(4) Flight training which is an integral part of a standard undergraduate college degree. (e) Graduate resident training. VA considers a graduate course to be resident training if the course (1) Is offered through regularly scheduled, conventional classroom or laboratory sessions; or (2) Consists of research (either on campus or in absentia) necessary for the preparation of the student's(i) Master's thesis, (ii) Doctoral dissertation, or (iii) Similar treatise which is prerequisite to the degree being pursued; or (3) Consists of a combination of training as described in paragraphs (e)(1) and (e)(2) of this section. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3676(e), 3680A(a)) (f) Course approval. A State approving agency may approve a course offered by independent study or a combination of independent study and resident training only if (1) The course is accredited and leads to a standard college degree; and (2) The course meets the requirements of § 21.4253. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3672, 3675, 3680A(a)(4)) [61 FR 6783, Feb. 22, 1996, as amended at 62 FR 40280, July 28, 1997] ASSESSMENT AND PURSUIT OF COURSES $21.4270 Measurement of courses. (a) Measurement of trade, technical, and high school courses. Trade, technical, high school, and high school preparatory courses shall be measured as stated in this paragraph. (1) Trade and technical courses. (i) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, if shop practice is an integral part of a trade or technical course not leading to a standard college degree (A) A full-time enrollment is 22 clock hours per week (exclusive of supervised study) with not more than 21⁄2 hours rest period allowance; (B) A three-quarter-time enrollment is 16 through 21 clock hours per week (exclusive of supervised study) with not more than 2 hours rest period allowance; (C) A one-half-time enrollment is 11 through 15 clock hours per week (exclusive of supervised study) with not more than 1 hours rest period allowance; (D) A less than one-half-time but more than one-quarter-time enrollment is 6 through 10 clock hours per week (exclusive of supervised study) with not more than 34 hour rest period allowance; and (E) A quarter-time enrollment is 1 through 5 clock hours per week (exclusive of supervised study). (ii) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, if theory and class instruction constitute more than 50 percent of the required hours in a trade or technical course not leading to a standard college degree, enrollments will be measured as follows. In measuring net instruction there will be included customary intervals not to exceed 10 minutes between classes. Shop practice and rest periods are excluded. Supervised instruction periods in a school's shops and the time involved in field trips and group instruction may be included in computing the clock hour requirements. (A) A full-time enrollment is 18 clock hours net instruction per week (exclusive of supervised study); (B) A three-quarter-time enrollment is 13 through 17 clock hours net instruction per week (exclusive of supervised study); (C) A one-half-time enrollment is 9 through 12 clock hours net instruction per week (exclusive of supervised study); (D) A less than one-half-time but more than one-quarter-time enrollment is 5 through 8 clock hours net instruction per week (exclusive of supervised study); and (E) A quarter-time enrollment is 1 through 4 clock hours net instruction per week (exclusive of supervised study). (2) High school courses. If a student is pursuing high school courses at a rate which would result in an accredited high school diploma in four ordinary school years, VA considers him or her to be enrolled full time. Otherwise, for high school enrollments, training time will be determined as follows. (For the purpose of this paragraph, a unit is not less than one hundred and twenty 60 minute hours or the equivalent study in any subject in one academ year.) (i) A full-time enrollment is 18 clo hours net instruction per week or fo units per year or the equivalent; (ii) A three-quarter-time enrollme is 13 through 17 clock hours net i struction per week or three units p year or the equivalent; (iii) A one-half-time enrollment is through 12 clock hours net instructio per week or two units per year or t equivalent; (iv) A less than one-half-time b more than one-quarter-time enro ment is 5 through 8 clock hours net i struction per week or one unit per ye or the equivalent; and (v) A one-quarter-time enrollment 1 through 4 clock hours net instructio per week. (3) Elementary school. For a hi school preparatory course pursued the elementary school level (i) A full-time enrollment is 18 clo hours net instruction per week; (ii) A three-quarter-time enrollme is 13 through 17 clock hours net i struction per week; (iii) A one-half-time enrollment is through 12 clock hours net instructio per week; more (iv) A less than one-half-time b than one-quarter-time enrol ment is 5 through 8 clock hours net in struction per week; and (v) A one-quarter-time enrollment 1 through 4 clock hours per week. