- Example: Criminal Justice I, Criminal Justice II, and Criminal Justice III
For complete program information please visit the program web page at www.csn.edu/CTE.
Jumpstart Concurrent Enrollment Program: Provides high school students the opportunity to take college-level courses and earn college credit for a reduced fee of only $50 per course, plus a technology fee of $8.50 per credit. The Jumpstart college courses are taught by certified high school instructors and are taught at the high school during the high school day. The CSN admissions fee is waived for students participating in the Jumpstart Program, and Jumpstart students are eligible to receive all student services provided by the college including in-depth academic planning, counseling, student advising, on-line services, tutoring, use of CSN Writing Centers and career exploration and planning. The Jumpstart Concurrent Enrollment Office can be reached by calling 702-651-3179 or by visiting the program web page www.csn.edu/jumpstart.
First Year Experience (FYE) & Coyote Orientation & Registration Event (C.O.R.E.)
First Year Experience (FYE) is a holistic experience of support, connection, and welcome for all new first-year students and families connecting students to peers, the CSN community, campus resources and a network for overall success. New students move through the FYE with innovative and impactful programming including New Student Orientation events, FYE celebration traditions, Peer Leader connections, and overall programming and support for academic and social engagement in the college community. The goal of the FYE at CSN is to personalize the first year for each student maximizing student success and every student’s ability to meet their goals! For more information, visit the web page at: https://www.csn.edu/fye.
As the important “launch point” to the FYE@CSN, New Student Orientation is an important first stop to connecting new students to CSN. Orientation familiarizes new students to CSN’s community engagement opportunities, academic programs, advising services, course scheduling, online learning, support resources, policies, and financial aid. With one focus on academic engagement, orientation helps new students plan for their academic goals and get off to a good start on their Coyote pathway towards completion. Orientation creates important opportunities to connect with other students, faculty, and staff establishing an early network for success! To successfully complete the CSN “First Steps” to success, new students are required to complete orientation prior to the class registration process.
New Student Orientation is available to students in an online platform for easy accessibility and connection! Follow these steps to access orientation:
- Make sure you have validated your CSN student account after receiving your NSHE Student ID.
- Login to GoCSN with your CSN Student username and password.
- Select the New Student Orientation App.
- You will automatically be entered into the orientation platform.
- New students will now complete their preliminary Academic Advising Workshops right inside the Online Orientation. Once completed, allow 3-5 working days for Academic Advisors to email your course recommendations. *Health Science majors will be prompted to connect with Health Science Programs for their advising needs after completing the New Student Online Orientation.
- Complete the entire orientation including the post assessment survey.
- Only full completion of the online orientation will complete your Orientation Checklist item to meet your New Student First Steps orientation requirement.
- Save or print your Orientation Completion Certificate for your records.
In addition to Online Orientation, you now have an opportunity to attend a CORE Live event! These events are designed to supplement the online orientation and give students direct access and contact with CSN campus resources and a great chance to meet other students, faculty and staff. Visit https://www.csn.edu/orientation for more information on the events and how to register – we hope to see you there! FYE also hosts ongoing Your FYE Connect events for students, families, & support persons prior to and during the academic year. Stay connected to the FYE web page and social media for the most current information.
For new to CSN students joining us as transfers, the New Transfer Student Orientation is an incredible opportunity to connect with the CSN community. The new transfer student orientation includes a transfer specific introduction to the CSN community, key resources in place for transfer success, and connection opportunities with FYE Peer Leaders and other transfer students. New Transfer Student Orientation events occur in January and August of each academic year.
Please contact First Year Experience with any questions at:
Registration Information
Once a student has been admitted to CSN he/she may register for classes online via MyCSN at www.csn.edu or in person at the Office of the Registrar at any of the three main campuses.
Course Registration
Registration for full-term classes must be completed by the end of the first week of the semester. Registration for short-term/summer classes must be completed by 11:59 p.m. on the day before the session begins (as defined in the Academic Calendar).
