College Policies - Academic & General
Please visit the College Policies Academic & General page in the College Catalog for information on the following:
- Student Responsibilities
- Student Conduct Code
- Graduation Requirements and Procedures
- Repeat of a Course
- Auditing a Course
- Change of Academic Program
- Attendance
- Withdrawal from Courses
Audio/Video Taping Class Lectures, Student Presentations or College Events
Board Policy, Article I.11 Recording of Meetings or Other Conversations
Students who desire to audio and/or video tape class or college activities must first receive approval from their professor, club/organization advisor or event coordinator, unless it is an accommodation approved by the DSS manager. If this is requested as an accommodation, a case must be open with DSS and the process should be followed for requesting accommodations.
If a student is granted permission to audio/video tape any portion of a class or college activity, that student understands that he or she does not have permission to reproduce or post the information on any social media, YouTube, or other public or private forum that would infringe on the privacy rights of others represented in the audio/video recording.
Classroom and Laboratory Safety
Board Policy, Article V.40 Classroom and Laboratory Safety
All students, teachers, employees and visitors shall comply with established laws and safety practices when participating in or observing certain technical and science laboratory courses of instruction.
Copies of applicable college safety rules will be posted in their appropriate locations.
All safety devices used by teachers, students, and visitors must meet or exceed the standards of the American National Standard Proactive for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection, Z87.1-1968 and subsequent revisions thereof, approved by the American National Standards Institute, Inc.
Fundraising
All fundraising activities on behalf of SCC must receive prior approval from the Director of Student Life if on behalf of a student club or organization), the Athletic Director (or designee, if on behalf of the Athletics Department), and in some cases, the SCC Foundation/Development Department.
Field Trips
Board Policy, Article III.06 Institutionally Sanctioned Field Trips
The faculty or staff member shall instruct students where to convene on the designated day. Students may be responsible for their own transportation if not provided by the college. As an officially sanctioned activity, students and faculty should make mutual arrangements in advance for any classes and other coursework to be missed due to the field trip.
Student Guests on Campus
Only students registered in a class are allowed in the classroom. On rare occasions, a guest may be allowed to sit in on a class if the instructor has granted prior consent. If an instructor has questions regarding the guest, they will consult with the department chair. Other areas of the campus may also have restrictions on guest attendance. Students should inquire with specific departments prior to bringing a guest. Guests are expected to comply with all campus policies and procedures and will be requested to leave if they disturb the learning environment.
Transferring Credits from SCC to Other Post-Secondary Institutions
Agreements with four-year colleges and universities and accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools help assure that credits earned toward a degree at St. Charles Community College will transfer to a four-year institution.
It is important that you decide on a field of study and follow the Suggested Course Sequence that outlines courses for your degree. Academic advisors at SCC will assist you with finding transfer and degree requirements at your transfer institution. Ultimate responsibility lies with the student to obtain a guarantee of course transferability from the institution of choice. Most universities set a limitation on the number of credit hours that are accepted for transfer from a two-year college.
Generally, college transfer program courses at SCC will satisfy various departmental, general education, elective and degree requirements at other colleges. However, career-technical program courses may not transfer because these programs are designed to prepare you for employment rather than for pursuit of a four-year degree.
For more information, see Missouri Higher Education Core Transfer Curriculum on the Missouri Department of Higher Education website.
Changes to Credit Class
Credit Hour
One unit of coursework is equivalent to 15 contact hours of classroom instruction. A typical college course is equivalent to 3 credit hours.
The procedures for withdrawing, adding, and auditing courses are described below. The registration and tuition refund appeal process is also described.
Withdraw from a Course
To withdraw from a course, you may use your MySCC Portal, request a change from the Records and Enrollment office, or meet with an Academic Advisor.
- By officially withdrawing from a course, you will receive a ‘W’ on your transcript.
- Withdrawal deadlines can be found on the Academic Calendar.
- Do not stop attending a course without officially withdrawing or you may receive an ‘F’ grade for the course(s).
Adding a Course
To add a course, you may use the SCC Connection module in the MySCC Portal or meet with an Academic Advisor. Courses can only be added during open registration dates - check the Academic Calendar for more details.
Auditing a Course
If you wish to attend a course without taking an examination or receiving credit for the course, you may register on an audit basis. To change your course to “Audit” you must request the change by emailing enrollment@stchas.edu from your SCC email the exact course you wish to audit with the Subject Line: “Request to Audit”. Please review the SCC Academic Calendar for specific dates (note different deadlines are listed based on which part of term the course is taken).
Audited courses do not count towards establishing full-time or part-time status. Students who register on an audit basis will pay the regular tuition rate and must meet the course co and/or prerequisites.
