Clock-to-Credit Hour Conversion 1

No Conversion Required - §668.8(k)(1) An undergraduate GE program may use credit hours as defined in §600.2 without applying the conversion formula if one of two conditions is met –Condition #1 is that the GE program is at least two academic years in length and provides an associate degree, a bachelor's degree, an undergraduate professional degree, or an equivalent undergraduate degree as determined by the Secretary 2

No Conversion Required (cont.) Condition #2 is that the GE program is an undergraduate non-degree program with— ‒ Each course in the program being fully acceptable toward a degree program at the institution, and ‒ The institution being able to demonstrate that students enroll in, and graduate from, that degree program 3

No Conversion Required (cont.) A GE program not meeting condition #1 or #2 must use either— –The conversion formula, or –Clock hours A program may always use clock hours If using the conversion formula— –The program must be eligible to use it, and –The conversion must be properly implemented 4

New Conversion Ratios – (cont.) Conversion Formula Default option –Using these ratios based only on clock hours in class is always acceptable –Generally must apply by individual class or program activity 5

New Conversion Ratios Exception - §668.8(l)(2) Conversion Formula Full Formula option –Option takes into account out-of-class work –Credit hours must meet new definition –Accreditor, or state approving agency, has identified no deficiencies Out-of-class student work determination: Is based on individual coursework components, e.g., classroom study versus practica with little outside study (NPRM, Preamble, p ) 6

New Conversion Ratios Exception Regardless of the amount of out-of-class work required, must meet these minimums: –One semester or trimester credit hour must include at least 30 clock hours –One quarter credit hour must include at least 20 clock hours May need to use greater than 30 or 20 clock hours per semester or quarter hour if insufficient out-of-class student work in a course to support at least 37.5 or 25 hours of student work per semester or quarter hour 7

Conversion Case Study (from semester hours to clock hours then to converted Title IV Semester hours) 8

What is an Eligible Program An Eligible Program at Institutions of Higher Education must be one of the following: Associate, bachelor’s graduate or professional degree, or At least a 2-year program acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree, or At least a 1-year training program that leads to a degree or certificate (or other educational credential) and prepares students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation. 9

Case –Health Care Assistant To be an Eligible Program (Title IV Financial Aid) at either a Proprietary Institution of Higher Education or a Postsecondary Vocational Institution, the program must provide training that prepares students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation and contain a minimum of: 16 weeks instruction; 600 clock hours, 16 semester, or 24 quarter hours. 10 weeks of instruction; clock hours, –70% completion/placement rate; in existence for one year (eligible for Direct Loans only) 10

Case –Health Care Assistant The 16 week program that consists of 4 courses that equate to 416 clock hours of instructional time (144, 144, 80, and 48 clock hours respectively). –Basic Health Care Assisting (5 sch = 2 hrs lecture, 4 hrs lab, and 3 hrs internship). This course has 32 hrs lecture, 64 hrs lab, and 48 hrs internship. –Special Care Procedures (5 sch = 2 hrs lecture, 4 hrs lab, and 3 hrs internship). This course has 32 hrs lecture, 64 hrs lab, and 48 hrs internship. –Body Structure and Function (4 sch = 3 hrs lecture, 2 hrs lab). This course has 48 hrs lecture and 32 hrs lab. –Home Health Aide and Homemaker Services (2 sch= 1 hr lecture and 2 hrs lab) This course has 16 hrs lecture and 32 hrs lab 11

Case Study: Default Option So using the default 37.5 clock hours per semester hour, ignoring the out-of-class work Always calculate on a course-by-course basis Always round down any fraction course-by- course 12

Case Study: Two Options If you use the Default option: You convert only on clock hours and ignore any out-of-class work The first two courses, you divide the total instructional clock hours for the course by 37.5 you get 3.8 credit hours. (144 hrs/37.5=3.8 credits) –You must round down regardless so that would give you only 3 Title IV credits for the 5 semester credit course. The third course, you divide the total clock hours for the course by 37.5 you get 2.1 credit hours. (80 hrs/37.5=2.1 credits) –You must round down regardless so that would give you only 2 Title IV credits for the 4 semester credit course. The fourth course, you divide the total clock hours for the course by 37.5 you get 1.3 credit hours. (48 hrs/37.5=1.3 credits) –You must round down regardless so that would give you only 1 Title IV credits for the 2 semester credit course. Only 9 Title IV Credits ( Title IV Credits) for the program does not meet requirements for eligible programs under Title IV. (15 weeks instruction and 16 semester hours.) 13

Case –Health Care Assistant The institution determines that for— For first two courses, a student generally is required to perform 96 hours of out-of-class work for each course –2 lecture credits=(2 hrs per week X 2 lecture credits X 16 wks=64 hrs out-of-class work ) –2 lab credits=(1 hr per week X 2 lab credits X 16 wks=32 hrs out-of-class work ) –0 out-of-class work for Internship hrs For the third course, a student generally is required to perform 64 hours of out-of-class work for the course –1 lecture credit=(2 hr per week X 1 lecture credit X 16 wks=32 hrs out-of-class work) –2 lab credits=(1 hr per week X 2 lab credits X 16 wks= 32 hrs out-of-class work) The fourth course, a student generally is required to perform 48 hours of out-of-class work for the course. –1 lecture credit=(2 hr per week X 1 lecture credit X 16 wks=32 hrs out-of-class work) –1 lab credit=(1 hr per week X 1 lab credit X 16 wks=16 hrs out-of-class work) 14

Case Study:Full-Formula Option If you use Full formula option: you convert to clock hours first, then convert the instructional clock hours to Title IV credits based on both clock hours and the allowable out-of-class work to determine the maximum allowable Title IV Credits. Remember, to be eligible for Title IV Financial Aid, a program must meet at least 15 weeks and have at least 16 semester credits (Title IV credits) to be an eligible program. 15 Must meet thirty clock-hour minimum There is no carry over of out-of-class work between courses

16 Case Study: Full Formula Option Prefix Course # 16 week certificat e Health Care Assistant Semesters are considered 16 week semesters excluding exams and breaks SCH Breakdo wn of actual In- Class Student Work Lecture (SCH * 16 weeks) Lab (SCH X 2 X 16 weeks) Clinical (SCH X 3X 16) In Class Clock hours for the course Allowable out-of- class prep hours. Divide In- Class-Clock hours by 30 hours and then multiply by 7.5 hours to get allowable Out-of- Class Prep time Total clock and prep hours Semester hours (Total clock and prep hours divided by 37.5) Notes and Results if Not using Rounding Semester hour (rounded) If Rounding must round down by course (1st semester courses) 16 weeks HCA11155 sch Course #1 Basic Health Care Assisting 5 sch: 2 hr. lecture, 4 hr. lab, 3 hr. clinical (A) (B)4 HCA11255 sch Course #2 Special Care Procedures 5 sch: 2 hr. lecture, 2 hr. lab, 6 hr. clinical (A) (C)4 HCA12144 sch Course #3 Body Structure and Function 4 sch: 3 hr. lecture, 2 hr. lab (A) (D)2 HCA13122 sch Course #4 Home Health Aide and Homemaker Services 2 sch: 1- hr. lecture, 2- hr. lab (A) (E)1 16 sch

Financial Aid and IT What does all this mean in terms of Financial Aid and Information Technology? 17