three 50-minute sessions per week for 15 weeks, totalling 45 sessions.

Laboratory Courses

For laboratory courses, one credit hour is awarded per hour of lecture or discussion per week, plus one to two hours of supervised or independent laboratory work, and two hours of student preparation time. This equates to a minimum of 45 hours of class time, 45-90 hours of laboratory time, and 90 hours of student preparation per semester.

Practice Courses

Practice courses, such as supervised clinical rounds, visual or performing art studios, supervised student teaching, and field work, represent 3-4 hours per week of supervised and/or independent practice. This equates to 45-60 hours of work per semester. Blocks of three practice credit hours represent 135-180 total hours of academic work per semester.

Full-Time and Half-Time Experiences

Full-time experiences require 32-40 hours per week in a semester for a minimum of 11 weeks or 55 days, or in a quarter for 9 weeks or 45 days. Half-time experiences require 16-31.99 hours per week for the same duration.

International Students

International students must maintain full-time enrollment status throughout the academic year, except in the final term of degree completion. F-1 students are expected to study on-ground and cannot enrol in an online course without first consulting an academic advisor.

Course Overload

A maximum course load for a graduate (non-doctoral) student is 16 credits over a 12-week term, with no more than 8 credits per 6-week session. To be eligible for a course overload, a graduate student must have successfully completed 12 or more credits per term at Northeastern University, have a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.500, and provide a rationale for the request.

International students: F-1 status and visa eligibility

International students at Northeastern University who are seeking F-1 visa status are required to obtain an I-20 form, a U.S. immigration document issued by the university, to certify that they have met admission requirements and can demonstrate proof of sufficient financial resources for their studies. The F-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows international students to enter the U.S. to study in full-time degree programs.

To obtain the I-20 form, newly admitted international students who have paid a deposit should submit their initial I-20 request as soon as possible, as the visa process can be lengthy. The Office of Global Services (OGS) at Northeastern University encourages students to submit their requests promptly. The I-20 form requires several supporting documents, including a copy of the identity page of a valid passport, financial documents demonstrating the ability to meet the program's estimated expenses, and a sponsor letter or affidavit of support if the sponsor is a non-blood relative.

Once the I-20 form is obtained, students can proceed with the F-1 visa application process at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate. The application typically requires the following documents:

• Online Non-immigrant Visa Application Form (DS-160) confirmation page
• Visa application fee payment receipt
• Form I-20 issued by OGS at Northeastern University
• Valid passport (valid for at least six months after the date of entry into the U.S.)
• Evidence of financial support for the estimated cost of one academic year
• Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) I-901 fee payment receipt
• Acceptance letter to Northeastern University
• One photograph adhering to U.S. Department of State requirements

It is important to note that additional information may be requested during the F-1 visa interview or at Customs Control, such as transcripts, diplomas, or documentation demonstrating the applicant's intention to return home after their studies.

To maintain their F-1 status, international students at Northeastern University must maintain full-time enrollment status throughout the academic year. Graduate students need to enrol in 8-9 credits each academic term to achieve full-time status. F-1 students are expected to study on-ground and must consult with a college academic advisor before enrolling in any online courses.

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