Choice of courses for a
particular semester should take into account many variables.
Your selection could be based on one or a combination of
the following criteria:
When determining your semester course load, you should consider a number of issues, such as skill level, extracurricular activities, difficulty of course/major, employment, and finances. Generally, a student enrolled in academic courses needs two hours of preparation outside of class for each hour of classroom instruction. By taking into account these issues, you are better able to prepare yourself for academic success.
Students carrying twelve semester hours of classes are considered full-time.
3 hours Class time + 6 hours Study time = 9 hours total per week
Working Hours | Recommended Course Load |
40 | 3 - 6 credit hours |
20 | 6 - 12 credit hours |
0 | 12 - 17 credit hours |
A course number has four digits. The first digit identifies the level of the course: “0” indicates a developmental course (MATH 0312), “1” indicates freshman (HIST 1301), and “2” indicates sophomore level (PSYC 2301).
The second digit of the course number indicates the semester credit value. Therefore, for ENGL 1301, the student would meet three lecture hours a week and after successfully completing the course will earn three credit hours.
Most laboratory classes, BIOL 1406 e.g., would meet three lecture hours and one laboratory hour per week, earning four hours of semester credit.
This is an example ... PDF Document
Full-time students generally take 4-5 courses per semester, for a total of 12-17 semester hours. A typical schedule for first-semester students who are not required to take developmental courses and are interested in an AA/AS degree or transferring to a senior institution may look something like the following:
ENGL 1301 | Composition and Rhetoric | 3 hours |
MATH 1314 | College Algebra | 3 hours |
HIST 1301 | History of U.S. I | 3 hours |
PSYC 2301 or SOCI 1301 | Psychology, Sociology | 3 hours |
BIOL 1406 | General Biology I | 4 hours |
PHED 1101-1151 | Kinesiology Activity | 1 hour |
Course ID# |
Course Name/Number |
Section |
Days |
Time |
1622 |
ENGL 1301 |
A5 |
M/W/F |
9 am - 9:50 am |
0195 |
HIST 1301 |
15 |
T/R |
9:25am – 10:40am |
0321 |
MATH 1314 |
10 |
T/R |
10:50am – 12:05pm |
2755 |
BIOL1406 |
A6 |
M/W |
10:30am – 11:45am |
Lab |
F |
10:30am – 1:15pm |
||
0461 |
PHED 11_ _ |
01 |
M/W/F |
8:00am – 8:50am |
Students may be awarded up to 12 semester hours of college credit based on examination. Students must take the CLEP tests (subject test only) or the AP examination. A grade of “CR” will be posted to the transcript when the student has successfully completed 6 semester hours or more AND after a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 has been earned at Blinn College. The application for credit by examination must be filed in the Office of Admissions and Records by the appropriate deadline. Credit will not be awarded for a course already attempted.
Students who have not completed 2 years of the same language in high school should place themselves in a class based on their high school experience and the following guidelines:
Distance Education courses are provided primarily for the benefit of students who are unable to attend traditional classes on campus because of conflicts. Blinn College offers online (internet) courses, telecourses, blended (hybrid) courses and interactive video courses. The objectives and content of the courses are essentially the same as those offered in the traditional classroom setting. Although these courses allow students flexibility, they require a great deal of self-discipline and self-motivation. Students must be able to allocate the time necessary to complete the coursework by incorporating efficient time management skills.
Online (Internet) Courses - Students work within a virtual classroom environment using WebCT, interacting with their instructor and fellow classmates using the tools within the virtual classroom. These courses are indicated in the course schedule using an “N” for the section number.
Telecourses - Students watch the broadcast of their lessons on the local PBS station (KAMU). Students communicate with their instructors via email, regular mail and telephone. These courses are indicated in the course schedule using “T” for the section number.
Blended (Hybrid) Courses - The course will typically meet once a week at the time indicated on your schedule. The remaining interaction will take place in an online classroom using WebCT. Student must attend class in addition to participating in the online environment. These courses are indicated in the course schedule using “B” for the section number.
Interactive Video Courses - The course meets according to the time indicated on the schedule. The instructor will be on one campus and teach students at the other campus (i.e., remote sites). These courses are indicated in the course schedule using “V” for the section number.
Degree Status is an automated summary of your academic progress toward an associate’s degree. This report shows which requirements have already been completed and which remain unsatisfied and may be helpful in showing how completed or in-progress courses may be used in different degree programs. The degree audit is not intended to replace students' contact with academic advisers but should be used as a tool to determine for which courses you will need to register that will satisfy an associate degree. A printout of this audit is available online through the BORIS program using your Blinn ID# and password.