College Credit

A standard semester shall be sixteen (16) weeks of instruction.

Traditional credit is obtained through class attendance and completion of class assignments for classroom, laboratory, or clinical instruction that verify the student has met all course learning outcomes.

A classroom hour is a nominal hour (fifty-minutes of formalized instruction conducted on or off campus). One credit shall be awarded for each classroom hour which is scheduled in the standard week of the semester. Students are expected to complete out-of-class assignments on a regular basis that, over the length of the course, would normally average two hours of out-of-class study for each hour of formal class activity. This out-of-class study shall not be counted as part of the classroom hour for credit purposes.

A minimum of 750 minutes (semester credit hour) of formalized instruction that typically required students to work at out-of-class assignments an average of twice the amount of time as the amount of formalized instruction. Credit hours may be calculated differently for other types of instruction (e.g. laboratory experience, directed practice experience, practicum experience, cooperative work experience, field experience, observation experience, seminar, and studio experience) as long as the credit hour calculations align with commonly accepted practices in higher education and with the regulations of regional accreditors and the federal financial aid program.

A laboratory hour is fifty minutes of educational activity in which students will be conducting experiments, perfecting skills, or practicing procedures under the direction of a faculty member. One credit hour shall be awarded for two or three laboratory hours in a standard week.

A clinical laboratory hour applies only to Health Technology programs and consists of a fifty-minute period in which students are assigned to laboratory sections which meet at a health-related agency. One credit hour shall be awarded for two or three clinical hours in a given week.

A practicum hour applies primarily but is not limited to Health Technology programs and consists of a fifty-minute period in which students are assigned to practice related skills. One credit hour shall be awarded for seven practicum hours in a standard week. Each practicum must be accompanied by a seminar course in which one classroom hour is equivalent to one credit hour.

Certain credit classes are sometimes offered on a flexibly scheduled basis. Often called mini-classes, they are characterized by a nonstandard length of less or more than 16 weeks, and beginning and/or ending dates which differ from the published calendar for that term.

Students intending to take flexibly scheduled classes and use Title IV aid and/or veterans’ benefits should discuss course eligibility with the appropriate Financial Aid or Veteran’s official on campus prior to enrollment.

The student’s term of enrollment in a flexibly scheduled class is determined by the class ending date, not the registration date. For example, a flexibly scheduled class beginning March 15 and ending June 10 will be indicated for the record as a summer term class, even though it began during spring term. Grade reports and grade manuscripts will be issued at the conclusion of classes for that term.

Critical dates such as registration and add periods, payment periods, or dates to withdraw with a “W” will be established as a percentage of a normal term.

To receive a degree from Belmont College, a student must successfully complete a minimum of 16 semester credit hours within the designated program in residence at Belmont College. Credit for Experience, Credit by Examination, and Transfer Credit do not count toward the residence requirement.

An individual who is a full-time student at another college or university may attend Belmont College for the purpose of transferring course credit. No major is declared at Belmont.

The student must follow the admission procedure and must present to the Admissions Office written approval from the home college or university. Students are admitted on a space available basis.

Credit by Examination offers students in a college program the opportunity to earn credit for a course by passing an exam. Students enrolled in a program who believe they are qualified through previous coursework, work experience, or specialized training may earn credit by examination in order to begin more advanced work in their program. Students desiring such an examination must apply to enroll at Belmont College.

The student must discuss testing with the assigned faculty member to determine whether sufficient reason exists to warrant pursuing the appropriate examination. If the faculty member determines that attempting the examination is appropriate, he/she will then direct the student to the appropriate full-time faculty member to arrange for the examination. The student may then petition for credit by exam by completing Form 52 (Credit by Exam Request) which is available at the Student Records Office. Prior to taking the exam, the nonrefundable fee must be remitted in the Business Office.

Credit by examination does not apply to students currently enrolled in the course. It may not be used as a makeup examination. It may not be used once the student has received a grade for the course. The exam may not be taken more than once for any course.

