Credit hour calculation

How is course credit determined?

There are four methods for total hour calculation for both self-study and classroom equivalent courses. TDI awards course credits at the rate of one credit hour for every 50 minutes of instruction contact time. Providers may not include the final examination or pre-tests for determining course hours or calculating an average.

Note: TDI no longer approves courses in half-hour increments, with the exception of Escrow/Title courses. Effective 6-16-2021, the provisions for Title 28 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) 19.1010 were amended to remove half-hour increments of credit.

Hour calculation methods

When calculation results are fractions of .50 or above, they must be rounded up to the nearest whole number. When they are .49 or less, they must be rounded down to the nearest whole number.

1. Method 1: Average completion time

   The provider may determine the number of course hours by calculating the average completion time of at least five licensees. To use this method, the provider must retain the names, current insurance license numbers, and completion times of all licensees that were to average the completion time. A provider using this method may, at its discretion, issue certificates of completion in the number of hours certified by TDI to the licensees involved in the process and who completed the entire course.

   Example:

   Student #1 completed course in 6 hours and 38 minutes - Total: 398 minutes

   Student #2 completed course in 4 hours and 11 minutes - Total: 251 minutes

   Student #3 completed course in 7 hours and 03 minutes - Total: 423 minutes

   Student #4 completed course in 5 hours and 27 minutes - Total: 327 minutes

   Student #5 completed course in 6 hours and 12 minutes - Total: 372 minutes

   GRAND TOTAL minutes:                                                        1771 minutes

   1. Find the average number of minutes per student: Divide Grand Total minutes (1771) by 5 students = 354.2 average number of minutes per student.
   2. Find the average number of hours: Divide the average number of minutes per student (354.2) by 50 (minutes per course hour) = 7.04 hours per student.
   3. Round 7.04 down to 7 (fractions of .49 or below must be rounded down).
   4. Total eligible Texas credit: 7 credit hours.

2. Method 2: Average number of credit hours assigned by other states

   Providers may determine the number of course hours by calculating the average number of credit hours assigned by all other states in which the same course is certified or approved. A provider may not use this method to determine the number of credit hours unless the course is approved in at least three other states. Providers may not include any hours allowed by other states for sales and marketing topics in calculating the average. 

   Example:

   Maryland: 8.5 credit hours

   New York: 6 credit hours

   Florida: 10 credit hours

   To find the average:

   1. Add the course credit hours together: Total credit hours = 24.5.
   2. Divide the Total credit hours by the number of states: 24.5 Total credit hours divided by 3 states = 8.16 total credit hours.
   3. Fractions of .49 or below must be rounded down. Round the total credit hours from 8.16 to 8 hours.
   4. Total eligible Texas credit hours: 8 credit hours.

3. Method 3: Word count and difficulty level

   The provider may designate the course as one of three difficulty levels:

   • Basic level: Designed for entry-level practitioners or practitioners new to the subject matter.
   • Intermediate level: Designed for practitioners who have existing competence in the subject area and who seek to further develop and apply their skills.
   • Advanced level: Designed for practitioners who have a strong foundation and high level of competence in the subject matter. 

   Using these course difficulty definitions, the provider may determine the number of course hours in the following manner:

   Basic level course hours

   1. Divide the total number of words used in the course by 180 to find the documented average reading time.

   2. Divide the documented average reading time by 50 (minutes of instruction time) to find the credit hours for a basic level course.

      Example:

      1. 30,000 (words in the course) divided by 180 (words per minute - average reading speed) = 166.7 minutes (documented average reading time).
      2. Divide 166.7 minutes by 50 (minutes per credit hour) = 3.3 hours.
      3. Round down (fraction below .49) to arrive at 3 hours eligible credit.

   Intermediate level course hours:

   Calculate the Basic number of eligible hours (see above). Multiply this number by 1.25 to find the total number of credit hours.

   Example:

   1. 30,000 (words in the course) divided by 180 (words per minute - average reading speed) = 166.7 minutes (documented average reading time).
   2. Divide 166.7 minutes by 50 (minutes per credit hour) = 3.3 hours.
   3. Multiply 3.3 hours by 25 = 4..
   4. Round up to arrive at 4 eligible Texas credit hours.
   5. For an advanced level course—multiple by 1.5= 4.95 (Eligible Texas credit is 5 hours).

   Advanced level courses:

   Calculate the Basic number of eligible hours (see above). Multiply this number by 1.50 to find the total number of credit hours.

   Example:

   1. 30,000 (words in the course) divided by 180 (words per minute - average reading speed) = 166.7 minutes (documented average reading time).
   2. Divide 166.7 minutes by 50 (minutes per credit hour) = 3.3 hours.
   3. Multiply 3.3 hours by 50 = 4.95.
   4. Round up (fractions of .50 or must be rounded up) = 5 eligible Texas credit hours.

4. Method 4: Interactive course content

   To use this method, the course must be interactive. An interactive course includes regularly occurring opportunities for student participation, engagement, and interaction with or in course activities and information. Examples include, but are not limited to, question and answer sessions, polling, videos, games, matching exercises, sequencing, and inquiry periods.

   The provider may determine the number of course hours for an interactive course by calculating the run time* of the mandatory interactive elements, which includes only those elements required to complete the course.

   Run time: The total amount of mandatory time a student is required to stay on a particular section prior to the next section of the course being accessible.

   Example:

   Exercise 1: 12-minute run time

   Exercise 2: 8-minute run time

   5 polling questions: 10-minute running time

   Interactive inquiry periods: 10 minutes

   Exercise 3: 17-minute run time

   Exercise 4: 9-minute run time

   Total run time: 66 minutes = 1 hour and 6-minute run time or 1.1 hours

   Total eligible credit for Texas: 1 hour (fraction of an hour less than .49 rounded down to 1)