7.0 Credit, Grades and Grade Points

7.1 KCC uses the semester hour system. The academic year consists of two semesters (fall and spring) and a summer term.

7.2 Class standing is determined by the total number of hours earned by a student. The classification follows:

• 0-29 hours earned = Freshman
• 30-64 hours earned = Sophomore
• 65 or more hours earned = Advanced
• Degree or advanced certificate earned = Graduate
• Concurrent enrollment in high school = Dual enrolled

7.3 Academic load and status for a semester:

• 12 semester hours or more (maximum of 18) = full-time
• 9-11 semester hours = 3/4 time (part-time)
• 6-8 semester hours = 1/2 time (part-time)
• Below 6 semester hours = less than 1/2 time (part-time)

Summer terms are prorated.

7.4 A four-digit course number is assigned to each college course. The first digit (extreme left) identifies the course as a remedial (0), first-year (1), or second-year (2) course. Remedial, continuing education, and other courses with first digits of 0, 3, 4, or 5 are not applicable to college degree programs. Second digits of 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 generally indicate courses within occupational curricula. Second digits of 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 generally indicate courses within transfer curricula. Third digits of 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, or 7 may indicate that the course is one of a sequence and where that particular course falls within the sequence. The fourth digit (extreme right) generally indicates the number of credit hours awarded for the course.

7.5 Final course grades are used to compute grade point averages (GPA). Only KCC courses for which the first digit in the course number is either a “1” or “2” will be used to calculate GPA.

7.6 A semester/term GPA is computed as follows:

1. Multiply the hours of credit in each course by the grade point value of the grade earned.
2. Add the grade points earned for all courses attempted during the term. (“Courses attempted” are courses for which grades other than those specified in Section 7.9 are received.)
3. Divide the total grade points earned by the credit hours attempted.

7.7 A cumulative GPA is the total number of grade points earned in all semesters/terms divided by the total number of semester hours attempted in all semesters/terms.

7.8 The following grading system is used at KCC:

7.9 Grades of S, I, PR, AU, U, W, WA, WX, X, DX and FX are not included in any grade point average. An R next to the grade indicates a repeated course.

7.10 A request for an “I” (Incomplete) will be granted upon the request of the student and the written approval of the instructor. Such an approved request must be submitted to the Office of Admissions and Registration prior to the final examination for the course. The course work must be completed by the date specified on the request; but is not to exceed six months from the ending date of the semester/term. If the work is not completed by the specified time, a grade of F will be recorded. The incomplete work must be made up through independent study.

7.11 A student may register to audit a class if they meet all course prerequisites and may only register during late registration. Full tuition and fees are assessed for auditing a course. If the student completes the course, an audit designation of “AU” will appear on their permanent record. Auditing students are expected to complete all course requirements. Courses may be audited multiple times.

A change from credit to audit is not permitted, but a student may change from audit to credit prior to the mid-term of a course if they receive written approval from the instructor of the class and the appropriate dean. These written approvals must be obtained by the student and presented to the Office of Admissions and Registration prior to the mid-point of the course. Audits are not permitted for Fitness Center enrollments.

7.12 Course withdrawals made before the refund deadline, as designated on the registration statement, will not be included on a the student’s permanent record. A course withdrawal after the refund deadline, but before the withdrawal period ends for that specific course, will be recorded as a W grade. Students who violate the KCC student code of conduct may not be eligible to withdraw from the course due to the imposed sanction. Additionally, a student may have a temporary hold on their account, so they can neither withdraw from the course nor register for future courses until the current matter is settled. See section 19.6 for prohibited student conduct.

7.13 The last date for withdrawal from a course(s) is dependent upon the length of the course as established on the following basis:

• 14-week and 16-week courses
  20 school days after the mid-point
• 6-week and 8-week courses
  10 school days after the mid-point
• 4-week course
  5 school days after the mid-point
• Courses offered which may vary in length from the above will be treated on the same prorated basis.

Deadlines to petition the Academic Appeals Committee for a late withdrawal from a course are:

• Spring semester course: The last day of the following fall semester.
• Summer session course: The last day of the following fall semester.
• Fall semester course: The last day of the following spring semester.

Petition and appeal are addressed in Section 15.0.

7.14 Students who need to withdraw from all classes after the deadline (due to special circumstances such as health emergency, employment issues, or family crisis) can appeal to the vice president for student affairs by completing the Enrollment Status Appeal form. All appeals will require supporting documentation. See withdrawal deadlines above. The registration statement found in Self-Service, include important details on withdrawal deadlines.

