A semester hour is the term used to describe the number of credits received by the student for successfully completing a specific course. A semester hour is one 50-minute period of lecture per week or a minimum of two 50-minute periods of laboratory or studio work per week for one 16-week period or its equivalent. The semester hour credit given a course is not necessarily equal to the actual number of clock hours spent in class. This applies particularly to courses in the sciences and fine arts where laboratory or studio sessions are scheduled in addition to regular class lectures.