Academic Policies and Procedures

Academic Awards

MCC offers a wide range of programs of study leading to the associate in applied science degree, associate in arts degree, associate in science degree, associate in science in nursing degree, certificate of achievement, or career certificate.

Some degree programs offer various options or tracks that are areas of interest within the program of study. Although students may successfully complete a single or multiple options/tracks within the program, only the degree for the overall program of study is awarded. Students are not eligible to receive multiple degrees for completing more than one of the options/tracks within the overall program of study

Associate in Applied Science Degree (AAS)

The associate in applied science degree is awarded to a student completing the requirements of one of the career programs. All associate in applied science degrees at MCC require 22.5 quarter hours of general education course work. This award has a total degree requirement of a minimum of 90.0 quarter hours unless noted for accreditation purposes.

Associate in Arts Degree (AA)

The associate in arts degree is awarded to students completing the requirements of the Liberal Arts/Academic Transfer programs. This degree parallels the work done in the first two years at a four-year institution. All transfer associate in arts degrees at MCC require a minimum of 36 quarter hours (24 semester hours) of general education coursework within the degree program requirements. Additional major-related courses and electives contribute to the total 90.0+ quarter credit hours required for a transfer degree.

Associate in Science Degree (AS)

The associate in science degree is an academic transfer degree awarded to students completing the courses required for the degree. This degree is generally transferable as the first two years at a baccalaureate program or in meeting the minimum requirements for entrance into a designated professional program of study. All transfer associate in science degrees at MCC require a minimum of 36 quarter hours (24 semester hours) of general education coursework within the degree program requirements. Additional major-related courses and electives contribute to the total 90.0+ quarter credit hours required for a transfer degree.

Associate in Science in Nursing Degree (ASN)

The associate in science in nursing degree is awarded to students completing the program requirements of the associate degree nursing program with 103.5 credit hours unless noted for accreditation purposes. Graduates awarded this degree are eligible to take the NCLEX Exam for licensure as a registered nurse. Many of the required courses transfer to four-year institutions.

Additional Associate Degrees

Under certain conditions, it is possible to earn one or more additional AFA-Focused associate degrees. Program requirements include: (1) all General Education and program requirements for the second degree are met, and (2) satisfactory completion of a minimum of 15 additional credit hours for each degree award.

Certificate of Achievement

The certificate of achievement is awarded to students upon successful completion of the requirements of one of the career programs. All certificate of achievements at MCC require 13.5 quarter hours of general education course work. This award has a total degree requirement of a minimum of 48.0 quarter hours and a maximum of 55.0 quarter hours. 

Career Certificate

A career certificate represents a structured sequence of courses with no general education requirements, that may be completed in a relatively short period. In some cases, the entire module may be completed in two or three quarters. This award has a total degree requirement of a minimum of 24.0 quarter hours and a maximum of 36.0 quarter hours.

Credit for Prior Learning

Policies and Procedures

1. Prior learning credit includes credit for national standardized tests, industry and non-credit course alignment, MCC Challenge Exams and MCC Portfolios.

2. Academic credit will only be awarded for courses listed within a student’s current certificate or degree as noted in the MCC Course Catalog.

3. Credits granted for prior learning do not apply toward fulfillment of MCC’s residency requirement for graduation.

4. A student must be enrolled at the College with a declared major to request evaluation of prior learning.

5. A student may not apply for prior learning for classes for which they are currently enrolled. A student may not apply for prior learning if the student has completed the course previously with a grade of A, B, C, D, F, I, AUDIT.

6. Academic credits earned through prior learning are not used in the calculation of a student’s grade point average.

7. Academic credits earned through prior learning are generally not transferable to another institution on a course-by-course basis.

8.  Students may apply for up to twenty-five credit hours of prior learning toward the completion of a degree. 

Credit for Military Service

MCC seeks to grant the most credit possible for military training and experience.  Credit hours may be awarded for military training and experience as recommended by the American Council on Education.  Credits must correlate to an MCC course and fulfill a requirement of the student’s program to be accepted in transfer.  Veterans and military students pursing specialized programs that require few or no electives may find that they receive limited credits from their military experience.

