CHE

What are credits in higher education?

In simple terms, credits can be defined as a collective volume of learning required for a qualification in terms of the minimum number of credits required at specific exit levels of the NQF.

For instance, generally one credit is equivalent to ten notional study hours. In higher education, an average full-time student undergraduate is expected to study for a 40 hour week, thus requiring a minimum credit load of 120 credits per academic year for a Certificate, Diploma and Bachelor’s degree; and 180 credits per academic year for Masters Degree and beyond.