Time and Credit Guidelines

The School of Art, Art History & Design adheres to the following time and credit guidelines established by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD):

  • In studio courses, 1 hour of credit represents 3 hours of studio/laboratory time each week of the 15-16-week semester. Half of the time (1.5 hours per week per credit hour) are spent in class with the instructor, and half of the time (1.5 hours per week per credit hour) of additional work is expected outside of regularly scheduled class time.
  • In lecture/discussion courses, 1 hour of credit represents 1 hour each week in class, and 2 hours each week of work outside of class for the duration of the 15-16-week semester.

Transfer credit evaluation

Transfer credit is evaluated using the NASAD based time and credit guidelines noted above. When a studio art or art history course is presented for possible transfer to UNL, the School of Art, Art History & Design uses course descriptions and/or course syllabi to evaluate content, and course schedules to evaluate the hours of instruction. Credit is rounded to the nearest half credit hour. If a course is presented for possible transfer, and the hours of instruction fall short of UNL’s NASAD-based standards, the course will receive a reduction in credit. An exception to the policy is credit earned during an education abroad experience, during which a student can be expected to gather substantial experience that will be influential in their development upon their return.