Coursework Policies
Course Load
All matriculated, full-time students must enroll in courses totaling at least 12 credits in a given semester to fulfill degree requirements; though it is recommended for timely degree completion for full time students to enroll in a minimum of 15 credits a semester to graduate a two year degree in two years. Students contemplating a reduced course load should be aware that such a reduction may alter their financial aid and/or veteran’s benefits status. Beyond a minimum of 12 credit hours, students have a choice of course load. While many choose to take five courses or 15 credits each semester to finish in two years, others may prefer to take four courses and work toward maintaining a higher average than if they were to take five. On the other hand, some students feel they can accelerate their program by taking over five courses, attending summer semesters and/or winter intercession courses. In planning course loads, students should consider the maximum number of credits allowed each semester, the number of credits required for graduation, the sequence of courses, and the number of semesters they plan to attend the College.
Pre and Co-requisites
Pre-requisites are requirements that must be completed prior to enrolling in a specific course. At North Shore Community College, the pre-requisites are enforced, and students are restricted from registering for courses for which they have not met the prerequisites. Co-requisites are requirements that either must be completed, or are recommended to be completed, prior to or concurrently with a specific course. Check each course description for the required pre and co-requisites.
Add/Drop
Adding or dropping a 15-week semester course will be permitted according to the start date of each semester. Add/Drop dates for courses with unique start and end dates vary. For more information, please check the Academic Calendar on our website at NSCC Academic
Calendar.
Course Withdrawal
Course withdrawal may take place after the Add/Drop period but before the end of the twelfth week in a fifteen-week semester. The exact date of the deadline for withdrawal can be found in the official academic calendar for each semester. Courses that run outside of a traditional 15-week semester have course-specific add/drop dates and withdrawal dates. Those dates should be confirmed with the instructor or by calling the Enrollment Center.
The grade for a course that is dropped after the Add/Drop period but before the withdrawal deadline will appear on the student’s transcript as a “W” grade. Withdrawal may affect academic standing and financial aid. Failure to officially withdraw may result in an “F” grade.
Students wishing to withdraw from a course must initiate the process. Notifying the instructor or ceasing to attend class does not constitute official withdrawal. Students may withdraw from a class online or forms are available in the Enrollment Center or in the Student Support Center. Students are responsible for withdrawing from the courses they do not attend or stop attending through their
MyNorthshore account.
Audit
Students may audit a course or courses provided they meet the required prerequisites for that course. To audit a course is to attend class in accordance with the instructor’s attendance policy as designated in the course syllabus. Credits are not awarded for audited courses. Audited courses are not recorded as “credits attempted.” If a student does not meet minimum attendance requirements as set forth in the course syllabus, the student will receive a ‘K’ grade.
A change from credit to audit or audit to credit status in a course may be made before the end of the third week of the semester or before the end of the second week of the summer session. After these dates, such changes will not be allowed.
Repeating a Course
If a student repeats a course the higher grade becomes the official grade and will be used to recompute the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). Students receiving financial aid should check with the Office of Student Financial Services since policies differ on the funding of repeated courses.
Attendance Policy
At the beginning of each term, faculty members will give their students a written attendance policy, which includes an explanation of the basis and reason for the policy as part of their syllabus. Instructors may lower grades for excessive absences, as mentioned in the policy. An attendance requirement, if prescribed by an instructor, becomes a course requirement. Instructors who make attendance requirements affecting grades must maintain accurate attendance records. It is also important to note attendance is reported as part of our early alert system and may be used as a factor for disbursement of financial aid.
Students have the right to petition grievances about the justifiability of an instructor’s attendance policy (copies of the
Grievance Policy are in the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs as well as the
Student Handbook). If you plan to petition an attendance grievance, do so as soon as possible. If illness, accident, or similar problems make it impossible for you to attend classes for three or more class meetings, notify your instructor directly as well as the Office of Academic Affairs.
Grading Policies
Grading System
Faculty members will award the following grades to students. Grade points are listed below. The raw score range is a guideline for faculty.