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3688(a)) (b) Measurement of non-college degre courses offered by institutions of highe learning. (1) Notwithstanding the prov sions of paragraph (a)(1) of this section if a student is enrolled in a cours which is not leading to a standard co lege degree and which is offered by a institution of higher learning, VA wi measure his or her enrollment in th same manner as collegiate under graduate courses are measured accord ing to the provisions of paragraph (c) this section. (2) Notwithstanding the provisions paragraph (a)(1) of this section, if student is enrolled in a course not lead ing to a standard college degree whic ffered on a standard quarter- or seter-hour basis by an educational ination which is not an institution of ter learning. VA shall measure his her enrollment in the same manner ollegiate undergraduate courses are asured according to the provisions paragraph (c) of this section, proed that the educational institution juires at least the same minimum mber of hours of weekly attendance are required by paragraph (a)(1) of ; section for courses offered on a k-hour basis. If the educational inution does not require at least the e minimum number of hours of kly attendance as are required in agraph (a)(1) of this section, VA will apply the provisions of paragraph (c) of this section, but will measure the course according to the criteria in paragraph (a)(1) of this section. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3688(a)(7)) (c) Undergraduate, graduate, professional, and on-the-job training courses. Collegiate graduate, professional and on-the-job training courses shall be measured as stated in this table. This shall be used for measurement of collegiate undergraduate courses subject to all the measurement criteria of § 21.4272. Clock hours and sessions mentioned in this table mean clock hours and class sessions per week. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3482, 3532, 3677, 3687, 3688) 2 When the institution certifies that all undergraduate students enrolled for a minimum of 12 or 13 semester hours or the equiv alent are charged full-time tuition, or considered full time for other administrative purposes, such minimum hours will establish th criteria for full-time measurement. When 12 hours is properly certified as full time, VA will measure 9 through 11 hours as time, 6 through 8 hours as 1⁄2 time, 4 through 5 hours as less than 11⁄2 time and more than 1/4 time, and 1 through 3 hours as time or less. VA will measure all other undergraduate courses as indicated in the table for undergraduate or professioni courses, as appropriate, but when 13 credit hours or the equivalent is certified as full time, 34 time will be 10 through 12 hours When, in accordance with §21.4273(a), a responsible official of a school certifies that a lesser number of hours constitute fu time, 3⁄4 time, 1⁄2 time, less than 1⁄2 time and more than 4 time, or 1/4 time or less, VA will accept the certification for measure ment purposes. To meet criteria for full-time measurement in standard collegiate courses which include required noncredit deficiency course in the absence of a certification under §21.4272(k). VA will convert the noncredit deficiency courses on the basis of the applica ble measurement criteria, as follows: 18 or 22 clock hours, 4 "Carnegie Units," or 12, 13, or 14 (as appropriate) semester hour equal full time. The credit-hour equivalent of such noncredit courses may constitute any portion of the required hours for full-tim measurement. 3 Class sessions measured on basis of not less than 50 minutes of classroom instruction. Supervised study periods, clas breaks and rest periods are excluded. 4 Supervised study must be excluded. 5 Full-time training will consist of the number of hours which constitute the standard workweek of the training establishmen but not less than 30 hours unless a lesser number of hours is established as the standard workweek for the particular establist ment through bona fide collective bargaining between employers and employees. 6 In measuring net instruction there will be included customary intervals not to exceed 10 minutes between classes. Shop prac tice and rest periods are excluded. Supervised instruction periods in school's shops in farm cooperative programs and the tim involved in field trips and individual and group instruction may be included in computing the clock hour requirements. 7 For full-time training the 440 clock hours a year may be prescheduled to provide not less than 80 clock hours in any 3-mont period. [44 FR 62503, Oct. 31, 1979, as amended at 45 FR 73479, Nov. 5, 1980: 48 FR 37992, Aug. 22, 1983 50 FR 21605, May 28, 1985; 50 FR 43135, Oct. 24, 1985; 54 FR 48549, Dec. 1, 1988; 54 FR 33891, Aug 17, 1989; 57 FR 29804, July 7, 1992; 57 FR 35628, Aug. 10, 1992; 61 FR 6784, Feb. 22, 1996; 62 FI 55760, Oct. 28, 1997] $21.4271 [Reserved] § 21.4272 Collegiate course measure ment. VA will measure a college level course in an institution of higher learning on a credit-hour basis provided all the conditions under paragraph (a) or (b) of this section are met. See also § 21.4273. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3688) (a) Degree courses-accredited or candidate. VA will measure a degree course on a credit-hour basis when (1) An institution of higher learning offers the course; and (2) A nationally recognized accrediting association either (i) Accredits the institution of higher learning, or (ii) Recognizes the institution as a candidate for accreditation; and (3) The credits earned in the course can be applied towards an associate, baccalaureate or higher degree which is (i) Appropriate to the level of the institution of higher learning's accreditation, or (ii) Appropriate to the level of the institution of higher learning's candidacy for accreditation; and (4) The course is offered on a semester-hour or quarter-hour basis, and (5) The degree to which the cours credits are applicable either— (i) Is granted by the institution o higher learning offering the course, (ii) Is a part of a concurrent enroll ment as described in § 21.4233(b), or (iii) Is being pursued by a non matriculated student as provided in §21.4252 (1), (2) or (3). (b) Degree courses-nonaccredited. VA will measure on a credit-hour basis a degree course which does not meet the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section when (1) The course is offered on a semester- or quarter-hour basis, and (2) The course leads to an associate, baccalaureate, or higher degree, which is granted by the school offering the degree under authority specifically conferred by a State education agency. and (3) The school will furnish a letter from a State university or letters from three schools that are full members of a nationally recognized accrediting association. In each letter the State university or accredited school must certify either: (i) That credits have been accepted on transfer at full value without reservation, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a baccalaureate or higher degree for at least three students within the last 5 years, and that at least 40 percent of the subjects within each curriculum, for which credithour measurement is sought, has been accepted without reservation by the certifying State university or accredited school, or (ii) That in the last 5 years at least three students, who have received a baccalaureate or higher degree as a resalt of having completed the nonaccredited course, have been admitted without reservation into a graduate or advanced professional program offered by the certifying State university or accredited school. Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3688(b)) (c) [Reserved] (d) Course measurement general. When an undergraduate course qualifies for credit-hour measurement, VA will measure it according to the table contained in § 21.4270(c) of this part. Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3688(a); Pub. L. 99-576) eHf) [Reserved] g) Course measurement; nonstandard terms. (1) When a term is not a standard semester or quarter as defined in (21.4200(b), the Department of Veterans Affairs will determine the equivalent for full-time training by: (1) Multiplying the credits to be earned in the term by 18 if credit is granted in semester hours, or by 12 if credit is granted in quarter hours, and (ii) Dividing the product by the number of whole weeks in the term. (2) In determining whole weeks for this formula VA will (i) Determine the number of days from the beginning to the end of the term as certified by the educational institution, substracting any vacation period of 7 days or more; (ii) Divide the number of days in the term by 7; (iii) Disregard a remainder of 3 days or less, and (iv) Consider 4 days or more to be a whole week. Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3688(b)) (3) The quotient resulting from the use of the formula is called equivalent credit hours. VA treats equivalent credit hours as credit hours for measurement purposes. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3688(b)) (h)-(i) [Reserved] (j) Course measurement; credit course taken under special circumstances. If a course is acceptable for credit, but the educational institution does not award credit to the veteran or eligible person because he or she has not met college entrance requirements or for some other valid reason, the Department of Veterans Affairs will measure the course as though it were pursued for credit, provided the veteran or eligible person performs all of the work prescribed for other students who are enrolled for credit. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3688(b)) (k) Course measurement; noncredit courses. (1) Except for courses leading to a secondary school diploma or equivalent, the Department of Veterans Affairs will measure noncredit courses given by an institution of higher learning on a quarter- or semester-hour basis if the institution considers them to be the equivalent, for other administrative purposes, of undergraduate courses that lead to a standard college degree at the institution of higher learning. (2) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall measure other noncredit courses under the appropriate criteria of § 21.4270. (3) Where a school requires a veteran or eligible person to pursue noncredit deficiency, remedial or refresher courses in order to meet scholastic or entrance requirements, the school will certify the credit-hour equivalent of the noncredit deficiency, remedial or refresher courses in addition to the credit hours for which the veteran or eligible person is enrolled. The Department of Veterans Affairs will measure |