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I hope I don't sound stupid, but I don't understand how the unit system works. The college I'm going to next year goes by the quarter system. In that case, how long would a class that is 4 units take? How many hours a week would that class be? I don't get it...help!

By Kwtortoise (Kwtortoise) on Wednesday, July 14, 2004 - 12:20 am: Edit

Units, also called credit hours, usually refer to how many hours (about) you will be in class per week. So, a four-unit class may meet for about four hours a week. But, an exception to this is labs. I have heard of some being worth only one credit, but being in class for 3-4 hours plus.

By Drusba (Drusba) on Wednesday, July 14, 2004 - 09:30 am: Edit

Unit means number of hours in class per week except:

1. Labs: typical for science labs a 1 unit course means you go to the lab class 2 or 3 hours a week (usually all at once).

2. Sometimes in math or in science classes like Chem, physics, the class can consist of lecture and discussion sections and the total hours per week can be 4 for a 3 unit class (or 5 for 4 unit class). You can find similar extended hours per unit in art related classes (studio/dance) where you might get 1 or 2 units for three to four hours per week.

By Fenix_Three (Fenix_Three) on Wednesday, July 14, 2004 - 04:54 pm: Edit

Look at the specific class in the general catalog. It should usually say something like: Class30B consists of three hours of lecture and two days of lab. In this case that's a total of five hours, but it may be worth 4 units (3hrs lecture +1unit lab). College students usually average 15 units (quarter or semester) per term... unless you have weird 9 unit systems.

By Tenisghs (Tenisghs) on Wednesday, July 14, 2004 - 09:03 pm: Edit

I'm on the quarter system and we don't go by hours. We use credits. As in, you need 45 credits (classes) to graduate. So you need to take around 45 classes. But that's my school...

By Flyinillini82 (Flyinillini82) on Wednesday, July 14, 2004 - 09:18 pm: Edit

We used to use Units for grad school. 1Unit=3hrs Dont ask me where it came. Its kinda a silly system since you end up taking classes that are 1.5 units and Ive even seen 1.25. Maybe they used it cause people dont like counting. Instead of adding up your class hours to at least 12hrs, you only have to go up to 4 units.

By Desrtswimer (Desrtswimer) on Thursday, July 15, 2004 - 05:09 pm: Edit

I am going to the same school as tenisghs and I have a question maybe you wonderful people can answer.

Everything at Northwestern is one unit (i believe) even the science classes! From what i understand from looking at the schedules the class is one unit and then the lab is no units. so does that mean every single class is essentially worth three credits regardless of if its a language or calc or whatnot?

If i am totally wrong about this please tell me!

By Blah1111 (Blah1111) on Thursday, July 15, 2004 - 05:40 pm: Edit

A lot of schools (HYP also, I believe) use a course system in determining graduation requirements as opposed to one that involves credit-hours. Determining how many credit hours to which those courses are tantamount is actually kind of meaningless if you stay at the same college for all four years. I'd assume if you decide to transfer to a school with a credit-hour system, though, the one at which you're currently enrolled can convert them to their equivalent unit values. So while at one school both Calculus and Intro to Psych are considered equal to one course, they might not be at a different college.

I'm not sure if that answers your question, but that's my take on it.

By Tenisghs (Tenisghs) on Thursday, July 15, 2004 - 10:27 pm: Edit

Desert Winner, I took discussion classes at Northwestern and they were considered part of the lecture. In other words, you don't receive (extra) credit for the labs/discussions. Whatever you get in those classes and the midterm/final determines your overall grade for the course.

I hope this helps.

By Im_Blue (Im_Blue) on Thursday, July 15, 2004 - 10:48 pm: Edit

At Northwestern, everything counts for 1 class (there are exceptions like half labs). So you need 45 to graduate in Arts & Sciences (4 per quarter except for 3) and 48 for Engineering (4 per quarter x 4 years).

By Tenisghs (Tenisghs) on Friday, July 16, 2004 - 02:29 am: Edit

Thanks Blue for clarifying the Engineering school. Would you consider taking a 5th class?