Operational Realities Compliance with Regulations Federal and state compliance

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	Credits, program length, and tuition UMKC uses traditional semester credit hour equivalencies for courses. The University operates on the semester system, with the academic year divided into fall and spring semesters. Summer terms vary in length during the months of June and July. Intersession courses are occasionally offered during the periods between terms in January, May and August.
The unit of credit is the semester hour, which represents a subject pursued one period weekly for one semester of approximately 16 weeks, or for a total of approximately 16 periods for one term of any length. Normally, the lecture or recitation period is 50 minutes long and the laboratory/studio period is one hour and 50 minutes long. The typical class carries three semester hours of credit. UMKC meets the amendments of the Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005 regarding the definition of an academic year for a program that requires a “minimum of 30 weeks of instructional time for a program that measures its length in credit hours”.Our semester term is 16 weeks and summer or intersession courses provide instructional contact hours equivalent to the regular 16-week semester. Program Length Neither the UM Collected Rules and Regulations nor the Missouri Department of Higher Education [MDHE] stipulate the length of program or credits required for a degree or the specific length of programs. In its rules about transfer students, MDHE specifies the following as the expected length of a baccalaureate degree. “A baccalaureate degree program, or major, consists of a (42-hour) general education program and a coherent grouping of courses or subject-area requirements in a specific discipline or program field. Generally, the number of credit hours required for a major ranges from 30 to 48 semester credit hours. There may be exceptions to this rule in the case of highly specialized professions or disciplines, interdisciplinary studies, or majors in general liberal arts studies.” UMKC’s undergraduate programs meet those standards. The general minimum UMKC requirement in semester hours of acceptable college work for an undergraduate degree is 120 semester hours (150 for a double degree). However, a number of undergraduate and first professional degrees have higher minimum requirements, as indicated in the specific school’s section of the catalog. A minimum of 30 hours must be earned at UMKC, regardless of the number and level of hours earned at another institution. Credit over 15 years old at the time of application for graduation may not apply to a degree without validation. 120 semester hours (150 for a double degree). However, a number of undergraduate and first professional degrees have higher minimum requirements, as indicated in the specific school’s section of the catalog. A minimum of 30 hours must be earned at UMKC, regardless of the number and level of hours earned at another institution. Credit over 15 years old at the time of application for graduation may not apply to a degree without validation. Minimum hours for graduate and professional programs vary according to the accreditation demands of that institution and the programmatic requirements of the particular degree. None of our graduate or professional programs require significantly greater minimum hours than those of comparator institutions. Tuition and Fees The UM Board of Curators sets tuition and fees; any variation from the system-wide amounts requires a special request to the curators. MDHE’s Policy on Higher Education Student Funding Act Implementation requires that all public universities annually submit their change in tuition from the current academic year to the upcoming academic year, beginning in AY2009. UMKC tuition varies by student level. That is, undergraduate, graduate, and professional students pay different rates. Tuition and fees are described on the UMKC Cashier’s Office Web site. Other fees are those that the Student Government Association approves for all students as well as program-specific fees. [Appendix 7 provides a summary of all student fees.]
Additionally, the College Portrait developed through NASULGC/AASCU’s Voluntary System of Accountability [VSA] allows undergraduate students to compare UMKC’s College Portrait, including costs, with those of other participants in the VSA.