Academic Information

Dean's List
Students who have earned a GPA of 3.40 or higher in a semester in which they have completed at least nine semester hours are considered candidates for the Dean's List. Students who have received an F or an I cannot be included on the Dean's List. However, students who make up work and whose “I” grades are changed by the professor may be added to the Dean's List for one full semester only.

Semester Hour
A semester hour is a unit of credit earned for attending and successfully completing a course during a given semester. A class that awards 3 semester hours represents 150 minutes of instructional time per week for 15 weeks with the expectation of at least two hours of additional work or the equivalent. Laboratory courses may carry additional credit hours, usually at the rate of one credit per two hour lab. Sixty or more semester hours (but not more than 70) are required for graduation from degree programs depending on the curriculum in which a student is enrolled. Certificate programs may require fewer semester hours.

Student Status

Freshmen are students who have completed fewer than thirty credits. Sophomores are students who have completed thirty or more credits.
Full-time students are those registered for at least twelve credits per semester.
Part-time students are those who register for fewer than twelve credits per semester.
Matriculating students are those who have been formally accepted in a program.
Non-degree students are those who are not in any academic program. A special student who is part time registers for courses on a space-available basis.

Change of Program
A student wishing to change one program for another must make an appointment with a Counselor in the Advising & Counseling Center 508-588-9100 x1461on the Brockton Campus or 508-588-9100 x2117 on the Canton Campus, who will advise the student and answer questions regarding transferability of courses from the current to the new program. After completing a Change of Program form, the student returns the form to the Admissions Office for review and final decisions. Students who change and are accepted into new programs before October 15th (Fall semester) and March 15th (Spring semester) may apply the change to the current semester. Changes made after October 15th will apply the change to the upcoming Spring semester. Changes made after March 15th will apply to the upcoming Fall semester. NOTE: Students should be aware that changes in course and program requirements that take effect in the upcoming Fall semester will apply if the student changes programs after March 15th.

Modification of a Program
A student desiring to modify any program or vary from the stated academic policies should file the appropriate appeal with the Registrar's Office. Appeal forms are available at the Registrar's Office.

Special Studies
The intent of special studies is to provide: (1) an alternative method for completing catalog courses (Directed Study); and (2) an opportunity to explore subject matter not presently offered (Independent Study). Students wishing to take special studies must fill out the appropriate form with a faculty member who is willing to guide their studies. Limited to 2 courses per student (not including LATCH semester). Prerequisite: Approval of the Department and Assistant/Associate Dean.

Honors Program
An Honors course is any course of the College which is taught in an Honors format. This format involves a seminar style of teaching and learning, a high degree of student involvement in both class discussion and the presentation of reports, and ongoing consultations between student and instructor. Students admitted to a course on an Honors basis are usually recommended by one instructor of the department and, as a condition for entry, are interviewed by the instructor of the Honors course itself. Students may be asked to read course materials or texts before the first class of the course. Each course taken in an Honors format is so noted on the student's transcript.

Green Key
Green Key is an honorary activities society, established in 1968, designed to recognize the contributions made by students in the College and the wider community and to encourage involvement and participation in the life of the College. Although selection is primarily based on leadership, participation and unselfish contributions of one’s time, energy and ability, the student must also be making satisfactory progress in his or her academic pursuits. Membership in this organization represents the highest honor the College can bestow for outstanding leadership in both the College and the community.

SACHEM
Massasoit Community College is a fully participating member of the Southeastern Association for Cooperation in Higher Education in Massachusetts (SACHEM), a consortium of nine institutions of higher education in Southeastern Massachusetts whose purpose is to provide extended educational opportunities through cooperative programs and projects in a variety of educational and cultural endeavors. Of particular interest to students is the opportunity to enroll in selected courses at other SACHEM institutions at no additional cost.

The schools included in this consortium are:
Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater
Bristol Community College, Fall River
Cape Cod Community College, West Barnstable
Dean Junior College, Franklin Massachusetts
Maritime Academy, Buzzards Bay
Massasoit Community College, Brockton
Stonehill College, North Easton
University of Massachusetts, North Dartmouth
Wheaton College, Norton

Details of the "cross-registration'' program for those who are interested may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar

Credit for Prior Learning
Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) and Credit for Prior Learning (CPL)
Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) is a process through which students enrolled in a degree or certificate program at Massasoit Community College may earn college credit for knowledge gained through training, military service, work experience, volunteer service, or other experiential learning that occurred prior to enrollment at the college.

Through prior learning assessment, Credit For Prior Learning (CPL) may be awarded for college-level learning for which documentation exists to verify a student’s mastery of course outcomes.

Credit for Prior Learning Restrictions
Credit for Prior Learning assessments cannot be used to improve an existing grade or replace a grade of Withdrawal or Incomplete.

Credit for Prior Learning assessments are not covered by financial aid and do not generally transfer to other colleges.

A nonrefundable fee of $50 per credit is required to schedule a departmental exam and to initiate a portfolio assessment. No fee is required for a credential review.

The Criminal Justice program is not eligible for credit for prior learning per Board of Higher Education guidelines implemented in January 2004.

Once Credit for Prior Learning has been awarded, it is part of the permanent record.

Massasoit Community College awards Credit for Prior Learning through the following assessments:
Advanced Placement (AP) Exam (PDF)

CollegeBoard's AP exams are accepted for courses that have been approved by Massasoit faculty. AP credits are processed through the Registrar’s Office and require an official CollegeBoard score transcript.

