Academic advising at Manchester Community College is an interactive, ongoing partnership between the student and the academic advisor dedicated to the goal of the student’s success. Advising is an important component of the student’s total educational experience. Students are more likely to succeed if they are an active participant in the advising process; students who engage with advising are more likely to fully comprehend the realities, rigors and expectations of college, understand and access the resources available to help them succeed and regularly connect with a faculty academic advisor who supports their efforts. All students who are matriculated into an academic program have an advisor assigned to them.
A relationship with their faculty advisor is one of the most significant partnerships students will experience at MCC. Faculty advisors help students form accurate perceptions and have realistic expectations that enhance the college experience. In addition, advisors provide information to help students make informed choices about their academic experience.
The faculty advisor is the student’s partner for helping create an academic plan. Students are expected to seek out their faculty advisor for assistance with registration, course selection and to support successful progression toward their educational goals.
Faculty serve as the primary academic advisors for all matriculated students. However, the Academic Advising Center can serve as a secondary academic advising source for matriculated students for general questions and/or when faculty advisors are not available in a reasonable amount of time. Further, the Academic Advising Center is the location for all Liberal Arts and non-matriculated student advising.
The Academic Advising Center will assist faculty advisors as they work with students to develop retention strategies linking to the "Student Success Plan." Students who receive academic warnings or who are on academic probation or suspension, will receive follow-up support from faculty advisors and/or Center staff to address these issues. The student is ultimately responsible for their own success, and should initiate contact with their faculty advisor at least twice a semester.
Any student admitted into a degree, professional certificate or certificate program at MCC must be assessed in English and math so that appropriate course placements can be made. Before students may register for math or English courses, or courses that require English proficiency as a pre-requisite, they must demonstrate mastery of the high school level material. This mastery is demonstrated through placement requirements. Students will not be denied admission based on placement. However, students may be required to successfully complete a developmental skills course prior to beginning coursework in the program of study to which they have been admitted.
Students will be assessed for academic placement utilizing the following:
Any student who has a disability that might interfere with his/her ability to take the assessment independently may request special testing accommodations from the Accessibility Coordinator. Students who are non-native speakers of the English language may be asked to complete a reading assessment in addition to the writing assessment to determine course placement based on level of English proficiency.
All credit and non-credit courses at Manchester Community College are assigned a course number. Course numbers begin with a letter code designating the course’s academic area. The following course descriptions are arranged alphabetically, by academic code, beginning with “ACCT” (Accounting) and ending with “WELD” (Welding). Courses with numbers between “0 - 99” are considered developmental and any credit awarded cannot be used toward graduation requirements. Courses with numbers between “100 - 199” are considered beginning level courses and courses with numbers between “200 -299” are considered upper-level courses.
Prerequisites for courses are identified after each description and may be waived only by the instructor. A Prerequisite Waiver Form must be completed prior to registration. These forms can be obtained in the Registrar’s Office. Generally, upper-level courses have prerequisites. The college reserves the right to review and modify this information throughout the year.
FYE100M MCC Essentials: The MCC Essentials course must be taken in the students’ first semester of attendance.
Before students may register for college-level English courses, they must demonstrate mastery of English at the high school level by presenting SAT scores, Hi-Set scores, high school transcripts, previously earned college credit or by completing the MCC Writing Assessment.
Students who take the MCC Writing Assessment and score below a 3 will place into ENGL 095M.
Students who do not place into ENGL095M, ENGL110XM or ENGL110M based on their scores, transcripts or MCC writing assessment should meet with the ELL Academic Support Specialist for further resources.
Before students may register for college-level mathematics courses, they must demonstrate mastery of mathematics at the high school level by presenting SAT scores, Hi-Set scores, high school transcripts, previously earned college credit or by conferring with MCC math faculty to discuss previous math education and experience.
Students who do not place into a math course based on their transcripts or SAT scores should meet with a representative from the Academic Support Center for further resources.
*Students with these placement scores can elect to take Integrated Reading and Writing (ENGL095) or College Composition I with a Corequisite (ENGL110XM). Please see course descriptions for both on page 75. Courses with numbers between “0-99” are considered developmental and cannot be used toward graduation requirements. Courses with numbers between “100-199” are considered beginning level courses.
