Students should see a counselor each term to help plan their academic programs and to make sure they are taking the appropriate classes for their educational goals. In planning a program, students should consider (1) the general requirements prescribed by the college; (2) the special requirements in the major field of study; (3) the general requirements of any future college or university the student may expect to attend; and (4) the most desirable electives.
The normal program includes 14 to 16 credits of work per semester. Many students can complete the requirements for graduation in four semesters providing there are only slight variations from the normal program. It is not unusual for students to require five semesters or more to meet the graduation requirements.
Nineteen credits constitute a maximum study program without special approval. Only students with proven scholastic ability should enroll for a maximum program.
Coursework is measured in terms of semester units. A “unit” equals 18 hours of lecture or 54 hours of lab work per semester in most courses.
The district, the colleges and faculty will adhere to the following in regard to academic freedom:
The administration, faculty, and staff at Porterville College believe that students are entitled to the finest education that the college can make available to them. At the same time, however, a student’s achievement and proficiency in subject matter must include the realization that there are standards of academic honesty which should prevail in all one’s endeavors.
Accordingly, this realization further requires that each student exert every effort to maintain these standards.
A maximum of 20 units of substandard academic grades, (‘D’, ‘F’, ‘NC,’ and ‘NP’) taken at Porterville College may be disregarded in the computation of the grade point average if all of the following conditions exist:
If approved, the substandard work will be disregarded in the computation of the grade point average and an annotation made on the permanent record. The permanent academic record shall remain a true and complete academic history and the coursework disregarded under this policy will remain on the permanent record.
January 13, 2016