- Exceptions to the registration deadline are limited to:
- Courses for which the course catalog notes a prerequisite AND specifies that the permission of the instructor and/or department chair and/or program director is required.
- Courses requiring auditions or try-outs.
- Courses in the Jumpstart (dual enrollment with high school) program or courses designated in a Memorandum of Understanding.
- Students dropped due to DOCUMENTED CSN ERRORS.
- Courses that were cancelled within 6 days of the start of the session.
Course Withdrawal
PLEASE NOTE: Before withdrawing from a course, students are strongly encouraged to discuss their decisions with an academic counselor, academic adviser or success coach. Students receiving financial aid should check with the Financial Aid Department since these decisions may affect a student’s financial aid awards and Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) status.
- Instructors do not have the option of withdrawing students. The student must receive a grade of A through D-, F, Pass or I if still on the roster after the 60% point in the session (refers to the length of the session in days, not the number of assignments or percentage of points earned) Refer to the Academic Calendar for the last day to drop date
- CSN administration may withdraw a student at any time during the session for just cause including, but not limited to, failure to pay for the course and violations of the Student Conduct Code.
- Students with documented exceptional circumstances may follow the grade change process to request a grade change to W.
- Students may withdraw from a course with a grade of W during the first 60% of a session, measured by time, not assignments. If the withdrawal occurs during the refund period, the class will not appear on the student’s transcript. When withdrawing from the class, the official withdrawal date is the date processed by the Office of the Registrar, not the date last attended, unless the two dates coincide.
- In order to adhere to financial aid guidelines, at the end of the second week of the semester or summer session, the instructor submits to the Office of the Registrar the names of students who have not participated at all in the course. Participation is defined by the U.S. Department of Education to mean physically attending a class with direct interaction between the instructor and students and/or submitting an academic assignment and/or taking an exam, interactive tutorial or computer-assisted instruction and/or attending a study group assigned by the institution and/or participating in an on-line discussion about academic matters and/or initiating contact with the faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course.
Auditing Classes
To audit a course means the student will enroll in the course but receive no credit or grade.
PLEASE NOTE:
- Federal financial aid will not pay for audited courses, and students should not include aid for audited courses in their financial planning.
- Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) related to federal financial aid takes attempted credits into consideration when assessing a student’s ongoing eligibility for federal financial aid. Credit-to-Audit conventions are counted among “attempted” credits but not as “completed” credits for financial aid purposes.
Students are strongly advised to consult with an academic counselor or advisor and the Financial Aid Department, if the student receives financial aid PRIOR to making any course registration changes.
- Except for programs with applicable limitations (such as limited-entry or specialized accreditation), a student may elect to audit a course.
- A student must pay the normal registration fees for audited courses.
- Audited courses will NOT be counted as part of the academic load when full-time or part-time status is reported, for any reason, to any internal or external office or agency; this includes, by way of example only, the Financial Aid Department, Social Security Administration, Veteran’s Administration, employers and others.
Course Auditing Procedures
- To audit a course, a student must register for the course and pay the regular fees (and tuition, if applicable).
- Credit to Audit: To change the status of a course from credit to audit, a student must come to the Office of the Registrar and complete the Auditing Classes form change on or before the last day to withdraw. Students must sign a statement acknowledging the consequences of their decision.
- Students cannot change their status from audit to credit.
Enrollment Verification
To request enrollment verification, students must go to MyCSN after the start of a semester. The student’s social security number must be in the system to access the online enrollment verification. Enrollment verification is free.
Credit Load
A. The normal class hour load for full-time undergraduate students who are not on academic suspension is 12-19 credit hours each semester. Only students with a CSN grade point average of B (3.0) or higher may enroll for more than 19 hours. The table below shows the maximum credit hours an undergraduate student can enroll for depending on academic standing.