Documents eligible for transcript evaluation can include CCAF Transcript (Community College of the Air Force), JST (Joint Services Transcript), and other official documents indicating military experience. In addition, MCC accepts DSST (DANTES) and CLEP scores.

Use of military credits to transfer from MCC to another institution depends on a number of factors, including whether the institution has a transfer credit agreement with MCC. The institution receiving transfer courses makes the decision regarding award of transfer credit. Military students should evaluate their transfer options carefully in consultation with the receiving institution.  For additional information on military transfer credits, contact MCC’s Veteran And Military Resource Center.  

Credit for National Standardized Test Results

MCC awards credit to students who have earned acceptable scores on standardized tests such as Advanced Placement (AP) Exams, College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Exams, and DANTES Subject Standardized Test (DSST) Exams.  Although the college does not administer these types of exams, institutional credit may be awarded for successful completion of AP, CLEP and DSST Exams.   For consideration of college credit, official exam score reports must be submitted from the organization to:

Metropolitan Community College
Attn:Registrar’s Office
P.O. Box 3777
Omaha, NE 68103-0777

Credit for Industry Certifications and Non-Credit Training

Students who have earned industry certifications or have completed non-credit training may have opportunities to earn college credit for courses within their degree. All certificates must be current for the student to earn college credit. Students should contact the Prior Learning Assessment Center at www.mccneb.edu/pla for more information.

Credit for MCC Challenge Exams

Students wishing to demonstrate course proficiency may complete a challenge exam for select credit courses. Challenge exams have been developed by instructors in the discipline and approved by the department and Academic Dean. Students will take the challenge exam either in an MCC Testing Center or in an approved classroom lab. Students must not be enrolled in the course being tested and cannot have completed the course previously with a grade. There may be a fee assessed prior to testing. Students should contact the Prior Learning Assessment Center www.mccneb.edu/pla for more information.

Credit for MCC Portfolios

Students can earn credit for some courses by preparing a portfolio that demonstrates fulfillment of all course objectives through work and life experiences. Developing a portfolio requires the students to assess their learning through work or life experiences and provide documentation of how knowledge and skills apply to specific MCC coursework. Portfolios will be evaluated by subject matter expert and awarded credit as appropriate. A $40 fee will be assessed prior to the evaluation of a portfolio. Students should contact the Prior Learning Assessment Center www.mccneb.edu/pla for information and application procedures.

Dean’s List

MCC celebrates students who have completed coursework with excellence. Outstanding academic achievement is recognized through the dean’s list each quarter. To qualify for the dean’s list, students must:

• complete a minimum of 12.0 credit hours in graded 1000-level or above classes;
• complete at least 6.0 credit hours in graded 1000-level or above classes for the quarter in which they are qualifying; and
• achieve at least a 3.50 GPA for the quarter in which they are qualifying.

Students receive email notification via their student email account from the vice president for academic affairs approximately three weeks after the qualifying quarter has ended. This email includes a memo and certificate that are suitable for printing and framing. Since student email accounts may be purged at the end of the quarter, students should save or back-up their dean’s list email if they wish to keep it. Dean’s list certificates are not archived or available for re-issuance. Students’ names are publicized on the MCC website and sent to select newspapers.

MCC Scholars - Student Recognition Program

MCC Scholars provides a pathway for students to receive recognition for work in areas for which they are passionate. Recognition is available for work in global perspectives, community engagement, and sustainability.

The MCC Scholars program has two achievement levels. The first level provides a recognition certificate. The second level results in a notation of the achievement on the student’s transcript. Students seeking either level of recognition work closely with a faculty mentor who is also passionate about the area of interest selected.

