Admissions and Registration

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Meridian Community College is committed to providing excellent post-secondary educational opportunities. MCC does not exclude from participation in, deny the benefits of, or otherwise discriminate against any person in any program or activity of the College on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. This is in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title IX, Education Amendments of 1972 of the Higher Education Act; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).

For information regarding Title IX, Section 504, or the ADA, contact the Dean of Student Affairs.

General Admission Requirements

MCC ascribes to an “open admissions” policy consistent with all appertaining laws. Students seeking admission to MCC must submit the following:

• A completed Application for Admission.
• An official high school transcript from a high school accredited by a state or regional accreditingagency. The high school transcript must show the date of graduation and a high school administrator’s signature. Meridian Community College reserves the right to contact the relevant secondaryinstitution to verify the validity of any transcript that may be in question. A student may present ahigh school equivalency (HSE) transcript from General Educational Development (GED), TestAssessing Secondary Completion (TASC) or High School Equivalency Test (HiSET) in lieu of ahigh school transcript.
• A copy of their scores from a national American College Test (ACT) or the ACCUPLACER test.ACCUPLACER is a computer-based test which is administered in the Holladay Center foreLearning. Although a minimum score is not required for admission to MCC, test scores arerequired as they are used to determine course and/or program placement.

Home-schooled students must present an official transcript with a graduation date and a listing of specific courses completed from a recognized home school agency. If no such document is available, the parent of the home-schooled student may present an official transcript with the date of graduation and with a notarized sworn affidavit stating that the student’s record is accurate and complete.

Any correspondence or online courses used to meet high school graduation requirements must come from an institution accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) or a state or regional accrediting agency.

Students who are 21 years of age or older and who do not have a high school diploma or HSE may enroll in Meridian Community College by completing the application for admission and by making a satisfactory score on an Ability to Benefit test as designated by the U.S. Department of Education.

Admission to the College does not insure admission into a particular program of study. Some of the programs of study are competitive and require additional screening prior to program admission. Academic advisors provide students with admission criteria for each program of study.

The Admissions Office will inform each student in writing of his/her acceptance to MCC.

Mississippi Occupational Diploma

Students who complete high school with a Mississippi Occupational Diploma (MOD) are eligible for admission to Meridian Community College. Students with an MOD should be aware that they are not eligible for Federal Title IV Financial Aid. Students who complete high school with an MOD are encouraged to earn a high school equivalency (HSE) and, therefore, possibly receive federal aid. For more information about obtaining a HSE, contact a staff member at 601-484-8796 at The Ralph E. Young, Jr. Center for Adult Basic Education (directly across the street from MCC Ivy-Scaggs Hall).

Readmission

MCC students who did not attend during the prior semester (not including summer terms) are considered readmission students and must submit a new Application for Admission upon their return to MCC. Students who attended another college since attending MCC must submit an official transcript from that college to the MCC Admissions Office. Academic standing of readmission students will be based upon their academic performance during the last enrollment at MCC and/or another college. Readmission applicants are admitted in “good standing” or on “academic probation.” In order to be admitted in “good standing,” a student must have completed the last semester of enrollment with a 2.0 grade point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale.

Students seeking readmission to a Workforce program after a period of non-continuous enrollment may be required to prove currency and relevancy of knowledge. The “Advanced Standing Examination” will be used to validate program competencies and currency and relevancy of knowledge. When present, program readmission guidelines also apply. Program faculty, in consult with the appropriate dean, will evaluate transcripted credit to determine the need for program competency evaluation.

Declaration of Academic Fresh Start Policy

Some students who have not attended MCC for at least four semesters (not including summer terms) may be faced with a deficit in quality points and a low GPA because of their prior academic record. Sometimes the deficit in earlier grades is such that it prevents these students from graduating. The Declaration of Academic Fresh Start Policy addresses this situation.

