How Many Credits Is a Master's Degree?

“Credits” is a short-hand term for "credit hours." Credit hours are intended to give you a sense of how many hours of classwork and studying are recommended per week. In terms of the amount of time spent per credit, a credit roughly translates to one hour spent in class and two hours spent studying and completing homework per week in order to achieve a passing grade.

If a college course is three credits, for example, you would spend about three hours per week in class and about six hours per week studying and doing homework.

Most college courses are worth about three or four credits, depending on the intensity of the subject and the course level. Higher-level courses, like those taken during a master's degree program or toward the end of your bachelor's degree, may be worth more credits.

When determining how many credit hours you need for a master’s degree, you may also want to consider whether your school operates on a semester, quarter or other type of schedule. Schools with different systems may have different credit hour requirements per class or per program. At DeVry, for example, our classes are eight weeks each, allowing you to complete 6 academic sessions in a year.

If you’re in a program that has a more rigorous curriculum, it may have higher credit requirements. This is because the courses themselves may require more time spent in class or studying than those with a less intense course subject. It may also depend on how much each class builds on the others, or if you have to take them in a particular order.

Some master’s degree programs require more courses than others, which can also influence how many credits it takes to earn a master's degree. This may be seen more often in programs that deal with more specialized subjects. While it is helpful to be aware of which areas of study may have higher credit requirements for a master's degree, you should always check in with the university you want to attend. They will have the most accurate information about how many credits you'll need for a particular master's degree as well as insights about how your academic career can be leveraged to work toward your future goals and completing the program.

So, how many credits do you need for a master’s degree? At DeVry, our master's degree programs require anywhere between 39 and 48 credit hours. Here are some examples of the master's degrees in our catalog that require 39 credit hours:
 

At DeVry, we offer a selection of master’s degree programs in technology, accounting, healthcare and business, including MBA programs. Contact our admissions team for more information on what credits you may need for a master's degree and to find the right degree program for you.