Academic Affairs Policy Manual Definition of Terms

Academic Management— A restricted course load approved and monitored by the College Committee on Student Promotions. Students who are placed on an academic management contract are not considered in good academic standing and therefore are not eligible for Title IV student loans. Academic Management Contracts are managed through the Office of Student Academic Affairs.

Academic Period—Two consecutive terms of attendance regardless of the credit load a student carries.

Academic Probation—A student is placed on academic probation if their cumulative grade point average (GPA) meets the following criteria as revised:

Below 1.5 GPA at the end of the first term of attendance.
Below 1.75 GPA at the end of the second term of attendance.
Below 2.0 GPA at the end of the third and subsequent terms of attendance.

Academic Term of Attendance/Enrollment—Any period of time in which a student has registered for and attended classes. Students who withdraw from school after the registration process has closed or has received an administrative withdrawal will still be considered as having been enrolled for that given trimester.

Academic Warning— A student is placed on warning if he/she has two or more active failures or fails the same course twice, regardless of their cumulative GPA.

Credit Load—The total number of credit hours a student is enrolled. The maximum credit load students are allowed to take per academic term is 35. This does not include elective hours. There is no minimum credits hours required. However, students must be enrolled in a minimum of 17 hours to be considered full time and a minimum of 12 hours to be considered part-time. Elective hours do count towards full or part-time credit loads.

Deficits—A failure to earn a passing grade in a given course.

Full-time Status—Enrolled in 17 or more credit hours in the D.C. Program.

Part-time Status—Enrolled in 12 to 16 credit hours in the D.C. Program.

Good Academic Standing—A student is in good academic standing if he/she is not on academic probation, academic warning, academic management, suspension, dismissal, or has been placed on an ethics hold.

Loan Period—Two consecutive terms of attendance in which financial aid was dispersed.

Long Term Contracts—Students with a documented physical, mental, or learning disability may be eligible for a long-term contract, allowing them to progress at a reduced pace. While on a long-term contract, students need to earn a minimum of 30 credit hours during a loan period to remain eligible for financial aid.

Over Cut—Students who do not meet the minimum required hours of attendance in a given class are considered to be over cut. Refer to individual course syllabi for ramifications.

Prerequisite-A successfully completed course or courses, skills, or knowledge a student must possess and demonstrate to the satisfaction of an instructor prior to enrolling and taking a class. For example, understanding the anatomy of the spine is essential prior to exposing a student to a palpation course focusing on the spine.

Quality Points—The product of the grade and grade equivalent per course. Course credit multiplied by the course grade points.

Restricted Class Load— Students who are not in good standing (identified by one or more academic flags; academic warning, academic probation, or academic management) are restricted to a maximum of 23 credit hours. This does not include elective courses.