Upon written request via the Declaration of Academic Fresh Start form and subsequent approval, a student’s previous grades at MCC may be eliminated from consideration in calculating the local GPA for graduation purposes. The guidelines are:

• Any coursework used to earn a prior degree/certificate cannot be excluded in the Fresh Start process.
• Academic Fresh Start is defined as the elimination from consideration of all instructional (academic/career and technical) work completed at MCC prior to the point of re-enrollment for the purpose of calculating local GPA and assessing graduation status except for designated saved credits up to a maximum of 15 semester hours. Once Academic Fresh Start has been declared, discounted work will not be considered toward calculating local GPA from that date forward except for approved saved credits. No grades will be removed from the student’s academic records.
• A student who is granted Academic Fresh Start will be allowed to save or bring forward a maximum of 15 semester hours to be used toward graduation requirements. The decision as to which classes will be saved and carried forward must be made at the time Academic Fresh Start is declared. Credit will be awarded for the saved courses, and the actual grades earned will be included in GPA calculations.
• A minimum of four semesters (not including summer terms) must have lapsed from the end of the most recent semester of enrollment at MCC prior to the Academic Fresh Start declaration.
• The student must complete a Declaration of Academic Fresh Start form with an advisor, and the advisor will then submit the completed form to the Registrar’s Office.
• Academic Fresh Start can be declared only once at MCC.
• Students will be advised that other colleges/universities to which they may transfer may or may not honor the change in GPA resulting from a Declaration of Academic Fresh Start.
• Students who have had more than one four-semester lapse between periods of enrollment may elect to declare Academic Fresh Start for one or more of those periods, provided that once the Academic Fresh Start is established, it will apply to all enrollments prior to that time.
• Students who are approved for Academic Fresh Start will be eligible for academic honors and membership in Phi Theta Kappa provided their subsequent GPA qualifies them for such honors.

Transfer Admissions

Students transferring to MCC from another college or university will be required to submit the following:

• A completed Application for Admission.
• An official high school transcript from a high school accredited by a state or regional accreditingagency. The high school transcript must show the date of graduation and a high school administrator’s signature. A student may present a high school equivalency (HSE) transcript from GeneralEducational Development (GED), Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) or High SchoolEquivalency Test (HiSET) in lieu of a high school transcript.
• A copy of the student’s scores from a national American College Test (ACT) or the ACCUPLACERtest. ACCUPLACER is a computer-based test which is administered in the Holladay Center foreLearning.
• Official transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended. Having met general admissionrequirements, students who have earned a college degree or who have completed 15 transferrablecredit hours of college coursework are not required to submit a high school or HSE transcript.

Students seeking transfer admission into a Career and Technical program must be in good standing in the program from which they are transferring.

Students who are not eligible for immediate readmission to the school from which they are transferring may appeal for admission to MCC. The appeal should be made in writing to the Dean of Student Affairs.

Transient Students

Transfer students who wish to attend MCC for a single semester and then return to their former institution are classified as transient students. Transient students must submit the following:

• A completed Application for Admission.
• An official high school transcript from a high school accredited by a state or regional accreditingagency. The high school transcript must show the date of graduation and a high school administrator’s signature. A student may present a high school equivalency (HSE) transcript from GeneralEducational Development (GED), Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) or High SchoolEquivalency Test (HiSET) in lieu of a high school transcript.
• Official transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended or a letter of “good standing” fromthe college where currently enrolled. Having met general admission requirements, students whohave earned a college degree or who have completed 15 transferrable credit hours of collegecoursework are not required to submit a high school or HSE transcript.
• A copy of their scores from a national American College Test (ACT) or the ACCUPLACER test.ACCUPLACER is a computer-based test which is administered in the Holladay Center foreLearning. Although a minimum score is not required for admission to MCC, test scores arerequired as they are used to determine course and/or program placement.

Non-degree Admission

A student who takes courses for credit, but who is not currently seeking a degree from MCC, will be classified as a non-degree student. Courses for non-degree students will be transcripted as they are for a degree-seeking student, and regular tuition will be charged.

