Academic Policies and Standards

ACADEMIC PROGRAM OF STUDY

Each student is responsible for selecting an academic program of study at Motlow. Programs are defined in terms of a degree with a major and a concentration or area of emphasis, as applicable, or a certificate of credit. The Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Associate of Science in Teaching, and Associate of Fine Arts are earned with the University Parallel Major for transfer. The Associate of Applied Science degree is earned with a selection of a career major. The curriculum requirements for each available program of study are outlined in the section entitled “Program of Study—Core Curricula.” The student who plans to follow an area of emphasis in the University Parallel Major other than a Tennessee Transfer Pathway (TTP) should secure a copy of the catalog of the institution to which he/she plans to transfer and use it in planning a program of study at Motlow. Tennessee Transfer Pathways (TTP’s) are advising tools designed to help community college students plan for transferring to a Tennessee public university or select regionally accredited, non-profit Tennessee private colleges and universities to complete their baccalaureate degree. The TTPs also constitute an agreement between community colleges and four-year colleges/universities confirming that community college courses meet major preparation requirements. The student is guaranteed that all the community college courses taken will be accepted at the college/university and the courses will count toward completion of the particular major. The selection early in a student’s academic career of a curriculum designed to meet educational objectives will increase the satisfaction the student will realize from his/her educational experiences. Faculty advisors and counselors are prepared to assist the students in program planning and course selection.

PROGRESSION STANDARD FOR COMPLETING THE ENGLISH REQUIREMENT

A first-time college student who is registering as a full-time student (12 or more semester hours) must register for the appropriate English course (learning support or collegiate) within the full-time load during the first semester of attendance and remain in an English course each semester until the appropriate English requirement is completed.

PROGRESSION STANDARD FOR COMPLETING THE LEARNING SUPPORT MATHEMATICS REQUIREMENT

A first-time college student requiring learning support mathematics who is registering as a full-time student (12 or more semester hours) must register for the appropriate learning support mathematics course during the student’s first semester of eligibility and remain in a mathematics course each semester until the learning support mathematics competency is completed.

STUDENT LOAD

For administrative purposes, an individual is considered to be a full-time student when enrolled for a minimum of twelve (12) semester credit hours . Sixteen (16) to seventeen (17) semester hours is the normal student load per semester. Nineteen (19) semester hours is the maximum student load allowed without approval of the appropriate campus Dean. The maximum load for one (1) semester which will be approved is twenty-two (22) semester hours. Factors considered for approving enrollment beyond nineteen (19) semester hours include the classification of the student, the cumulative grade point average of the student, and the anticipated date of graduation.

STUDENT LOADS FOR SUMMER SEMESTER: The summer semester is composed of four separate but overlapping terms. These terms are the full term (FT), two half-terms (1H, 2H) and Maymester. A student may schedule classes in combination of these terms, but credit hours are limited to no more than eight (8) hours during any half-term and sixteen (16) hours during the full semester. Sixteen (16) semester hours is the maximum student load allowed without approval of the appropriate campus Dean. Similar guidelines are defined for a selection of courses which mix summer terms. The maximum load for summer semester which will be approved is nineteen (19) semester hours.

STUDENT CLASSIFICATION

For administrative purposes, a student is classified as a freshman until the completion of twenty-eight (28) semester hours; after this time, the student is classified as a sophomore. Those not accepted as degree-seeking students or certificate-of-credit students are classified as special students for credit.

CATALOG SELECTION

Students are allowed to graduate or receive certificates of credit by the requirements of the catalog under which they entered, the catalog in effect when a change of major form is filed, or any subsequent catalog, provided the catalog containing the program being followed is not more than five years old based on the date of completion of graduation requirements. For example, the 2018–2019 catalog expires after five years and thus cannot be used for graduation after August 2023.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS WAIVER AND SUBSTITUTION

When sufficient cause necessitates a program of study change to enable a student to graduate, a course requirement waiver and/or substitution may be processed. Course waivers and/or substitutions should be determined in conference with the student’s advisor and require the approval of the student’s advisor, a faculty member from the applicable discipline, and the appropriate curriculum chair/director. Forms are obtained by meeting an advisor. The completed Course Waiver and Substitution form with necessary signatures is to be submitted to the office of Admissions and Records by the student.

