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Handbook of Operating Procedures
  • Policy Process

    • Handbook of Operating Procedures
    Chapter 2 - Faculty and Academics
    Publication Date: October 15, 2010
    Responsible Executive: VP for Academic Affairs

    2.32 Administration of Courses Offered in Shortened Format

    This is not the current policy. For the latest, click here.

    POLICY STATEMENT

    Courses offered in a shortened format for which the student earns credit hours must meet the guidelines of the Texas Education Higher Education Coordinating Board (and Texas Administrative Code) guidelines for minimum course length: 16 weeks (45-48 contact hours including a week for the final examination), and also non-contact-hour time for out-of-class learning and refection.

    RATIONALE

    This policy ensures that a course offered in a shortened format provides an opportunity for the quality of student learning similar to that of a traditional 16-week course. These guidelines apply to both on- and off-campus courses. 

    SCOPE

    This policy applies to all courses in which the student earns credit hours.

    WEBSITE ADDRESS FOR THIS POLICY

    http://www.utsa.edu/hop/chapter2/2-32.html

    RELATED STATUTES, POLICIES, REQUIREMENTS OR STANDARDS

    UTSA or UT System Policies or the Board of Regents’ Rules & Regulations

    • UT System Regents’ Rule 40309, Administration of Courses Offered in Shortened Format
    • UTSA HOP policy 2.17, Final Examinations

    Other Policies & Standards

    CONTACTS

    If you have any questions about HOP policy 2.32, Courses Offered in Shortened Format, contact the following office:

    The Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

    DEFINITIONS

    Shortened Format
    The elapsed time for a three-semester-credit-hour course from the first class meeting through
    the meeting for the final examination is less than 16 weeks.  All requirements for a three credit hour course are applied proportionately to one, two, four, or other credit hour values.

    RESPONSIBILITIES

    Implementation/Enforcement Step Responsible Office/Officer
    1. Submit justification for course to be offered in shortened format to Department Chair for approval Department Faculty
    2. Submit approved justification and request for approval to deliver course to be offered in shortened format to the College Dean. Department Chair
    3. Submit approved justification and request for approval to deliver course to be offered in shortened format to Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs for approval College Dean
    4.Approve/reject course to be offered in
    shortened format    		 Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (or designee)

    PROCEDURES

    1. Criteria for a Course Offered in a Shortened Format:
      1. The course will consist of the same number of class contact hours as similar courses offered in a regular long semester: normally 45-48 contact hours, including the final examination period.
      2. The course will have the same objectives, requirements and quality of instruction as regular length courses.
      3. The standards for admission, drop/withdrawal and grading are substantially equivalent to similar courses taught in a normal semester or summer session term format.
    2. Exception:
      1. A course may be offered in a non-traditional way (for example, over the internet, or through a shortened, intensive format) that does not meet these contact hour requirements, if:
      2. The course has been reviewed and approved through a formal, institutional faculty review process that evaluates the course and its learning outcomes.
      3. The process determines that the course does, in fact, have equivalent learning outcomes to an equivalent, traditionally delivered course.
    3. Restrictions
      1. No three-credit-hour course shall consist of fewer than nine days of classes offered over a period of time not less than three weeks.
      2. All requirements for a three-credit-hour course are applied proportionately to one, two, four, or other credit-hour values.
      3. To ensure the quality of student learning, every three-semester-credit-hour course is assumed to involve a significant amount of non-contact hour time for out-of-class student learning and reflection.
        1. Students will not be allowed to carry more courses in one time in a shortened format than will allow them to earn more than one semester credit hour per week over the course of the term (6 hours in a 5-week term).
    4. Approval Process
      1. The department faculty shall develop justification for the course to be offered in a shortened format and submit the justification and a request for approval to the Department Chair for review and approval.
      2. The Department Chair shall submit an approved justification and request for approval for the course to be offered in a shortened format to the College Dean
      3. The College Dean shall submit an approved justification and request for approval for the course to be offered in a shortened format to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
      4. The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs must approve the course offered in a shortened format before it can be offered.