Letter grades are given for successful passing of a credit-by-examination instrument, and the student earns both credits and quality points. Credit will only be awarded for a letter grade of “C” or better. If a student is awarded credit, it will be shown on the transcript in a section called “Credit by Exam” and an “EC” designation will be included. The grade earned will be recorded on the transcript. The grade will be reflected in the GPA.

The College also recognizes the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and Advanced Placement Exams (AP).

Students desiring credit for experience must apply to enroll at Belmont College. The student seeking credit for experience will complete Form 53, Part I, and present it to the appropriate faculty for each course. The burden to prove that specific experience deserves credit falls upon the student.

The assigned faculty member will give the student a course syllabus which details the course content and learning objectives. The faculty member will then sign the Recommended for Portfolio Development section of the form (Part II) if she/he determines that apparent life experience coincides with the learning objectives on the course syllabus.

The student will then pay a nonrefundable fee to the Business Office. The student will prepare a portfolio that documents and verifies experiences and coursework completed matching experience point-by-point with the content/objectives listed in the syllabus. After the fee is paid to the Business Office and the completed portfolio is presented for evaluation, the assigned faculty member will select another instructor or instructors to evaluate the portfolio.

If the student is awarded credit, it will be shown on the transcript in a section labeled “Credit for Experience” and a “LE” grade will not be reflected in the GPA. If credit is not approved, no record will be placed on the student transcript.

Credit for experience is not an option once the student is enrolled in the course in question. Credit for experience may not supplant a low grade received in a course.

The performance of a practicum is a necessary component of some programs. Policies relating to the practicum are program specific and should be discussed with the assigned faculty member.

Cooperative work experience may be utilized as a component of certain programs. Award of credit relating to cooperative work experience is under the discretion of the dean and provost. Students should check the schedule for a listing of cooperative work experience courses that are being offered. Each student who is enrolled in cooperative work experience shall also enroll in an on-campus seminar.

One semester credit shall be awarded for a minimum of ten hours of cooperative work experience scheduled during a week. A maximum of nine semester credit hours may be earned in cooperative work experience or in any combination of cooperative work experience and practicum over the associate degree program.

Independent study provides a means by which a student under an exceptional (or hardship) situation may complete certain courses. The possibility of credit by independent study must be discussed with the dean who will forward a recommendation to the provost for a final decision.

In addition to its traditional course delivery system, Belmont offers students access to various online options that utilize current information technology resources such as those available via the Internet, CD-ROM, and video. This method of course delivery allows for greater freedom of scheduling and a reduced need to spend time in campus-based classrooms.

Most online courses require that students have a working knowledge of web browsers, electronic mail (email), and basic computer operations including file management and word processing tools. Modern telecommunications systems allow students to access course information including assignments and due dates on Canvas. While students enrolled in these courses generally own personal computers that are internet-connected, these resources are also available at public locations including community and college libraries.

Students interested in enrolling in online courses are strongly encouraged to evaluate their personal circumstances and lifestyles to determine the extent to which they would be comfortable with this alternative mode of delivery. The following information should be carefully considered:

• Distance education courses give students greater freedom of scheduling, but they may require more self-discipline than other courses.
• Some people learn best by interacting with other students and instructors, but distance education courses often do not provide much opportunity for face-to-face interaction.

Students should check the course schedule for a listing of online courses that are being offered.

Acceptance of Credit Transfer

Belmont College will accept credit earned at other institutions which are accredited by regional accreditation agencies such as the Higher Learning Commission. The courses must be comparable in regard to earned credit and quality points to those taught at Belmont College.  They must be potentially applicable to the student’s degree at the College.

Furthermore, in awarding credit to students transferring to Belmont College from other institutions, the College is guided by the policies promulgated by the Ohio Articulation and Transfer Advisory Committee. In awarding credit to transfer students, Belmont College uses standards identical to those for native students.  In this manner, we insure equality for native and transfer students.