Students falling below the following standards will be designated as not meeting satisfactory academic progress. Failure to meet satisfactory progress will result in either Academic Probation or Academic Suspension.
A warning which indicates the student may not be on track to graduate because of poor academic performance. The student may remain in the program, but his/her academic progress will be monitored. Students will be required to reduce their course load to part time and meet regularly with their academic advisor. Additionally, students will develop a Personal Study plan to support future academic success. Students meeting the criteria below will be placed on Academic Probation.
| 0-13 Credits Accumulated: | below | 1.50 CGPA |
| 14-27 Credits Accumulated: | below | 1.70 CGPA |
| 28-40 Credits Accumulated: | below | 1.80 CGPA |
| 41+ Credits Accumulated: | below | 2.00 CGPA |
Suspension may be from the program or the college and is usually for one semester. Suspension from the program means that a student may continue to take courses as a non-matriculated student and will not be eligible for Financial Aid. Suspension from the college prohibits a student from taking classes during the period of suspension. In addition, students will be required to register for College Success Seminar (if they have not already done so); develop a Personal Study Plan to support their future academic success; meet monthly with their academic advisor and seek academic support and tutoring. Students meeting the criteria below will be put on Academic Suspension. NOTE: Credits accumulated are total credits earned by student.
| 0-13 Credits Accumulated: | below | .50 CGPA |
| 14-27 Credits Accumulated: | below | 1.10 CGPA |
| 28-40 Credits Accumulated: | below | 1.25 CGPA |
| 41+ Credits Accumulated: | below | 1.50 CGPA |
A student who does not meet satisfactory progress for Academic Probation for three consecutive semesters will be placed on Academic Suspension. Financial aid may be in jeopardy if a student fails to achieve satisfactory academic progress as defined above.
A student who previously attended MCC and is admitted at a later time, may be eligible for Academic Amnesty, which provides for the following:
In order to be eligible for academic amnesty, a student must meet all of the following conditions:
Students requesting Academic Amnesty should submit a written request to the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
Students who have withdrawn, or who have been suspended by the college, may apply for readmission. Students may continue to take courses at the college on a non-matriculated basis if space is available. Contact the Office of Admissions for more information.
Before adding or dropping a class or classes, students should consult their Academic Advisor and/or the instructors responsible for those classes.
Students are allowed to add classes (prorated for alternative semester lengths) if space is available, up to and including the seventh (7th) calendar day of the semester.
A course may be added after the seventh (7th) calendar day of the semester (prorated for alternative semester lengths) only with the permission of the instructor.
Students may add a 100% online course up to the day before the official start of the term. Once the semester has started, students may add a 100% online course only with the permission of the instructor.
Students should initiate the official drop procedure after consultation with their faculty advisor. Simply ceasing to attend classes or notifying the instructor does not constitute officially dropping a course.
Though there may be financial or academic penalties involved, courses may be dropped at any time, but only through formal written notification to the Registrar's Office and completion of the following procedure:
Before officially dropping a course, the student should first discuss the matter with the instructor and faculty advisor. If, after discussing the matter with both individuals, the student decides to drop, an Add / Drop Form must be completed by the student and submitted to the Registrar's Office.
Students who officially drop from a course...
When there are fewer than 10 class days remaining to the beginning of the final exam period, students will receive an appropriate grade other than WP or WF, and that grade will be computed on the transcript in the student’s grade point average.
NOTE: The above timeline is specific to classes that meet 16 weeks. Any class that meets fewer than 16 weeks will follow a prorated timeline.
If you decide to drop a class. DO NOT JUST STOP ATTENDING. Fill out a Add / Drop Form and send it to the Registrar's Office.
Programs leading to this degree provide students with continuous education, career mobility and full participation in community life. The Associate of Arts degree offers the equivalent of the first two years in a four-year Baccalaureate program. The program is consistent with the objectives to provide an educational background that is broad enough for the student to continue their education and training according to their and society’s changing needs and to provide an educational experience that ensures flexibility of occupational choice. It also serves students who plan on directly entering the workforce or enhancing their career mobility. The degree provides a planned sequence of arts and sciences courses that give students the core competency skills required by today’s businesses, as well as the ability to learn how to learn, thereby enhancing their ability to retrain for new and unanticipated application of knowledge and skills.
