Higher Ed Utah

Below is the text of the new Excess Credit Hour Policy adopted by the Board of Regents on November 16, 2012.
There are two important features to note as you read the policy.

1. In section 4.15.3, the policy states that the surcharge is optional and that institutions may charge it subject to many conditions and exclusions listed in the subsequent sections.

2. In section 4.15.2, the policy requires that institutions establish a process for notifying students of the potential surcharge when they enroll and encourages institutions to have students meet with an adviser when they are nearing the 125% threshold.

Ultimately, the goal of the policy is not to make money or penalize students, but to help ensure that students are completing their degrees in a timely manner and not accumulating excess credits that do not lead them to the completion of their educations.

Utah System of Higher Education Policy
R510, Tuition and Fees

4.15. Excess Credit Hours: Institutional policies and practices shall encourage students not to accumulate credit hours beyond those needed to successfully complete a program of study.

4.15.1 Definitions: For the purpose of section 4.15 only, the following terms are defined for the application of and administration of the excess credit hour surcharge.

4.15.1.1 Program of study- A group of academic courses required for a baccalaureate degree.

4.15.1.2 Excess Credit Hour Surcharge- The surcharge amount to be charged is double the current year’s resident tuition rates, pertaining to that institution, for the number of credit hours taken for resident students. Non-resident students will continue to pay non-resident tuition.

4.15.2 Alert: Each USHE institution must establish a process by which students are notified of this policy when enrolling at the institution. Strategies to assist student completion shall be employed and may include such things as encouraging a student to meet with an adviser before or upon hitting the 125% of degree completion, and/or encouraging the student to establish a plan for program completion by meeting with a counselor or advisor.

4.15.3 Excess Credit Hour Surcharge: An institution may charge a student the excess credit surcharge subject to conditions set forth in 4.15.4 for new enrollees, beginning not later than September 1, 2013, for credit hours in excess of 125% of a student’s program of study.

4.15.4 Determination of Number of Credit Hours Necessary for the Program of Study

4.15.4.1 Allowances for Program of Study- The number of credit hours for completion of the program of study may include the hours needed for a double major, dual degree, additional minor, certification(s), and/or emphasis(es) related to the student’s major area of study. Second bachelor degrees will also be allowed and will be considered new programs of study for purposes of the excess credit hour calculation.

4.15.4.2 Credit Hours Excluded- Excluded from the calculation of the credits required for completion of a student’s program of study are credit hours: (1) earned through concurrent enrollment, advanced placement, and credit by examination, (2) resulting from re-entry into the educational system by a student who may have accumulated a large number of credits, or even completed degrees, but where employment requirements obligate his or her return to college, (3) resulting from a defensible change in major, and (4) developmental education credit.

4.16. Tuition Surcharge for Course Repetition: Tuition for repeating a course more than once shall be charged at the full cost of the instruction unless the institution determines that the repetition is a result of illness, accident or other cause beyond the student’s control or unless the course is prescribed by the student’s program of study.