- Advanced Placement Program
- Advising (Academic and Career)
- Articulations and Partnerships
- Attendance
- College Level Examination Program
- Credit By Examination
- Credit Hour Value
- Credits Transferred From Another College
- Dean's List and Honor's List
- Degree/Certificate Requirements
- Final Evaluations
- General Education Requirements
- Grade Point Average
- Grade Point Average For Pass-Fail Courses
- Grades
- Graduation Honors
- Graduation Requirements
- Honors Program
- Hours of Instruction and Administration
- Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC)
- Probationary Status
- Registration
- Release of Information Regarding Students
- Repeating Courses
- Suspension for Poor Scholarship
- Withdrawal
The Advanced Placement Program is sponsored nationwide by the College Board. Advanced Placement courses are available to high school students who achieve exceptional classroom grades and have the endorsement of a previous teacher. Students may enroll in these courses to expand their knowledge and experience in various subjects and also to prepare for Advanced Placement exams given nationwide every May. Colleges and Universities that choose to participate in the Advanced Placement Program grant college credit to high school students who score well on the Advanced Placement exams. An examinee may score between 1 and 5 inclusive on an AP examination. Most participating colleges award credit for an AP score of 5, 4, or 3. Allegany County currently offers AP coursework in a variety of subject areas where appropriate scores have been reached.
Allegany College of Maryland is committed to accurately assessing student’s abilities and goals by providing a wide range of academic advising, career planning, educational coaching, and mentoring services. Advising provides a student with a pathway to completion and the appropriate resources to ensure success. A shared role among faculty and staff, academic advisors will review course selection, answer questions regarding course curriculum, and assist students in making academic decisions. Students should plan to meet periodically with their academic advisors throughout the course of each semester. When unsure of their assigned advisor, students should contact the Advising Center or Admissions Office for assistance.
Transfer Advising- Students, who plan to transfer to other institutions, should consult their advisor and Advising Center or Bedford County Campus Student Services personnel during their first semester at Allegany College of Maryland. Information regarding the specific steps involved when transferring to other colleges is available to students interested in transfer.
Once students have chosen prospective colleges, they should visit the Advising Center. An academic program may be developed to ensure credits will transfer and that the courses are appropriate for the transfer institute. Credit transferability to other colleges or universities is determined by consulting the admissions office of that college or existing articulation agreements. Throughout the academic year and during Transfer Days activities, representatives from four-year colleges are available on campus to discuss college transfer.
Career Advising assists students in the process of developing, evaluating, and implementing their career plans. The staff of the Advising Center promotes career development as a lifelong learning process with an emphasis on:
- Self-awareness (assessment of interests, values, personality)
- Major occupational, and career exploration
- Job seeking skills
- Career goal
Students at the Bedford County Campus may contact the staff of the Student Services office for career development exploration and assessment options.
The College is proud of its collaboration with colleges, universities, and high schools which results in articulation agreements and partnerships that create additional opportunities for students. The use of the word "articulation" represents that the College has formalized an agreement with another college, university, or high school supporting the transfer or credit between institutions.
In addition to articulations, the College has established a number of partnerships with colleges, universities, and high schools which represent a spirit of collaboration. Students are encouraged to contact the College regarding transferability of courses.
Please refer to the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) Principles of Student Transfer Information for transfer policies to Maryland public institutions by visiting https://articulation.usmd.edu/. Additionally, by visiting https://www.collegetransfer.net or https://pacollegetransfer.net/ you can find out how ACM courses transfer.
More information on articulations and partnerships can be found by visiting the Allegany College of Maryland website, www.allegany.edu/articulations-partnerships.
When the number of a student’s absences is such that the instructor believes that the student cannot successfully complete the course in the time remaining, the instructor may drop the student from the class roll. If the student is dropped after the tenth week of the course, a grade of “F” will be recorded. If the student has registered in an audit status, a grade of “W” will be recorded. Different drop dates will apply to courses outside of the standard 15 week term.