Academic Standing Fall / Spring Semester Summer Term Good 22 16 (cumulative) Suspension 6 6 B. Requests for more than 19 credit hours
(12 in the summer) require written approval from any of the following individuals – Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs or Associate Vice President of Advising Counseling, and First Year Experience. Approval must be obtained before registering.- The recommended maximum credits under CSN policy is 19 per regular semester and 12 per summer. To be approved for 19-21 credits, students must have a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) or higher and receive approval from one of the individuals listed above. To register for 22 or more credits, the student must have written permission from the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
- If a student has outstanding incomplete grades, they cannot exceed 19 credits in regular semester or 12 credits in summer.
- Students can download the “Credit Overload Request” form on our website at https://www.csn.edu/registrarforms or pick one up at any of our three main campuses.
Declaration of Major
It is important for students to declare the appropriate major in order to receive accurate advising, avoid taking unnecessary course(s) which may result in excess credit fees, and to ensure timely graduation from CSN. NOTE: Processed declaration of major changes become official and reflect on the student’s record on the first day of the next semester following submission.
Changing From One Major to Another
To change from one program of study or major to another, including from self-enrichment/non-degree seeking to degree-seeking and vice versa, you must do so online from your MyCSN portal. Effective Fall 2018, students will only be allowed to have one declared specific major at a time. Exceptional cases will be considered for students requesting more than one major with the appropriate approval. The Request for Multiple Majors form can be obtained from the Office of the Registrar.
Alternative Credit Options
Advanced Placement (AP) Exams
Advanced placement and/or credit may be granted to entering students who have achieved appropriate scores on one or more of the Advanced Placement Tests offered by the College Entrance Examination Board, which may apply towards required credits for a degree. Contact the Office of the Registrar for more information.
This course will show as a BIOL LELC on your transfer credit report. Please contact the Biological Sciences Department directly at (702) 651-7324 to arrange the lab component which will complete BIOL 189.
BIOL 190 after department chair evaluation (3 credits, no lab)
This course will show as a BIOL LELC on your transfer credit report. Please contact the Biological Sciences Department directly at (702) 651-7324 to arrange the lab component which will complete BIOL 190.
CHEM 121 (3 credits, no lab)
This course will show as a CHEM LELC on your transfer credit report. Please contact the Physical Sciences Department directly at (702) 651-7517 to arrange the lab component which will complete CHEM 121.
CHEM 121 and CHEM 122 (6 credits, no lab)
These courses will show as CHEM LELC on your transfer credit report. Please contact the Physical Sciences Department directly at (702) 651-7517 to arrange the lab components which will complete CHEM 121 and CHEM 122.
PHYS 151 (3 credits, no lab)
This course will show as a PHYS LELC on your transfer credit report. Please contact the Physical Sciences Department directly at (702) 651-7517 to arrange the lab component which will complete PHYS 151.
PHYS 152 (3 credits, no lab)
This course will show as a PHYS LELC on your transfer credit report. Please contact the Physical Sciences Department directly at (702) 651-7517 to arrange the lab component which will complete PHYS 152.
Physics – AP Physics C: Mechanics Test Science Elective (3 credits) 3 PHYS 180 (3 credits, no lab) 4-5 PHYS 180L (1 credit)*** 4-5 ***Students must show documentation (i.e. lab notebook) indicating satisfactory completion of laboratory work equivalent to PHYS 180L Physics – AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Test Science Elective (3 credits) 3 PHYS 181 (3 credits, no lab) 4-5 PHYS 181L (1 credit)**** 4-5 ****Students must show documentation (i.e. lab notebook) indicating satisfactory completion of laboratory work equivalent to PHYS 181L Political Science – AP Comparative Government and Politics PSC 211 3-5 Political Science – AP U.S. Government and Politics U.S. Constitution only 3-5 (Excludes the Nevada Constitution requirement) Psychology – AP Psychology Test PSY 101 (3 credits) 3-5 Statistics – AP Statistics Test STAT 152 4-5 World History HIST 208 3-5 Challenges
The College recognizes the fact that students accumulate a great deal of information outside the classroom without formal instruction or from previous academic or occupational instruction. There are times when this background may be extensive enough to satisfy the requirements of courses offered by the College either through various examinations, course substitutions or waivers, or credit for nontraditional education. A student interested in these options should inquire with the appropriate department chair for courses which may be challenged in these ways.
