RCS Resource Guide: Calculating Contact Minutes

about this guide

Contact minutes are the required amount of time deemed necessary based on a course component to provide a satisfactory amount of instructional time per earned unit. The required contact minutes for a course are met within a range of minutes. Courses with multiple components, based on the workload, have their own requirements. To ensure class sections meet contact minute accreditation standards, use this guide for scheduling classes and to monitor and ensure sections are meeting the minimum appropriate contact hours for university, Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR), and WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) requirements. 
 

How are contact minutes calculated?

Class Section Level Calculation: Class Section must include a facility ID and a complete meeting pattern in order for contact minutes to auto calculate in the Maintain Schedule of Classes tile 

Contact minutes per # unit = (# of minutes for single meeting X # of meeting days per week) X # of weeks

Example Course:  auto-calculate

  • Meeting Pattern MWF 12-12:50pm (3-unit, lecture course) 
    • Contact minutes per 3 unit = 150 X 16 
    • Contact minutes per 3 unit = (50 X 3-day meeting pattern) X 16 weeks 
    • Contact minutes per 3 unit = 2400 

Range of Minutes: Contact minutes are assigned according to the minimum and maximum of the course component types. 

Component Unit Min Max
Colloquium, Discussion, Lecture, Seminar  1 700 900
Independent Study 1 N/A N/A
Lab 1 2,100 2,700
Studio 1 1,400 1,800
Workshop 1 700 2,700
UAnalytic contact minute report

Step 1: Navigate to the Contact Minutes dashboard via UAccess Analytics > Dashboards dropdown menu > Student > Catalog and Schedule 

UAccess Screen Image

 

Step 2: Once on the Catalog and Schedule page select  RCS – Compliance Reports, then select Contact Minute tab

Step 3: Update the filter for Term and Academic Org

Step 4: Apply filters to review the report or export to Excel

UAccess Screen Image

 

to view contact minutes for an individual class section

Step1: Navigate to Maintain Schedule of Classes tile > Meetings tab.  

Step 2: Select the Contact Minutes link to review the required contact minutes for the class section

 Step 3: Review the minutes associated with the component type. Select return to return to class section. 

Step 4: If corrections are needed to meet contact minute compliance,  adjust the Schedule of Classes meeting pattern (increase/ reduce meeting pattern) to fall within the contact minute ranges. 

UAccess Screen Image
policy information

WASC Senior College and Universtiy

  Commission (WSCUC)

Assignment of Credits 

Credit Hours shall conform to commonly accepted practices in higher education

 

Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) 

 

Academic Credit Policy

An hour of work is the equivalent of 50 minutes of class time. 

 

University of Arizona Policy 

 

Credit Definitions

At least 45 hours of work by each student for each unit of credit. 
contact us

Please contact RCS with any questions regarding how to calculate contact minutes. Reach us via email: rcshelp@arizona.edu or phone: 520-621-3313.  

updated 8/2024