No credit will be transferred with a letter grade of less than “D” (1.0).  Additionally, courses taken at another college in which a letter grade of “P” (pass) was earned can be accepted.  Belmont College will accept transfer credit from other institutions in the categories of Credit by Examination, Advanced Placement, and military or other nontraditional training credit.

Official college transcripts must be submitted to the Belmont College Records Office. Credits will be assessed and approved at the discretion of the academic department related to the student’s degree.

Credit Transfer to Other Institutions

Credit earned at Belmont is transferable to other institutions of higher education at the discretion of the receiving institution. Usually, a course letter grade must be “D” or better to be accepted. Belmont College is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. This accreditation aids transferability to other colleges. Students considering transferring to a four-year college or university upon completion of their Associate Degree should obtain information and advice before registering for their first term at Belmont from the Transfer and Articulation Advisor. Students are responsible for determining the transferability from the receiving institution of courses prior to enrollment.

Institutional Transfer

The Ohio Department of Higher Education in 1990 following a directive of the 119th Ohio General Assembly developed the Ohio Articulation and Transfer Policy to facilitate students’ ability to transfer credits from one Ohio public college or university to another to avoid duplication of course requirements. A subsequent policy review and recommendations produced by the Articulation and Transfer Advisory Council in 2004, together with mandates from the 125th Ohio General Assembly in the form of Amended Substitute House Bill 95, have prompted improvements of the original policy. While all state-assisted colleges and universities are required to follow the Ohio Articulation and Transfer Policy, independent colleges and universities in Ohio may or may not participate in the transfer policy. Therefore, students interested in transferring to independent institutions are encouraged to check with the college or university of their choice regarding transfer agreements. In support of improved articulation and transfer processes, the Ohio Department of Higher Education created a transfer clearinghouse to receive, annotate, and convey transcripts among state-assisted colleges and universities. This system is designed to provide standardized information and help colleges and universities reduce undesirable variability in the transfer credit evaluation process.

Ohio Transfer 36 is defined as either a subset or the complete set of an institution’s general education requirements in Associate of Arts (AA), Associate of Science (AS), and baccalaureate degrees. Applied and technical studies associate degrees have a smaller general education component as previously noted; therefore, students in these degrees may choose to go beyond the general education requirements of their program or degree and complete additional courses to fulfill more or all of the Ohio Transfer 36 requirements.

The Ohio Transfer 36 contains 36-40 semester of course credit in English composition (minimum of 3 semester); mathematics, statistics, and logic (minimum of 3 semester); arts and humanities (minimum of 6 semester); social and behavioral sciences (minimum of 6 semester); and natural sciences (minimum of 6 semester).

Courses in oral communication and interdisciplinary areas may be included as elective credit hours by individual institutions to satisfy Ohio Transfer 36 requirements. Courses for the Ohio Transfer 36 should be at the lower-division level general education courses commonly completed during the first two years of a full-time student’s residency.

Transfer students with an earned AA or AS degree which includes an identifiable Ohio Transfer 36 will have met the Ohio Transfer 36 requirements of the receiving institution. An institution will apply transferred courses to general education requirements which go beyond those included in the Ohio Transfer 36 on a course-by-course basis.

Transfer students who have completed the Ohio Transfer 36 as certified by the sending institution will have met the Ohio Transfer 36 requirements of the receiving institution. An institution will apply transferred courses to general education requirements which go beyond those included in the Ohio Transfer 36 on a course-by-course basis.

Students will receive credit for successfully completed courses from the Ohio Transfer 36 without having completed the entire module. The applicability of individual Ohio Transfer 36-approved courses will depend on the approval type within the Ohio Transfer 36. Ohio Transfer 36 courses reviewed and approved using only the established statewide learning outcomes will be guaranteed to be applied as equivalent courses at the receiving institution. If an equivalent course is unavailable, the credit hours associated with the course will be applied toward the appropriate area on a course-by-course basis. Credit hours associated with Ohio Transfer 36-approved courses that were reviewed and approved using established statewide learning outcomes will be guaranteed to transfer among public institutions of higher education and be applied appropriately on a course-by-course basis.