The Associate of Arts Degree program requires a minimum of sixty (60) credits from the following distribution. Remedial and developmental work does not count toward degree completion.
Liberal Arts Core Requirements: Every AA degree program shall have a general education core consisting of a minimum of 37 credits in program- specific courses. Specific course requirements are defined by individual programs. The following categories must be included and have the minimum number of credits as listed:
| English Composition | 3-4 credits |
| English Electives | 3 credits |
| Foreign Language / Humanities / Fine Arts | 9 credits |
| Science (including one lab science) | 7-8 credits |
| Quantitative Reasoning / Mathematics | 6-8 credits |
| Social Science | 9 credits |
| AND EITHER | |
| Electives in Specialized Major | 20-24 credits |
| OR | |
| Liberal Arts Electives (from list above) | 12-15 credits |
| AND | |
| Open Electives | 9 credits |
Totaling a minimum of 60 credits
The minimum number of credits for the Associate of Applied Science is 60. Remedial and developmental work does not count toward degree completion. The degree emphasizes specific outcomes designed to meet competencies required for direct entry into employment and to provide a basis for transfer, at a minimum, of the general education component of the curriculum. The following categories must be included and have the minimum number of credits as listed:
A student may be automatically awarded a credential if all criteria is met.
Although Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree programs are designed for direct entry into the workforce, they cannot be considered terminal. In addition to the necessity for lifelong learning due to rapidly changing technologies, students can expect to make several career changes during their lifetime. A.A.S. programs do not have a directly related occupational-specific curriculum upper-division component. It should be noted, however, that some bachelor’s degree institutions have developed upper-division programs to recognize this degree for transfer purposes.
The following categories must be included and have the minimum number of credits as listed:
The remaining 15 credits to reach the required minimum total of 60 credits may be assigned in any subject area, as deemed by the faculty to be appropriate to the curriculum.
Students may earn additional associate degrees either by concurrent completion of the requirements of the several degrees or by subsequent study after the first degree is received. The requirements for earning additional degrees are as follows:
A Professional Certificate requires completion of a minimum of 32 semester hours of credit to develop skills in an occupational field and a minimum of 12 General Education credits with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0. Each is designed to facilitate transfer to an associate degree if the student decides to continue.
Under certain circumstances, a matriculated student may take a course in a semester when the course is not offered. A directed study allows a matriculated student to pursue the learning objectives/outcomes for a course independently under the guidance of a qualified faculty member. A matriculated student must have a minimum CGPA of 2.0 to be eligible.
The student must provide compelling reasons why the course could not be taken in a subsequent semester or was not taken in the semester when it was originally offered. Barring exceptional circumstances, a directed study will not be granted for a course currently offered.
Opportunities for credit-bearing Independent Study (IS) are available to matriculated students to explore areas of a discipline not covered in the normal curriculum but related to the student’s program. IS is not available to non-matriculated students. Students must have a minimum CGPA of 2.0 to be eligible. The intent of the IS is to expand a student’s learning experience beyond the normal program curriculum. Typically undertaken for 1-2 credits, an IS may not be done in lieu of any course in MCC’s catalog.
To establish residency at Manchester Community College, the following is required:
MCC is constantly reviewing and upgrading the content of programs to ensure that each graduate receives adequate knowledge and training to perform competently in a chosen technical field. To accomplish this, the college reserves the right to modify course requirements based on its educational and professional objectives and the needs of its students.
Students are assigned grades based upon evaluations of their work. Grades are given at the end of each semester and are based on criteria listed on an individual instructor's syllabus, but generally include quizzes, tests, projects, papers, and participation.