College credit for learning acquired outside the traditional classroom setting may be obtained by taking the CLEP (College Level Examination Program) exams. Before taking these exams for credit, students planning to transfer to other schools should contact those schools to determine whether or not the exams will provide acceptable credit. For information go online to www.collegeboard.com/clep. In addition to the fees paid to College Board, individuals who are not currently registered as ACM credit students will be assessed a test proctoring fee. The minimum score for tests listed below is 50, unless otherwise noted.
| General Examinations and Subject Tests | ACM Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Composition and Literature | |
| American Literature | English 213 (3 cr.) |
| Analyzing & Interpretation of Literature | English 103 (3 cr.) |
| College Composition | No credit |
| College Composition (includes essay) | English 101 (3 cr.) |
| English Literature | English 223 (3 cr.) |
| Humanities | Un-translated Humanities (6 cr.) |
| Foreign Language | |
| French Language (level I) | Un-translated Human. (6 cr.) |
| *59 or above (level II) | Un-translated Human. (12 cr.) |
| German Language (level I) | Un-translated Human. (6 cr.) |
| *63 or above (level II) | Un-translated Human. (12 cr.) |
| Spanish Language (level I) | Language 103 & 104 (6 cr.) |
| *66 or above (level II) | Language 203 & 204 (12 cr.) |
| History and Social and Behavioral Science | |
| American Government | Political Sci. 101 (3 cr.) |
| Human Growth & Development | Psychology 203 (3 cr.) |
| Introduction to Educational Psychology | Psychology 204 (3 cr.) |
| Introductory Psychology | Psychology 101 (3 cr.) |
| Introductory Sociology | Sociology 101 (3 cr.) |
| Principles of Macroeconomics | Economics 201 (3 cr.) |
| Principles of Microeconomics | Economics 202 (3 cr.) |
| Social Science & History | Un-translated Social Science (6 cr.) |
| U.S. History I: Early Colonization to 1877 | History 103 (3 cr.) |
| U.S. History II: 1855 to Present | History 104 (3 cr.) |
| Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 1648 | History 101 (3 cr.) |
| Western Civilization II: 1648 to present | History 102 (3 cr.) |
| Science and Mathematics | |
| Biology, General | Biological Science 101 & 102 (8 cr.) |
| Calculus with Elem. Functions | Mathematics 201 (4 cr.) |
| Chemistry, General | Chemistry 101 & 102 (8 cr.) |
| College Algebra | Mathematics 102 (3 cr.) |
| College Mathematics | Mathematics 105 (3 cr.) |
| Natural Science | Un-translated Science Elec (8 cr.) |
| Pre-Calculus | Mathematics 119 (4 cr.) |
| Business | |
| Financial Accounting | Business Admin. 215 (3 cr.) |
| Introductory Business Law | Business Admin. 210 (3 cr.) |
| Principles of Management | Business Admin. 213 (3 cr.) |
| Principles of Marketing | Business Admin. 216 (3 cr.) |
SPECIAL NOTE: The list of course equivalences and minimum scores is based on the Allegany College of Maryland catalog. Students may not repeat an examination of the same title within six months of the initial testing date.
Students interested in credit-by-examination should consult their advisor and the Admissions Office. Applications for departmental exams are available in the Admissions Office. Departmental examinations are administered by the department concerned. Credit is awarded after the matriculated student passes the examination. The faculty member who administers the departmental examination is responsible for reporting the results of the exam to the Registration Office. Only credits are awarded and thus there is no effect on grade point average.
An institution shall award one semester hour of credit for:
- A minimum of fifteen (15) hours of instruction of fifty (50) minutes each of actual class time;
- A minimum of thirty (30) hours of fifty (50) minutes each of supervised laboratory or studio time;
- A minimum of forty-five (45) hours of fifty (50) minutes each of instructional situations such as practica, internships, or clinicals.
Allegany College of Maryland students attending another college and wishing to transfer credits to Allegany College of Maryland must receive prior written approval from the Registration Office.
To be eligible for the Dean’s List, a student must have a semester grade point average of 3.80 or higher for course work totaling 5 or more semester hours. The Dean’s List includes both full- time and part-time students.
To be eligible for the Honor's List, a student must have a semester grade point average of 3.30 but less than 3.80 for course work totaling 5 or more semester hours. The Honor's List includes both full-time and part-time students.
Each course of study, or curriculum, leading to the Associate degree shall include not less than 60 or more than 70 hours of academic credit. To qualify as a candidate for the Associate degree, a student must:
- Have earned the total number of credit hours required by the curriculum or program from which the student intends to graduate. A student is responsible for selecting courses required for graduation in consultation with his/her advisor;
- Include all courses required in the curriculum or program or such alternate courses as are either approved by the student’s advisor and Division Chairman or approved by the Academic Standards Committee; and
- Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00 (average grade of “C”) and be in good academic standing.
