Academic Catalog - Mt. Sierra College

Mt. Sierra College Academic Policies & Procedures
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Credits and Clock Hours
The following terms refer to classroom contact hours and credit hours.
Quarter 11 weeks
One contact hour One fifty-minute class session
One clock hour One contact hour
One quarter credit hour Eleven hours of lecture or
Twenty-two hours of lab or
Fifty-five hours of externship
Mt. Sierra College uses quarter credit hours as the measurement of all course work. One quarter credit hour is equivalent to
two/thirds semester credit hour.
Student Classification
Students at Mt. Sierra College may be either degree or non-matriculating students. To be a degree student at Mt. Sierra
College means that the student qualifies for admission, has been admitted and is actively working on a degree program. All
degree students must be enrolled in at least one course every quarter or they will be withdrawn from their program. Degree
students who have been withdrawn but wish to return should contact Student Services.
Degree students are classified as full-time or part-time students based upon enrollment. Enrollment status is calculated
quarterly and is based upon the number of credit hours in which a student is enrolled. Enrollment status categories are as
follows:
Full-time 12 or more credit hours
Three-quarter-time 9 to 11 credit hours
Half-time 6 to 8 credit hours
Less than half-time fewer than 6 credit hours
Non-matriculating students have not been admitted to a degree program, and may be taking courses for personal
enrichment or to earn credit until they are eligible for admission to a degree program. Prerequisite requirements
must be met for all courses unless waived by the appropriate department chairperson. Non-matriculating students
must complete a new enrollment agreement for every term attended. Applicable credit hours earned while enrolled
as a non-matriculating student will be included in all program reviews if the student is subsequently admitted
to a degree program.
Schedule of Classes
Degree programs at Mt. Sierra College have a set curriculum, and students complete a specific list of courses to graduate.
Program outlines are included in the chapter “Academic Programs”, showing both the courses required for graduation as well
as the order in which courses should be completed.
Students may earn their degrees in as little as three years by attending year round and completing all required courses as laid
out in the program outlines. Completion times will be longer for those who take fewer classes per term, take a quarter off, or
need to repeat course work.
FlexLearn® and Online Courses
All Mt. Sierra College degrees are offered via the FlexLearn® system – the College’s innovative approach that combines
traditional on campus education with the flexibility of online and hybrid learning. Regardless of modality, learning outcomes
remain the same, insuring that students receive an excellent education.
Mt. Sierra College uses the services of Pearson eCollege to deliver online courses, as well as the online component of
hybrid courses. Technical assistance is available to students twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Prior to their first
online classes, students must successfully complete Online Orientation, a comprehensive online learning tutorial. Orientation
provides students the opportunity to experience an online class, experiment on the various features available, submit actual
assignments and exams, and participate in actual threaded discussions.
Students enrolled in online courses complete their lecture and lab work online, while those enrolled in hybrid courses enjoy the
convenience of online lectures combined with a weekly labs on campus face-to-face with the instructor. Online courses are
structured to be completed in eleven modules that correspond to the eleven-week quarter in session. Each week, students
submit required assignments, projects, and/or exams. These student submission will be evaluated and returned by their
instructors within 48 hours after the close of the week. While students are not required to log in at a set time each week,
students will have specific deadlines that must be met each week of the quarter.
Mt. Sierra College Academic Policies & Procedures
43