| Letter Grade | Numerical Grade | Numerical Equivalent |
| A | 93.33 - 100 | 4.0 |
| A- | 90 - 93.32 | 3.7 |
| B+ | 86.67 - 89.99 | 3.3 |
| B | 83.33 - 86.66 | 3.0 |
| B- | 80 - 83.32 | 2.7 |
| C+ | 76.67 - 79.99 | 2.3 |
| C | 73.33 - 76.66 | 2.0 |
| C- | 70 - 73.32 | 1.7 |
| D+ | 66.67 - 69.99 | 1.3 |
| D | 63.33 - 66.66 | 1.0 |
| D- | 60 - 63.32 | 0.7 |
| F | below 60 | 0.0 |
| AF - Administrative Failure | 0.0 | |
| AU - Audit | 0.0 | |
| CS - Continuing Study | 0.0 | |
| I - Incomplete | 0.0 | |
| NP - No Pass | 0.0 | |
| P - Pass | 0.0 | |
| W - Withdraw | 0.0 | |
| WF - Withdraw/Fail | 0.0 | |
| WP - Withdraw/Pass | 0.0 |
AF - Administrative Failure: In accordance with policy stated in the Student Handbook, as well as the Academic Catalog, an instructor or administrator may initiate a student’s withdrawal at any time for reasons other than poor grade performance: e.g., failure to meet attendance requirements as published in the instructor's syllabus, violation of the Student Code of Conduct, disruptive behavior, etc. The grade may also be issued if a student registered in a clinic, practicum, internship or lab is deemed unsafe or performing in an unsatisfactory manner as determined by an evaluation by a faculty member/agency supervisor in accordance with department criteria and procedure. AF is calculated in the GPA as an "F."
AU - Audit: A course taken as an audit does not earn credit and cannot be used to meet graduation requirements. Admission is by permission of the instructor and the Registrar's Office. Not all courses can be taken for audit. See Auditing Courses.
CS - Continuing Study: This grade allows a student to re-register for a developmental course if competencies have not been met by the end of the course. It is intended for students who have demonstrated progress and a commitment to succeeding in the course, but who need more time to achieve competencies. The CS grade does not affect the student's GPA.
I - Incomplete: An Incomplete grade indicates that a student has completed the vast majority of the work in the course but has not completed a major course assignment due to extraordinary circumstances, such as serious illness, death in the family, etc.
It is not used to give an extension of time for a student delinquent in meeting course responsibilities. The ‘I' grade is not calculated into the GPA. However, all work must be completed by the end of the third week of the subsequent semester or the grade defaults to an "F". See Incomplete Grades.
NP - No Pass: Unsatisfactory work; not calculated into the GPA.
P - Pass: Not calculated into the GPA.
W - Withdraw: Student-initiated withdrawal from a course at any time prior to the drop deadline (60% of the course). Does not affect GPA.
WP - Withdraw/Pass: Student initiated withdrawal from a course after the drop deadline (60% of the course) when the student has a passing grade at time of drop, as determined by the instructor. Does not affect GPA.
WF - Withdraw/Fail: Student initiated withdrawal from a course after the drop deadline (60% of the course) when the student has a failing grade at time of drop, as determined by the instructor. The WF grade is calculated in the GPA as an "F."
Under the Audit policy, students may enroll in courses which provide an opportunity to learn more about the challenges of college work, explore a discipline of interest, refresh prior learning, or supplement existing knowledge. Typically, a student attends lectures, seminars and/or lab, but does not complete graded assignments. When enrolled as an audit, the student will not be given a final grade nor will credit towards graduation be given for the course (the academic transcript will reflect AU for the course). Students must pay full tuition for the course. Financial Aid does not cover costs for an audited course.
Not all courses can be taken for audit, and entry into a course as an auditing student is by permission of the instructor. A student must register as an audit during the first week of classes. Once admitted as an audit, the student may not change to credit status; likewise, a student registered for credit may not change to audit status.
Students wishing to change their major should submit a Change of Major Form. Credit will be transferred only for those courses that apply to the new program. Some programs with limited enrollment may not be available.
An Incomplete Grade (I) indicates that a student has completed the vast majority of the work in the course but has not completed a major course assignment due to extraordinary circumstances, such as serious illness, death in the family, etc.
It is not used to give an extension of time for a student delinquent in meeting course responsibilities. The 'I' grade is not calculated into the GPA. However, all work must be completed by the end of the third week of the subsequent semester or the grade defaults to an "F".
The grade is applied only in those instances where the student has a reasonable chance of passing. It is not used to give an extension of time for a student delinquent in meeting course responsibilities.