A student who has transferred to a 4-year college, has completed 60 credit hours of required course work at Allegany College of Maryland, and wants to be admitted to candidacy for the Associate degree from Allegany College of Maryland, can transfer back to Allegany College of Maryland the remaining required coursework. A student should contact the Director of Enrollment and Advising Services to ascertain the transferability of coursework. The Director may specify the particular courses, the college(s) from which the credits will be accepted, and the length of time for completing the work. The Director of Enrollment and Advising Services will consider each request individually.
Students expecting to receive an Associate degree or Certificate must complete an application for graduation. These applications are available during the period shown on the College calendar and accessible at www.allegany.edu, (Students tab under Graduation Information).
Candidates for graduation are encouraged to participate in the commencement ceremony at the end of the Fall/Spring semesters. However, if unable to attend, arrangements can be made through the Office of the Senior Vice President of Instructional and Student Affairs to grant the degree/certificate in absentia.
Students must participate in an end-of-semester final evaluation if it is a requirement of the course.
The Allegany College of Maryland general education program is in compliance with the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) Chapter 13 B, as created, compiled, and published by the Maryland Division of State Documents and as directed by the Maryland Higher Education Commission. This general education program is designed to do the following:
- To introduce undergraduate students to fundamental knowledge, skills, and values that are essential to the study of academic disciplines.
- To encourage the pursuit of life-long learning.
- To foster the development of educated members of the community and the world.
Areas of the General Education Program at ACM are:
- Arts and Humanities includes courses that examine aesthetics and the development of the aesthetic form and explore the relationship between theory and practice and courses that examine the values and cultural heritage that establish the framework for inquiry into the meaning of life.
- Biological and Physical Science includes courses that examine living systems and the physical universe. They introduce students to the variety of methods used to collect, interpret, and apply scientific data, and to an understanding of the relationship between scientific theory and application.
- English Composition includes courses that provide students with communication knowledge and skills appropriate to various writing situations, including intellectual inquiry and academic research.
- Mathematics includes courses that provide students with numerical, analytical, statistical, and problem-solving skills.
- Social and Behavioral Sciences includes courses that examine the psychology of individuals and the ways in which individuals, groups, or segments of society behave, function, and influence one another.
- Interdisciplinary and Emerging Issues may include courses that provide an interdisciplinary examination of issues across Areas 1 through 5, or courses that address other categories of knowledge, skills, and values that lie outside of the five areas. This area is not required.
Quality points can be earned only in courses taken at Allegany College of Maryland. While credits earned at other institutions may be acceptable in transfer, quality points will not transfer. The Allegany College of Maryland grade point average will not be affected by credits transferred.
A grade of “P” awards the student the appropriate number of completed credit hours and cumulative completed credit hours, but does not award quality points. The semester and cumulative grade point average (GPA) is computed on the basis of the grades earned that semester in other credit courses.
A grade of “F” awards the student the appropriate number of attempted credit hours and cumulative attempted credit hours, but does not award quality points. The semester and cumulative grade point average (GPA) is computed on the basis of all grades earned that semester.
Mid-semester and Final grades are available to students online through Self-Service. Grades officially recorded are:
| Grade | Interpretation | Points |
|---|---|---|
| A | Academic achievement of outstanding quality | 4 |
| B | Academic achievement of high quality | 3 |
| C | Academic achievement of average quality | 2 |
| D | Academic achievement below average quality | 1 |
| F | Failure (credit and non-credit courses) | None |
| P | Passed (non-credit courses and designated credit courses only) | None |
| I | Incomplete | None |
| R | Registered to Audit | None |
| W | Withdrawn | None |
| X | Deferred | None |
The minimum cumulative grade point average for graduation is a 2.00.
The “C” grade or better is the minimum acceptable level of achievement for course work within certain specialized programs. Refer to the description of your curriculum information on minimum grade requirements.
The grade of “I” (Incomplete) will only be used as a temporary grade. The decision to use the “I” grade is at the discretion of the instructor, and shall be used in such instances where the student requests and the instructor grants permission to complete required coursework, including the final evaluation after the close of a semester or summer session. The grade “I” will not be awarded as a midterm grade. Said form is available online and through the Registration Office.
The grade of “R” (Registered to Audit) will be recorded if the student so requests (a) at the time of registration; (b) before the end of the 10th week; or, (c) any time prior to the end of the semester if approved by the Academic Standards Committee, providing that the procedures for making an official change in schedule have been fulfilled. To have a grade of “R” recorded, the student is expected to meet the requirements for Audit as outlined by the instructor in the course syllabus.
The grade “X” (Deferred) will be awarded at the instructor’s discretion to those students who, in their opinion have made some progress through reasonably diligent efforts, but have not attained proficiency for a passing grade. Note: The “X” grade is a permanent grade. The grade of “X” will not be awarded at mid-term.
