<p>I didn't know where to put this but I was wondering what is the difference between a 3 credit class and a 4 credit class? I go to Westminster College and all their classes are 4 credits while the school I am transferring to has mostly 3 credit classes. What's the difference?</p>
<p>I can’t give you an official answer, but, from experience, it seems like most 4 credit courses are reserved for core classes in areas like English, Math, Science, Language, etc. - e.g, English Composition, Calculus, Biology, Physics, Latin, etc. are often 4 credit courses. The 3 credit courses, then, tend to make up the remainder of the catalog - minus the 1 and 2 credit courses for things like Health, Phys. Ed, Recreation, etc. </p>
<p>As far as differences between the two, I think 4 credit courses usually cover more material than 3 credit courses - which isn’t to say the 3 credit courses are easier; I’ve taken many 3 credit classes that were way more difficult than the 4 credit courses I took.</p>
<p>See the school I go to now only offers 4 credit courses minus PE courses. The school I am transferring to offers mostly 3 credit course with a few 4 and 5 credit ones. It’s confusing lol.</p>
<p>Huh, that’s weird. Never heard of 5-credit courses - maybe they’re science courses with a 1 or 2 credit lab component; who knows. </p>
<p>Well, I wouldn’t worry about it. If the courses you’re taking at your current university are comparable to the university you’re transferring to, then I’m sure the credits will transfer regardless.</p>
<p>Each school does it differently, what you need is to check if the two schools have an articulation agreement that states how they will treat certain classes from the school you are transferring from. </p>
<p>Additionally, some classes are just “harder” or have more content. This might sound strange but my English 1A class from El Camino College is ranked as a four unit class where as other surrounding colleges have it as a three unit class. This is because they require you to write a research paper. There have been students who have taken the three unit class but had to retake that class at the UCs due to the lack of a research paper.</p>