ACADEMICS
M assasoit Communit y College
2 0 1 2 - 2 0 1 3 C ata l o g
Class Designation - Student Status
• A freshman is a student who has completed fewer than 30 credits. • A sophomore is a student who has completed 30 or more credits. • A full-time student is a student registered for 12 or more credits in a semester. • A part-time student is a student registered for fewer than 12 credits in a semester. • Matriculated students are those who have been formally accepted into an academic program. • Non-degree students are those who have not applied to or been accepted to an academic program.
Course Participation Reporting During the fifth week of the Fall and Spring semesters, faculty report to the Registrar’s Office students who have not been participating in/attending their courses.* Students identified as “Not Participating” will be notified by the registrar that they are being withdrawn from the class. If a student believes this report was an error, the student must meet with the instructor to correct the error, and process a reinstatement with the registrar. All errors must be addressed within one week (the specific deadline will be identified in the letter received by the students). Administrative withdrawals will only be processed in response to the fifth week report. After this point, official course withdrawals must be initiated by the student. It is important to note that instructors may submit last dates of participation through the end of the semester; students should be aware that financial aid decisions could be made based on this information. *Students may demonstrate participation by a number of academically related activities such as physically attending a class where there is an opportunity for direct interaction between the instructor and students; submitting an academic assignment; taking an exam; an interactive tutorial; or computer-assisted instruction; attending a study group that is assigned by the institution; participating in an on-line discussion about academic matters; and initiating contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course. Students are expected to determine from their syllabi and from communication with their instructors how participation/attendance is determined for each class.
Academic Information • COURSE PARTICIPATION • CLASS DESIGNATION • ACADEMIC INFORMATION
Academic Year The academic year consists of two semesters of about 16 weeks each. Curricula leading to the degrees of Associate in Arts (AA), Associate in Science (AS), and Associate in Applied Science (AAS) are designed so that a student pursuing a program can complete graduation requirements in two academic years or four semesters. In most associate degree programs, the opportunity exists to complete the required curricula over a longer period of six to eight semesters by taking fewer courses per semester. Interested students should contact a counselor or academic advisor for details. Certificate programs are typically completed in one or two semesters.
Academic Degrees The Board of Higher Education has statutory authority to confer associate degrees to individual community colleges. Upon recommendation of the faculty, those candidates who qualify may be awarded a degree of Associate in Arts (AA), Associate in Science (AS), or Associate in Applied Science (AAS). A certificate is awarded to students who complete at least 30 credits in a Board of Higher Education-approved program. The College also offers college-approved certificates of less than 30 credits, as well as a wide variety of non-credit certificate programs.
Adding and Dropping Courses
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Students have a period of one week from the first class meeting to add or drop a course. Students who drop all courses during the first two weeks of classes may be assessed additional fees. For courses dropped after classes begin, students should contact the Registrar’s Office for clarification and to determine the impact on their student record. Financial Aid recipients should contact the
Financial Aid Office to determine if a change in enrollment will affect the financial aid award.
Change of Program Students interested in changing their program of study (major) initiate the process in the Advisement & Counseling Center. Required paperwork is filled out during an interview with a counselor, and career counseling is provided if necessary. All completed requests for changes of program are submitted to the Registrar’s Office. Requests for selective admissions into health programs are brought to Admissions.
Credit for Prior Learning Credit for Prior Learning is a procedure through which students may, with the approval of the College, receive academic credit for certain life and work experiences. This procedure calls for the interested student to petition the Office for Prior Learning in the Division of Faculty and Instruction. College credit will be awarded to qualified students through a process of assessment and documentation arranged through consultation between the CPL Office and appropriate faculty. Students must pay for the assessment and any credit awarded. Students will not be permitted to apply for Part II of any skill-oriented, sequential course until credit has been granted for Part I, such as typing, word processing, or shorthand. Call 508-588-9100, ext. 1901. The Board of Higher Education has guidelines for Criminal Justice programs stating that Criminal Justice students are not eligible for Credit for Prior Learning. The Registrar’s Office reserves the right to adjust its transfer credit policy at any time.
Core Curriculum The Core is the center of our curriculum. It is a group of required courses that will assist the student to gain a