Academic Policies
Academic Standing
For students who are taking, or have taken, a total of six credits or more, the following Academic Standards apply:
- Good Standing: A student is in good standing when the cumulative grade point average (GPA) is 2.0 or higher.
- Academic Warning: A student will be placed on Academic Warning when the cumulative GPA falls below 2.0. A student will be continued on Academic Warning if the current semester's GPA is 2.0 or above, but the cumulative GPA remains below 2.0.
- Academic Probation: A student will be placed on Academic Probation when both the cumulative GPA and the semester GPA are below 2.0 for two consecutive semesters.
- Academic Suspension: A student will be suspended from college when the Academic Probation semester GPA remains below 2.0. (A return to a cumulative 2.0 returns the student to good academic standing.)
If a student is placed on Academic Suspension, the vice president of college services will review the file.
Based on that review, the vice president may pursue one of the following courses of action:
- Allow the student to register for one more semester with an academic standing of probation.
- Allow the student to submit a petition presenting evidence to the vice president of circumstances beyond the student's control which adversely affected the student's performance during the preceding semester(s). If the petition presents convincing evidence of such extenuating circumstances, the student will be allowed to enroll for one more semester.
- Deny enrollment for one year, following which a petition for readmission may be presented to the vice president of college services. Readmission, however, is not guaranteed.
Students having difficulty maintaining good academic standing are
encouraged to seek early assistance from their course instructor(s),
the retention specialist for their program, and/or staff in the Student
Development Office, University Transfer Center, Room 211.
Advanced Standing with Credit
Advanced standing with credit may be granted when it is determined that an individual's expertise is equivalent to the competencies in one or more course requirements for a diploma or degree program. Recognition of advanced standing is an effort to minimize duplication of competencies attained from previous education, life, or work experience.
To be eligible for advanced standing, a student must first be officially accepted into a diploma or degree program at Nicolet. The student should then contact his/her academic advisor in the Academic Advising/Registration/Records Office for directions and assistance with the request for advanced standing procedures.
Credits earned through this process do not take the place of the minimum number of credits students must earn at Nicolet.
With the exception
of high school articulations and registered apprenticeships,
a fee of 25% of course tuition and fees is assessed for all credits
earned through advanced standing. If a student is already enrolled
in
a class, the advanced standing evaluation must be completed during
the first 14 calendar days of the semester, the first 7 calendar
days during
the summer session, or the first 15% of the class hours for non-semester
length courses. If credit is granted, the class is dropped and the
student
receives a refund of 75% of the tuition/fees paid for the class.
Students on financial aid programs should consult with financial aid
personnel
before beginning the advanced standing procedure.
Options available for Advanced Standing with Credit are as follows:
High School Coursework
Credit will be granted for high school coursework that the student successfully completed if this coursework meets one of the following criteria: (a) It is covered by an articulation agreement with the high school, (b) It is part of a recognized Youth Apprenticeship program; or (c) It is otherwise comparable in scope and content to a specific course or courses (not covered by an articulation agreement), as deemed by program faculty.
To be eligible for articulated high school credit, the student must be enrolled at Nicolet within 27 months of high school graduation.
Written/Performance Examinations
A student may elect to prove his/her knowledge of course competencies
if the student believes he/she has already acquired the knowledge
from coursework or prior life experiences. The criteria for the examination
are determined by the course instructor(s) and approved by the dean
of teaching and learning. The examination for a specific course can
be taken only once. Credits are recorded on the transcript; however,
they are not calculated into the cumulative GPA.
National Examinations
Credit may be granted for a specific course or courses with a minimally acceptable score on an examination with nationally recognized standards. National exams include, but are not limited to, the College Board Advanced Placement (AP) exams, the International Baccalaureate exams, CLEP, DANTES, and nationally recognized exams in specific occupational areas.
College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) Credit will be granted for the
applicable diploma or degree course for CLEP general or subject
examination scores of 50 or above. Nicolet's Internship/Placement
Office administers CLEP examinations.
College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations Credit will be
granted for the applicable diploma or degree course for AP scores of 3
or above.
Official national examination scores will be evaluated by the director of academic advising/registration/records.
Work Experience
Credit may be granted for work experience deemed comparable to program
coursework by program faculty. A list of comparable competencies signed
by the employer is required.
Registered Apprenticeships
A student who possesses a Wisconsin Journey-level Certificate from a program that included a minimum of 400 hours of related instruction will be awarded 32 credits in occupational specific courses under the following conditions:
The student enrolls in a Technical Studies
Journey-Level Worker program or the student presents appropriate
documentation.
A student may be awarded a maximum of eight additional credits toward
the associate degree or technical diploma for Registered Apprenticeship
related instruction beyond the 400-hour minimum at the rate of one
credit per 36 hours of instruction.
Experiential Learning
A student may be awarded credit for previous life experiences and/or appropriate non-collegiate coursework. The student's portfolio will assist appropriate college personnel in determining credits to be granted. Coursework from business and industry training, government agencies, and/or other sources will be granted in conformity with the American Council on Education National Guide to Credit Recommendations for Non-Collegiate Courses.
Attendance
Students are expected to attend all sessions of each class in which they are enrolled. The instructor will give students the written attendance policy for each course at the first course
meeting. Failure to conform to the attendance policy may result in the student's grade being lowered, up to and including a failing grade for the course.
Absences
Absences due to illness or other unavoidable circumstances may be excused if the instructor of the course is completely satisfied as to the cause. Absences resulting from a student's participation in approved activities arranged by the college will be excused if such activities have been scheduled by the instructor in cooperation with other involved instructors. An excused absence does not relieve the student of responsibility for completing all course requirements to the satisfaction of the instructor.
Auditing a Course
Auditing students have the privilege of attending classes, but they are not required to take examinations and do not receive credit for the course. A course that has been audited will appear on the student's transcript, but it does not count toward a degree or diploma.
Students pay full tuition and fees for courses they audit, unless they are senior citizens (60 or older). Senior citizens, by state law, may audit courses if they meet the prerequisites and if space is available without payment of tuition; however, they must pay any applicable material fees.
The decision to audit a course should be made at the time of registration. However, a student may change his/her registration status from credit to audit under the following conditions. The change in registration status is made using standard procedures for schedule changes.
During the first eight weeks of the semester (or first half of the course for shorter-than-16-week courses), a student may change from credit to audit with the consent of the instructor.
After eight weeks (or after the halfway point for shorter-than-16-week courses), a student may change from credit to audit with the consent of the instructor if he/she is passing the course at the time of the change.
An auditing student must adhere to all rules and regulations regarding attendance. A grade of "F" may be issued if course requirements are not met.
A student who has elected to change to audit may not, at a later date, change back to credit status. A student who initially elect to audit may change to credit if his/her instructor validates that all course requirements have been completed satisfactorily at the time the student makes the request. Approval for this registration change must be signed by both student and instructor and sent to the Academic Advising, Registration, and Records Office.
Class Prerequisites
Prerequisites: Some courses that you need to enroll in may have prerequisite classes that you have taken somewhere else. If you cannot enroll in a class because of a prereq error message, please call the advising office or contact your academic advisor by phone or email to have them check the issue and simply register you for the course.
Class Waitlists
Waitlists for courses: When you register for any course, you will have the option of marking a checkbox which will automatically put you on a waitlist for that class if it is full at the time of your registration. If you do not check the box, you will not be waitlisted. When you submit your course enrollments, the system will automatically show you which classes you have successfully registered for and which ones you are waitlisted for.
Course Substitution
When courses are no longer offered due to a curriculum change, alternative course requirements will be identified and approved by the lead program instructor and the vice president of instruction for substitution so that the student will have the total credits required for graduation. Approval must be documented and maintained in the student's academic file by the academic advisor.
Under extenuating circumstances, a student may be allowed to replace a
course required for graduation from a program. The replacement course
must be at the same aid code level or higher and in the same curriculum
category, (i.e. occupation specific, support, or general education). A
student should request a course substitution through his/her academic
advisor. The academic advisor, in conjunction with the appropriate
program faculty, must approve the substitution. Approval must be
documented and maintained in the student's academic file. The vice
president of instruction must approve any exception.
Credits
Students may earn credit only for courses in which they are officially registered for credit. The maximum number of credits for each course is shown following the course description. Courses may be offered for fewer credits as indicated in the semester course schedule.
Credit for Prior Learning / Transfer
of Credit
Students transferring from other nationally or regionally accredited institutions of higher education who want to apply their credits to a diploma or degree program at Nicolet must have a credit evaluation completed. Students must request that official transcripts be sent directly from the granting institution to the Admissions Office at Nicolet. Nicolet will grant transfer credit only for courses that apply to the student's diploma or degree program at Nicolet. Transfer credits are not used in determining grade point average.
Nicolet will accept transfer credit grades of "C-" or above except in specific classes that the program designates require a "C" (2.0) or better for students to progress.
Credits are accepted for transfer courses when course content is confirmed to be comparable. Occupational specific courses taken more than five years prior to the request for transfer are subject to review.
For a student transferring from one WTCS institution to another, credit
awarded for courses designated as fulfilling a general education requirement
at one WTCS institution shall be honored as fulfilling the same general
education requirement at the receiving institution.
For a student who has an earned degree (AA/AS/AAS, BA/BS, MA/MS, Ph.D.
or other graduate or professional degree) from a nationally or regionally
accredited institution of higher education, a minimum of 15 credits
will be awarded toward completion of the technical college general education
core in an associate degree program regardless of the student's prior
course of study, time since the awarding of the degree, or technical
college program in which the student is enrolled.