INCOMPLETE COURSE WORK

The “I” for “incomplete” may be assigned by the course instructor, indicating that the student has not completed all course requirements because of illness or other circumstances beyond his/her control, especially those which may occur toward the close of the term. Failure to make up work or to turn in required work on time does not provide a basis for the “I” unless extenuating circumstances noted above exist. The following guidelines apply to removing an “I” from the academic record:

The deadline for students to complete and submit required work to the faculty member will be the time established for mid-term examinations in the semester following the term in which the “I” was received. The mid-term examination schedule is given in the class schedule. Students who receive an “I” in the spring semester will observe the schedule for the following fall semester.

An “I” in Nursing (NRSG) courses must be removed by the end of the second week of the semester following the term in which the “I” was received, including summer term.

When required work has been submitted to the faculty member no later than one week after the deadline for removing an “I,” the faculty member will submit a change of grade. The grade change will be updated on the student file prior to semester grade processing.

Under extenuating circumstances, a faculty member can request, by memorandum to the Director of Admissions and Records, an extension of the “I” without punitive effects on the student’s cumulative grade point average. The extension will extend to the next semester’s deadline.

If a faculty member does not submit a Change of Grade form or a request for an extension of an “I,” the “I” will be replaced by an “F” to be computed into the grade point average.

Students who receive an “I” for learning-support-level coursework may not enroll in the next higher-level course in the sequence until the “I” is removed from the transcript.

REPEATING A COURSE

A student may repeat a previously taken course in which he or she received a final grade of “C” or lower. Students may be permitted to repeat a course in which a grade of “B” or higher was earned only with the approval of the appropriate campus Dean as an exception to the policy. A request for approval to repeat a course in which a “B” or higher was made should be submitted in writing to the appropriate campus Dean prior to the term during which the course is to be repeated. A request must include the reasons for the request. A written response to the request will be sent to the student.

The grade received in repeating a course (other than “NC” or “W”) is credited in the semester in which the course was repeated. To be effective in the cumulative grade point average (GPA) for the current term, a Repeat Form (for all courses being repeated) must be filed in the Office of Admissions and Records at the time of registration. Repeating a course will affect a student’s academic record in the following ways:

Only the last grade received in repeating a course will be used in computing the cumulative grade point average provided that the number of repeats of any single course does not exceed two (three attempts). In the event a student repeats a course more than twice, the grade received in the third attempt and all subsequent attempts will be used in computing the cumulative grade point average.

The hours attempted in repeating a course are subtracted from the total hours attempted before dividing to compute the cumulative grade point average, provided the number of repeats of any single course does not exceed two (three attempts). In the event a student repeats a course more than twice, the hours attempted in the third attempt and all subsequent attempts will be included in the total hours attempted before dividing to compute the cumulative grade point average.

The credit hours earned for a course will be included only one time in the cumulative hours earned no matter how many times the course is completed.

All grades received for a course will remain on a student’s transcript. A notation is added to indicate that the course has been repeated. The information showing the grade received when the course was repeated is given in the report for the semester during which the course was re-repeated. If a course is repeated and no completed Repeat Form is submitted to the Office of Admissions and Records, appropriate reductions in cumulative hours earned will be made when the academic record is revised. In order to keep academic records up to date and avoid inflating cumulative hours earned, students must complete a Repeat Form and submit it at the time of registration.

GRADING SYSTEM

The following grading system is used at Motlow State Community College: 

*This grade is not used for any learning support.
**The FA grade indicates that the student earned a grade of F (failing) and accumulated excessive absences (non-school-related.) The FA grade indicates that the student earned a grade of “F” and stopped attending prior to the last day to withdraw.

Other markings which may appear on the grade report and/or transcript are as follows: 

I   Incomplete    P Passed            U Unsatisfactory

AU Audit           S Satisfactory     W Withdrew

Subsequent August 2016, any outstanding grades of IP will be converted to a grade of “F.”

The “I” indicates that a student has not completed all course requirements because of illness or other circumstances beyond his or her control, especially those which may occur toward the close of the term. Failure to make up work or to turn in required work on time does not provide a basis for the “I” unless extenuating circumstances noted above exist. The “I” is not included in computing the grade point average in the semester for which it is assigned. An incomplete may be removed during the succeeding semester (excluding summer), or the “I” may be extended by the faculty member. If the “I” is not removed or extended, a grade of “F” is automatically entered.