Completion of the Ohio Transfer 36 or the entire set of general education requirements may not constitute completion of specific program requirements unless the specified requirements are successfully completed as part of the Ohio Transfer 36 or the broader institutional general education requirements. In such cases, the receiving institution will apply transfer credit to these specific requirements at its discretion on a course-by-course basis

Ohio Transfer 36 course credit applies to degree-specific general education course requirements on a course-by-course basis. For example, a student majoring in business needs to complete micro- and macroeconomics as part of the Ohio Transfer 36 Social and Behavioral Sciences when these courses are required for business degree-specific general education course requirements. Some of the Ohio Transfer 36 approved courses are also guaranteed to transfer and apply as equivalent pre-major/beginning major

courses in accordance with the Transfer Assurance Guide (TAG) policy (See Section III. D. 2. b. Transfer Assurance Guides).

Courses evaluated to be equivalent to general education courses at the receiving institution will be applied to the General Education requirements of the receiving institution. Non-equivalent courses which were used to satisfy general education requirements at the sending institution, and which are in the general area of the courses used to satisfy the general education requirements at the receiving institution may be applied toward the general education requirements at the discretion of the receiving institution.

Transfer Assurance Guides

Transfer Assurance Guides (TAGs) comprise Ohio Transfer 36 courses and additional courses required for an academic major. A TAG is an advising tool to assist Ohio university, community, and technical college students planning specific majors to make course selections that will ensure comparable, compatible, and equivalent learning experiences across the state’s higher-education system. Several area-specific TAG pathways in the arts, humanities, business, communication, education, health, mathematics, science, engineering, and the social sciences have been developed by faculty teams. These pathways empower students to make informed course selection decisions and plans for their future transfer. Advisors at the institution to which a student wishes to transfer should also be consulted during the transfer process. Students may elect to complete the full TAG or any subset of courses from the TAG. Because of specific major requirements, early identification of a student’s intended major is encouraged.

Conditions for Transfer Admission

Admission to a given institution does not guarantee that a transfer student will be automatically admitted to all majors, minors, or fields of concentration at the institution. Once admitted, transfer students shall be subject to the same regulations governing applicability of catalog requirements as native students. Furthermore, transfer students shall be accorded the same class standing and other privileges as native students based on the number of credits earned. All residency requirements must be completed at the receiving institution.

Acceptance of Transfer Credit

To recognize courses appropriately and provide equity in the treatment of incoming transfer students and students native to the receiving institution, transfer credit will be accepted for all successfully completed college-level courses completed in and after Fall 2005 from Ohio state-assisted institutions of higher education. Students who successfully completed A.A. or A.S. degrees prior to Fall 2005 with a 2.0 or better overall grade point average would also receive credit for all college-level courses they have passed. (See Ohio Articulation and Transfer Policy, Definition of Passing Grade and Appendix D.) While this reflects the baseline policy requirement, individual institutions may set equitable institutional policies that are more accepting. Pass/fail courses, credit by examination courses, experiential learning courses, and other nontraditional credit courses that meet these conditions will also be accepted and posted to the student record.

Responsibilities of Students

In order to facilitate transfer with maximum applicability of transfer credit, prospective transfer students should plan a course of study that will meet the requirements of a degree program at the receiving institution. Students should use the Ohio Transfer 36, Transfer Assurance Guides, and Course Applicability System for guidance in planning the transfer process. Specifically, students should identify up front in their collegiate studies an institution and major to which they desire to transfer. Furthermore, students must work with the receiving institution to determine if there are language requirements or any special course requirements that can be met during the freshman or sophomore year. This will enable students to plan and pursue a course of study that will articulate with the receiving institution’s major. Students are encouraged to seek further information regarding transfer from both their advisor and the college or university to which they plan to transfer.

