Convert quarter credit hours to semester hours, or semester credits back to quarter hours, using the standard 2:3 academic credit ratio.

Academic Credit ConversionConvert between quarter-system and semester-system credit hours.
Required: enter the quarter credit hours you want to convert.
quarter hours

Leave blank to use the standard 2/3 conversion. Enter a different factor only if your institution specifies one.

Equivalent semester credit
Nearest half credit
Nearest whole credit

This is an equivalency estimate, not a transfer-credit decision. The receiving institution determines accepted credits and rounding.

Credit Hours to Semester Hours Formula

The following formula is used to calculate the semester hours for a given number of credit hours and weeks per term.

SH = CH ร— ((W) / (15))

Variables:

  • SH is the semester hours
  • CH is the credit hours
  • W is the weeks per term

To calculate the semester hours, multiply the credit hours by the ratio of weeks per term to 15. This accounts for the standard academic term length of 15 weeks.

Credit Hours to Equivalent Semester Hours (SH = CH ร— Weeks / 15)
Credit Hours Weeks per Term Equivalent Semester Hours
180.533
281.067
381.600
482.133
1100.667
2101.333
3102.000
4102.667
1120.800
2121.600
3122.400
4123.200
1151.000
2152.000
3153.000
4154.000
1161.067
2162.133
3163.200
4164.267
* Rounded to 3 decimals. Formula: SH = CH ร— (Weeks / 15). Examples use common terms (8, 10, 12, 15, 16 weeks).

What are Credit Hours and Semester Hours?

Credit hours and semester hours are units used to measure educational credit, typically based on the number of classroom hours per week throughout a term. Credit hours are often used to quantify the amount of coursework a student has completed, while semester hours are used to standardize this measurement across different academic terms. For example, a course that meets for three hours per week over a 15-week semester would typically be worth three credit hours or three semester hours.

How to Calculate Semester Hours?

The following steps outline how to calculate the Semester Hours.

  1. First, determine the number of credit hours (CH).
  2. Next, determine the number of weeks per term (W).
  3. Next, calculate the semester hours using the formula SH = CH ร— (W / 15).
  4. Finally, calculate the Semester Hours.
  5. After inserting the values and calculating the result, check your answer with the calculator above.

Example Problem : 

Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.

Credit Hours (CH) = 3

Weeks per Term (W) = 10