An “I” in nursing (NURS) courses must be removed by the end of the second week of the semester following the term in which the “I” was received, including summer term.

The “AU” is used when a student requests audit status for a course and receives no credit and no grade.

The grades “P” and “F” are used for courses with the Pass/Fail grading option. The “P” is used when a student receives credit for a course.   The “P” is not used in computing the grade point average. When a “P” is assigned, the hours earned are increased, but total hours attempted and quality points earned are not affected. The “F” is used in computing the grade point average by including the number of hours of the course in the hours attempted total and including zero grade points in the grade points earned.

The “S” is used only for reporting a general interest community service course and indicates successful completion of that course and receipt of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) or any course offering the Satisfactory (“S”) or Unsatisfactory (“U”) grade option.

The “W” is used when a student drops a class or withdraws from the college after the last day to be deleted from the roll and no later than ten weeks into the semester. The “W” is not used in computing the grade point average. The “W” has no effect on quality hours attempted (even though a “W” does constitute a course attempt in Learning Support classes), hours earned, or quality points earned.

The “U” is used for reporting unsatisfactory completion of any course which offers the Satisfactory (“S”) or Unsatisfactory (“U”) grade option.

APPEAL OF A GRADE

A student who believes that an error has been made in the grade assigned for a course may appeal his/her grade. The appeal must be originated within two weeks (10 working days) after the grade has been posted. Grade appeals are allowed only when the course instructor 1) has not used criteria stated in the course syllabus and/or course outline or 2) has made errors in the calculation or recording of a grade. In both cases, the student will assume the burden of proof with respect to these issues.

Steps for Appeal of a Grade:

1. Student meets with course instructor to resolve the grade appeal.

2. If the student believes after the meeting with the course instructor that the grade appeal is unresolved, the student submits the grade appeal form located in MyMotlow within five (5) days of meeting with the course instructor.

3. Academic Affairs office sends the grade appeal form to the appropriate Dean.
    
4. The Dean has ten (10) working days to respond to the appeal.
    
5. If the student believes that circumstances warrant further appeal, the student may request a review of the Dean’s decision by the Vice President of Academic Affairs. Said request must be made via email to the Vice President of Academic Affairs within 5 business days of the Dean’s decision.

ACADEMIC FRESH START

“Academic Fresh Start” is a plan of academic forgiveness which allows undergraduate students who have experienced academic difficulty to make a clean start upon returning to college after an extended absence. The Academic Fresh Start allows eligible students to resume study without being penalized for their past unsatisfactory scholarship and signals the initiation of a new QPA/GPA to be used for determining academic standing.

Readmitted students who were formally enrolled in the institution, as well as transfer students who meet institutional requirements for admission, and who have been separated from all institutions of higher education for a minimum of four (4) years are eligible for the Fresh Start.  Institutional policies governing the readmission of former students and admission of transfer students must be in compliance with TBR policy 2:03:00:00 Admissions.  This policy requires that the “transfer applicant’s grade point average on transferable courses must be at least equal to that which the institution requires for the readmission of its own students. A student may utilize the Academic Fresh Start only once. The Fresh Start will be formally applied on the day after the 14th day (census date) for the institution in which the student remains enrolled.

To qualify for the Fresh Start the student must:

1. Be separated from all collegiate institutions for at least four years (8 semesters);
2. Apply before the end of the first semester of attendance;
3. File a formal request with the Director of Admissions and Records to be submitted to the Vice President for Academic Affairs office;
4. Be a degree-seeking student.

Once the Fresh Start is granted:

1. The student’s permanent record will remain a record of all work completed;
2. Courses taken and previously failed will be excluded from the calculation of GPA;
3. Courses with grade of D will be excluded from the GPA calculation when a grade of C or better is required for the student’s major; and
4. The student’s GPA and credit hours will reflect courses for which passing grades were earned and retained.
5. The current major will be considered the major the student has currently selected when the Fresh Start is formally applied on the day after census (14th) enrollment date. Courses excluded from the calculation will not be reviewed or reconsidered should the student change majors following the application of the Fresh Start.

An Academic Fresh Start will not remove Financial Aid eligibility standards under Satisfactory Academic Progress rules.  All attempted hours will be counted for Financial Aid and Tennessee Lottery standards. 

All Tennessee Board of Regents institutions will honor a Fresh Start provision granted at another TBR institution. A student who plans to transfer to a non-TBR institution should contact that institution to determine the impact of Academic Fresh Start prior to implementing the program at Motlow State.  If assistance is needed, the student should contact the Office of Admissions and Records.

GRADE POINT AVERAGE (GPA)

The academic standing of a student is expressed in terms of a cumulative grade point average (CGPA). When a course is completed, the number of grade points earned is determined by multiplying the credit hours earned for that course by the grade points assigned to the letter grade earned. The cumulative grade point average is determined by dividing the total number of grade points earned by the total number of credit hours which the student attempted except for credit hours in courses from which the student withdraws in good standing or for courses in which the student received grades which are not considered when determining the CGPA. Credit hours and grades which are not used in computing the CGPA include (1) hours attempted in a repeated course, provided the number of repeats does not exceed two (see section entitled “Repeating A Course”), (2) hours attempted in a course for which the grade “I” is in effect, and (3) hours attempted in a course for which the grade “IP” is in effect.

Assigned grade point values per letter grade are: A - 4 points, B - 3 points, C - 2 points, D - 1 point, and F - 0 points.

Example:

3 hrs. course completed with grade A: 3 x 4=12 quality points earned

5 hrs. course completed with grade C: 5 x 2=10 quality points earned

1 hr. course completed with grade B:   1 x 3=3 quality points earned

4 hrs. course completed with grade B: 4 x 3=12 quality points earned

3 hrs. course completed with grade F: 3 x 0=0 quality points earned

16 hours completed - 37 quality points earned

In the example given: GPA = 37 divided by 16 = 2.31 (no hours repeated)

With the exclusions described above, two pairs of grade point averages are calculated: (1) a “college only” GPA, a cumulative GPA and term GPA comprised only of hours taken in courses numbered 1000 and above, and (2) a “combined” GPA, a cumulative GPA and term GPA comprised of both hours taken in courses numbered 1000 and above and hours taken in Learning Support courses. Each of these averages is used in the following manner:

The “college only” GPA is used in:

1. Calculating the required cumulative GPA for graduation
2. Determining graduation honors
3. Determining term honors
4. Academic Fresh Start

The overall “combined” GPA is used in:

1. Determining suspension and probation
2. Determining financial aid eligibility
3. Determining athletic eligibility

RETENTION STANDARDS

ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS

The minimum cumulative “college only” grade point average required to achieve the associate degree or receive a certificate of credit is 2.0.

In order to establish a measure of academic standing, a table of minimum retention standards has been established. The table below describes minimum retention standards in terms of the minimum cumulative “combined” grade point average required for the credit hours attempted and is designed to serve as a guide to students who fall below the 2.00 cumulative “combined” grade point average.

A student who fails during any term to attain a cumulative “combined” grade point average at or above the level indicated in the table for the credit hours attempted will be placed on academic probation for the subsequent term. At the end of the next term of enrollment, a student on academic probation who has failed to attain either a cumulative “combined” grade point average at or above the cumulative standard given in the table or a 2.00 “combined” grade point average for that term will be suspended.

CERTIFICATE OF CREDIT PROGRAMS

The minimum cumulative “college only” grade point average required to receive a certificate of credit is 2.0. The table below describes minimum retention standards for certificate of credit programs in terms of the minimum cumulative “combined” grade point average required for credit hours attempted.

A student who fails during any term to attain a cumulative “combined” grade point average at or above the level indicated in the table for the credit hours attempted will be placed on academic probation for the subsequent term. At the end of the next term of enrollment, a student on academic probation who has failed to attain either a cumulative “combined” grade point average at or above the cumulative standard given in the table or a 2.0 “combined” grade point average for that term will be suspended. 

PROBATION AND SUSPENSION

A student who fails during any term to attain a cumulative “combined” grade point average at or above the level indicated in the Retention Standards table for the credit hours attempted will be placed on academic probation for the subsequent term. At the end of the next term of enrollment, a student on academic probation who has failed to attain either a cumulative “combined” grade point average at or above the cumulative standard given in the table (listed under Retention Standards above) or a 2.00 “combined” grade point average for that term will be suspended.

The period of academic suspension is as follows: first suspension – one semester; second and subsequent suspensions – one calendar year. A student who is suspended for the first time at the end of the spring term will not be readmitted to the following summer or fall terms.

