Semester Credits and Course Load

BA Students

Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree are expected to complete all degree requirements within eight full-time semesters. Additional time may be granted by petition.

Candidates for the BA degree must maintain full-time status, defined as enrollment in at least three credits per semester. The standard full-time course load is four credits per semester. Registering for fewer than four credits should be discussed with the faculty advisor. 

Enrollment in fewer than three credits may result in academic discipline or revocation of University enrollment.

Students planning to register for five or more credits in a semester must obtain approval from their faculty advisor. 

Full tuition is charged for a three-credit semester. The only exception applies to seniors in their final semester who need only one credit to complete the second half of their senior thesis; these students may enroll in just the thesis credit, pay the appropriate per-credit tuition, and that semester will not count as a semester in residence.

BLS Students

Students pursuing the Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS) are expected to complete all degree requirements within six years of admission to the BLS program. Additional time may be granted by petition. There is no minimum expected number of credits per term, though BLS students will be put on leave in each fall or spring term in which they are not enrolled.

Unit of Credit

• One unit of Wesleyan credit requires 120 to 160 hours of academic work, typically including at least 39 hours of class meetings, a final exam (or equivalent work), and 80 to 120 hours of out-of-class work. 

• Courses with nonstandard meeting patterns or fewer class meeting hours must still meet the total hour requirement.

• The required hours of academic work are prorated accordingly for courses that award more or less than one unit of credit. 

• Standard meeting times allow for a 10-minute transition between classes so that one hour of class meeting time is equivalent to 50 minutes.

• One Wesleyan credit is equivalent to four semester or Carnegie units

Acceleration

A student may complete the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree in fewer than the standard eight semesters, provided they meet the minimum semesters-in-residence requirement (see Graduation Requirements). Students seeking to accelerate their studies must submit a written request to their class dean.

Acceleration may be achieved through any combination of the following options:

• Applying prematriculation credits subject to the policies in Prematriculation Credits.

• Earning additional Wesleyan credits beyond the typical semester course load during the fall or spring semester (see policy on Semester Credits and Course Load above).

• Earning additional Wesleyan credits via Summer or Winter Session (see Internal Special Study Programs).

• Completing independent study projects during a summer term or while on an authorized leave of absence (see Internal Special Study Programs).

• Transferring preapproved credits earned at another institution (see External Special Study Programs).