Policies indicated below do not include all policies related to credit, classifications, and student loads. See the University Catalog.

VI.5.1 Credit for Academic Work

Normally, Linfield grants one semester credit for 15 50-minute periods of instruction (including discussion, testing, etc.) or the equivalent. Laboratories of two or three hours are considered the equivalent of one period of instruction.

VI.5.2 Full-Time Status

Linfield University defines full-time status for undergraduate students as enrollment for 12 or more credits. This full-time status definition applies for all purposes including but not limited to financial aid, Veterans’ educational benefits, scholarship certification, student visa status, and intercollegiate athletics. Thus, for Pell Grants, Alaska Loans, and similar programs, an undergraduate must carry at least 12 credits to be certified as full time. Only students who have earned 12 credits with differentiated grades (A-F) assigned may qualify for the Dean’s List.

VI.5.3 Undergraduate Classification

A student’s class standing is determined by the following semester credit criteria:

First-year: Successful completion of 0-29.99 credits

Sophomore: Successful completion of 30-59.99 credits

Junior: Successful completion of 60-89.99 credits

Senior: Successful completion of 90 or more credits

VI.5.4 Student Work Per Course and Normal Course Load

Faculty members should schedule work so that students will devote some 42 hours of academic effort over the term or semester for each course credit (including in-class time). Thus, for a three-credit course that meets three hours each week, the student should spend some six hours outside of class each week of the 14-week semester – two hours outside of class for each hour inside.

The faculty has identified 12-16 credits as the normal student load in any given semester and three to five credits as the normal credit load for January Term. This policy is monitored at the point of registration (or at points when changes in registration occur) by the Registrar’s Office. Linfield discourages students from taking more than 18 credits in total at Linfield (or at Linfield in combination with credits from another university).

The following conditions pertain to students seeking to enroll beyond the normal load:

• Approval by an academic advisor and an academic dean is required for loads above 18 credits and will be subject to a per credit overload tuition. Students must complete the online Overload Request form. Requests will include the following:
  • a written statement explaining the reason for the higher load request including the courses planned for
  • an unofficial transcript of work completed to date