Grading System

• A - Excellent: The student has demonstrated outstanding proficiency in mastering course objectives. (4 points per credit in computation of grade point average)
• B - Above average: The student has demonstrated above average proficiency in mastering course objectives. (3 points per credit in computation of grade point average)
• C - Average: The student has demonstrated average proficiency in mastering course objectives. (2 points per credit in computation of grade point average)
• D - Below average: The student has demonstrated below average but passing proficiency in mastering course objectives. (1 point per credit in computation of grade point average)
• F - Failing: The student has not demonstrated a minimum passing proficiency in mastering course objectives. (0 points per credit in computation of grade point average)
• FX - Failure related to non-attendance (Administratively assigned): The student stops attending a class or participating in an online class, does not return, and fails. (0 points per credit in computation of grade point average).
• I - Incomplete: Due to extenuating circumstances, students may be given an extension of time to complete course objectives. Assignment of I grades is a faculty prerogative and is issued when students, who have completed the majority (at least 60 percent) of the course requirements, are unable to complete the remainder due to unusual or extenuating circumstances. An I grade must be made up no later than 11 months after the end of the quarter in which the I grade was issued or it becomes an F. Prior to issuing the Incomplete grade, the instructor and student meet to discuss a timeline for completing the remaining assignments and/or tests in order for the student to earn a quality letter grade. The instructor sends an email to the student, and copies the appropriate academic dean, confirming the due date for the remaining work. (Does not count in computation of grade point average)
• P - Pass: P is an indication that the student has completed the coursework satisfactorily. It is used for developmental courses and other courses at the discretion of the College. Any course taken for a P grade will not count toward a student’s degree or credit-bearing certificate program. (Does not count in the computation of grade point average)
• R - Re-enroll: The student has made satisfactory progress and should re-enroll until course objectives are completed. R is primarily used for developmental courses only. (Does not count in computation of grade point average)
• V - Audit: An audit (no credit) does not count in computation of a grade point average. Audit requests may only be submitted during the first week of class and are processed during the second week. An audit is not an option for online classes.
• W - Withdrawal: W is an indication of an action requested by the student. The student must officially withdraw from a course prior to the last day to drop classes. The student may drop via My Services or call Registration to officially withdraw. W’s may not be changed to a grade. (Does not count in the computation of grade point average)
• Z - Unreported grade: Z indicates that an appropriate grade has not been recorded. If an appropriate grade is not submitted within two weeks of when final grades were due, the Z grade will be replaced with a F grade. If a last date of attendance cannot be determined, the first date of class will be used. (Does not count in computation of grade point average)

Grade Point Average

Students’ GPAs are determined by dividing the total number of grade points earned by the total number of credits attempted in those courses that count toward students’ GPA.

To calculate a GPA:

grade value x credit hours completed = grade points

Example

Take the total number of grade points (30) and divide by total hours completed (16.5): GPA= 1.82

Note: Actions of R, P, W, V, and Z do not apply toward the GPA but do appear in attempted hours.

Auditing a Course

Students who wish to attend a course without taking examinations or receiving credit for a course may request to audit the course. Students intending to audit should not register for the courses as they cannot already be enrolled in a class they wish to audit. Instead, they must request an audit from the instructor during the first week of class only. Students who audit a class pay the regular tuition rate and fees. Audited courses do not count toward graduation requirements nor do they satisfy prerequisite requirements for other courses. However, audited courses do appear on the transcript marked with a V.

Courses that are eligible for audit are determined by the appropriate academic dean; some courses may not be available for audit. Online courses may not be audited. An audit student may not change from audit to credit status once the course has started.

Audited courses are not considered when establishing the full- or part-time status of a student receiving financial aid or veteran’s benefits.

Repeating a Course

Students may repeat a course in an effort to earn a better grade. Both grades remain on the permanent record; the latest grade is used to compute the GPA. Students using federal financial aid to pay for courses may use financial aid funds to repeat a course once after receiving a grade of R, P, D, or higher.

Final grades for repeated courses for those graduating must first be verified by the Registrar’s Office in order for those students to be considered for graduation requirements.

Appeals to Change Course Grades

Students who wish to appeal a final course grade need to follow the appeal procedure listed below. The appeal process for final course grades must be initiated no later than the end of the quarter (the last class day) following the quarter in which the course was completed.