Specialized grading systems are employed in certain curricula, particularly those in the career areas. Please consult the appropriate curriculum director for information on specialized grading systems.
Students receiving an associate degree or a certificate under one of the several certificate programs will be graduated Summa Cum Laude if their cumulative grade point average is at least 3.80. Those whose cumulative grade point average is between 3.51 and 3.79, inclusive, will be graduated Magna Cum Laude. Those students whose cumulative grade point average is between 3.30 and 3.50, inclusive, will be graduated Cum Laude.
An Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree program shall include not less than 20 semester hours of required General Education arts and sciences courses, with at least one three-credit course from each of the following five areas: arts and humanities, English composition, social and behavioral sciences, mathematics, and biological and physical sciences. Students may take courses from a sixth category, Interdisciplinary and Emerging Issues, but this category is not required. The Associate of Arts (AA), Associate of Science (AS), and the Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) degrees require 30 semester hours from the same five categories.
Students are urged to consult with their academic advisor on the selection of electives, which should be carefully chosen in light of the student’s desire to transfer to a four-year college or university or in consideration of his/her career goals. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of and to meet all graduation (or curriculum) requirements.
Academic Development Courses
In keeping with our policy to provide quality educational opportunities, the College requires placement evaluation for degree-seeking students in essential skill areas, including reading, English, and mathematics. For those who need development in these subjects, the College offers courses designed to prepare students to function comfortably at the college level.
Academic Development courses offer special instruction designed to develop skills, that are needed for successful academic achievement. Placement in developmental English, mathematics, and reading courses is based on several factors. These factors may include, but are not limited to, high school GPA, grades in specific high school courses, SAT, ACT, and ACM placement scores. Students who require academic development coursework must speak to an advisor to ensure appropriate course selection. Academic Development courses are offered for a specific number of credit hours (ranging from 1 to 6 credits). However, these credits do not meet graduation requirements, and the grades will not be used in GPA calculations.
Students whose program requires completion of Biological Science 201 or Biological Science 207 have the option to complete the Anatomy and Physiology Placement Assessment.
Arts and Humanities Electives (General Education Courses)
| Subject Code | Course Number | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| (ART) | 101 | Art Appreciation | 3 |
| (ART) | 103 * | Introduction to Art Techniques | 3 |
| (ART) | 110 * | Visual Imagery | 3 |
| (ART) | 111 * | Design I | 3 |
| (ART) | 112 * | Design II (sculpture) | 3 |
| (ART) | 114 * | Printmaking | 3 |
| (ART) | 121 * | Drawing I | 3 |
| (ART) | 221 * | Drawing II | 3 |
| (ART) | 223 * | Painting I | 3 |
| (ART) | 224 * | Painting II | 3 |
| (ART) | 231 * | Ceramics I | 3 |
| (ENG) | 103 | Introduction to Literature | 3 |
| (ENG) | 170 | College Vocabulary Development | 3 |
| (ENG) | 203 | Survey of European and Neo-European Literature | 3 |
| (ENG) | 213 | Survey of American Literature | 3 |
| (ENG) | 223 | Survey of British Literature | 3 |
| (ENG) | 233 | African American Literature | 3 |
| (HUM) | 100 | Mini-Civilizations | 3 |
| (HUM) | 110 | Interdisciplinary Leadership I | 3 |
| (HUM) | 210 | Interdisciplinary Leadership II | 3 |
| (MUS) | 112 | Music Appreciation | 3 |
| (MUS) | 252 * | Music and Creative Interaction for the Elementary Teacher | 3 |
| (PHIL) | 199 | Thanatos - A Humanities Approach to Death and Dying | 3 |
| (PHIL) | 201 | Introduction to Philosophy | 3 |
| (PHIL) | 202 | Ethics | 3 |
| (PHIL) | 204 | Comparative Religions | 3 |
| (SPAN) | 103 | Introductory Spanish I | 3 |
| (SPAN) | 104 | Introductory Spanish II | 3 |
| (SPAN) | 203 | Intermediate Spanish I | 3 |
| (SPAN) | 204 | Intermediate Spanish II | 3 |
| (SPCH) | 101 | Speech Communication | 3 |
Courses marked with an asterisk (*) are studio art courses or skill related music courses. Students who need two or more humanities electives for an associate degree may use only one such course as a humanities elective. The second humanities elective must not be a studio art course or skill related music course.
