Is 8 credits equal to an academic year? We’re on the quarter system here, with classes being anywhere from 4-6 credits per class. If I took a full year (3 quarters) of a science (gen chem, ochem, etc) it would be anywhere from 12-18 credits, which is more than some schools that state that 8 credits equal a year. (For example, Pritzker says “undergraduate science comprised of an 8-credit, academic year”)
So how many credits are required when the pre-req says one academic year? Is 8 enough?
Why I’m asking: My biology degree only required 2 quarters of physics (10 credits) 11 years ago, so I thought I was missing a few credit hours of a full year. I don’t really want to retake 2 quarters of physics just to be up to speed in order to take the third.
When most schools say 8 credits, they are typically referring to semester hours instead of quarter hours. 8 semester hours is equivalent to 12 quarter hours. So, depending on the school that may be a full academic year. At Ohio State, the pre-reqs were all 5 quarter hours.
The answer to your physics question is probably more in whether or not you completed the entire series. If the entire series at your school only consisted of two quarters, than you’re probably okay. If the entire series was three quarters, then you may need to take another quarter, but you should probably check with some schools. Ohio State’s biology series that pre-meds take is only two quarters for some reason, but I didn’t have anybody question my amount of biology credits.