(a) For independent study, correspondence, work-experience education and distance education courses using the attendance accounting procedure specified in subdivision (f) of section 58003.1, one weekly student contact hour shall be counted for each unit of credit for which the student is enrolled as of the census day prescribed in section 58003.1(b) or (c), except for independent study, correspondence, or distance education laboratory courses. For independent study, correspondence, or distance education laboratory courses, weekly student contact hours shall be equivalent to those which would be generated for the same student effort in a laboratory course computed pursuant to subdivisions (b) or (c) of section 58003.1 and that would correspond to traditional length (non-compressed) primary terms. For purposes of this section only, a “distance education laboratory course” means a distance education course which consists partly or exclusively of laboratory work.

(b) For credit courses, full-time equivalent student in courses described in subdivision (a) offered during primary terms is computed by multiplying the weekly student contact hours authorized pursuant to subdivision (a), generated as of the census date prescribed in section 58003.1(b) by 17.5 for colleges on the semester system and by 11.67 for colleges on the quarter system, and dividing by 525.

(c) For noncredit courses described in subdivision (a), full-time equivalent student is computed on a census basis as prescribed in section 58003.1(f)(2).

(d) Full-time equivalent student in credit courses described in subdivision (a) which are conducted during a summer or other intersession is computed by multiplying the weekly student contact hours, authorized pursuant to subdivision (a) of this section, generated in each course, by a course length multiplier that produces the same total weekly student contact hours for the same student effort as would be generated in such courses conducted in the primary terms, and dividing by 525.