When a student requests an incomplete, the faculty member must determine if the situation complies with the policy (above) and if so, work with the student to complete the Incomplete Contract Form. The faculty member obtains the signature of the department chair for final approval and then submits the form to the Registrar's Office. The Incomplete Contract Form will be maintained in the Registrar's Office until the student has completed the requirements for the course. Once requirements have been completed by the student, the instructor must file a Grade Change Form with the Registrar's Office. Students must complete all remaining requirements necessary to earn credit for the course by the end of the 3rd week of the following semester. Otherwise, the incomplete grade will automatically become an "F".
All Incompletes must have the approval of the Department Chairperson. The work must be completed by the student through formal arrangement with the instructor no later than:
Should the student fail to complete the work within the designated period, the grade will automatically become an "F". Exceptions to the above deadlines may be made by the Vice President of Academic Affairs or his/her designee. "I" grades will not be included in the computation of the Grade Point Average. An "I" grade may affect a student's financial aid. Students should contact the Financial Aid Office for further information.
Students have until the conclusion of the next semester to bring forward their grade appeal, and must begin with their faculty member.
Manchester Community College faculty have the responsibility of using professional judgment to determine the quality of student work and academic performance. Students who believe a valid basis exists for appealing a final grade will avail themselves of the following procedure, and at each step in the process will supply their request in writing along with supporting documentation.
Step 1. Student Contacts Faculty
The student shall contact the faculty member and schedule a meeting to discuss the grade appeal and attempt to resolve the conflict. The faculty member and student shall meet within the next five (5) work days after the initial contact. The faculty member issues his/her decision to the student in writing within five (5) days from this time.
Step 2. Student Contacts Department Chair
If the issue is not resolved in Step I above, the student has three (3) work days from the date of the instructor's decision to file a written appeal with the instructor's Department Chair. Within three (3) work days the Department Chair will mediate the dispute either through discussion with the instructor, or with the student in the company of the faculty member with the Chair issuing his/her decision to the student in writing within five (5) days from this time.
Step 3. Student Contacts Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA)
If the issue is not resolved in Step 2 above, the student has three (3) work days from the date of the Department Chair's decision to file a written appeal with the VPAA. The VPAA will meet with all parties concerned to attempt to resolve the dispute. The VPAA will have three (3) work days from the last meeting to render a decision on the grade appeal. The decision of the VPAA is final.
The instructor may give a student an academic warning at any time if the student is failing or in danger of failing a course.
Grade changes will only be allowed until the end of the semester following the assignment of the original grade.
For purposes of calculating the cumulative GPA (CGPA), when a student repeats a course at the same CCSNH institution, the grade achieved in the most recent course will be the grade used in the CGPA calculation. All previous grades will remain on the transcript but not used in the calculation. Therefore, courses repeated at a CCSNH college or at any college other than where the original course was taken will NOT be used in the calculation of the GPA/CGPA, but may be used as transfer as appropriate.
A student may take a course twice. If a student wishes to take a course for a third time, it will require the written approval of the student's academic advisor, the appropriate department chair/program coordinator and the Office of Academic Affairs.
A credit hour shall be the equivalent of one (1) hour of work per week for a 16-week semester. A semester credit hour shall be comprised of the following:
A credit hour shall be allocated by the following:
| Contact Hours per week |
Contact Hours per semester (based on min. 15 week semester) |
|
| Class | 1 | 15 |
| Laboratory | 2 or 3 | 30-45 |
| Clinical | 3 to 5 | 45-75 |
| Practicum, Fieldwork | 3 | 45 |
| Internship | 3 to 6 | 45-90 |
| Co-op | Variable by Dept. | Variable by Dept. |
One instructional hour shall be equal to fifty (50) minutes.
Scholastic standing at the end of each semester is determined via the grade point average (GPA), computed by dividing total semester points (grade equivalent multiplied by credit hours) by total credits attempted.
The cumulative grade point average (CGPA) is determined at the end of the second and subsequent semesters by dividing cumulative points by the total credit hours attempted, taking into account all previous work completed. Refer to the online Student Handbook for additional information pertaining to calculating or determining GPAs and CGPAs.
This document contains guidelines regarding the use of computing and networking facilities located at or operated by MCC. The complete policy is available on the college website.