A student who is (enrolled) on academic probation and attains a 2.00 “combined” grade point average in the term of the probation will continue to be enrolled on academic probation until attaining a cumulative “combined” graded point average at or above the standard given in the table (listed under Retention Standards above).

Transfer students are subject to Motlow retention standards for admission or readmission to Motlow. A transfer student must be eligible to re-enter the school from which he/she is transferring. A transfer student whose cumulative grade point average at the time of entry into Motlow is below the Motlow cumulative standard for the semester hours attempted will enter on a probationary basis.

Students who are being admitted or readmitted to Motlow after having been suspended will enter on a probationary basis.

APPEAL OF ACADEMIC SUSPENSION

A student who is suspended from Motlow College or another institution for academic reasons may appeal his or her suspension to the Student Affairs Committee if he or she feels there are extenuating circumstances or hardships which have contributed to his or her suspension. A student who is allowed to re-enter college through this appeal process may be advised to reduce his or her load, repeat certain courses, or change program of study. The student will continue on academic probation.

The student appealing academic suspension must contact the Office of Student Affairs. The student should request an Academic Suspension Appeal form from the Office of Student Affairs (or follow this link to the PDF version), complete the form as indicated, and return it with a copy of his/her college transcript to the Dean of Students prior to the day scheduled for hearing appeals. Appeals are heard by the Student Affairs Committee; decisions of the Committee are final.

The Vice President for Student Affairs has the authority to remove suspension status for students when recommended by the Student Affairs Committee.

ACADEMIC SCHEDULE

Motlow State Community College operates on the semester system, having three academic semesters: fall, spring, and summer. The projected calendar for each term of the academic year appears on the Motlow College website. The calendar for each term is confirmed in the Schedule of Classes when published. Credit granted for each course generally corresponds to the number of hours (50 minutes lecture time = 1 class hour) a class meets each week. Activities such as laboratory courses and physical education courses may require more than one hour for each credit hour.

CLASS SCHEDULE AND SCHEDULE ADDENDUM

Prior to the beginning of each semester, a class schedule is published online. Courses in the schedule are listed by a discipline code, a course number, a call number, course description, room number, days of the week the class meets, period or time of day, the credit for each course, and the instructor assigned to the course.

Each course has a separate number. Students should attempt to identify the discipline code, course number, and CRN when registering or when communicating with college personnel about a course.

Changes in the Schedule of Classes may occur between the initial publication of the schedule and the opening of the semester. These changes are reflected online and in the MyMotlow class listing for students. Students should check their MyMotlow self-service account and Motlow student email account for schedule changes and updates.

CLASS CANCELLATION

Any class listed in the curriculum may be discontinued by the College. The right is reserved to cancel any class scheduled for a given semester when the number enrolled is considered insufficient. Other factors which may contribute to the cancellation of a class include the availability of qualified instructors and the availability of appropriate facilities.

When a class is canceled, students may withdraw via the web and are encouraged to contact their advisors regarding alternate course selections.

DISCIPLINE CODES

Attention to the symbols and abbreviations below may help in understanding class schedules as well as the catalog. 

LEARNING SUPPORT PROGRAM

The purpose of the Learning Support program is to identify students who are under-prepared for college-level studies and to prepare them for entry into that curriculum. Each learning support course is coupled with a college-level course. The student must be enrolled in both the learning support and college-level course during the same semester with both courses having the same semester start and end dates. The needed skills in mathematics, reading, and writing are divided into learning modules and are presented in a computer-assisted, instructor-facilitated laboratory environment.

It is imperative that students speak with an advisor prior to enrolling to ensure correct placement.

FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE

MSCC 1300 First Year Experience  is a Learning Support Program requirement for all degree-seeking students who test into one or more Learning Support courses (reading, English, or mathematics) in the Learning Support Program. First Year Experience provides collegiate readiness skills designed to empower students with skills sets, including critical thinking, necessary to achieve their education and career goals. Students become familiar with college resources, policies, and procedures, while also improving their time management, study, research, and technology skills. The First Year Experience requirement for Learning Support students might change the number of credits required to complete certain degree programs. For additional information, please see the Program Checklist for your major.

LEARNING SUPPORT ASSESSMENT

The provisions for assessment and placement apply to all degree-seeking applicants, some returning/readmit students, and special students for credit. Additionally, other students enrolling in English or mathematics for the first time are subject to assessment requirements in the applicable subject area. Listed below are the applicant categories and placement criteria.

