The unit of work at Sierra College is the semester hour. Courses require a minimum of three hours of student work per week, per unit for the equivalent of an 18 week semester. One unit of lecture requires one hour of class time and two hours of outside study or homework per week. As laboratory courses require minimal study/work outside of class, one unit of laboratory requires three hours of class time per week. Expected hours per week may be adjusted based on the length of the term. All college work is measured in terms of both quantity and quality. The measure of quantity is the unit and the measure of quality is the grade point.
Grade points are awarded as follows:
| Grade of A | 4 points per unit |
| Grade of B | 3 points per unit |
| Grade of C | 2 points per unit |
| Grade of D | 1 point per unit |
| Grade of F | 0 points per unit |
Grade point average (GPA) is calculated by dividing the total number of grade points by the total number of units attempted.
Nondegree-applicable credit courses shall not be included in calculating student degree-applicable grade point average.