The procedure for a final course grade appeal at MCC requires that the student and instructor first have a conversation with the expectation of resolving the grading issue between them. The question is mainly whether or not the instructor’s syllabus has been followed.

If, after that conversation, there is still disagreement about whether or not the instructor has adhered to the syllabus in dealing with the student’s final grade issue, the student may choose to follow a formal appeal process.

The formal appeal process begins when a student puts his or her concern officially in writing by sending a letter or email to the instructor (first level of appeal). Upon receipt of the instructor’s response, the student may appeal, if necessary, in writing to the next level, the appropriate academic dean (second level of appeal). Upon receipt of the academic dean’s response, the student may appeal, if necessary, to the final level, the vice president for academic affairs, for a final decision.

The purpose of the initial first-level appeal letter (or email) is to seek resolution between student and instructor, pointing specifically to the syllabus and how the student can show that the procedures set up in the syllabus were not upheld.

The instructor’s written reply to this letter usually suffices to resolve the issue.

A grade appeal makes it to the level of the academic dean only in the rare cases when a written appeal to the instructor is unsuccessful.

The purpose of the written appeal to the academic dean is to show how the student was not dealt with in accordance with procedures set up in the instructor’s syllabus and how the instructor erred in his or her response to the student’s written appeal. When a written appeal is submitted to an academic dean, the student must attach the syllabus for the course, the student’s written appeal to the instructor, and the instructor’s written reply.

A grade appeal makes it to the level of the vice president for academic affairs in the unlikely event that an appeal was not resolved at the first level (instructor) or the second level (academic dean). The student must submit a written appeal that shows how the student was not dealt with in accordance to the procedures set up in the instructor’s syllabus and, specifically, where the instructor and the academic dean erred in their respective responses. When a written appeal is submitted to the vice president for academic affairs, the student must attach the syllabus for the course, the student’s written appeals to both the instructor and the academic dean, and the respective responses from the instructor and the academic dean.

Decisions made by the vice president for academic affairs concerning appeals to change a final course grade are final and not subject to further appeal.

Academic Amnesty

Students who wish to petition for academic amnesty (elimination of a course(s) from GPA), must meet the below provisions. The amnesty process begins when a student meets with an academic advisor to complete the petition. The petition requests the elimination of up to two quarters of students’ classes from the computation of their GPA.

• Academic amnesty can be granted only one time and is not reversible.
• Students must have successfully completed a minimum of 24.0 credit hours at 1000- or 2000-level MCC classes with a minimum GPA of 2.50 after the most recent quarter being petitioned for amnesty.
• Academic amnesty is applied to D and F grades only, which are eliminated from GPA calculation and hours attempted. Courses in which students received an A, B, or C grade continue to be included in students’ overall GPAs and are exempt from academic amnesty.
• Students’ permanent records (transcripts) reflect the original grade(s) received. Original grades are marked with a pound sign (#) on students’ transcripts but are not included in the GPA calculation.

NOTE: Academic amnesty has no bearing on financial aid eligibility, as all quarters, including those for which academic amnesty is granted, must be considered.

Graduation Guidelines

Program Requirements

The program requirements that students must meet to graduate with a certain degree or certificate are stipulated in the College catalog at mycatalog.mccneb.edu. Catalog effective dates begin with the start of fall quarter and run through the end of the next summer quarter. Specifically:

• The effective catalog year for students is determined by the quarter in which they first attend MCC, not the date of their enrollment or registration.
• Students are held to the requirements in the catalog year in which they first attend unless they opt to meet the requirements in a later catalog in a year in which they attend.
• All requirements must be completed within four years of the initial or chosen catalog year. Those not completing within four years must select a later catalog in a year in which they attended and meet the requirements listed in that catalog.

Final grades for those graduating must be verified in the system to be considered for graduation requirements. Students who are retaking courses that they are using to complete their program of study requirements must receive a final grade in those courses before they may be considered as having fulfilled graduation requirements. Students cannot be processed through the system until this occurs.

To graduate with honors, students must earn a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or above in all MCC courses attempted and completed.