English Composition Electives (General Education Courses)
| Subject Code | Course Number | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| (ENG) | 101 | English Composition I | 3 |
| (ENG) | 102 | English Composition II | 3 |
| (ENG) | 112 | Business and Technical Communication | 3 |
| (ENG) | 251 | Creative Writing | 3 |
Interdisciplinary and Emerging Issues (General Education Courses)
| Subject Code | Course Number | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| (BIO) | 297 | Field Studies in Biology and Geology | 4 |
| (BUAD) | 108 | Personal Finance | 3 |
| (BUAD) | 110 | Business Professionalism and Ethics | 2 |
| (BUAD) | 206 | Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| (COMP) | 101 | Computer Literacy | 3 |
| (COMP) | 107 | Introduction to Cybersecurity | 3 |
| (COMP) | 109 | Emerging Technologies | 3 |
| (COMP) | 221 | Office Applications I | 3 |
| (HUM) | 101 | Humanities | 1 |
| (HUM) | 110 | Interdisciplinary Leadership I | 3 |
| (HUM) | 210 | Interdisciplinary Leadership II | 3 |
| (IHLT) | 101 | Mind/Body Skills for Health and Healing | 1 |
| (IHLT) | 114 | Integrative Approaches to Health and Healing | 2 |
| (PHED) | 154 | Integrated Health and Physical Education | 3 |
| (PHYS) | 297 | Field Studies in Biology and Geology | 4 |
| (PSYC) | 110 | Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies | 3 |
| (SOC) | 104 | Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Society | 3 |
Mathematics and Biological/Physical Science Electives (General Education Courses)
Mathematics - All courses listed under the heading of Mathematics (MATH) in the course description section of the catalog, except developmental mathematics courses and mathematics 216, are acceptable mathematics electives.
Sciences - All courses listed under the heading of Physics (PHYS), Chemistry (CHEM), and Biological Science (BIO), in the course description section of the catalog, are acceptable science electives. Students whose scores on the placement tests in reading and/or mathematics are below college level must complete all required developmental courses prior to enrolling in physics, chemistry, or biology.
Since not all courses in these departments are transferable to all colleges and universities, students should check with their advisors about the appropriateness of their selections.
Physical Activity Electives| Subject Code | Course Number | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| (PHED) | 104 | Swimming (Beginning and Intermediate) | 1 |
| (PHED) | 109 | Basketball and Volleyball (Co-Ed) | 1 |
| (PHED) | 113 | Beginning Weight Training and Conditioning (Co-Ed) | 1 |
| (PHED) | 122 | Fitness Center | 1 |
| (PHED) | 123 | Individualized Conditioning for Adults | 1 |
| (PHED) | 126 | Yoga for Wellness I | 1 |
| (PHED) | 127 | Yoga for Wellness II | 1 |
| (PHED) | 130 | Intermediate Weight Training (Co-Ed) | 1 |
| (PHED) | 145 | Personal Wellness | 2 |
| (PHED) | 154 | Integrated Health and Physical Education | 3 |
| (PHED) | 155 | Mind-Body Movement Stress Reduction Techniques | 1 |
| (PHED) | 298 | Special Topics in Physical Education | 1 |
Social and Behavioral Science Electives (General Education Courses)
| Subject Code | Course Number | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| (ECON) | 103 | Contemporary Economic Problems | 3 |
| (ECON) | 201 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| (ECON) | 202 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| (GEOG) | 102 | Cultural Geography | 3 |
| (HIST) | 101 | History of Western Civilization I | 3 |
| (HIST) | 102 | History of Western Civilization II | 3 |
| (HIST) | 103 | United States History I | 3 |
| (HIST) | 104 | United States History II | 3 |
| (HIST) | 105 | Contemporary World History | 3 |
| (HIST) | 178 | Local History | 3 |
| (HIST) | 298 | Special Topics in History | 3 |
| (POSC) | 101 | American National Government | 3 |
| (POSC) | 102 | State and Local Governments | 3 |
| (POSC) | 205 | Introduction to American Constitutional Law | 3 |
| (POSC) | 298 | Special Topics in Political Science | 3 |
| (PSYC) | 101 | General Psychology | 3 |
| (PSYC) | 110 | Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies | 3 |
| (PSYC) | 199 | Thanatos - A Humanities Approach to Death and Dying | 3 |
| (PSYC) | 202 | Psychology of Human Adjustment | 3 |
| (PSYC) | 203 | Human Growth and Development | 3 |
| (PSYC) | 204 | Psychology of Learning and Teaching | 3 |
| (PSYC) | 205 | Introduction to Abnormal Psychology | 3 |
| (PSYC) | 207 | Child Psychology | 3 |
| (PSYC) | 208 | Adolescent Psychology | 3 |
| (PSYC) | 230 | Introduction to Health Psychology | 3 |
| (PSYC) | 286 | Drugs and Human Behavior | 3 |
| (PSYC) | 287 | Addictions Treatment Delivery | 3 |
| (PSYC) | 288 | Treatment Issues and Theory in Addictions | 3 |
| (SOC) | 101 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| (SOC) | 102 | Introduction to Anthropology | 3 |
| (SOC) | 104 | Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Society | 3 |
| (SOC) | 203 | Social Problems | 3 |
| (SOC) | 205 | Marriage and the Family | 3 |
| (SOC) | 207 | The Sociology of Gender Roles | 3 |