It is the responsibility of MCC students to attend all classes, laboratory sessions, and clinical/co-op affiliations. Students must recognize that absence will interfere with academic success in their program of study. The instructor will be responsible for informing students of the attendance policy at the beginning of each course.
MCC requires an instructor to have a published attendance policy which may be described as participation.
Commencement occurs once a year in May. Students must complete all degree requirements with a CGPA of 2.0 before being awarded a degree. Complete information about graduation is available at www.mccnh.edu/graduation.
Included in this section are applicable Manchester Community College (MCC) policies, State of NH policies and Federal policies. Applicable policies of the Community College System (CCSNH) Board of Trustees can be found at the CCSNH website: www.ccsnh.edu/about-ccsnh/board-policies-system-policies-and-fees.
Students have the right to review the entire contents of their records at the college (except for confidential letters of recommendation submitted prior to January 1, 1975) under provisions of the Family Education Rights and Privileges Act of 1979 as amended in 1987. Students may waive their rights to access confidential letters of recommendation submitted after January 1, 1975.
Students will be given access to their own records without reasonable delay at any time during the working day (8am - 4 pm). The Registrar is the only person authorized to release this information; students wishing to examine their records should see the Registrar personally. In cases involving possible misinterpretation of data, the Vice President of Students and Community Development, Vice President of Academic Affairs or their designee will interpret the data to the student.
Students will have the opportunity for a hearing to challenge the content of their records to insure that they are not inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of their privacy or rights. Students may request such a hearing by written request to the Vice President of Students and Community Services or the Vice President of Academic Affairs. No access to or release of any personally identifiable records or files of students will be allowed to any individual, agency or organization without written permission from the student, except as follows: The President, Vice Presidents of Students and Community Development, Vice President and Associate Vice Presidents of Academic Affairs, Registrars and their staffs, and the student’s Faculty Advisor shall have reasonable access without permission to all student records. They may not release information without written authorization from the student except: to official college personnel who are directly involved in a legitimate educational manner with the student, and/or to authorized federal and state officers as identified in Section 438. (b)(3) of Public Law 93-380.
In compliance with the Family Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (The Buckley Amendment), the College policy is to protect the educational/academic records of its learners, former learners, and alumni. All personally identifiable information in a learner’s educational record is considered confidential. No one will have access to such records without written consent of the learner.
The Registrar maintains academic records (including medical) for the entire college and should be contacted in the following circumstances:
Students have the right to:
Each student is expected to demonstrate orderly progress in completing his/her educational objective at MCC. To help clarify each student’s status at MCC, students are assigned to one of the following categories.
A person who is enrolled in 12 or more semester credit hours.
(A student must take more than 12 credits per semester to complete an associate degree in two years. We encourage students to Think30! when registering for classes.)
A person who is enrolled in fewer than 12 semester credit hours.
A person who has applied for admission to the college and has been accepted into a specific degree, certificate or professional certificate program. A letter of acceptance from the Admissions Office is sent when a student becomes accepted.
All students who complete 12 credit hours will be required to speak with an advisor to discuss their academic goal. A student deciding to matriculate must do so formally through the Admissions Office after completion of no more than 12 credit hours. Courses taken prior to matriculation may not always be applicable toward the degree sought.
A matriculated student may attend either full or part-time, but must take at least one course per academic year to maintain matriculated status. A student who has completed more than 12 semester hours prior to matriculation may find that not all credits can be applied toward the degree sought; hence, the importance of matriculating.
A student who fails to maintain matriculated status may be required to reapply for admission and meet any new academic requirements in force at that date. Only matriculated students may:
A student who is taking credit or non-credit courses, but is not enrolled in a degree, certificate or professional certificate program. Students are encouraged to matriculate in order to secure the privileges and protections offered to matriculated students.
The college is committed to providing an opportunity for students to: understand themselves as people and as learners, understand the expectations and rigors of college and understand the resources available to help them succeed. The MCC Essentials course is designed to do this and provide specific skills to maximize academic performance.
MCC Essentials (FYE100M) is designed for students who are entering college level coursework and must be taken in the first semester of attendance.
At times, students come to the college possessing the skills taught in this course. A student may waive the FYE100M requirement if one of the following conditions is met:
