Credit Hour Residency Requirement. As a student, you probably heard this term used before. Maybe you even saw it on your academic evaluation. In any case, you may be unsure about one thing: What does it actually mean for me?
At Thomas Edison State University, a credit hour residency requirement is an academic requirement that can be fulfilled by taking courses offered by the University.
Once you know what this requirement is and if you have it, you can figure out how to go about fulfilling it.
What is a Credit Hour Residency Requirement?
For degree-seeking students, a credit hour residency requirement indicates the number of credits you must complete through the University in order to graduate. It does not mean what you must physically come to the University or attend courses at any physical location. However, not everyone has this requirement. Whether or not you have to satisfy a credit hour residency requirement depends upon your enrollment plan. The tuition plans and programs that currently have a requirement include:
- Per Credit Tuition Plan
- Military Degree Completion Program
- Navy University Partnership Program
- GoArmyEd/eArmyU Program
You can determine if you have satisfied the requirement by viewing your academic evaluation and unofficial transcript, as it is listed on both. Your academic advisor can also confirm if you have met your requirement.
How Can I Fulfill the Requirement?
Students who select the Per Credit Tuition Plan with the intention of graduating from Thomas Edison State University with an associate degree or bachelor's degree have an academic residency requirement of 15 credits. Residency requirements are met by earning credit via Online (OL), Guided Study (GS) or e-Pack® (EP) courses. Simply being enrolled in the course will not satisfy the requirement unless you successfully complete it. Your academic evaluation and transcript will update accordingly with the corresponding credits.
HOWEVER…
Federal financial aid and tuition assistance cannot be awarded for e-Pack®, Prior Learning Assessment or TECEP® examinations.
So if you are an undergraduate student using federal aid funds, you can only take online and/or guided study courses to fulfill your credit hour residency requirement.
If you are a military or veteran student enrolled in the GoArmyEd, Navy University or Military Degree Completion programs, you must satisfy your academic residency requirement prior to graduation. If you are using VA benefits, you can use online and guided study courses, as well as TECEP® exams to fulfill the requirement. An academic advisor from the Office of Academic Advising can guide your course selection and ensure you are on the right path for graduation.
For additional information regarding credit hour residency requirements, visit the Credit Hour Residency FAQs page.
Editor's Note: This article was originally published in September 2014 and has been updated to reflect University policies.
Written by Thomas Edison State University