Appeals Process

Following the evaluation of a student military transcript or a transcript from another institution, the Records Office shall provide the student with a statement of transfer credit applicability. Students who wish to make an appeal should contact the Records Office to initiate the process.

Transfer Articulation Agreements

At the time of publication of this catalog, Belmont College has articulation and transfer agreements in place with several institutions. Contact the transfer and articulation advisor for more information.

Students may, upon occasion, find themselves in situations where they are not academically suited for a particular program or lack sufficient motivation to perform at an acceptable academic level. Such students are offered a forgiveness alternative. The Forgiveness Policy at Belmont College is as follows:

Eligibility

1. Students must have a two-year period of nonattendance at Belmont College after earning the grade(s) in question.
2. Courses with a letter grade of “F,” “D,” or “D+” are eligible for forgiveness.
3. Before applying for academic forgiveness, students must return and complete 12 semester credit hours over the span of three consecutive terms.
4. Students must earn a 2.0 or better grade point average each term and for three consecutive terms before the forgiveness is recorded.

Procedure

1. Students may submit only one request for academic forgiveness. Students petition for review of transcript via Form 2 (Application for Academic Forgiveness) to the dean.
2. Transcripts are reviewed by the dean.
3. The dean will either recommend or reject the student’s application and forward the recommendation to the provost.
4. Approval for an award or rejection of academic forgiveness is granted or declined by the provost.
5. Students may not challenge the decision.
6. The Records Office records the forgiven grade.
7. A “Z” is added to original letter grade (e.g., “FZ”, “DZ”, “D+Z”) to indicate forgiveness; forgiven grades will no longer be calculated in the grade point average (GPA).

Student attendance is required for all classes at Belmont College. Faculty members may incorporate attendance into their grading procedures especially when performance competencies are directly affected. Excessive absences are defined as the number of absences which, in the professional judgment of the instructor, jeopardizes the student’s satisfactory progress.

Students are responsible for material covered while they are absent. It is the student’s responsibility to discuss missed assignments with the instructor.

Attendance is monitored regularly for students receiving financial aid through the College or from an agency (VA, WIA, etc.). If the student is progressing unsatisfactorily, financial aid may be adjusted or terminated due to nonattendance.

Enrollment

Classes appearing on the Class Schedule are subject to cancellation due to insufficient enrollment. The minimum enrollment amount will be established by the College. Classes with less than the minimum enrollment may continue as scheduled at the discretion of the dean or provost.

Weather/Unforeseen Circumstances

Class cancellations and delays are occasionally necessary due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. Weather cancellations apply to all on- and off-campus locations unless otherwise announced. Cancellation due to unforeseen circumstances may apply to a specific site. The decision to cancel is not made by individual instructors; the College administration is responsible for the decision.

Belmont College has an emergency mass notification system titled BeAlert that will send you a text, email, and/or voice message in the event of college cancellations, delays, or an emergency on campus.

Also, announcements will be made on WTRF-TV Wheeling (Channel 7), WTOV-TV Steubenville (Channel 9) and www.belmontcollege.edu.

Cancelled class notices are on MyBelmont. Instructors who are unable to conduct classes may also post an announcement on their class site at https://mybelmont.belmontcollege.edu/ICS/ or send an email to their students.

If a teacher is detained from a class longer than fifteen minutes for any reason, one student should report the absence to the welcome desk. Remaining students will wait in the classroom until the reporting student returns. Students may then leave the classroom.

General education is “general” in several clearly identifiable ways: it is not directly related to a student’s formal technical, vocational, or professional preparation; it is a part of every student’s course of study regardless of his or her area of emphasis; and it is intended to impart common knowledge, intellectual concepts, and attitudes that every educated person should possess.

The general education requirement should develop within the student the ability to:

• read (with comprehension) technical, classical, and recreational selections,
• write and spell using standard English,
• communicate verbally to individuals and groups utilizing effective listening,
• comprehend college-level math functions,
• utilize critical thinking and various problem-solving techniques within the work and social environment,
• utilize concepts of human relations in dealing with groups and individuals in work and social environments,
• discuss worldwide historical events and the impact of such events on contemporary issues,
• recognize the impact of social factors including culture, ethnicity, ethics, and religion on work environment and technological advances.