With non-degree seeking admission, a student is limited to 15 credit hours at MCC. To enroll after 15 credit hours are earned, students must meet all regular admission requirements. Students entering as non-degree seeking are not eligible for Federal Title IV Financial Aid. Students wishing to use veteran’s benefits must contact the MCC Veterans and Military Services Office for any additional requirements.

These students must submit the following admission documents:

• A completed Application for Admission.
• An official transcript from the last college, university, or high school attended, submitted directlyto the Office of Admissions.

Audit Registration

Although MCC admits students with degree or non-degree status, a student may register for a college, credit-bearing course for personal enrichment or enjoyment without earning college credit. In these cases, the student is classified as a credit (CR) to audit (AU) registered student. If a student is only registered for audit coursework and is not concurrently registered for any other college courses for credit, the student need only to submit the following:

• A completed Application for Admission.
• A completed “Credit to Audit Change Form” for each course.

Students should note that financial aid is not available for credit courses taken for audit (AU). For more information on audit coursework, see the audit coursework policy within the academic section of this catalog.

International Student Admission

MCC considers International students for admission as freshmen and transfer students. All International student admission requirements must be completed by the application deadline which falls before the beginning of the semester of interest. These admission requirements include completed forms required by MCC and the Immigration and Naturalization Service of the United States Department of Justice. All forms and correspondence with the College must be submitted in English.

The international student seeking admission to MCC must submit these documents:

• An International Student Application for Admission.
• A copy of the student’s valid passport.
• A certified, translated and official transcript of the secondary scholastic record which includes a graduation or completion date OR transcript equivalent as determined on a case-by-case basis by International Admissions.
• Officially certified, translated, and evaluated college transcripts from all non-U.S. colleges attended, if applicable.
• Official college transcripts from all U.S. colleges attended if the student is transferring from within the United States to MCC
• Evidence of proficiency in the English language. Proficiency may be demonstrated by a minimum score of 61 on the Internet-based TOEFL or a score of 95 or higher on the Duolingo English Test. Official test scores should be sent directly to MCC from the TOEFL testing center or through the Duolingo service.
• A completed Statement of Finances form reflecting evidence of sufficient financial means to cover college and personal expenditures while in attendance. Supporting financial documents such as bank statements must be provided translated in English to evidence pledged financial support.
• A completed Affidavit of Support form. It must be filled out and signed by any parent or sponsor pledging financial support for the student; must bear either a notary signature and seal, or an official stamp/seal from the financial institution of the parent/sponsor on the front of the document.
• Proof of international student health insurance coverage (not travel insurance) for the student’s time at MCC secured after acceptance and provided to MCC International Admissions upon arrival. It is the student’s responsibility to research and select an insurance provider and coverage plan, which must be maintained throughout enrollment at MCC.
• Additional documents may be required depending on students’ circumstances and/or country of origin. International students must submit these documents to the MCC Admissions Office prior to the issuance of an I-20 document. International students are required to enroll in, and maintain enrollment in, a minimum of 15 credit hours during each semester of study. At least 12 of the credit hours must be on-campus (not online only).

MCC provides limited health insurance upon student enrollment.

Dual Credit/Enrollment and Early Enrollment

Students who are currently attending high school may earn dual credit or be dually enrolled in academic courses at MCC provided they have done the following:

• Students must be classified as junior or senior by their high schoool, as documented by an official high school transcript.
• Maintained a 3.00 grade point average (GPA) or better on a 4.00 grading scale on all high school courses as documented by an official high school transcript.
• Received an unconditional written recommendation from their high school principal and/or high school counselor and signed parental consent.
• A copy of their scores from a national American College Test (ACT) or the ACCUPLACER test. ACCUPLACER is a computer-based test whish is administered in theh Holladay Center for eLearning. Although a minimum score is not required for admission to MCC, test scores are required as they are used to determine course and/or program placement.  

Under MCC’s Early Admission program, a student who is classified as a junior or senior by his/her school, as documented by his/her official high school transcript, and has earned an ACT composite of 26, may enroll as a full-time student provided a principal or guidance counselor recommends that it is in the best educational interest of the student and the student provides signed parental consent.