Challenge Examinations
Students who wish to challenge courses under the Credit by Examination provision must pay a nonrefundable fee of $25.00 for each course challenged. Policies of the College relating to challenge exams are as follows:
- Only currently enrolled students are eligible to take challenge exams.
- No more than 15 credits required for a degree may be obtained through challenges.
- Courses cannot be challenged if a student has taken an advanced course in the same area.
- Challenge examinations are not considered resident credit.
- Challenge examination credit does not count as part of a student’s credit load for any given semester nor are they computed into the grade point average.
- A student may not retake a challenge.
- Challenge examinations are not transferable and in many cases will not count for licensing agencies.
- Successful challenge examinations are posted as a TP grade (Pass) on the student’s transcript.
- Students must complete the challenge during the same semester in which the request was made.
The College reserves the right to deny any petition for credit by examination.
College Board Advanced Placement Examination (CBAPE): In accordance with the NSHE Board of Regents Policy, CSN credit may be granted to students who have achieved appropriate scores of 3, 4, or 5 on one or more of the Advanced Placement Tests offered by the College Entrance Examination Board. The tests are administered each year in May and are available to all high school seniors who have taken advanced placement courses in high school and to other interested students who feel they have knowledge of the given subject being tested equal to the college level course on the subject. Contact the Office of the Registrar for more information.
International Baccalaureate (IB) Program: The program provides an internationally accepted qualifications aimed at 16- to 18-year-old entry into higher education.
CSN Credit may be awarded for credit for each higher-level examination passed at a level of 4 or above.
IB SUBJECT MIN. SCORE CREDITS COURSES SATISFIED American History 4 3 Gen Ed (U.S. Constitution) Anthropology, Social & Cultural 4 3 ANTH 101 Biology 4 4 BIOL elective Chemistry 4 4 CHEM elective Economics 4 3 ECON elective European History 4 3 HIST elective English Comp./Lit. 4 3 ENG elective History 4 3 HIST elective Math 4 3 Math elective Music 4 3 MUS elective Physics 4 4 PHYS elective Philosophy 4 3 PHIL elective Psychology 4 3 PSY 101 Theater Arts 4 3 THTR elective Non-Traditional Education (NTE): Credit for work experience will be evaluated on the basis of a personal interview, verification of occupational experience, and the results of occupational competency examinations. Applicants must submit all relevant official documents, supportive materials, and specific information on the length, content, and other pertinent information concerning the work or life experience to the department chair or designee. Request for NTE credit will be evaluated and awarded in the sole discretion of the academic department.
These non-traditional sources may include but are not limited to nor guaranteed to be:
- Apprenticeship instruction and training
- Certificate training
- Correspondence schools
- Extension courses
- Post-secondary proprietary institutions including business colleges
- Service Members Opportunity College (SOC)
- Work experience
Students applying for NTE credits must be admitted to the College of Southern Nevada. NTE credits can only apply towards the degree of Bachelor of Science (BAS), Associate of General Studies (AGS), Associate of Applied Science (AAS), and the Certificate of Achievement (CA). Generally a maximum of sixteen (16) NTE credits can be applied towards the BAS, AGS, and the AAS, and a maximum of eight (8) NTE credits can be applied toward the CA. However, there is an opportunity to exceed the foregoing limit through application to and approval from the Vice President of Academic Affairs, in addition to the regular approval process.
NTE credits can only be applied towards Special Program Requirements and cannot be used towards General Education Requirements. NTE credit cannot exceed the credit value of the equivalent course. Students who wish NTE credit must pay a nonrefundable fee of $25.00 per course. Credits earned from NTE sources will not apply toward satisfying the minimum residence credits required for graduation purposes. NTE credit is not included in a student’s cumulative CSN grade point average (GPA). NTE credit awarded by CSN may not be transferable to another educational institution.
College Level Examination Program (CLEP): The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) is a specific type of challenge examination. Credit may be granted for the satisfactory completion of the CLEP general or CLEP subject examinations. Students who wish to use credits from CLEP should submit official CLEP results and a request for the Transfer Credit Evaluation Form to the Office of the Registrar.
- CLEP Subject Examinations – A maximum of three or four credits (one semester) may be granted for each institutionally approved subject examination for scores of 50 or above.
College Composition Modular is not accepted at CSN but is given at the Testing Center for other institutions.
Additional credit may or may not be granted for selected examinations at the discretion of the academic department.
- Please check with the counselor of your degree to determine which CLEPs will be transferable and the maximum amount of CLEP credits allowed by your program before taking the exams.
CLEP SUBJECT EXAMS
(College Composition Modular is not accepted at CSN but is given for other institutions)
College CompositionStudent Appeals
The Student Appeal Form is available at the Office of the Registrar on any of the three main campuses or online at www.csn.edu/registrarforms. The Student Appeals Committee will review all petitions in the order of date received. The decision of the committee is final. Students will be notified via email of the Student Appeals Committee’s decision.
A refund appeal will not be considered unless the student has officially withdrawn (W) from the class(es). Students who are receiving financial aid should check with the Financial Aid Department or Veteran’s Affairs prior to withdrawal to determine what, if any, effect this action may have on future financial aid or Veteran’s Affairs eligibility.
Tuition appeals will generally be approved for the following reasons as long as the appropriate written supporting documentation is provided:
- Deployment of a student in the United States Armed Forces. The student must provide valid and properly endorsed orders. Includes dependent(s) enrolled at CSN, if other than the student;
- Death or incapacitation resulting from an illness or injury of the student; or spouse, child, parent, or legal guardian of a student that prevents the student from returning to school for the remainder of the semester. Extended incapacitation/hospitalization of the student (which caused the student to miss 20 percent or more of scheduled instruction) documented by a physician’s statement on the doctor’s official letterhead (copies of the student’s medical records will be accepted). This must be an unscheduled medical emergency experienced or continuing after the last day to drop for tuition refund. The physician’s letter must include the date the student was first seen for the medical condition as well as the beginning and ending date the student was incapacitated or/and hospitalized and must state that the student was physically unable to attend classes during that period of time. The physician’s letter must specifically state that the student was physically unable to attend classes, otherwise it will not be sufficient support to approve an appeal;
- Verifiable error on the part of the institution;
- Involuntary job transfers outside the Greater Las Vegas Metropolitan Area-documented by employer;
- Late notification of denial to a specific degree program with supporting documents.
If the appeal is approved, the grades of W will remain on the student’s academic record and will be used to calculate Excess Credit fee, Student Academic Progress (SAP), and any other state or federal mandate.
No refund will be made if the Student Appeal Form and supporting documentation are not received by the end of the semester following the semester being appealed. Exceptions may be made in extraordinary circumstances.
Excess Credit Fee
Beginning fall 2014, the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) created a policy that states an Excess Credit Fee shall be charged to a student who has attempted credits equal to 150 percent of the credits required for the student’s program of study. The amount of this additional fee is equal to 50 percent of the per credit registration fee. Attempted credits include all graded courses on a student’s transcript, including but not limited to the grades of F and W (withdrawal) and repeated courses. The fee will be charged, for example, after 90 credits have been attempted towards a 60-credit associate degree or 180 credits towards a 120-credit bachelor’s degree. Exceptions may apply on a case-by-case basis. The fee will be charged in all terms after passing the threshold number of credits until a degree is awarded to the student.
The following categories of declared majors are subject to the Excess Credit Fee:
- Students currently pursuing a Certificate of Achievement who have attempted 45 credits or more will be charged this fee.
- Students currently pursuing an Associate Degree who have attempted 90 credits or more will be charged this fee.
- Students currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree who have attempted 180 credits or more will be charged this fee.
NSHE provides an appeals process for this excess credit fee. Students will need to provide an appeal form and supporting documents to be considered for exception to this fee. The following credits can be considered in the appeals process:
- Credits earned through examination like AP, CLEP, and Non-Traditional credits (must attach a copy of Transfer Credit Report).
- Credits attempted while enrolled as a high school student if those credits do not meet the student’s degree requirements (must attach a copy of Academic Advising Report and a copy of high school transcripts).
- Credits attempted at an institution outside of NSHE if those credits do not meet the student’s degree requirements (must attach a copy of Transfer Credit Report and Academic Advising Report).
- Credits attempted for remedial courses (must attach a copy of unofficial transcripts).
- Credits earned from a previous earned degree if the degree is at the same level or higher as the current degree (must attach a copy of unofficial transcripts or Transfer Credit Report).
- Credits not accepted for transfer at the receiving institution
- Credits associated with courses taken for audit or for which an audit grade is received
- Other circumstances (if students select this option then they must submit a personal statement that includes the reason they failed to meet the degree completion within 150 percent of the credits required for their program).
Students are strongly encouraged to meet with a counselor or advisor/success coach.
Grades and Academic Progress
Grading Symbols and Definitions
At the end of each semester, reporting of individual student grades is made available through MyCSN. All financial obligations to the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) must be met before a student is eligible for an official transcript.
The following grades are given at CSN:
Grade Grade Point Value A 4.0 A- 3.7 B+ 3.3 B 3.0 B- 2.7 C+ 2.3 C 2.0 C- 1.7 D+ 1.3 D 1.0 D- 0.7 F 0.0 Grades of D+, D, and D- in the student’s major occupational area in Associate of Applied Science degree programs or Certificate of Achievement will not count towards graduation requirements.
- The Failure F grade is given for failure in the performance of course objectives and is worth zero (0) grade points.
- The Incomplete I grade may be assigned when the student has successfully completed all course work up to the withdrawal date of that semester/session but is unable, due to legitimate reasons (e.g. serious illness, death in the family, or change of employment), and with proper documentation, to compete all requirements for the course.
- The instructor will determine if the student qualifies for the incomplete process, and if so, the instructor will determine and document the outstanding requirement for the student to finish the course and post the I grade as well as the time frame to complete those requirements, not to exceed one year.
- If the work is not completed during that time frame, the I converts to an F unless a different grade is indicated by a Grade Change Form.
- If the instructor is no longer available to submit a Grade Change Form, it is the responsibility of the department chair to do so, if applicable.
- The I grade is not included in the student’s grade point average and therefore is worth “0” points.
- If a student wishes to retake the entire course, he or she must re-register and pay for the class.
- Unless approved by the dean in the student’s major or the Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA) or VPAA’s designee, a student with three current I grades may not register for additional coursework.
- If the student is not enrolled at CSN at the time he or she needs to complete the coursework and he or she needs to use CSN facilities not open to the public (such as labs), the student must receive permission from the department chair or program director to use those facilities, sign a waiver of liability to CSN, and if applicable, receive permission from the clinic site.
Calculating Your Grade Point Average
The grade point value associated with each grade denotes how many points are accumulated for each credit earned with that grade. The grade point average is determined by dividing the sum of the grade points earned (refer to the grade point value chart) by the total number of credits earned with a regular letter grade.
Course Repeat
Students may retake a CSN course as often as needed to gain a better grade and, thereby, a higher grade point average. Only the highest grade received will count as part of the total grade point average. All repeated courses taken at the College will remain as part of a student’s permanent academic record. Some limited entry programs will not allow required courses to be repeated.
Students receiving financial aid should be aware that all attempted credits are included in the calculations for Satisfactory Academic Progress. For more information on Satisfactory Academic Progress go to https://www.csn.edu/satisfactoryacademic-progress.
Academic Honors
The College of Southern Nevada supports and recognizes student achievement. An Academic Honors List identifies and recognizes students who demonstrate academic excellence. In addition to being identified as an honoree, a notation “Academic Honors” will post to the student’s transcript for the qualified semester.