Developmental Courses
Developmental courses are non-transferable credit classes that prepare students for college-level work. These courses represent a broad spectrum of academic areas including math, reading, English, and study skills. Developmental courses relate directly to SCC’s career and college transfer programs, making it possible for students with academic skills deficiencies to prepare for regular college-level courses and be successful.
Developmental courses can be identified by numerical prefixes below 100 and can be found in course listings under Mathematics, English, and Reading. Many developmental classes are taught in the classroom while others are available as individual study units through the EXCELerator. Students may use academic resources, computer tutorials, and tutoring services in the EXCELerator to assist them with developmental classes.
Students successfully completing developmental courses should be well prepared for college-level classes.
Final Examinations
To complete courses and receive passing grades, all students must complete a comprehensive final examination or culminating project. Absences from final examinations, with the privilege of taking makeup tests, must have prior approval of the instructor.
Full-Time Course Load & Freshman-Sophomore Classification
Students at SCC are classified according to hours enrolled and hours completed. Part-time students earn fewer than 12 hours per semester, while full-time students carry 12 or more. During the summer semester, full-time student status requires 6 or more credit hours (for academic purposes). Full-time status for financial aid in the summer is 12 or more credit hours.
| Course Load |
Fall/Spring |
Summer |
| Full-Time |
12 or more hours |
6 or more hours |
| Part-Time |
11 hours or less |
5 hours or less |
A freshman is any student who has completed fewer than 30 credit hours; a sophomore has completed 30 credit hours or more.
Except as indicated below, the maximum number of credit hours for which a student may enroll during the fall or spring is 18. During the summer, the maximum is 10 hours taken concurrently. Any course repeated counts as part of the course load.
It is recommended that the maximum course load for each of the following academic sessions be observed:
Maximum Course Load
| Academic Session |
Course Load |
| Summer |
10 Credit Hours |
| Fall |
18 Credit Hours |
| Spring |
18 Credit Hours |
Repeated courses count as part of the course load.
Students with a superior scholastic record may be permitted to register for more than the recommended maximum providing they meet the following GPA prerequisites:
- 2.75 GPA - approved to take 19 hours
- 3.00 GPA - approved to take 20 hours
- 3.50 GPA - approved to take 21 hours
Students wishing to take more than 21 hours during Fall or Spring or more than 10 during Summer must receive special permission from the Director of Admissions, Records, and Registration.
More information can be found here: Maximum Course Load
Prerequisite & Co-requisite Information
Some courses offered at SCC require either a prerequisite or co-requisite (or both) before enrolling. All prerequisites or co-requisites are identified in the Course Descriptions section of the SCC catalog.
If you have already completed an identified prerequisite at another college, a transcript will be required in order to enroll in the course.
Prerequisite Defined
A prerequisite is a condition of enrollment that you are required to meet prior to enrolling in a course. These prerequisite courses provide the minimum level of proficiency and/or knowledge needed for successful achievement in the next level course.
You must obtain approval of any exceptions. Exceptions to prerequisites may be made by the course’s Department Contact.
If you are taking or have just completed a prerequisite course for which SCC has not yet received grades, you may register for the advanced course; however, you must withdraw from the advanced course if the grade you received does not satisfy the requirement of “successful completion.”*
*Grades of F (Failing), I (Incomplete), R (Re-enroll), V (Audit), W (Withdrawal) and AW (Administrative Withdrawal) do not constitute successfully completing a prerequisite. Some courses designate attainment of a higher successful grade, for example a grade of C or better, in their prerequisite course(s). A Permission to Register form signed by the course’s Department Contact the “I” grade may suffice until the grade change has been administratively processed.
Example: Successfully complete Psychology 101 before enrolling in Psychology 201.
Co-requisite Defined
A co-requisite is a course that needs to be taken concurrently with another course. This is very typical with science courses.
You must sign up for both the course and any co-requisite. If you later wish to drop the course, you must also drop the co-requisite. If you fail the course, you may be allowed to repeat that course without retaking the co-requisite with permission of the Department Contact. However, you will not be allowed to advance in a sequence of courses until both have been successfully completed.
Example: CHM 101 and co-requisite CHM 103 (lab)
Repeating a Course
You may repeat any credit course one time. All grades from each attempt are recorded on the transcript, but SCC will use the higher grade to calculate the grade point average (GPA). Exceptions to this rule include Physical Education activity courses and some Music courses, in which all attempts will be calculated in the student’s GPA. For financial assistance eligibility, all attempts will count towards maximum hour limits and completion ratio.