(See section on Core Learning Outcomes in this catalog.)

Students wishing to change his/her program of study must confer with an advisor during the registration period and complete Form 121 (Verification or Change of Major/Program). An evaluation of the student’s transcript will be conducted. Any change in program of study processed after the registration period will be effective the following semester.

Changes in student course schedules can be made through either an academic advisor or online at http://MyBelmont.belmontcollege.edu/ics/. Students may register or add classes during the first seven to fourteen calendar days of the semester using Form 04A (Change in Schedule); students may drop classes without record during the first seven calendar days of the semester using Form 04A (Change in Schedule). No fee is charged for schedule changes.

The period for making changes to flexibly scheduled classes is prorated according to the length of the class. More information on flexibly scheduled classes is available from the academic advisors.

Prerequisites are an important consideration in the academic sequence of programs. Courses are designed with the assumption that certain critical information must precede other information. For that reason, prerequisites are required for certain courses. Refer to the Course Description Information pages in this catalog to see prerequisites for all courses.

Students are permitted to repeat courses. The most recent grade earned in the course will be used in computing the cumulative grade point average. Both original and repeated course grades are designated on the transcript. The original grade will stand when a student who is repeating a course accepts a letter grade of “W” or “X” (audit).

Individuals wishing to utilize students and/or faculty for research must receive special permission prior to the implementation of the project. A written request for research should include:

• the nature of the research,
• explicit involvement of the subjects,
• the anticipated results, and
• the use of test results.

Requests must be sent to the provost for approval. In general, College personnel are not available for research unless special permission is obtained.

Many students work while pursuing their education. Students should plan for at least two hours of outside study for each hour of formal class time excluding laboratory class time. It is recommended that a student working full-time should limit him/herself to one or two courses. Students carrying a full schedule are advised not to work more than 15 hours at an outside job during the school week.

Students are responsible for class performance. Students who are subject to shift changes should make the necessary arrangements with their employer to assure their class attendance and academic performance.

The major objective of Belmont College is to offer educational opportunities in college preparation for the awarding of certificates and degrees as per the guidelines set forth by the Ohio Department of Higher Education in the Guidelines and Procedures for Academic Program Review. To accomplish that objective, the College offers students certificates and Applied and Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees to meet their educational goals. The College sets forth criteria for conferring each certificate or degree.

An Associate of Applied Business and Associate of Applied Science are degrees which are awarded in recognition of successful completion of career technical education programs and prepare student for immediate employment upon graduation. The curricula for applied associate degree programs are described in terms of technical and non-technical studies. Non-technical studies include general education and courses that serve as a base for the technical field (sometimes referred to as “applied general education” or “basic” coursework). Non-technical studies should make up approximately 50% of the curriculum.

The Associate of Technical Study is a degree awarded for successful completion of an individually planned program of study designed to respond to the need for specialized technical education not currently available in the formal degree programs available on a particular campus. In addition to following the College’s admissions practices, students must apply for an approval of an Associate of Technical Study candidacy. Prior to completion of forty semester credit hours, students should submit a completed Form 15 (Belmont College Application for Approval, Associate of Technical Study Program) to the provost. The program must have an area of concentration which is equivalent to at least 30 semester credit hours in technical studies and a clearly identifiable career objective. The area of concentration can either be formed by:

• Type A – a coherent combination of technical courses selectively drawn from two or more technical programs currently offered by the college to serve a career objective that would not be adequately addressed by one of the existing programs alone or
• Type B – courses completed, or training received by a student at other institutions of higher education, career centers, or other educational enterprises judged by the institution to be of college level and for which the institution awards degree credit to a maximum of 30 semester credit hours in technical studies and 28 semester credit hours in non-technical studies.

