I. Academic Year
One academic year consists of either of the following:
- two semesters (first and second semester) and one midyear term or;
- trimester schedule (first trimester, second trimester and third trimester)
[revised during the UP Open University Academic Policies and Procedures Workshop in April and May 2019]
II. Credit Unit
One (1) credit unit is equivalent to one (1) semester hour. A three(3)-unit course therefore has a total of three hours of instruction per week, or a total of 48 hours of instruction per semester. In the Distance Education (DE) mode, instruction includes self-study using self-learning instructional materials, laboratory, field and shop work credited at one unit for work equivalent to three hours [revised during the UP Open University Academic Policies and Procedures Workshop in April and May 2019].
III. Academic Load
The normal load for undergraduate students is 12 units. Students who are running for Latin Honors should enroll at least 12 units per term. The normal load for graduate students is six (6) to nine (9) units. Non-degree students may register for a total of 12 units only. Regular students may choose to take on an academic load that is less than the normal prescribed load, provided doing so shall not prevent them from finishing their program within the time limit for completion of a degree. Students who opt for overloading should seek the approval of the Dean through the Program Chair, who must then endorse the said option to the OUR [revised during the UP Open University Academic Policies and Procedures Workshop in April and May 2019].
IV. Classification of students
A student may be classified as regular, irregular, or non-degree.
A regular student is one enrolled in a degree program and working towards the conferment or awarding of a degree, such as a certificate. A regular student is registered for formal academic credits and carries the full load called for in a given semester by the curriculum for which he is registered; provided that if a student has already finished some of the required subjects, the finished units shall be added to the units he is actually taking in the computation of his load for the purpose of determining his status [from Art. 337 of the UP System Code].
An irregular student is registered for formal credits but carries less than the full load called for in a given semester by the curriculum for which he is registered [from Art. 337 of the UP System Code].
A non-degree student may apply for admission into a degree program and if accepted, would be reclassified as a regular student of that program [revised from the UP Open University Academic Policies and Procedures Workshops in April and May 2019].
Students enrolled in the bachelor’s program are further classified into [from Art. 338 of the UP System Code]:
1. New Freshman – A student who is starting college for the first time;
2. Freshman – A student who has not finished the prescribed subjects of the first year of his curriculum, or 25 percent of the total number of units required in his entire course;
3. Sophomore – A student who has satisfactorily completed the prescribed subjects of the first year of his curriculum, or has finished not less than 25 percent nor more than 50 percent of the total number of units required in his entire course;
4. Junior – A student who has satisfactorily completed the prescribed subjects of the first two years of his curriculum, or has finished not less than 50 percent nor more than 75 percent of the total number of units required in his entire course; not less than 75 percent of the total number of units required in his entire course;
5. Graduating – A student who is enrolled in terminal courses
V. Medium of Instruction
The medium of instruction used in the learning materials and in the tutorials may be English or Filipino [approved during the 1st University Council Meeting of the University of the Philippines Open University].