• Dual Enrollment

Dual-enrollment students must meet appropriate entrance requirements (see the Dual Enrollment webpage for the most current information).

• First-Time Freshmen Under the Age of 21

As an initial assessment, students entering Motlow College who are under twenty-one (21) years of age must present a valid ACT or SAT score. To be valid, the scores must be earned within five (5) years prior to the first day of the student’s term of entrance. The highest score on all valid assessments is used for placement into college-level or learning support classes. 

• First-Time Freshmen Over the Age of 21

As an initial assessment, students entering Motlow College who are twenty-one (21) years of age and older as of the first day of the student’s term of entrance, who are seeking regular admission, and who do not have a valid ACT or SAT score must take all portions of the ACCUPLACER test. Should the student have a valid ACT or SAT score, he or she may present those scores for initial assessment. To be valid, the scores must be earned within five (5) years prior to the first day of the student’s entering term. The highest score on all valid assessments is used for placement into stand-alone college-level courses or into college-level/learning support co-requisite classes.

Students who are placed into learning support by ACCUPLACER or ACT sub-scores can “challenge” in an attempt to improve their placement by taking one or more portions of the ACCUPLACER test. The first challenge using ACCUPLACER is free of charge.  Subsequent attempts are $10.00 per section or $20.00 for the entire test and payable at the time the test is taken. Students can purchase review material and/or software to help review content. Students can challenge placement no more than two times. 

• Degree-Seeking Transfer Students

Degree-seeking transfer students who have not previously been assessed or who have not earned credit in college-level English composition or reading-intensive course or a college-level mathematics must take the appropriate portion(s) of the ACCUPLACER test before they can enroll unless they are under twenty-one (21) years of age and otherwise exempt by ACT scores. Performance on the ACCUPLACER test results in placement into stand-alone college-level/learning support co-requisite classes.

Students who are placed into learning support by ACCUPLACER or ACT sub-scores can “challenge” in an attempt to improve their placement by taking one or more portions of the ACCUPLACER test. The first challenge using ACCUPLACER is free of charge.  Subsequent attempts are $10.00 per section or $20.00 for the entire test and payable at the time the test is taken. Students can purchase review material and/or software to help review content. Students can challenge placement no more than two times. 

• Non-Degree-Seeking/Certificate Program Students

Certificate-seeking students entering without transferable college-level English composition will be assessed prior to enrollment in a college-level English course or any course with an English prerequisite. Assessment will be made by ACCUPLACER scores or a valid ACT/SAT if the student is less than twenty-one (21) years of age.

Certificate-seeking students entering without transferable college-level credit from a reading-intensive general education course will be assessed in reading. Assessment will be made by ACCUPLACER scores or a valid ACT/SAT if the student is less than twenty-one (21) years of age.

Certificate-seeking students entering without transferable or college-level mathematics will be assessed prior to enrollment in a college-level mathematics course or in any course with mathematics as a prerequisite. Assessment will be made by ACCUPLACER scores or a valid ACT/SAT if the student is less than twenty-one (21) years of age.

Students who are placed into learning support by ACCUPLACER or ACT sub-scores can “challenge” in an attempt to improve their placement by taking one or more portions of the ACCUPLACER test. The first challenge using ACCUPLACER is free of charge.  Subsequent attempts are $10.00 per section or $20.00 for the entire test and payable at the time the test is taken. Students can purchase review material and/or software to help review content. Students can challenge placement no more than two times.

Non-degree-seeking students who are taking courses for professional development or personal enrichment must speak with the Learning Support Director or his/her designee about the need for assessment. A determination of need for assessment will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Assessment and Learning Support Courses

A student deficient in algebra will be required to take the appropriate mathematics portions of the ACCUPLACER test unless the student’s valid ACT composite score is 26 or greater. This policy does not apply for students enrolled in high school dual-enrollment classes; please see the Dual Enrollment webpage for relevant policies addressing ACT requirements.

Students who are placed into learning support by ACCUPLACER or ACT sub-scores can “challenge” in an attempt to improve their placement by taking one or more portions of the ACCUPLACER test. The first challenge using ACCUPLACER is free of charge.  Subsequent attempts are $10.00 per section or $20.00 for the entire test and payable at the time the test is taken. Students can purchase review material and/or software to help review content. Students can challenge placement no more than two times.