AP credits will appear on the transcript as T

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

CLEP is a series of standardized exams designed by CollegeBoard to assess knowledge acquired through non-traditional methods. CLEP credits are processed through the Registrar’s Office and require an official CLEP score transcript.

CLEP Credits will appear on the transcript as T

Military
In accordance with the VALOR Act, Massasoit uses the American Council on Education (ACE) Guide to Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services as the primary method for evaluating credit earned for military education, training, experience, and coursework. Academic credits earned through the evaluation of military occupation, training, experience, and coursework are transferable within the Massachusetts public higher education system in accordance with the MassTransfer agreement. Military credits are processed through the Veteran’s Center.

Military credits will appear on the transcript as T

Credential Review
A credential review may enable a student to earn credit for prior learning documented by a license or certificate issued by a state or federal regulatory agency, a recognized professional association, or a non-regionally accredited educational institution. The training associated with the credential must be verifiable as having met Massasoit course outcomes.

A credential review requires the student to submit a Petition for Credit for Prior Learning to the Center for Experiential Learning, which will facilitate the following:

Coordination between the student and the appropriate Division Dean for credential review and approval or denial of credit for prior learning
Forwarding Dean’s approval to award credit for prior learning to the Registrar’s Office
Recording and reporting of credit for prior learning awarded through credential review

No fee is charged for a credential review.

Credit awarded through credential review will appear on the transcript as T

Departmental Challenge Exams
Departmental challenge exams are developed by Massasoit faculty for courses for which nationally recognized exams do not exist and an exam is appropriate. A grade of C- or better is required to earn college credit through a departmental challenge exam.

A departmental challenge exam requires the student to submit a Petition for Credit for Prior Learning to the Center for Experiential Learning, which will facilitate the following:

Coordination between the student and the appropriate Division Dean to determine whether the petition for credit for prior learning is viable and to recruit faculty to administer an exam
Processing a nonrefundable Credit for Prior Learning fee payment of $50 per credit prior to scheduling a departmental exam
Processing Faculty Payroll Authorization of $15 per credit for prior learning assessment
Forwarding faculty approval to award credit for prior learning to the Registrar’s Office
Recording and reporting of credit for prior learning awarded through departmental challenge exam

Credit awarded through departmental challenge exam will appear on the transcript as T

Portfolio Assessment
Portfolio assessments enable students to demonstrate through documentation that knowledge they acquired through experiential learning meets college course outcomes. Portfolio assessments are developed and evaluated by faculty on a course-by-course basis.

A portfolio assessment requires the student to submit a Petition for Credit for Prior Learning to the Center for Experiential Learning, which will facilitate the following:

Coordination between the student and the appropriate Division Dean to determine whether the petition for credit for prior learning is viable and to recruit faculty to conduct a portfolio assessment
Processing a nonrefundable Credit for Prior Learning fee payment of $50 per credit prior to scheduling a portfolio assessment
Processing Faculty Payroll Authorization of $15 per credit for credit for prior learning assessment
Forwarding faculty approval to award credit for prior learning to the Registrar’s Office
Recording and reporting of credit for prior learning awarded through portfolio assessment

Credit awarded through portfolio assessment will appear on the transcript as T

Petition for Credit for Prior Learning (PDF)

Academic Standing & Progress Towards a Degree
The cumulative GPA is the total of all Quality Points acquired divided by the total number of credits attempted. Students are considered to be in Good Standing if they maintain a cumulative GPA as indicated:

1.0 upon the completion of 1-15 total credits

1.6 upon the completion of 16-30 total credits

1.75 upon the completion of 31-45 total credits

2.0 upon the completion of over 45 total credits

Withdrawals, Incompletes, Passes, and Audits are not completed courses and, therefore, do not factor into the GPA.

The minimum cumulative GPA for graduation is 2.0. Students receiving financial aid are also required by government regulations to comply with additional standards. Please see Financial Aid Section.

Academic Probation
Students who are not in Good Standing will be placed on Academic Probation and are strongly encouraged to meet with a counselor. The purpose in meeting with the counselor is to consider one or more of the following options:

a reduction or change in the student’s intended course selection for the next probationary semester;
a reduction or change in intended work plans for next semester;
tutoring;
academic assistance program, LATCH;
a program of regular, periodic meetings with the student’s new instructors, counselor, and/or faculty advisor and
career reassessment program.

After one semester of Academic Probation, the student will:

be removed from Academic Probation if the cumulative grade point average is raised to or above that required for Good Standing.
continue on Academic Probation if the probationary semester’s grade point average is 2.25 or above, but the cumulative grade point average stays below that required for Good Standing.
Will have a status of Academic Deficiency if the semester’s GPA is below 2.25 and the cumulative GPA is below that required for Good Standing.

Academic Deficiency
The student has a number of alternatives when his/her academic status falls to Academic Deficiency:

If applicable, the student may complete his/her incomplete course work and bring the academic record back into Good Standing before the beginning of the next semester.
The student may submit an appeal to the Appeals Committee. The Committee will consider alternatives and make recommendations to the Senior Vice President and Vice President of Faculty and Instruction.
The student may request special academic counseling and planning with College counselors or developmental program staff who will consider alternatives and make recommendations to the Senior Vice President and Vice President of Faculty and Instruction.
If no action is taken within the identified timeframe, the student remains in deficiency status and in a non-degree program for one academic semester. After one academic semester, a student may apply for readmission to a degree program.