Credit Hour Methodology
Definition, Course Design, and Student Workload Analysis · Academic Year 2026–2027
1. Purpose and Scope
This document records the methodology by which Saint Luke's College of Theology defines, calculates, and applies semester credit hours in the Master of Christian Catechesis (M.C.C.) program. It documents the regulatory basis for the credit hour standard, the institutional rationale for course design decisions, the student workload analysis underlying those decisions, and the pedagogical framework governing course structure and assessment.
Although Saint Luke's College of Theology operates under the religious exemption provided by Florida Statute §1005.06(1)(f) and is not subject to the general oversight of the Commission for Independent Education, the institution maintains this record consistent with the principles of academic integrity, regulatory transparency, and sound institutional governance.
2. Regulatory Basis
2.1 Governing Statute: The Religious Exemption
Saint Luke's College of Theology operates under Florida Statute §1005.06(1)(f), which exempts qualifying religious institutions from the licensing requirements that otherwise apply to postsecondary institutions in the State of Florida. The exemption is conditioned upon annual verification by sworn affidavit that the institution satisfies five statutory criteria, one of which requires that "the duration of all degree programs is consistent with the standards of the Commission for Independent Education."
2.2 Duration Standards
The duration standards referenced in §1005.06(1)(f) are established in Florida Administrative Code Rule 6E-2.004. The M.C.C. is a first professional degree as defined in Rule 6E-1.003(34). As a first professional degree, the M.C.C. is exempt from the thirty-credit minimum and from the baccalaureate prerequisite. The applicable minimum is twenty-four (24) semester credit hours. The M.C.C. is designed at exactly twenty-four semester credit hours.
2.3 Credit Hour Definition
Saint Luke's College of Theology defines a semester credit hour consistent with Florida Administrative Code Rule 6E-1.003(55)(a):
A unit consisting of a minimum of fifteen (15) hours of instruction appropriate to the level of credential sought, during a semester, plus a reasonable period of time outside of instruction for preparation.
3. M.C.C. Program Structure
The Master of Christian Catechesis is organized as a sequence of six complete courses, each a structural, architectural, and systematic model of one essential dimension of the Christian faith. Each course is worth four (4) semester credit hours. The six together total twenty-four (24) semester credit hours.
| # | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Soul's Legal Status | 4 cr |
| 2 | Structural Christianity | 4 cr |
| 3 | Forensic Theology | 4 cr |
| 4 | Catechistical Philosophy | 4 cr |
| 5 | Broken Interfaces | 4 cr |
| 6 | Comparative Models | 4 cr |
| Total | 24 cr |
Credit Hour Weighting Rationale
Each course in the M.C.C. is assigned four (4) semester credit hours. The rationale is structural: every course is built around three major subjects plus a synthesis project. Each of the three major subjects represents one credit hour of student work, and the fourth credit hour is carried by a synthesis project that draws the three subjects into a single coherent model in the student's own voice. The weighting reflects not arbitrary equivalence but the internal architecture of every course: three subjects and a synthesis, four credits, one complete model.
4. Student Workload Analysis
Under Rule 6E-1.003(55)(a), one semester credit hour requires a minimum of fifteen (15) hours of instruction plus a reasonable period of additional preparation. The institution interprets "reasonable" preparation time as an additional fifteen (15) hours per credit hour, yielding a total student workload of approximately thirty (30) hours per credit hour, or approximately one hundred twenty (120) hours per four-credit course.
| Activity | Per Subject (1 credit) | Full Course (4 credits) |
|---|---|---|
| Textbook reading (relevant sections) | ~12 hrs | ~36 hrs |
| Scripture and primary source reading | ~3–4 hrs | ~10–12 hrs |
| Total reading | ~15–16 hrs | ~46–48 hrs |
| AI-assisted research | ~2–3 hrs | ~8–12 hrs |
| Subject paper: prompting, reviewing, editing | ~2–3 hrs | ~6–9 hrs |
| Video preparation and rehearsal | ~3–4 hrs | ~10–14 hrs |
| Video recording (subject and synthesis) | ~1–2 hrs | ~5–8 hrs |
| Synthesis paper and video (spans all three subjects) | — | ~12–18 hrs |
| Total deliverable burden | ~8–12 hrs | ~41–61 hrs |
| Approximate course total | ~25–30 hrs | ~100–120 hrs |
5. Instructional Design Framework
Course Textbook: Each course has its own textbook, written and published by Saint Luke's College of Theology, presenting the model the course teaches at the depth a practicing catechist requires. Textbooks are provided to enrolled students as part of the program.
Subject Structure: Every course is built around three major subjects, each representing one credit hour of student work. The subjects are the structural components of the course's model.
Synthesis: The fourth credit hour of every course is carried by a synthesis project that draws the three subjects into a single coherent model in the student's own voice.
Assessment: Each course produces four assignments: three subject papers with accompanying videos, and one synthesis paper with an accompanying video. There are no written examinations.
6. Regulatory Compliance Summary
| Requirement | Citation | M.C.C. Compliance |
|---|---|---|
| Religious exemption | §1005.06(1)(f), Fla. Stat. | Qualifies under all five statutory criteria |
| Program duration | §1005.06(1)(f), Fla. Stat. | 24 semester credit hours meets minimum for first professional master's degree |
| Admissions foundation | Rule 6E-2.004(q)(2), (l) | Four documented admissions paths; no baccalaureate required per first professional degree exception |
| Credit hour definition | Rule 6E-1.003(55)(a) | 15 hrs instruction + reasonable prep per credit hour |
| Consumer disclosure | §1005.04, Fla. Stat. | Complete information provided prior to enrollment |