Classification of students is based on the number of college level credit hours earned as shown in the following table.

In order to avoid a possible delay in graduation, students who have completed the required number of hours to be classified as juniors but who have not completed their basic requirements in the Lower Division should schedule these uncompleted requirements during the first semester in which such courses are available.

Credit Hours, Full-Time Classification, and Maximum Load

The unit of credit at the University of Memphis is the semester hour. A semester hour is defined as the credit earned for the successful completion of one hour per week in class for one semester; or two to three hours per week of laboratory for one semester. (A course which gives three semester hours credit will normally meet for three lecture or recitation hours per week, or for two lecture or recitation hours and two-three laboratory hours per week; or for some other combination of these.) Each lecture hour presupposes a minimum of two hours preparation on the part of the student.

The minimum credit hour load for classification as a full-time student is 12 credit hours for a term (all sessions combined for fall, spring, or summer). The maximum loads are found on the maximum credit load page by clicking here. The maximum credit hour load includes all course enrollments for any term, both at the University of Memphis and any concurrent enrollment at other institutions. It does not include credit by examination. No student is permitted to enroll for correspondence or extension courses while carrying a maximum credit hour load.