Contact Time Requirements

Following is the minimum number of contact minutes in a semester needed per credit hour for Lecture and Seminar type courses. Courses may exceed the minimum; they may not go below it.

1 credit – 800 minutes

2 credits – 1600 minutes

3 credits – 2400 minutes

4 credits – 3200 minutes

5 credits – 4000 minutes

6 credits – 4800 minutes

Calculating Contact Time

A 3-credit course that meets in the standard time blocks all fall or spring semester meets the 2400-minute contact requirement. No calculations are needed. (Please note that double-block time modules, for example, 8:00-10:40am, include 10 extra minutes for a break.)

Calculations are needed for classes of more or less than 3 credits and for any short courses.

Example: SPAN 1010, a 5-credit course, meets TR 8:00-9:15 and F 8:00-9:40. Does it meet the 4000 contact minutes per semester requirement?

8:00-9:15 = 75 min. x 2 days/week = 150 min.
8:00-9:40 = 100 min. x 1 day/week = 100 min.
150 + 100 min = 250 min/week
250 min x 16 weeks – 4000 min.

No breaks need to be factored in because of the short length of the class periods.

Example: A 3-credit pre-term course meets for one week, MTWRF, 8 hours a day.

8 hours x 60 min/hour = 480 min each day
480 min/day x 5 days = 2400 min.

This exactly meets the requirement; however, it does not include time for a break. Therefore its time should be extended by 30 or 60 minutes each day, according to the preference of the instructor or department.

Other Component types (Studio, Main Lab Section, Practicum) have longer contact-time requirements. Please email schedreg@uccs.edu for information on these requirements.