Some colleges and universities will recalculate the GPA for admissions purposes and include all grades earned.
Students wishing to attempt a course for the third time must speak with an academic advisor and/or the department chair to obtain permission to enroll.
Program Discontinuance Due to Low Enrollment
The Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs/CAO recommends program discontinuance due to low enrollment based on appropriate criteria and consultation with program faculty and staff. The Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs/CAO submits the recommendation to the college president. The decision is relayed to the appropriate deans and personnel in the program under consideration. If the decision is to discontinue the program, the college will immediately cease enrolling new students in the program. Efforts will be made to allow students currently enrolled in the program to complete their degree/certificate. The timeline for completion will be specified by the end of the semester following the announcement of discontinuance.
Board Policy Article III.05 Program Discontinuance
Outcomes Assessment
SCC is committed to the assessment of college programs and services to improve and maintain their quality and effectiveness. Classroom and program activities, including surveys and focus groups, will be used to assess the outcomes of college education.
Students who complete career-technical programs will be assessed on their mastery of essential occupational skills and general education knowledge. The method of assessing these skills will vary by discipline. Some of the methods used by the programs will be portfolios, culminating projects, field specific national tests, and tests developed by the department.
Graduation Information
Students must apply for graduation in order to graduate. You need to create a separate graduation application for each degree and/or certificate you plan to earn at SCC to have them reflected on your final transcript.
Please visit the Graduation webpage for information about steps for applying for graduation and commencement information.
General Education and Graduation Requirements for Degrees and Certificates
SCC offers multiple degree and certificate options. See the Academic Program Degrees & Certificates for a list and description.
General Education Requirements
An integral part of each of the degrees is a core of general education courses.
General Education studies at St. Charles Community College guide students into a deeper understanding of themselves and of their responsibilities as citizens, and they provide the knowledge and skills on which to build a richer appreciation of their world.
See General Education Requirements for the respective general education requirements for the Associate of Arts, Associate of Applied Science, and the Associate of Arts in Teaching. To obtain one of these degrees or the certificate from SCC, students must also meet the Institutional Requirements outlined there.
The courses listed meet the general education requirements for SCC and the state of Missouri. Some academic programs may require a specific course within a discipline. See the Suggested Course Sequence section for details as well as the specific requirements for the degrees. Students who intend to transfer to a four-year institution should consult with academic advising early on for transfer institution-specific requirements.
SCC Institutional Requirements
- Complete a minimum of 15 credit hours at SCC.
- Earn a 2.00 cumulative grade point average, but if doing an AAT must earn a 2.75 cumulative GPA.
- Complete specific degree/program requirements as listed.
Refund & Fees
Payment of Tuition
All tuition is payable on or before the announced due dates.
Fees
The college may assess additional fees associated with specific majors, laboratories, individual lessons or some distance-based course formats. Students are required to pay for specialized testing.
How to Pay for Classes
Note: If you register on the web, you may pay on the web, by mail or in person.
If You Pay by Mail:
- Pay by check. Do not send cash (for your protection). Make checks payable to St. Charles Community College.
- Write your student ID number on all payments. This will ensure your account is credited. Write the student’s name on payment if different from the name on the check. We cannot accept bank starter checks. A name must be imprinted on the check. Included on the check must be a telephone number with area code (this information can be handwritten). Mail your check to: St. Charles Community College, Attn.: Cashier, 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive, Cottleville, MO 63376-2865.
- Your canceled check is your receipt. Checks must be for the exact total and must be received by the Cashier’s Office by announced deadline.
- No two-party checks will be accepted. A $20 fee is charged for each check returned by a banking institution. Returned checks may be turned over to a collection agency, and you may be removed from classes.
If You Pay in Person:
- Pay by check. Follow the same procedure as if paying by mail, except present your check in person to the Cashier’s Office according to the appropriate deadlines or deposit your payment in the drop box next to the Cashier’s Office. The Cashier’s Office is located on first floor of the SCC Main Building.
- Pay with cash. The college accepts cash for classes. However, to protect yourself, do not send cash through the mail. Pay in person if you wish to pay by cash.
- Pay by credit card. SCC accepts MasterCard, VISA or Discover credit cards. If you wish to pay by credit card, pay online if you have your password, or pay in person and have your credit card ready.
Registration & Tuition Refund Appeal Process
The registration and tuition refund appeal process is available to students who feel they warrant an exception to the college’s withdrawal/refund policies. Exceptions to the college’s established policies are not made lightly and will generally be considered only for extenuating circumstances.
Examples of extenuating circumstances include: Medical issues, death of a family member or physician’s orders restricting school attendance. The committee decides each case on its own merit.