Eligibility

Students who wish to graduate with the following degrees or certificates must meet the following eligibility requirements:

Degrees: Associate in Applied Science, Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, or Associate in Science in Nursing

To apply and be eligible for graduation with an associate degree, students must have:

• earned a GPA of at least 2.00 in all studies that are applicable toward graduation from a program of study and be in good academic standing;
• successfully completed all program requirements encompassing a minimum of 91.5 credit hours* as outlined in the College catalog; program requirements include successful completion of a minimum of 25% credit hours in residence at MCC or enrollment in an approved statewide initiative program with MCC designated as the home institution; Prior learning credits do not apply to the residency requirement;
• completed an online graduation application form in the Self-Service student portal and submitted it by the deadline date.

Certificates of Achievement

To be eligible for graduation with a certificate of achievement, students must have:

• earned a GPA of at least 2.0 in all studies attempted and applicable toward graduation from a program of study and be in good academic standing;
• successfully completed all course requirements of a program of study encompassing a minimum of 48.0 credit hours* as outlined in the College catalog; program requirements include successful completion of a minimum of 25% credit hours in residence at MCC or enrollment in an approved statewide initiative program with MCC designated as the home institution; Prior learning credits do not apply to the residency requirement;
• completed an online graduation application form in the Self-Service student portal and submitted it to the Registrar’s Office.

Career Certificates

Designed for the person seeking job-relevant career development, career certificate modules represent a structured sequence of courses that may be completed in a relatively short period. To be eligible for graduation with a career certificate, students must have:

• grade of C or better in all courses required for the certificate and be in good academic standing;
• successfully completed all course requirements of a program of study encompassing a minimum of 24 credit hours* as outlined in the College catalog; program requirements include successful completion of a minimum of 25% credit hours in residence at MCC or enrollment in an approved statewide initiative program with MCC designated as the home institution; Prior learning credits do not apply to the residency requirement;
• completed an online graduation application form in the Self-Service student portal and submitted it to the Registrar’s Office.

*In cases where there are discrepancies in individual course credits resulting in a credit shortage in one or more program requirement, additional coursework may be required.  Examples of discrepancies include differences in credits earned in equivalent transfer courses from other institutions, and course revisions within MCC’s catalog from year to year.  Additional course(s) will only be necessary when credit discrepancies result in completion of less than the minimum required credit hours (by award) noted in this section. 

Graduation Application

All students must submit a graduation application to receive a degree, certificate or career certificate. A separate application must be submitted for each degree, certificate, or career certificate that a student anticipates receiving.

The application for graduation can be found on the Self-Service student portal under Academic Graduation Overview and must be submitted online. Deadlines to file a graduation application are as follows:

Fall quarter - Nov. 1
Winter quarter - Feb. 1
Spring quarter - May 1
Summer quarter - August 1

At MCC, degrees certificates and career certificates are awarded at the end of each quarter and denote the completion of a program of study. Degrees and certificates are mailed approximately four to six weeks after the end of each quarter to qualifying students. (Students who have a business office hold will not receive their diploma or certificate until all college financial obligations have been resolved).

The MCC Commencement Ceremony is held annually to recognize students who have graduated or will graduate during the current academic year (fall, winter, spring, and summer quarters).

Standards of Academic Progress

Academic Standards and Alert System

To encourage satisfactory progress throughout quarters of enrollment, the College’s academic progress policy establishes specific standards that must be met by all students enrolled in credit courses at MCC. If students are not making academic progress, the College may limit enrollment and course selection, if considered necessary. If students are on probation after an academic suspension or dismissal, the College may establish other special conditions under which the students may again enroll, including regular meetings with advocacy counselors and academic advisors, enrollment in developmental courses, participation in career development activities, and completion of assessment tests.

Note: Students receiving financial aid must also comply with the Financial Aid Satisfactory Progress Statuses .