Students who are not classified as a junior or who have not earned fourteen core high school units may enroll at MCC as dual credit or dually-enrolled students if they have a 30 or higher on the ACT, in addition to the 3.0 GPA, the unconditional high school principal and/or counselor recommendation and signed parental consent.

NOTE: Home-schooled students must present an official transcript with a listing of specific courses completed from a recognized home school agency. If no such document is available, the parent of a home-schooled student may present an official transcript with a notarized sworn affidavit stating that the student’s record is accurate in order to meet the requirements stated above.

Students who are currently attending high school may earn dual credit or be dually enrolled in career and technical courses at MCC provided they have

• been classified as a sophomore, junior or senior by their high school, as documented by an official high school transcript,
• received an unconditional written recommendation from their high school principal and/or high school counselor with signed parental consent, and
• been granted acceptance into a CTE course from an MCC CTE instructor based on student interest and instructor recommendation.

All Dual Credit/Enrollment and Early Enrollment students must submit the following:

• A completed MCC Application for Admission.
• A completed Dual Credit/Enrollment/Early Admission Application and Recommendation Form.
• An official high school transcript each academic year of enrollment.
• ACT or Accuplacer scores. Placement scores may be necessary for course or program placement.

All students must meet MCC individual course placement requirements and prerequisites prior to enrollment. To safeguard a student’s eligibility for financial aid post high school graduation, students enrolled in dual credit/enrollment courses must meet the requirements of MCC’s Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. Remedial college coursework is ineligible for dual credit consideration for academic courses at MCC.

To safeguard a student’s financial aid eligibility, it is recommended students maintain a 2.5 GPA during the first two (2) courses and all coursework thereafter. A grade of “C” or higher is required for a course to be counted for post-secondary credit.

Per Mississippi Community College Board (MCCB) requirements, dual credit/enrollment students are eligible for the dual credit/enrollment tuition rate up to 15 credit hours. Once a student exceeds 15 credit hours, regular tuition will be charged.

Special Admissions

MCC enters into contractual agreements for educational services with an agency or organization where special admission may be granted to individuals participating in courses or activities covered by the contractual agreement. The Director of Admissions must approve requests for this type of special admission.

Admission/Placement Testing

Students will be provided the opportunities for learning experiences (e.g., developmental courses, counseling, tutorial assistance, etc.) that will help them to succeed in achieving their educational goals. To best position students to reach their goals, MCC uses relevant diagnostic instruments to determine the strengths and needs of students in order to assist in the selection of the most appropriate program and/or course options.

MCC uses the American College Test (ACT), enhanced version, and the ACCUPLACER assessment for course placement purposes. The enhanced ACT was used beginning in October 1989. ACT scores posted prior to October 1989 may be used, but students are also urged to take the ACCUPLACER on campus for a more current assessment of their skills.

ACCUPLACER is a computer-based assessment given in the Holladay Center for eLearning. Prospective or enrolled students may take the ACCUPLACER multiple times at 90-day intervals.

All students seeking admission to the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) or the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) programs must submit a national ACT score. The ACCUPLACER test score cannot be used as consideration for admission into the ADN or PTA programs.

Residence Status

MCC adheres to the following definitions regarding a prospective student’s residency:

• Residence of a minor student (one less than 21 years of age) will be defined to be that of either parent. If both parents are deceased, the residence will be that of the last surviving parent. If the minor lives with a court-appointed guardian, the residence of the minor will be the same as that of the guardian.
• Residence of an adult 21 years or older will be that place where he/she is actually living with the intention of remaining there indefinitely.
• Residence of a married student will be that of the student’s spouse or may be claimed to be independent of the spouse.

Students must provide at least two documents as proof of legal residency when seeking Mississippi tuition costs. Admissions staff can provide a listing of documents that qualify as acceptable documentation of proof of residency. These residency definitions are consistent with laws enacted by the Legislature of the State of Mississippi.