| (SOC) | 211 | Introduction to Gerontology | 3 |
| (SOC) | 215 | Crime and Delinquency | 3 |
| (SOC) | 250 | Introduction to Social Work | 3 |
| (SOC) | 298 | Special Topics in Sociology | 3 |
Graduates of accredited high schools, current ACM students, and transfer students who have achieved a grade point average of 3.50 or above have an exciting and challenging opportunity available to them at Allegany College of Maryland. The Allegany College of Maryland Honors Program participants complete honors-by-contract courses. Since the Honors Program is not a separate curriculum, the student may major in any Allegany College of Maryland one-year or two-year program and still participate in the Honors Program.
Students who are members of the Honors Program and are enrolled in Honors by-contract course(s) may be eligible for a reimbursement of one-half of the in-county tuition for that course(s) paid by the Allegany College of Maryland Foundation (see Note). Students in the Honors Program are required to complete a minimum of 12 hours of honors courses with a grade of “B” or better, must maintain a 3.5 GPA, and must provide two hours of service to the college or the community per semester.
As a participating member of the National Collegiate Honors Council, the Northeast Collegiate Honors Council, and the Maryland Collegiate Honors Council, we support academic excellence at Allegany College of Maryland.
To apply for the Honors Program we require:
- a 3.50 grade point average (GPA) out of a 4.00 GPA.
- the successful completion of an Honors application and interview with the Honors Director, member(s) of the Honors Committee, or persons designated by the Honors Director.
Please contact Melody Gaschler, Honors Director for additional information and application process.
Note: If total scholarship awards exceed the overall semester cost to attend the college, the Honors Program tuition payment will be reduced and will thus be less than 50% of the in-county semester tuition.
During the academic year, college classes are conducted between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 8:45 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Friday. The College maintains a day and evening schedule of classes and publishes a detailed schedule of classes for the Fall Semester, Spring Semester, and the Summer Session.
The administrative offices are open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday during the regular academic year and from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. during the summer. As needed, evening hours are scheduled.
Principles of Student Transfer
In Maryland, a student may be able to progress from one segment of the public higher education system to another without loss of time or duplication of courses. To help accomplish this, Maryland’s public colleges and universities follow certain statewide policies. Several of the key policies are:
- Maryland community college students who have completed the associate degree or students who have completed 56 semester hours of credit with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher on a scale of 4.0 shall not be denied direct transfer to a Maryland public four-year institution, unless the number of students seeking admission exceeds the number that can be accommodated.
- Courses taken at a Maryland community college as part of a recommended transfer program will ordinarily be applicable to related programs at a Maryland public institution granting the baccalaureate degree.
- The General Education Program a student takes at one public college or university will transfer without further review to another public institution without the need for a course-to-course match. That is, courses that are designated as general education by a sending institution will transfer as general education even if the receiving institution does not offer that specific course or has not designated that course as general education.
- Courses designated as meeting the general education requirements at any Maryland public college shall be applicable to the general education requirements at any other Maryland public college or university.
- Credit earned in or transferred from an associate degree-granting institution shall be limited to approximately one-half the baccalaureate degree program requirement, not to exceed 70 credits, and to the first two years of the undergraduate educational experience.
Steps to a Successful Transfer
- Seek advice on transfer from your academic advisor or campus transfer coordinator during your first semester or as soon as possible after earning 15 credits. (See “What A Transfer Coordinator Can Do For You!”)
- Choose as early as possible the institution to which you wish to transfer and your intended major program.
- Make use of ARTSYS, a computerized method of determining the transferability of your courses to your intended transfer institution. Check out the transferability of your courses before registration, not after. (See “ARTSYS, An Electronic Tool for Transfer Students”)
- Map out your course work in accord with the recommended transfer program you and your advisor find in ARTSYS or in other resources.