A 4.0 93-100
A- 3.7 90-92
B+ 3.3 87-89
B 3.0 83-86
B- 2.7 80-82
C+ 2.3 77-79
C 2.0 73-76
C- 1.7 70-72
D+ 1.3 67-69
D 1.0 63-66
D- 0.7 60-62
F 0 Below 60
F - No credit due to failure to meet course requirements as indicated by raw score guidelines. The grade will be calculated into the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) as 0 quality points.
P - Awarded to only those predetermined and designated Pass-Fail courses. A ‘P’ grade for a credit course receives no quality points and is not used in computing a student’s CGPA. An ‘F’ grade will be assigned for performance below minimum standards.
PC - Awarded in alternative credentialing courses or other specifically designated courses where PC is only awarded if the competencies are demonstrated at the grade level of C or above; A “PC” grade for a credit course receives no quality points and is not used in computing a student’s GPA.
AU - Audit grade; no credits earned. The deadline to audit a course is no later than the end of the third week of classes or by the second week of summer session. The withdrawal date for courses that run on an alternative schedule should be confirmed with the instructor or the Enrollment Center.
IP (In Progress) Policy- A grade of IP may be awarded to a student who has experienced significant illness or an extenuating life hardship that has impeded the student’s ability to complete the course on time. In order to be eligible for a grade of IP, a student must have completed at least 50% of the course work and would be achieving a grade of D- or better except for missing work. Documentation confirming a significant illness or extenuating life hardship must be provided at the time the student seeks an IP grade.
A professor and student are responsible for developing a mutually agreeable plan for completion of coursework. They must document this plan by filling out the IP Grade Electronic Form Contract through Academic Affairs. The contract shall include the student’s data, rationale for the IP, details of the work to be completed, dated milestones, and deadline for completion. Each party must sign and keep a copy of the contract and the IP grade will be entered into the student’s official academic record by Academic Affairs. A professor may choose to allow a student up to 7 weeks from the date grades close to complete missing work. If the conditions of the IP contract are met, the instructor will submit a change-of-grade form to assign an appropriate letter grade. If conditions of the IP contract are not met, the “IP” grade will automatically convert to an “F”.
W - Withdraw; formal withdrawal from the course by the end of the 12th week of classes in a 15-week semester or by the end of the fourth week of summer session. No credit is given and the student must retake the entire course to receive credit for it. The withdrawal date for courses that run on an alternative schedule should be confirmed with the instructor or the Enrollment Center.
Certain courses and programs (e.g., Health Professions programs) may have specific minimum grade requirements for successful completion and/or graduation.
Academic Honors
Dean’s List Honors
Dean’s List Honors will be awarded to students who have earned six or more semester hours of academic credit with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.30 or higher. Dean’s List will be published at the conclusion of each academic session.
Academic Honesty
Members of the North Shore Community College community are expected to act within the standards of academic honesty. Any willfully dishonest behavior is subject to disciplinary action, which may range from that which the instructor imposes relative to the specific course to dismissal from the College, depending on the seriousness of the act.
Dishonest academic behavior includes, but is not limited to:
Cheating - Use of unauthorized notes during an examination; giving or receiving unauthorized assistance on an examination; copying from someone else’s examination, term paper, homework, or report; theft of examination materials; falsification of works or records.
Plagiarism - Defined as the use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgement. It also includes the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials; taking credit for work done by another person; doing work for which another person will receive credit; copying or purchasing other’s work or arranging for others to do work under a false name.
The college considers plagiarism to be an act of academic dishonesty and can and will take disciplinary action against students who plagiarize the work of others. The course instructor has the right to take action as appropriate up to and including failing the student. Additionally or alternatively, a faculty member may file a complaint against the student under the College’s Code of Conduct alleging academic dishonesty. The complaint will be handled by the College’s Code of Conduct Officer pursuant to the Code of Conduct. If a faculty member issues a failing grade, the student shall have the right to file a grievance under the Grade Appeal Process of the Student Grievance Procedure.
Withdrawal from the College
Students are considered enrolled until they officially withdraw from the College. Notifying the instructor or ceasing to attend class does not constitute official withdrawal. Students who do not formally withdraw will receive all ‘F’ grades for enrolled courses, which will result in a change of status for the following semester (see Academic Standing Policy for additional information). Students are strongly encouraged to meet with an academic advisor and/or financial aid counselor prior to withdrawing.