CATALOG 2007-2008 - Prince George's Community College

Chapter 2—Registering for Courses 17
Registering for Courses
Chapter
2
While students apply for admission only once during
a period of attendance at the college, they must
register for classes every semester they wish to attend.
Registration involves selecting courses each semester that meet the
student’s academic needs and that are offered in a manner consistent
with each student’s time and place requirements.
Course Prerequisites and Placement
Most courses require a student to possess a certain level of prior
knowledge or proficiency in order to be successful in mastering
the subject content of the course. These prescribed levels of prior
knowledge or proficiency are known as course prerequisites.
Most introductory level courses do not require other courses to
precede them but do require certain levels of proficiency in reading,
writing and/or mathematics. Such basic skills prerequisites
are indicated in the course description as “reading proficiency
level,” “writing proficiency level” and/or “mathematics proficiency
level” prerequisites. Other courses may require that certain specific
courses precede them. In such cases, the course description will
contain a reference to one or more prerequisite courses.
Basic skills in all three areas are assessed using placement tests,
which are required of all new college students. Students who do
not achieve satisfactory placement test scores will be required to
complete prescribed developmental courses before enrolling in
credit courses.
Placement test prerequisites for course enrollment are waived
for students who:
• Already hold a college degree (associate’s degree or higher).
• Have sufficiently high SAT or ACT scores.
• Have previously completed college-level courses having substantially
equivalent skills requirements.
• Have background or work experience, which, in the judgment
of the appropriate dean or designee, indicates a reasonable
capability for success in the course(s) in question.
First-time college students are expected to take PAS 101,
Principles and Strategies of Successful Learning (3 credits).
Effective fall 2007 semester, the course is required for students who
must take DVR 006, College Reading and Study Skills. Beginning
fall 2009 semester, PAS 101 will become a college graduation
requirement for all students.
The PAS 101 requirement will be waived for students who:
• Already hold a college degree (associate’s degree or higher).
• Have previously completed a similar course at another U. S.
college or university.
• Will transfer in nine or more academic credits from another
college or university.
• Completed DVR005, Developmental Reading, before the fall
2007 semester.
For more information about PAS 101, see Chapter 6, Course
Descriptions, and Chapter 8, Academic Information.
Registration Steps
Students must register during a designated period for each of three
semesters—fall, spring and summer. However, classes are filled on
a first-come, first-served basis. Students who wait to register until
late in the designated period may be forced to take classes at less
than ideal times or places since first-choice classes may be full or
otherwise unavailable. As a learning-centered institution, the college
is committed to using every available class meeting to further
the learning experience. Students are, therefore, expected to be
registered for classes prior to their start and to be present on the
first meeting day. Students who fail to enroll in this manner will be
assessed a $30 late fee if they elect to register during a period designated
as a “late registration period.” In most instances, students
may not register for any class after it has met for the first time
without special permission from the academic area responsible for
the course.
Consult each semester’s schedule of classes for registration
deadlines, late registration periods and special instructions for
enrollment in classes which begin later in the semester.
Registration involves the following steps:
• Studying a schedule of classes that lists all offerings for a
particular semester.
• Selecting classes consistent with a curriculum, prior coursework
and/or placement test scores.
• Consulting with an academic adviser as needed or required
by the college.
• Completing a registration form and submitting it for processing.
This may be done in person or electronically, as
described in the next section.
• Receiving a tuition bill. Students who register in person will
be given the bill at the time they register. Those who register
by telephone or Internet will have bills mailed to them.
• Paying the tuition bill by the due date given.
Late Registration Policy
Prince George's Community College believes that all students
should be properly enrolled in classes and in attendance from the
first meeting day. It therefore limits the amount of time a student
may have to register for a course section after it has begun. While
the class schedule outlines these registration deadlines and indicates
specific late registration periods for each semester, students
should be aware that, effective with the fall 2008 semester, no
registration will be allowed once a class has begun.
Students who fail to complete the registration process in time
to begin their courses during the first week of the semester may
still enroll in later-starting, accelerated course sections. These
offerings are also listed in the class schedules.