- Become familiar with Maryland’s regulations on General Education and Transfer. These are printed in all college catalogs and/or student handbooks.
- Determine transfer application and admissions procedures and deadlines of your intended transfer institution. Each institution sets its own deadlines for application, admissions, housing, financial aid and scholarships. So, the sooner you apply, the greater your options will be.
- Be aware that courses and program requirements may change as colleges attempt to keep their programs current. Therefore, be sure to consult frequently with your advisor and transfer coordinator due to potential changes in courses and program requirements.
Additional information can be found at https://mhec.maryland.gov/preparing/Pages/stuguide.aspx
Any full-time student or part-time student with an accumulated total of 12 or more attempted semester hours must attain a semester quality point average of at least 1.75 or a cumulative quality point average of 2.00 to avoid being placed on academic probation.
A student on academic probation may not enroll for more the 15 semester hours.
All students are expected to register for classes within the registration period listed in the Academic Calendar. Students should work with an advisor during the registration period to plan and select their classes.
Courses added after the registration period require the written permission of the instructor, an advisor, and the approval of the Academic Standards Committee.
The College reserves the right to cancel a course in which there is insufficient enrollment.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Policy
(The following policy is applicable to all Allegany College of Maryland faculty and staff)
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student educational records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds from the U.S. Department of Education.
As implied by the title, FERPA requires schools to protect the privacy and access rights of students regarding their educational records. There are limitations on what information a school may disclose and mandates on when students may inspect, review, and seek to amend their own records.
Since many FERPA terms are broad in nature and can be subject to interpretation, the President’s Staff, with input from faculty and staff, has defined these terms as they will pertain to Allegany College of Maryland, and has identified and addressed how all college faculty and staff should respond in certain situations.
Institutional Definitions
DIRECTORY INFORMATION – Directory information is information that can be disclosed about a student and includes the following: student name, address, field of study, degree/awards, and full-or part-time status. Address will only be disclosed when circumstances warrant it. This policy adds address to “directory information”. (NOTE: The fact that this information can be disclosed does not require the College to do so.)
EDUCATIONAL RECORD – Education records are all records that are directly related to a student and are maintained by an educational agency, an institution, or a party acting for the agency or institution.
EMERGENCY – Emergency is any incident that poses a health risk or threat of imminent danger, physical violence, or intimidation.
ENROLLED STUDENT – A student is considered to be “enrolled” once the student has processed the registration forms and the schedule is either provided to the student or made available to him/her online. While applicant information is not protected by FERPA, the College will not release it without proper authority.
Designated Institutional Contacts
FERPA questions should be directed to the Director of Enrollment and Advising Services. If he/she is unavailable, the Admissions/Registration Office will provide the contact. In Pennsylvania, the Director of the Bedford County Campus and Student Services is the contact. If necessary, the Dean of Student & Legal Affairs may be consulted for responses to legal questions.
The Student Services Appeals Committee will hear student complaints and petitions to amend educational records.
Disclosure of Student Information
Educational records are “owned” by the student when he/she turns 18 or enrolls in college. However, grades may be disclosed to parents of dependent students only after written verification of dependency status has been obtained from the parents; i.e., copy of the 1040 federal tax return or signed release form obtained from the Admissions and Registration Office.
When an inquiry about a student is made by a faculty/staff member, the person who has the information should disclose that information only after assessing the request and determining its legitimacy as a “need to know.” The “holder” of the information will make that determination.
Student information should not be disclosed over the phone to the students’ family members or others, since one cannot be sure with whom he/she is actually speaking.
Maintenance of Student Records
Grades, rosters, and disciplinary records are kept indefinitely. All other centralized institutional records should be kept for five (5) years. Individual departments should establish their own policies for the length of time students records are to be kept.
Alumni
Educational records of alumni are subject to FERPA regulations. Anything that occurs after graduation is considered directory information and, thus, not covered under FERPA.
Emergency Situations and/or Disclosure of Information to Law Enforcement
Information regarding health/safety emergencies may be disclosed without consent, with emergency being defined as stated above.
In the event of an on-campus emergency,* the College may call the emergency contact,
as this information is provided at registration time.
*Or emergency that occurs off-campus during/associated with a college-sponsored activity.
If a crime or threatening situation occurs on campus, (eg., fight or breaking and entering) and a College employee calls the authorities or agrees with a non-employee’s decision to call the authorities, then the College will provide requested information to the police. Requests for information will be honored within 24-hours of the call. If the investigation is on-going, requiring longer than a 24-hour period, then the concern is not as urgent, and the College will not release student information without a properly issued subpoena or court order.