Residency Status of Military Personnel and Dependents

Members of the United States Armed Forces on extended active duty and stationed within the State of Mississippi and members of the Mississippi National Guard may be classified as residents for the purpose of attendance of state-supported institutions of higher learning and community and/or junior colleges of the State of Mississippi. Resident status of such military personnel who are not legal residents of Mississippi (as defined above) shall terminate upon their reassignment for duty in the continental United States outside the State of Mississippi.

Resident status of a spouse or child of the Armed Forces of the United States on extended active duty shall be that of the military spouse or parent for the purpose of attending state-supported institutions of higher learning and community/junior colleges of the State of Mississippi during the time that the military spouse or parent is stationed within the State of Mississippi and shall be continued through the time that military spouse or parent is stationed in an overseas area with last duty assignment within the State of Mississippi, excepting temporary training assignments en route from Mississippi. Resident status of a minor child terminates upon reassignment under Permanent Change of Station Orders of his/her military parent for duty in the continental United States outside the State of Mississippi, excepting temporary training assignments en route from Mississippi, and except that children of members of the Armed Forces who attain Mississippi residency in accordance with the above provision, who begin and complete their senior year of high school in Mississippi, and who enroll full-time in a Mississippi institution of higher learning or community/junior college to begin studies in the fall after their graduation from high school, maintain their residency status so long as they remain enrolled as a student in good standing at a Mississippi institution of higher learning or community/junior college. Enrollment during summer school is required to maintain such resident status.

Students must provide at least two documents as proof of legal residency when seeking Mississippi tuition costs. Admissions staff can provide a listing of documents that qualify as acceptable documentation of proof of residency.

Admission Appeals

An admission/placement decision by the Director of Admissions may be appealed to the Dean of Student Affairs. An appeal of an Admissions Committee decision regarding placement in a specific education program or a ruling by the Dean of Student Affairs may be appealed to a Faculty Committee approved by the Vice President for Student Engagment. A ruling of the Faculty Committee may be appealed to the President of MCC. The President’s ruling is final.

Transfer Credit

A student may apply 45 transfer credits toward the completion of an MCC Associate degree program provided the credits correspond to those of the MCC curriculum. Once a college transcript is received by the Registrar’s office, the transcript is evaluated, and credits which are officially accepted are posted to the student’s MCC transcript. Questions regarding the transferability of courses should be directed to the Registrar’s office.

To be officially accepted, transfer work must meet the following guidelines:

• Credits must be earned at an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and are subject to review for quality and comparability to coursework at Meridian Community College. Students may be required to submit course descriptions and/or syllabi for evaluation purposes.
• The course must be equivalent to the course offered at MCC as determined by the appropriate division chair or program coordinator.
• A grade of “D” or better must have been earned in the course. When a “D” is used to meet a degree requirement, the student’s degree GPA (calculated on all courses used to earn an MCC degree or certificate) must be 2.00 or higher. Although a course with a grade of “D” may be officially accepted by MCC, a grade of “C” or higher may be required for admission to a particular program.
• Technical courses are accepted if
  • In the judgment of the program faculty, the course content is consistent with the content of the course(s) offered at MCC. A written and skills test may be required to validate transfer course(s) competencies (see “Advanced Standing Examination”).
  • A student has completed the course(s) with a grade of “C” or better at a regionally accredited institution within the past five years.
  • For Dental Hygiene courses, the courses have been completed within the past two years.
  • The credit is not awarded in the final semester of a program.

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)

Meridian Community College welcomes students from a wide variety of backgrounds and learning experiences. Some students come to MCC with a firm grounding in a number of disciplines. MCC recognizes and honors their prior learning by accepting College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests, which measure a student’s mastery of college-level, introductory course content in a wide range of subjects. Students meeting the credit-granting score in any of the tests listed will be granted course credit and a grade of ‘P’ will be entered on their transcript.

