Question: Who Can Apply for a Program Change?

Answer: In order to apply for a program change, you must be matriculated (accepted) in a degree program and registered for classes. If you are applying during the summer, you must have been matriculated and enrolled for the previous spring semester.

If you do not meet these criteria or recently graduated from Monroe Community College, you must apply to change your program through the Admissions Office.

Question: When Can I Apply for a Program Change?

Answer: Program change applications are accepted throughout the fall and spring semesters until the last day of classes, and during the second five-week summer session period. Please see the Academic Calendar in the MCC Catalog/Student Handbook for specific dates. Dental Assisting, Dental Hygiene, Nursing, and Radiologic Technology are considered high demand programs and have specific application procedures and criteria for acceptance. Refer to the Health-related Programs: Competitive Admission Information brochure available in the Counseling and Advising Center (1-231) and the Admissions Office (1-211) on the Brighton Campus or the Student Services Center (5252) on the Damon City Campus.

Question: Where Do I Apply for a Program Change?

Answer:

BRIGHTON CAMPUS:
Academic Advisement Center
Building 1, Room 231

DAMON CITY CAMPUS:
Student Services Office
Room 5252

Question: What Criteria is Used to Determine Eligibility?

Answer: Applicants must be in good academic standing and have completed all entrance requirements by the end of the semester in which they apply. Entrance requirements are listed in the MCC Catalog & Student Handbook. Applicants for competitive health related programs must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 to be considered.

Question: How Will I Know If I Have Been Accepted?

Answer: Students will be notified by mail once their application has been reviewed and acted upon. All notification of program change decisions will be mailed prior to the onset of the next semester.

Question: How Can I Register for Classes?

Answer: After receiving a program change acceptance letter, students should follow the instructions listed in the registration tabloid for the new program.

Question: When Will My Program Change Take Effect?

Answer: Program changes become effective the semester after a student applies. The name of the new program will not appear on student records until that semester begins.

Approved program changes will not take effect if students:

• are placed on academic suspension;
• withdraw from the College;
• are not enrolled in classes.

Question: Will a Program Change Affect My Financial Aid?

Answer: Sometimes a change of program can affect a student's financial aid status. It is strongly recommended that applicants check with the Financial Aid Office in advance of filing a program change application.

Question: What Courses Apply Toward My New Program?

Answer: These guidelines allow for the exclusion of C-, D+, D, D- and F grades in the computation of the Grade Point Average (GPA) for students approved for a change of program by the Counseling and Advising Center, Admissions Office or Graduation Certification. When the program change becomes effective students will receive notification of these guidelines and a "Request for Grade Inclusion/Exclusion" form. This form must be submitted to the Records and Registration Office within 1 year from the effective date of the program change.

The following criteria determine what courses are included or excluded in the new program:

• Any course with a grade of D+, D, D- or F will be automatically excluded.
  
  
• Students have the option to submit the required form for inclusion of any courses excluded as a result of the change of program.
  
  
• A grade of C- or above will automatically remain included in the GPA regardless of whether or not it fulfills a requirement in the new program. A student may, however, submit the required form for the exclusion of C- grades.
  
  
• Excluded courses and grades will remain on the transcript in the semester taken, but will appear with "Exclude GPA data."
  
  
• When a student is returning to a program in which he/she was previously enrolled, all courses (regardless of grades) taken while in the original program will automatically be included. This pertains to changes between the Liberal Arts advisement sequences as well as those between 2+2 programs and their corresponding MCC programs (e.g., LA26 to LA04).
  
  
• A change of program out of Transitional Studies (GS01), Pre-Technology (GS02), English for Speakers of Other Languages (GS03) and Liberal Arts - Undeclared (LA67) into any other program will be considered a change into a new program. There are no program changes allowed into these programs.
  
  
• Students who submit an Intent to Graduate application in their last semester for a program different from their matriculated program will have the same exclusions applied as in any other program change except when D grades are needed to meet graduation requirements.
  
  
• All grades, whether included or excluded in the GPA as a result of these guidelines, can be used in the calculation of Satisfactory Academic Progress for Federal and State Financial Aid purposes at MCC.
  
  
• Upon transfer, some academic programs at competitive Universities/Colleges may re-calculate a student's GPA by including grades previously excluded.

If you have further questions about program change procedures, please contact:

The Counseling and Advising Center
Building 1, Room 231

Office Hours:
Monday-Thursday 8:00 am - 7:00 pm
Friday 8:00 am - 4:45 pm

Telephone: (585) 292-2030
TDD: (585) 424-5128