7.15 The grade submitted to the Office of Admissions and Registration at the end of the academic session is final. A faculty member’s recommendation for change of a grade must receive written approval from the dean for that division before being acted upon by the Office of Admissions and Registration.

7.16 Unless otherwise officially designated, a student who receives a grade of D or F in a course may repeat the course only once for the purpose of improving his or her grade, and only the latter grade will enter into the computation of the semester/term and cumulative GPA. This regulation applies only to KCC courses. Students who still fail to improve their grade and need to take the course for a third time must petition the Academic Appeals Committee. A fourth petition requires the student to appear in person at the next committee meeting. Petition and appeal are addressed in Section 15.0.

7.17 Enrolled students who submit official written orders to report for military obligations with the United States Armed Services before the end of currently enrolled course(s) may choose one of the following options:

1. Submit classwork and complete any other class assignments missed due to the student participating in a drill or other military obligation required as a member of the United States Armed Services or the reserve component; or
2. Withdrawal from course(s) with a grade of W, and receive a full refund of tuition and fees to the appropriate party; or
3. Receive a grade of incomplete, or equivalent, for the course(s). The student will have six months after the course ends to complete the course(s). (Refer to 7.10)

7.18 Pass/Fail Grading Option (S-F)

The pass/fail grading option is designed to allow students an alternative grading option.

A maximum of 10 semester hours, which apply to the student’s curriculum, may be earned using the pass/fail option. Only courses specified by the division and approved by the Curriculum and Academic Standards Committee may be designated pass/fail. Divisions will have the option of allowing students to elect the pass/fail option themselves or to designate a course as pass/fail option only.

Students must request the pass/fail grading option by completing a written request in the Office of Admissions and Registration before the midterm of the course. Students may elect to return to the regular grading system by filing an amended written request in the Office of Admissions and Registration before the mid-term of the course.

Student performance at a level of “C” or better is required in order to receive a satisfactory grade of S. Performance below a “C” level will be assigned an F grade which represents no credit earned and will be included in the grade point average and hours attempted. Satisfactory grades in pass/fail courses are not included in the grade-point average but are included as part of the total credit hours earned.

The repeat course regulation applies in the same manner to the pass/fail option as in the standard grading system. Students who receive an F grade in a course may repeat the course only once for the purpose of improving their grade. Only the latter grade will enter into the computation of the semester/term and cumulative GPA. If a course is designated as repeatable for credit, all applicable grades will remain on the student’s permanent academic transcript.

7.19 Grade Forgiveness

Students who officially complete a curriculum change may file a petition with the Office of Admissions and Registration to exclude the D or F grade from their GPA in KCC courses which cannot be applied to the new curriculum. The grade will remain on the transcript and an “X” will appear next to the grade which was forgiven. This petition will be considered after 12 hours have been completed with a grade of C or better in each of the KCC courses earned toward the new curriculum. Only KCC D or F grades earned prior to the 12 hours of new curriculum work can be changed to X grades. Though grades may be forgiven, students’ warning and suspended statuses will remain on record.

7.20 Students may file a “Grade Forgiveness Petition” with the Office of Admissions and Registration to request removal of D and/or F grades (maximum 15 credit hours) from computation of their KCC GPAs if they satisfy the following conditions:

1. The student must have re-enrolled at KCC after a lapse of two calendar years or longer since being enrolled in a credit division course at KCC.
2. The student must have completed a minimum of 12 semester hours of credit division coursework at KCC since enrolling after the lapse. These additional semester hours must apply to his/her current curriculum, and the student must have earned a grade of C or better in each course. Proficiency credit and transfer credit do not apply.
3. The student must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or lower.

If the petition is granted, the original grade(s) will remain on the transcript, and an “X” will appear next to the deleted grade(s) which no longer will be used to compute the KCC GPA.

This forgiveness policy may be used only once by a student and does not apply to non-credit division courses such as those with course numbers from 0001 to 0999, Adult Education courses, Continuing Education courses, or Corporate Education courses.

7.21 Students may petition their advisor for permission to repeat a science course required for restricted health programs, or an occupational or developmental course, if they have earned a grade of C or higher, and there has been a lapse of time or change in course content which justifies a need to repeat the course. All other requests to repeat a successfully completed course must be approved by the Academic Appeals Committee.