Military education credits will be accepted for transfer in conformity with the American Council on Education Office of Educational Credits as outlined in A Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experience in the Services. Students are expected to present an official military transcript for evaluation.
If a transfer course is evaluated as comparable and acceptable, the credit value assigned by the granting institution will be applied towards an appropriate Nicolet diploma or degree.
The Registrar, in conjunction
with the appropriate academic advisor and program faculty, will conduct
the evaluation.
Credit Limits
Students may enroll
in up to 18 credits during the fall or spring semester (nine credits
for summer session). Enrollment in more than the maximum number of
credits requires approval from the vice president of instruction.
Credit restrictions will be imposed on students who are admitted on a
conditional basis.
Anyone enrolled for 12 or more semester credit hours is considered a full-time student. Anyone enrolled for fewer than 12 credit hours during a semester is considered a part-time student. However, most career programs are structured with 16-18 credits per semester to complete the degree in the one- or two-year time frame.
Dean's List
The Dean of Instruction publishes two Dean's Lists each fall and spring semester. The first list includes the names of all program students who have completed the previous semester as full-time students (12 or more university transfer or technical credits) with grade point averages of 3.5 or above. The second list includes the names of all students who have completed the previous semester as part-time students (6-11 university transfer or technical credits) with grade point averages of 3.5 or above. "I" and "W" grades are not considered in the computation.
Examinations
Students are required to take their examinations as scheduled. Permission from the course's instructor is required in order to take an examination at a time other than the scheduled time or to have a special examination.
Failing Grade Notification
To help students make sound decisions regarding dropping classes, the
following procedure must be followed by all instructors:
In week twelve of the Fall and Spring semester and in week 6 of the Summer session, faculty will send written notices to their failing students alerting them to their grade status.The Failing Notification Letter can be handed to the student by the instructor or mailed.
A copy of the letter will be sent to the Retention Specialist.
Incomplete
Under extenuating circumstances, students may request an incomplete grade. To receive an Incomplete, students must have completed 50% of the coursework. It is up to the instructor to decide if the request is feasible based on the reason for the request, the type of class, and whether or not it is possible for the student to complete the course work in an acceptable method and time frame. The deadline for a student to request an Incomplete is seven calendar days prior to the end of the semester. An Incomplete grade can be carried for only one semester (summer session does not count as a semester). If a grade is not issued by the completion of the following semester, a grade of "F" will automatically be recorded by the Records Office. Once given, the Incomplete grade cannot be changed to a Withdrawal grade.
Phi Theta Kappa
Phi Theta Kappa is an international honor society for two-year colleges. Nicolet's Chapter, Alpha Nu Iota, focuses its efforts on service and scholarship. Members are asked to join by the president of the college after being nominated by an instructor. The nominee must be a full-time student with at least 12 credit hours of course work completed and must have a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher. Initiates are responsible for the $43 membership fee and are entitled to a membership certificate, transcript stamp, a Phi Theta Kappa pin, placement on national transfer and employment databases, and a two-year subscription to all Phi Theta Kappa publications. Members must maintain a GPA of 3.50 or higher while they are members.
Repeating a Course
Students may repeat courses unless specific program policy prohibits it. However, course credits will apply only once toward meeting program degree requirements. Only the highest grade will be used for GPA calculations. Students on financial aid programs must consult with Financial Aid personnel before repeating a course.
Transcripts
Students who would like copies of their official transcript to be sent to another institution must fill out a transcript request form. Forms are available at the Academic Advising/ Registration/Records Office, University Transfer Center, Room 212. A student who wishes official copies of transcripts or test scores which have been sent to Nicolet from other institutions must request this information from those other institution. Only unofficial copies of records from other institutions can be obtained at Nicolet's Academic Advising/ Registration/Records Office. Phone 365-4422 for further information on transcripts and transcript fees.
UW/Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) Uniform Policy Statement on Credit Transfer
Students enrolled in the WTCS System who wish to continue their education in the UW System any be eligible to transfer credits toward their bachelor's degree in the following ways:
Students enrolled in the university transfer programs at Madison Area Technical College, Milwaukee Area Technical College, or Nicolet Area Technical College may transfer up to 72 credits toward their baccalaureate degree. Students enrolled in a career associate degree program in the WTCS are eligible to transfer up to 15 credits of general education coursework. Where articulation agreements are in place, and when there is a direct relationship between their program and a program offered at a UW System institution, students may also be eligible to transfer certain technical support and/or occupational credits.
Students transferring from the WTCS System may earn credit by earning appropriate scores on national standardized examinations (e.g. College Level Examination program) or examinations developed by the UW System transfer institution. For more information about these transfer opportunities, students should consult with the Academic Advising/Registration/Records Office (365-4493) or the Admissions Office at a UW System institution.