Expected Course Load

Normally, Washington College students take four courses, worth four credit hours each, every fall and spring—for a total of 16 credit hours per semester. This approach yields 32 credit hours a year and 128 credit hours over the four years that a student typically attends the College. However, students may plan a course of study with the approval of their faculty advisor(s) that involves as few as 12 credits or as many as 22 credits. Students may not enroll in more than 22 credits in a single semester without permission from the Committee on Academic Standing and Advising.

Students registered for 21 or 22 credits will incur an additional fee. Please refer to the Overload Credit Charge in the Fees and Expenses section.

Full-Time, Half-Time, and Overload

For the purposes of federal student loan deferments and NCAA requirements, full-time student status is defined as being enrolled for at least 12 credit hours per semester. Half-time student status is defined as at least 8 credit hours but not 12 credit hours. Students who fail to enroll in at least half-time status in a given semester run the risk of having federal student loans go into repayment mode. By federal law, deferral of student loans is only available to students who are actively enrolled in a half-time or greater course load. This determination is made by the loan servicer based on information supplied to it by the College.

First semester students (whether first-year students or transfer students with accumulated credits) are not ordinarily permitted to take more than 18 credit hours. This is to help these students make a successful transition into Washington College.

Students on academic probation or academic warning may not take more than 18 credit hours in any single semester and must participate in the Academic Recovery program.