Students may earn CLEP credit at MCC only in courses taught at MCC. The maximum number of CLEP credits that may be earned is 45 semester hours per student. To receive CLEP credit through MCC, a student must be enrolled in MCC courses.

Students who transfer to MCC after earning CLEP credit through another institution must supply official copies (scores must come directly from CLEP to MCC to be considered official) of any CLEP scores for which they wish to have credit awarded. The Registrar is responsible for awarding credit for CLEP courses.

Advanced Placement Credit

MCC students may be granted credit for their scores on the Advanced Placement (AP) Examination of the College Entrance Examination Board. A grade of “P” will appear on the transcript for courses in which advanced placement credit is earned. These grades will not affect the MCC grade point average. The program coordinator determines applicability of such credit to a particular program of study.

Students may be granted a maximum of 18 semester hours of AP credit toward an MCC degree or certificate. Only 8 semester hours (2 courses) may be granted in a single subject area. Students planning to transfer to a university should consult that institution’s catalog concerning its policy on the acceptance of AP credit. Students transferring to MCC must supply official copies (scores must come directly from AP to MCC to be considered official) of any AP scores for which they have been awarded credit. The Registrar is responsible for awarding credit for Advanced Placement courses. Credit will be given for both native and transfer students according to the following table:

Advanced Standing Examinations

Advanced Standing (Challenge) Examinations are available for coursework in University Transfer and Career and Technical programs. To earn credit through the “Advanced Standing (Challenge) Examination,” the student must be admitted to MCC in good standing. Complete instructions on how to apply to take one of these exams are located in the offices of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Vice President for Workforce Education. Each “Advanced Standing Examination” costs $75. If a student receives a satisfactory score, generally a grade of “C” or better, college credit is transcripted. A maximum of 25% of a degree program can be earned through Advanced Standing Examinations, course waiver/course substitution, or any other alternative credit method other than traditional seat time.

Students who receive a “W,” or withdrawal grade, in a course are not eligible to apply for “Advanced Standing Examinations” until timeframe restrictions are removed, and permission is granted by the Program Director or faculty member. The Program Director or faculty member involved will determine the schedule for “Advanced Standing Examinations.” “Advanced Standing Examinations” cannot be used to overcome an earlier failure.

Credit for Experiential Learning

Students seeking credit for experiential learning or for a professional certificate may prove mastery of course content by passing an “Advanced Standing Examination.” See the policy on “Advanced Standing Examinations.”

Credit for Military Learning

If a person is attending college after a period of active duty in the armed forces, he/she may be eligible to receive undergraduate college credit according to the following guidelines. Application for the evaluation of these credits can be made through the Registrar’s Office.

• For four months of active duty, students receive two credit hours in physical education.
• For six months of active duty, students receive four credit hours in physical education.
• For a year or longer of active duty, students receive four semester hours of physical education and three semester hours for HPR 1213 - Personal & Community Health  for a maximum of seven semester hours.
• For military service schools, students may earn credit as recommended in the American Council on Education (ACE) Guide. Credit is awarded based on the relevancy of the military training to the degree that is being pursued.

Credit for Foreign Travel

MCC recognizes the value of foreign study and awards college credit for study abroad to students who meet the following conditions. The students must

• Be a high school graduate.
• Obtain prior approval by the Dean of Academic Affairs.
• Complete the study no earlier than the summer preceding the fall term for which they have initially enrolled.
• Receive a grade of A, B, or C on the certificate issued by the sponsoring agency for such study.
• Request in writing to the Registrar that such credit be granted.

MCC awards credit on the basis of one semester hour credit for each week of full-time study/travel, etc. A maximum of six semester credit hours is allowed for overseas study.

Registering for Classes

MCC students schedule their courses with their academic advisors. Academic advisement continues throughout the semester, with the actual registration being done several weeks prior to the start of each term. Returning students can register themselves online through Eaglenet after they confer with their advisors. Notices posted around campus and in the printed schedule of classes give detailed registration times.