To file an appeal:
Students are notified through their SCC CougarMail of the committee’s decision within seven working days of the appeal meeting.
Change in Residency
In order to receive the in-district tuition rate, you must submit documentation confirming any changes in residency that affect tuition charges before the first day of class of the semester in which the change will take place. Proof of residency must accompany a request for change from out-of-district to in-district residency. Please complete the Change of Information form and bring/send supporting documentation to SCC Main 1204 or send to enrollment@stchas.edu.
Tuition Refund Policy
Per Article VI.02 Tuition, Fees, and Refunds for Credit Classes, the tuition refund policy is as follows:
A refund will be issued to a student based upon the student’s course term dates and the date of the drop. For dates and deadlines regarding the timeframe to drop a course for a refund, see the Academic Calendar.
Death of a Current Student
If you are aware of the death of a current SCC student, obtain as much information as possible about the student and contact the Vice Provost.
Admissions and Records
Please visit the Admissions & Records in the College Catalog for more information.
Assessment Testing
The Assessment Center staff provides a variety of services to students and the community. The Assessment Center is in Student Center (2-SC) room 133. Contact Disability Support Services if you need accommodations for the Academic Skills Assessment. For more information about placement and assessment scores, please visit the Course Placement & Assessment page in the College Catalog. Please visit the Assessment webpage for more information about:
- Hours of operation
- What to know before you test
- Placement process for English, Math, and Reading
- Departmental Exams
- Proctoring Services
- Additional Tests
- Make-up Tests
Grades
Board Policy, Article III.03 Satisfactory Academic Progress
St. Charles Community College (SCC) has academic standards that all students must meet. It is necessary for students to maintain a sufficient grade point average (GPA) to graduate from SCC and transfer to a four-year college or start a career. Students who meet SCC academic standards are making “satisfactory academic progress” and are in “good standing.”
To stay in “good standing,” students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 after they have earned 15 or more SCC college credit hours (100 level or above).
For more information about the following, please visit the Grading & Academic Honors page in the College Catalog.
- Grading System
- Scholastic Honors
- Grade Grievance Policy
- Review of Academic Status
- Satisfactory Academic Progress
- What Happens if My GPA Drops Below 2.0?
- What if I Get Suspended?
- To Request a Transcript
Getting Your Grades
Midterm/Final grades are available in the MySCC Portal. Grades will be finalized approximately three to five days after grades are due for the term. View the Academic Calendar for grade due dates.
- In the MySCC Portal, you can view and print an unofficial transcript of your grades.
- For technical support, contact the IT Service Desk at 636-922-8555.
- Grade cards are not mailed.
Variable-Credit Course
Consult with the instructor before you register so you know what number of hours to declare when you register for the class. The range of credit available is shown with the course in college class schedules that are available online before each registration period.
Review of Academic Status
The college recognizes that extenuating circumstances occur from time to time that may warrant further review of a student’s academic progress. Contact the Registrar’s Office (academicrecords@stchas.edu) for more information.
Personal Information
Student ID
Student IDs can be obtained by following the steps found on the Student ID webpage.
Change of Information
If you change your name, phone number, address, etc. it is important to notify SCC. Please complete the Change of Information form and send it to enrollment@stchas.edu so your account can be updated.
Confidentiality of Student Records
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
St. Charles Community College, like all public colleges and universities, is subject to the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) that protects the privacy of student education records.
Per FERPA regulations, when the student enrolls at a college or university, these rights transfer directly to the student and away from the parent. College students are considered responsible adults and are allowed to determine who may receive information about them. The student is the only person who can authorize access to his/her records. Parents do not have the right to access their student’s records without the student’s signed written consent. Records may be disclosed to any SCC employee who has a legitimate educational interest in the student. Determination of such a disclosure will be made by the director of admissions, registration and records.
St. Charles Community College considers the following to be a student’s directory information (information that can be released to a third party without the consent of a student):
- Student name
- Date and place of birth
- Major field of study
- Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
- Weight and height of athletic team members
- Dates of attendance
- Degrees and awards received
- The most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student
The Privacy Act of 1974 does not permit the college to provide information regarding grades, transcripts or schedules to parents of students. Regardless of the student’s age.
Any student who does not want any or all of the above directory information to be released without his or her prior written consent must inform the Admissions, Registration and Records Office before the end of the second week of classes of a regular term (by the end of the first week of classes of a summer term). The information listed above will become directory information or public information as of the specified time.
Forms to request the withholding of directory information will be available during registration. The request to withhold directory information must be renewed each semester or term.
Names and addresses of SCC graduates and currently enrolled students will be released to four-year institutions upon request of the institution.