ACCUPLACER Test Information                            

The ACCUPLACER test assesses students’ readiness for college-level work. ACCUPLACER is a computer testing system which assesses students to determine their academic readiness in reading, writing, and mathematics. Interactive responses to software are designated to determine academic readiness and to record student results in institutional records for appropriate placement. The reading skills portion of the ACCUPLACER is designed to measure students’ reading comprehension. This component assesses the students’ ability to recognize appropriate vocabulary, to isolate main ideas, to locate explicit textual information, and to draw inferences. The writing skills component assesses the student’s knowledge of mechanics, language, and rhetorical skills. The mathematics portion measures the student’s ability to solve problems in pre-algebra/numeric skills, elementary algebra, and intermediate algebra.

The ACCUPLACER test is not a pass/fail test. Instead, test results determine which courses are best suited to the student’s level of readiness. Each test component has a separate score which determines student placement. Students who transfer to other Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) institutions may have their test results forwarded. Additionally, test results are included in student transfer information sent to other TBR institutions. 

The ACCUPLACER test is given free of charge to students for whom ACCUPLACER test scores provide initial placement. As previously noted, students may use the ACCUPLACER test to challenge any or all of their initial placement into learning support. Subsequent attempts are $10.00 per section or $20.00 for the entire test and payable at the time the test is taken. The highest score on all valid assessment is used to determine final placement.

The ACCUPLACER test is given regularly at all Motlow sites. Special test accommodations are available for students who need them. The Testing Center should be contacted for information about the placement tests, test dates, and special accommodations. 

LEARNING SUPPORT COURSES AND POLICIES 

Students who need learning support work are encouraged to take these courses in their first semester of enrollment. Students may enroll in college-level courses concurrently if they do not need learning support in that subject and/or there are no learning support prerequisites for the class or classes. Learning support courses may not be taken for audit, and students may not enroll in these courses unless they have been placed into these courses based on test results.   

Student participation in learning support is mandatory. Credit hours earned in learning support may not be used to meet any degree requirements. These credits are institutional credits only and become “add-on” hours. The grades earned in learning support become a part of the academic record and will be used in determining semester GPA and cumulative GPA for retention, probation, and suspension, as well as eligibility for financial aid and athletics, but these grades will not be used when determining eligibility for the honor roll, dean’s list, or graduation honors.

Each Learning Support course is paired with a co-requisite college-level course. Students must enroll in both courses during the same semester and may not drop one course of the co-requisite pair without also dropping the other. Moreover, the student must enroll in a learning support and a college-level course having the same start and end dates (a student may not enroll in a full-term college-level course and a shorter term learning support course or vice versa). In the event that a student passes the college-level course but does not earn a passing grade in the co-requisite learning support class, the student will have his/her learning support competencies marked as completed for that learning support course, and the student will not be allowed nor required to repeat the learning support class despite his/her failing grade. Additionally, once a student passes the Learning Support course, the student may not re-enroll in the course. Documented passing of learning support competencies taken at other Tennessee Board of Regents institutions will be accepted by Motlow College. However, the student is expected to complete the entire schedule of assignments for the subsequent learning support course.

INTERINSTITUTIONAL ARTICULATION

The Tennessee Board of Regents has established guidelines to provide for collegiate articulation between community colleges and universities in the system. The guidelines are intended to promote the orderly progress of students who transfer from the community colleges to baccalaureate degree programs in the universities while protecting the integrity of the university and community college programs.

The contact office at Motlow State Community College for interinstitutional articulation is the Vice President of Academic Affairs. Applications, catalogs, and course equivalency information from many Tennessee colleges and universities are available in the Admissions and Records and Student Success offices. Faculty advisors also have information to assist students in making decisions related to academic programs of study designed to transfer.

The programs designed for transfer are identified under the Tennessee Transfer Pathway section of the catalog with areas of emphases. Career technology programs and certificate of credit programs are designed for students who do not intend to transfer to a baccalaureate degree program. This information is indicated for each of the career programs.

When a student has satisfactorily completed an associate degree that is outlined as a Tennessee Transfer Pathway, the university shall grant credit toward completion of the baccalaureate degree as outlined in the agreement.  Full details for the agreement can be found on the official website for the pathways. 

When a student has been awarded an associate degree not designed for transfer, only courses within the program of study that are designed as transfer will be considered for transfer by a university.  Generally, these courses are general education core courses and not courses in the field of study.