A schedule of classes is made available to students each semester on the MCC website. Students are urged to determine the classes they need for their particular program of study and to be prepared to discuss those courses with their advisors. While advisors will assist students in course selection, the ultimate responsibility for a student’s educational program rests with the student.

To be classified as a full-time student, a person must register for at least 15 semester credit hours. To be eligible for institutional scholarships, a student must maintain enrollment in 15 credit hours through the end of the eighth week of the standard semester. Refer to Scholarship Policies in section 6 of this catalog.

Students with fewer than 30 semester hours of earned credit are referred to as “freshmen,” while those with 30 or more semester hours are classified as “sophomores.” The average load for a typical student is 15-17 semester hours. This course load enables the student to complete a two-year educational program in two years.

eLearning

MCC recognizes the needs of students who, because of various time or space barriers, cannot attend courses in the traditional classroom setting. Through the use of the Internet and the College’s learning management system, MCC students have the opportunity to receive classes remotely. MCC provides a growing number of credit and non-credit courses through eLearning deliveries.

The division of eLearning promotes the intellectual and personal growth of all students at Meridian Community College by supporting faculty in their pursuit of teaching excellence. The division facilitates online curriculum, provides training and support for educational technologies, and is committed to responsible technical solutions for emerging needs.

MCC is an active participant in the Mississippi Virtual Community College (MSVCC), an online effort of the public Mississippi community colleges, further increasing the number of Internet-based courses that are available.

Faculty and students participating in eLearning courses interact through phone, email, discussion boards, chat rooms, and synchronous meetings. These courses meet the same educational requirements as the traditional classroom in a more flexible format.

Admission/registration procedures for eLearning courses are the same as outlined for the traditional classes. Cost for eLearning courses is maintained at the same rate as traditional courses with the exception of an online course registration fee. Textbooks for online students are available for MCC-originated courses in the MCC Bookstore located in Ivy-Scaggs Hall. MCC Bookstore staff will assist students in obtaining books for courses originating from other schools.

Students taking an online course are required to take a minimum of one proctored exam per course depending on the credit hour of the course. Students can take proctored exams for no charge at any of the approved testing centers in the state of Mississippi. If a student chooses to use the virtual proctoring partner company or an alternative testing center to take a proctored exam, the alternative testing center may charge a fee for testing. Alternative testing centers must be approved by the office of eLearning prior to testing. The approval request form is available on the eLearning website http://www.meridiancc.edu/elearning. All proctoring fees incurred by using testing centers outside the approved locations list, as well as any fees of the virtual proctoring company are the responsibility of the student.

Prior to registering for an eLearning course, MCC strongly recommends that students visit the eLearning website at http://www.meridiancc.edu/elearning and consult with an advisor to determine if eLearning is a viable option.

Schedule Changes

Prior to the beginning of classes for any semester, students may add or drop classes online through Eaglenet. During the first week of the semester, students may add a class by seeing an advisor. Students are not normally permitted to add a course after the first week of a semester. However, after the first week of classes, students may request to add a class through the instructor. If a student drops a course prior to the start of the class, no record of the course appears on the student’s transcript.

For the full-term semester, any courses dropped after the second week through the fourteenth week of the semester will result in a “W” being recorded on the student’s transcript. No student-initiated schedule changes will be allowed after the fourteenth week of the semester. In rare cases of dropping after the fourteenth week, the student will receive the grade earned in accordance with the grading policy as published in the “First Day Handout” for the course.

Specific dates for dropping and adding courses are listed on the academic calendar.

Withdrawing from MCC

It is the student’s responsibility to officially withdraw from any and all courses. The student should contact the instructor (in person, by phone or via e-mail) to discuss the decision to withdraw. To withdraw from any or all courses (including online courses) at MCC, students should complete the “Request to be Dropped from a Class” process found on Eaglenet. The request must be submitted by the withdrawal deadline. Refer to the Academic Calendar in the online catalog for withdrawal deadlines. The student should review the attendance policy for each course; each class attendance policy still applies.