Credit Hours Credit Hours Credit hours are the units by which classes are measured.
Credit hours can be class hours or lab hours.
You can expect to spend about two to three hours of study and preparation for each credit hour of class. Thus, for a three-credit course, you will spend about three hours in class and six to nine hours studying outside of class each week. Most one-semester classes average three credit hours. To graduate with a bachelor's degree, you will need anywhere from 130 to 138 credit hours, depending upon your chosen major.