In compliance with FERPA, students have the right to inspect official records directly relating to them. You have the right to challenge any statement that you consider inaccurate, misleading, or inappropriate.
If you wish to examine your official records, you may do so by applying to the director of admissions, registration, and records.
A student may grant a third party the ability to register and/or pay for their classes by completing a Third-Party Registration and Payment Form. Forms are also available in the Enrollment Services Department.
The college may disclose records without student consent to the following parties:
- Other colleges to which a student is transferring.
- Certain government officials in order to carry out lawful functions.
- Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student.
- Organizations conducting certain studies for the college.
- Accrediting organizations.
- Individuals who have obtained court orders or subpoenas - the college is obliged to honor these requests. The SCC records coordinator will send a notice to the student indicating that a subpoena for their records was received.
- Persons who have a need to know in cases of health or safety emergencies.
- State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law.
HIPAA
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) sets standards to protect the confidentiality of health information. However, the HIPAA Privacy Rule excludes from its coverage those records protected by FERPA at school districts and postsecondary institutions that provide health or medical services to students. This is because Congress specifically addressed how education records should be protected under FERPA. For this reason, records protected by FERPA are not subject to the HIPAA Privacy Rule and may be shared with parents under the circumstances described here.
The Disability Support Services Office obtains and maintains health records for each student who applies for services, so the receipt and maintenance of health records is well established. In addition, if a financial aid recipient is unable to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) due to medical reasons, the Financial Aid Office may request documentation of the medical condition through the SAP Appeal process. This information will be reviewed by an exclusive SAP Appeal committee and then maintained in the student’s financial aid file for safekeeping.
See also joint guidance on FERPA and HIPAA, and for more information on HIPAA, see the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Safeguarding Student Information
As required by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley (GLB) Act issued by the Federal Trade Commission, SCC has safeguards in place designed to ensure the security and confidentiality of student information, protect against any anticipated threats or hazards to the security or integrity of such information, and protect against unauthorized access to or use of such information that could result in substantial harm or inconvenience to any student.
Unauthorized Use of Name, Image, Likeness
The College prohibits the unauthorized use or distribution of another person’s name, image, or likeness. Unauthorized use includes, but is not limited to, taking, editing, creating/modifying with software or Artificial Intelligence, distributing, or publishing photographs or videos of individuals or any purpose without their explicit permission.
Health Regulations
Communicable Diseases
Immunization Against Communicable Diseases
It is strongly recommended that all entering freshmen and transfer students be immunized for measles and rubella before they register for classes at SCC. Certain immunizations are required for admission to selected health programs. Details are available from the office for nursing and allied health programs, Center for Healthy Living, 1 Academy Place, Suite 102, Dardenne Prairie, Mo. Call 636-922-8280 for details about specific programs.
Communicable Diseases and Blood-Borne Pathogens
It is the policy of the college to follow the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines for dealing with communicable diseases and blood borne pathogens. To provide a safe environment for students, faculty and staff, students with chronic communicable diseases may attend college when, through reasonable accommodation, the risk of transmission of the disease and/or the risk of further injury to the student is sufficiently remote in such setting so as to be outweighed by the detrimental effects resulting from the student’s exclusion from the college.
Board Policy, Article V.41 Emergency Response (Procedures)
Screenings & Insurance
Drug Screenings
Drug screenings are required for students participating in certain programs, such as nursing, and may also be required of student athletes.
Board Policy, Article I.08 Drug and Alcohol Screening
Health Insurance
The college recommends that all students seek health and accident insurance if they are not adequately covered by a family or work insurance plan. International students who were admitted on an F-1 visa are required to show proof of insurance (that meets SCC standards for use in the United States) each semester that they are attending SCC. International students, including international student athletes, should contact the Manager of International Student Services to learn about approved insurance at iss@stchas.edu.
Health insurance is required for anyone competing in intercollegiate athletics or club sports.
If students traveling on college-sponsored trips have medical insurance, they must provide the club advisor with a copy of the insurance card, in case of emergency. Study abroad students should contact International Student Services to learn about insurance requirements by emailing iss@stchas.edu.
Medical Examinations
A medical examination is not generally required for admission to the college. When a student has contracted a communicable disease that poses a potential and serious health hazard to other students, faculty and staff, the vice president for academic affairs and enrollment management may require a medical examination or a physician’s statement of health status for admission to the college or continuation in classes. Medical and immunization records may be required for admission to certain programs such as nursing or childcare.
A physical examination by a licensed physician is required prior to trying out or participating in a SCC intercollegiate or club sport. Any concerns noted by the physician will require further medical investigation. A student must have a full release from a physician to participate.
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