Prompted by state legislative action seeking to address the possibility of a tuition surcharge on students who take more than 140 credit hours to complete a baccalaureate degree, this study analyzed the number of semester credit hours required for graduation from baccalaureate degree programs at South Carolina's public colleges and universities. All data for individual institutional tables were drawn from institutional catalogs for academic years 1995-96 and 1985-86. For systemwide tables the total number of credit hours for all 4-year programs offered in both years were calculated and the sum divided by the total number of 4-year programs. The analysis found that the average number of semester credit hours required for graduation from a 4-year, baccalaureate program at a public institution had increased from a system wide average of 125.8 credits in 1985-86 to 127.9 credits in 1995-96. However, only increases at two institutions were statistically significant. Out of over 400 programs, only 30 exceeded 140 credit hours and 6 of these were first professional or 5-year programs. The study concluded that a tuition surcharge would probably affect a relatively small number of programs but would send an important message to students and institutions that credit hour totals must be carefully and continuously scrutinized. Tables of data for individual institutions and the overall system are appended. (JB)