The Associate of Arts or Science Degree are designed for students wishing to complete the first two years of a bachelor’s degree as well as those desiring two years of a liberal arts education. Associate degrees are characterized by the following:

1. A minimum of 60 semester hours
2. A maximum of 65 semester hours
3. Approximately 50% of semester hours in general education and related non-technical courses
4. Approximately 50% of semester hours in the program core

One-Year Technical Certificates are awarded by community colleges for the completion of 30 to 37 semester credit hours of coursework of which no less than 18 and more than 22 semester credit hours are technical courses. These Ohio Department of Education approved certificates are applicable to an associate degree at the student’s “home” campus.

Short-Term Technical Certificates are awarded by community colleges for the completion of an Ohio Department of Education approved program of study with less than 30 semester credit hours that are designed for a specific employment situation.

Normal progress is defined as completion of a designated program in one and a half times the scheduled completion time frame. The following text is submitted for the purpose of evaluating normal progress:

Acceptance of registration by Belmont College and admission to any educational program of the College does not constitute a contract or warrant that the College will continue indefinitely to offer the program in which a student is enrolled. The College expressly reserves the right to change, phase out, or discontinue any program.

The listing of courses in any College catalog or schedule is by way of announcement only and shall not be regarded as an offer of contract. The College expressly reserves the right to: (1) add or delete courses from its offerings; (2) change times or locations of courses or programs; (3) change academic calendars without notice; (4) cancel any course for insufficient registrations; or (5) revise or change rules, charges, fees, schedules, courses, requirements for degrees, and any other policy or regulation affecting students including, but not limited to, evaluation standards.

Each catalog corresponds to the academic year. Students who first enroll at Belmont College for summer and remain continuously enrolled (defined as attending two out of three consecutive semesters) must fulfill the requirements stated in the catalog covering the academic year beginning in August of that year. Students should refer to the same catalog throughout their academic career. A student must meet the requirements from one catalog only rather than choosing a portion from one catalog and the remainder from another. Students not maintaining normal progress must meet new catalog requirements.

To receive an associate degree or certificate, students must have:

1. Submitted a copy of the high school transcript or equivalency (i.e. GED scores) to the records office,
2. Successfully completed all course requirements in the program,
3. Successfully completed a minimum of 16 semester or 24 quarter credit hours within the designated program in residence at the College,
4. Earned a grade point average of 2.0 or better in courses utilized for graduation; and
5. Paid all financial obligations to the College.

Degrees and certificates are automatically awarded at the end of the semester in which students successfully complete the program requirements. The procedure is as follows:

1. Students submit a completed Form 73 (Intent to Graduate) which are available from the Records Office. A form for each degree or certificate needs to be submitted one semester prior to intended completion.
2. The Records Office forwards the Intent to Graduate forms to a director or dean for confirmation and/or identification of deficiencies and/or course substitutions.
3. Forms are returned with Graduation Degree Audit to the Records Office who will notify students in writing of any deficiencies.
4. At the conclusion of the term Intent to Graduate forms are returned to the director or dean to assure that deficiencies have been met.
5. The Intent to Graduate forms are forwarded to the provost to be considered for approval.
6. The provost forwards the Intent to Graduate forms and Graduation Report to the Records Office for further processing.

Students who do not complete their program requirements by the conclusion of the term stated on the Intent to Graduate form must resubmit a new Intent to Graduate form prior to intended program completion.

Belmont College holds one graduation ceremony a year at the end of each spring semester. Students who complete degree/certificate requirements in the Summer and Fall terms are eligible to participate in the following years commencement ceremony.

More information about the graduation ceremony, including ordering your cap and gown, can be found at: www.belmontcollege.edu/graduation.

Any student who finishes a degree program with a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or better will graduate with honors.

A student who graduated from a degree program with the highest cumulative grade point average will be awarded valedictory status. The student with the next-highest grade point average will be awarded salutatory status. In the event of a tie, the College will award co-valedictorian and/or co-salutatorian status to deserving degree-seeking students.