To be eligible for Academic Honors, a student must:
- Complete at least 6 credits during the eligible semester with grades on the ABCDF scale,
- Courses must be 100 level or above, and
- Semester grade point average and correlating designation:
- 3.3 to 3.59 – Honor’s List
- 3.6 to 3.99 – Dean’s List
- 4.0 – President’s List
Academic Warning
Any student who does not achieve a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher after having attempted at least 15 credits is placed on academic warning for one semester. Students on academic warning will be directed to complete the Academic Warning component of the Academic Success Online Warning/Probation Workshop (ASOW) and to seek assistance from appropriate services. A registration hold will be placed on the student’s account when the student is placed on academic warning, which will be removed upon completion of the relevant ASOW component. Courses the student has enrolled in before being placed on academic warning are not affected by being on academic warning; however, the student will not be able to add or drop courses until the registration hold has been removed. Academic warning status does not appear on official transcripts.
Removal of Academic Warning: A student on academic warning who achieves a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher at the end of the next semester of enrollment will be removed from Academic Warning.
Academic Probation
A student on academic warning who fails to achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher at the end of the next semester of enrollment will be placed on academic probation beginning when the final semester grades are posted. Academic probation status appears on official transcripts. The first semester on academic probation will be directed to complete the Academic Probation component of ASOW and to seek assistance from appropriate service. A registration hold will be placed on the student’s account when the student is first placed on academic probation, which will be removed upon completion of the relevant ASOW component. Courses the student has enrolled in before being placed on academic probation are not affected by being on academic warning; however, the student will not be able to add or drop courses until the registration hold has been removed. A student who maintains a semester GPA of 2.0 or higher during the first and subsequent semester(s), but have a cumulative GPA below 2.00, will continue to be on academic probation.
Removal of Academic Probation: Academic probation is removed at the end of the semester when a student’s cumulative GPA is raised to 2.0 or higher.
Academic Suspension
A student on academic probation who fails to achieve a semester GPA of 2.0 or higher will be placed on academic suspension. Students who are on academic suspension will not be allowed to register for any credit classes for at least one semester, but during the semester may petition to register for the following semester with the Academic Suspension Appeals Committee. Academic suspension status will appear on the student’s official transcript. Students on academic suspension will be encouraged to seek advice from appropriate counselor or advisor based on declared major.
College Readmission After Suspension: If the student wants to register for a credit class(es) after one semester of suspension, that student must meet with the appropriate counselor or advisor based on the declared major, and submit an Academic Suspension Appeals form. Student Appeal Form must also include the advising degree sheet and up to two selected courses chosen. If approved by the committee, the student will be limited to a maximum of two classes per semester. The student must appeal every semester until a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. If semester GPA is below a 2.0 for two consecutive semesters, the student must sit out another semester before petitioning again. The student must earn a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher to be removed from Academic Suspension status.
Grade Appeals Process
- A student may request a change of grade for any of three reasons:
- The student claims a clerical or computational error was made by the instructor in assigning the grade.
- The student claims the instructor lost or damaged student work that had been completed and submitted as assigned.
- The student claims the instructor evaluated the student’s work on the basis of different factors than were used to evaluate the work of the other students in the same course section.
- One department chair/head, from a department other than that of the involved faculty member, selected by the Dean.
- Two school faculty members, one to be selected by the Dean and the other by the involved faculty member.
- One representative from Student Affairs, appointed by the Vice President of Student Affairs.
- The fifth member of the Committee will be a faculty member selected by the student. If the student declines to suggest a Committee member, the Dean will select the fifth member from the discipline, when possible, involved in the appeal.
- The Dean will seek replacement of any member of the Committee who is directly involved in a particular case. If a member of the committee is unavailable, the Dean will replace the member for that individual appeal.
- The Committee members will designate the chair of the Committee, who is responsible for ensuring that the procedure is correctly followed.