If a law officer comes to the campus to locate a student, the officer must present a subpoena to the Director of Enrollment and Advising Services or designee, if the incident for which he is seeking the student occurred off-campus and/or is not an emergency to us (see emergency definition above).
Approved 3/06
Policy Statement on the Release and Confidentiality of Student Records
Allegany College of Maryland affirms that a student’s official educational records are confidential matters. The College adheres to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act regarding inspection, release or disclosure, and providing an opportunity to correct entries. The College’s Policy is set forth in full in the Academic Information section of the annual catalog, and students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with all aspects of their privacy rights and responsibilities. In brief, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and the College Policy provide students the right to:
- Inspect and obtain copies of information contained in their education records.
- Prevent disclosure of “directory information,” such as name, address, major field of study, etc.
- Have educational records treated as confidential.
- Challenge the contents of educational records.
- File complaints with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures of Allegany College of Maryland to comply with the law.
- Obtain a copy from the Allegany College of Maryland’s Registration Office.
Procedures for Students to Review Their Academic Record
Any student of Allegany College of Maryland who wishes to review their academic record may do so according to the following procedure:
Step 1 - Obtain the “Request to Review Permanent File” available from the Registration Office.
Step 2 - Complete the form indicating the specific materials to be reviewed and return the completed form to the Registration Office.
Step 3 - Once the request is filed, the student will be notified in writing within thirty (30) days of a time and date the file may be reviewed.
Step 4 - The student will review the file with the Director of Enrollment and Advising Services.
It should be noted that students may obtain a student copy of their transcript at any time by filing a request with the Registration Office.
As of January 3, 2012, the U.S. Department of Education’s FERPA regulations expand the circumstances under which your education records and personally identifiable information (PII) contained in such records - including your Social Security Number, grades, or other private information - may be accessed without your consent. First, the U.S. Comptroller General, the U.S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or state and local education authorities (“Federal and State Authorities”) may allow access to your records and PII without your consent to any third party designated by a Federal or State authority to evaluate a federal--or state supported education program. The evaluation may relate to any program that is “principally engaged in the provision of education,” such as early childhood education and job training, as well as any program that is administered by an education agency or institution. Second, Federal and State Authorities may allow access to your education records and PII without your consent to researchers performing certain types of studies, in certain cases even when we object to or do not request such research. Federal and State Authorities must obtain certain use-restriction and data security promises from the entities that they authorize to receive your PII, but the Authorities need not maintain direct control over such entities. In addition, in connection with Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems, State Authorities may collect, compile, permanently retain, and share without your consent PII from your education records, and they may track your participation in education and other programs by linking such PII to other personal information about you that they obtain from other Federal or State data sources, including workforce development, unemployment insurance, child welfare, juvenile justice, military service, and migrant student records systems.
Students may attempt courses up to three times for credit, except in specific courses where the attempt is limited to two (see specific course description). If a student repeats a course, only the later grade shall be applied toward credits earned or in determining grade point averages. However, the earlier grade and record shall remain listed on the student’s permanent transcript and shall be included in all transcripts of credits. “W” and “R” grades will not be used to replace grades of “D”, “F”, or “X” earned in previous attempts.
To receive quality points for any course previously taken at Allegany College of Maryland, that course must be repeated and passed at this institution.
For Student Financial Aid the Department of Education regulations state that federal student aid funds can only be used to pay for one repeat of a previously passed course. Successful completion includes grades of “D” and above. This regulation must be followed even though our academic policy noted above allows some courses to be repeated for credit up to 3 times. Failed classes which are repeated will be paid for indefinitely.
A student who has been placed on academic probation will be academically suspended if the student fails to attain at least a 1.50 semester grade point average.
A student who wishes to drop or audit any course(s) up to the published drop date in the Academic Calendar must complete the appropriate form. This form must be filed in the Registration Office. After the published drop date, a student may petition the Academic Standards Committee.
If a student neglects to follow the official withdrawal procedure and merely ceases to attend classes, a grade of “F” will be recorded at the end of the semester. The official date of withdrawal is the date on which the completed Change of Schedule form is filed with the Registration Office, or the date of the Academic Standards Committee’s action. The student is responsible for all assigned course work up to this date.
Students indebted to the College at the time of withdrawal will be obligated to fulfill the financial obligation. Extenuating circumstances, such as illness, must be documented and will be reviewed individually.