Academic Good Standing: meeting minimum GPA for credit hours completed. Intervention: None

Academic Probation: not meeting minimum GPA for credit hours completed. Intervention: Registration holds are placed on students’ records. Students on probation must complete an online probation workshop prior to future registration. As part of the online probation workshop, students will build an academic recovery plan.   While on probation, students may have limits placed on the number of credit hours of enrollment and/or course selection.

Academic Suspension: students on probation who do not earn a GPA of at least 2.00 in their next quarter of enrollment. Intervention: Students on academic suspension are denied enrollment for a period of one quarter. Students placed on academic suspension will have all future quarter enrollments deleted. Students desiring to enroll after suspension are required to meet with an advocacy or DSS counselor and request re-admission. If the request is granted, the advocacy or DSS counselor places the student in academic observation status.

Academic Observation: status when students return after suspension or dismissal. Intervention: Registration holds are placed on students’ records.   While on academic observation status the student is expected to work with the advocacy or DSS counselor, along with their assigned advisor and/or navigator for subsequent enrollment until they have returned to good standing. The counselor is authorized to impose reasonable restrictions on students’ enrollment while on academic observation.

If students earn less than a 2.00 GPA for credits completed while in academic observation status, they are placed on academic dismissal. Students meeting the cumulative GPA requirement for good standing are not suspended or dismissed under this policy.

Academic Dismissal: Dismissal may be permanent. The College reserves the right to deny enrollment to students on academic dismissal. Intervention: Registration holds are placed on students’ records. Students on academic dismissal are not allowed to register or attend credit classes for a minimum of two quarters. After an absence of two quarters, students on dismissal may petition for re-admission through an advocacy or DSS counselor.

Appeal of Academic Suspension/Dismissal

A student may appeal academic suspension or dismissal. The appeal must be in written form and forwarded to the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs. Submission of an appeal does not guarantee or suggest automatic reinstatement. A decision will be made and communicated to the student within 24-48 hours.

Transfer Agreements

Metropolitan Community College has agreements with colleges and universities that facilitate easy credit transfer in many programs. MCC offers two types of pathways for students: articulation agreements and transfer guides. Reverse transfer is also available for students to transfer credits back to MCC for completion of an MCC associate degree.

Visit the Transfer/Articulation website at https://www.mccneb.edu/articulation for a complete list of institutions that MCC currently has agreements with as well as links to course-by-course transfer information.

Articulation Agreements

Articulation agreements or Associate to Bachelor’s (A to B) agreements allow students to transfer an entire degree to a college or university.   With these agreements, students complete the associate degree at MCC and then transfer to a college or university to complete their bachelor’s degree.  Most, if not all, of the credits in the associate degree transfer to the college or university and count towards the bachelor’s degree.

Transfer Guides

Transfer guides provide a suggested list of courses within an MCC degree that transfer to a four-year institution.  Transfer guides assist students interested in completing an MCC degree and wish to complete a bachelor’s degree at a four-year institution.

Reverse Transfer

Reverse Transfer allows students who have completed credits toward an associate degree to receive an MCC degree even if they have transferred to a four-year college or university.

Students who have completed a minimum of 22.5-quarter hours at MCC and then transfer to a four-year college or university can transfer credit back to MCC to earn an associate degree.  Visit http://www.mccneb.edu/Current-Students/Transfer-Center/Reverse-Transfer to access the Reverse Transfer link.

Transcripts

Transcript Changes

Any students who believe there is an inaccuracy on their transcript must contact the Registrar’s Office. The transcript is the final, accurate record of academic accomplishment.

Transcript Retention

The official academic records (transcripts) for all MCC students are permanently retained by the College. 

Transcript Requests

Current and former students can order an official transcript online through the National Student Clearinghouse (link: https://tsorder.studentclearinghouse.org/school/welcome). There is a minimal charge for each transcript.

In compliance with the U.S. Department of Education’s policy aimed at reducing the student loan default rate, current or former students who are in default on their student loans are not entitled to official transcripts of grades or course completions.

End of Quarter Grades

Even if grades have been posted by an instructor, transcripts cannot be released until grade processing has been completed, which can take up to three days AFTER final grades are due.