Procedure:
- The student will first discuss the request for change of grade with the instructor. If the matter cannot be resolved, the student appeals in writing to the department chair/head. This appeal must contain a signed statement of the reason (as stated in II.A for a change in grade, and also all supporting documentation which must include at least the course syllabus, any relevant assignment instructions/criteria, and copies of any disputed work. This appeal must be submitted within four months of the end of the course in which the grade is being disputed. If resolution is still not reached, the student appeals to the dean of the school. The dean will see that the Grade Appeal Committee is formed. The Grade Appeal Committee will rule on the matter within 30 days of the date of the appeal to the dean.
- When a grade appeal is referred to the Grade Appeal Committee, the Committee will schedule a formal hearing at which the student and the instructor may each make a statement of the case. Additional material may be submitted to the Committee chair at least one week in advance, to be distributed to all parties at the chair’s discretion. The Committee may hear other witnesses and examine all submitted evidence from student and faculty as they choose. The petitioning student must be present for the hearing. Absent extraordinary circumstances, the student’s absence will result in forfeiting the appeal. Involved faculty, if present, may also present their case. The burden of proof is on the student. The Committee may not meet without at least four members present
- No action, initial grade will remain unchanged.
- To recommend the grade change if at least four of the Committee members agree.
- That the student may replace lost or damaged work within the time-frame determined by this Committee. If the student’s work is not submitted within the time-frame, the initial grade will stand.
If a change of grade is recommended, the dean will sign and file the grade change form. If replacement work is recommended, the Committee will establish a reasonable time line for completion of the replacement work and the dean will appoint a faculty member from the same discipline or school to evaluate the replacement work and decide the student’s final grade.
The Committee chair will prepare a summary of the appeal and the reasons for their decision and each Committee member will sign indicating concurrence or dissent from the Committee’s decision. Within one week of the hearing, the summary will be sent to the student, the faculty member, the department chair/head, and the school dean.
Credit/GPA and General Education Core Requirements
All candidates for graduation must earn a minimum of 30 credits for a certificate of achievement, 60 credits for an associate degree and 120 credits for a bachelor’s degree. Candidates for graduation must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0. Candidates for graduation must complete a minimum of 15 semester credit hours within CSN. For the Associate of Applied Science degree, a minimum of 15 credits must be earned in the special program requirements. Nontraditional credit, credit transferred from another institution, or credit earned through the course challenge process may not be used to establish the 15-credit residency requirement.
CSN General Education Core Requirements
Completing general education at CSN results in fulfilling the following student learning outcomes in the categories of English composition, mathematics, analytical reasoning, constitution, communication, literature, natural science, social science, values and diversity, humanities and fine arts.
- Construct college-level academic and professional writing using appropriate conventions;
- Employ research methods including how to obtain and use information via both print and electronic media;
- Solve problems in quantitative mathematical reasoning including probability, statistics, geometry, and consumer mathematics;
- Experience or interpret cultural, social and other differences, present in our society;
- Demonstrate an understanding of the theoretical foundations of analytical reason and its connection to natural language;
- Examine and interpret the United States and Nevada constitutions;
- Demonstrate general academic literacy applied to oral communication appropriate to different audiences and purposes;
- Use critical reading skills to engage and analyze literary texts;
- Define and apply basic concepts in one or two scientific disciplines;
- Acquire appreciation or introductory knowledge about social sciences and their insights about individual or group behaviors;
- Acquire appreciation or introductory knowledge of the humanities or languages, and at least one of the fine arts.
CSN General Education Core Distribution: Core Content AA AB AS AAS English 6 6 6 3 Literature 3 3 3 Fine Arts 3* 3 3 3** Humanities 6* 6 6 3** Analytical Reasoning 3 3 3 Mathematics 3 3 3 3 Natural Science 6 6 3 Social Science 9* 9 3** Constitution 4 4 4 4 Communications 3 Human Relations 3 *Distribution depends on emphasis
**Fine Arts/Humanities/Social Science Requirement.