Tennessee Tech University is organized on the semester basis. When the term hour or credit is used, it refers to a semester-hour credit. One semester hour of credit requires one hour (55 minutes) of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours out-of-class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks.

Two or more hours of laboratory or studio work are required per hour of credit.  An equivalent amount of work is required for practica and other academic activities that award credit.  Summer, intersession or other alternate course formats require the equivalent amount of work per credit hour.  Laboratory hours per credit are determined by the department or college.  Semester credit hours earned in courses such as internships, research, theses, dissertations, study abroad, etc. are based on outcome expectations established by the academic program.