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Dual Enrollment Handbook

Overview

Dual Enrollment (DE) is a partnership between Passaic County Community College (PCCC) and local high schools where by qualified high school juniors and seniors enroll in a credit bearing college course as part of their high school day.
DE is designed to meet the educational, economic, and social demands of the 21st Century as identified by high school faculty, students and parents including: (1) addressing frustration felt among capable senior high school students who have completed most of their graduation requirements by the end of their junior year; (2) offering creative and alternative means of financing four years of higher education; and (3) fostering partnerships between secondary and postsecondary institutions of higher education that promote improved educational services.

 
Benefits

DE offers numerous advantages for students, faculty, and parents.  Some of them include the following:

  • Enhances student success
  • Enriches and expands current courses offered to high school students
  • Fosters a seamless transition between high school and postsecondary education
  • Provides students the opportunity to earn college credits towards a college degree while in high school
  • Establishes a bridge between the high school and the community college allowing high school students a variety of educational opportunities
  • Increases student motivation toward postsecondary education
  • Allows for exploration of college curricula

DE Course Offerings

PCCC offers introductory college level courses that typically satisfy general electives in a broad range of majors and that have an excellent record of transferability.  The courses offered will be agreed upon by PCCC and the high school and will fulfill General Education or Liberal Arts requirements needed in the future for college.

Once registered, students will begin a college transcript at PCCC.  Upon completion of the course, students may request from the PCCC registrar to have an official transcript sent to the college or university of their choice for evaluation of transfer credit.  Course credits can be applied toward an undergraduate degree at most colleges and universities.

All PCCC students are responsible for adhering to the rules and regulations of Passaic County Community College.  Students and parents must understand that enrollment in courses will generate a permanent PCCC transcript  and course content is geared to a college-age audience.


Principles and Practices

A PCCC course is a PCCC course no matter where it is offered. College course outlines and College-selected textbooks must be used regardless of the venue. All DE courses are the same as those regularly offered at Passaic County Community College.

Either full-time faculty, adjuncts or high school faculty serving as College adjuncts teach DE courses. The College is responsible for the selection of the instructor. PCCC faculty and administration carefully monitor the course to ensure that curriculum and grading standards in DE courses are identical to those sections taught at the College.


Student Eligibility

Please click here to see current eligibility requirements


Cost of Program

Through the special partnership between PCCC and the high school, a course taught by a high school instructor possessing a master’s degree in the subject area is $180* per three (3) credit course per student.  If the course is taught by a PCCC instructor at the high school, the cost is $390* per three (3) credit course per student.  If the course is taught at PCCC by a PCCC instructor,  the fee is the current per credit tuition per student.

*Fees shown are from the 2019-2020 Academic Year and are subject to change. Please contact DE Coordinator for current charges.

High school students are not eligible to receive financial aid from PCCC.


Cost to Students

Students will pay the applicable tuition, but will not be required to pay other College fees.

 
Cost to the College

The College will pay the cost of adjunct instruction for classes of 13 or more students. The College may consider pro-rating the cost for smaller classes. Principals may opt to allow qualified faculty to teach a course or courses as a part of his or her workload, in which case tuition for students will be modified and the faculty member will be given a zero dollar contract.

 
Faculty Selection

The teaching credential requirement is the same for all the PCCC instructors regardless of the venue. High school faculty selected to teach DE courses must be recommended by the principal and meet the minimum academic requirements for PCCC adjunct faculty, namely a master’s degree in the subject area. The Vice President of Academic Affairs, with input from Department Chairpersons, will have the responsibility for selection and approval of adjunct faculty. Upon being selected, the adjunct will be contacted by the Department Chairpersons, Level Leader or DE Representative to discuss the course syllabi, books, requirements for successful completion, and evaluation criteria for determining final grades.  Some PCCC Departments administer their own midterms and finals, such as the Mathematics Department, for all course sections.  For those aforementioned departments, the midterms and finals will be forwarded to all DE instructors in advance. 

Each college credit of class time meets for 750 minutes for the semester. Therefore, a three (3) credit class meets for 2250 minutes (37.5 hours), and a four (4) credit class meets for 3000 minutes (50 hours).  Every DE instructor is required to submit class schedules, including the days and times that DE courses meet during the semester. All DE instructors are to submit final grades at the end of the semester via Web Grading.  Guidelines to PCCC Web Grading will be provided to instructors, and training will be provided upon request.

 
Registration

The PCCC Coordinator of Off-Campus Programs will visit each high school to assist with the registration process.  The high school coordinator’s signature is required on each student application to verify the student’s eligibility.  Course registrations must be completed and all materials returned to PCCC by mutually agreed upon deadlines for each semester.

 
Transfer of Credits

PCCC course credits have been accepted by colleges and universities throughout the United States. Since credit recognition remains the exclusive prerogative of the institution granting it and such recognition on the part of an institution in the past is no guarantee of future acceptance, students are strongly encouraged to review the content of courses with transfer counselors at the college of their choice. Many factors affect the decision to accept transfer credit, including the grade the student has earned in the course. Generally colleges accept courses in which the student has received a C grade or above and the description matches one of their own courses. Courses that differ from those PCCC offers may also be transferred, but often as elective credit. Of course, students who continue their studies at PCCC after high school automatically have the credits and grades they have earned in the DE program on their record as a continuing PCCC student.

 
Transcript

Initially, the students can obtain forms to request a transcript from the PCCC Coordinator of Off-Campus Programs.  Thereafter, students would have to contact PCCC directly to request an official transcript to be sent.  Students may complete the request:

  • In person – Forms are available at the Registrar’s Office.
  • By mail or fax – include your full name, date of birth, signature and the exact address of where you want it sent.  Fax number is 973-279-5337. 

 
Withdrawal and Refund Policy*

If a student chooses to withdraw from a DE course, he/she must speak to his/her teacher and guidance counselor.  If a student does so before PCCC’s drop/add deadline, then he/she will not receive a grade.  However, if a student does so after PCCC’s drop/add deadline, a grade of “W” (withdrawal) is recorded on the student’s transcript.
A refund of tuition and fees is granted according to the schedule listed below only for students who have withdrawn officially. The date on which the PCCC Registrar receives written request for withdrawal will determine the amount refunded.
*PCCC’s refund policy is subject to change based on federal and state regulations.
Fall and Spring Semesters (15-week terms)

  • Up to the 10th weekday after the first day of class ………………… 100%
  • From the 11th to the 20th weekday after the first day of class …..  50%
  • After the 20th  weekday after the first day of class …………………..  0%

Please note that if a student has received a “W” or “F” on his or her transcript, it will impact the student’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and might hinder receipt of financial aid for college.

 
Required Administrative Requirements

  1. To receive PCCC credits, DE students must register for the specific course with the College at the beginning of each semester. The College provides all registration, application, and DE materials at the high school sites.
  2. Transcripts of student course enrollment and grades are maintained by PCCC.
  3. End-of-semester grades are processed by PCCC. Grades for courses offered through the DE program will conform to the grading criteria established by the College. PCCC policies and procedures regarding course withdrawals, refunds, attendance, academic integrity, and student conduct (details listed below) apply to the DE courses and students. It is expected that the High School Principal will address any high school conduct violations.
  4. The high school must host orientation meetings for parents and students.
  5. An Advisory Committee comprised of administrators and faculty from both PCCC and the high school district will be established and will meet at least once a semester to identify and resolve any issues that may arise. The Committee also develops guidelines for the evaluation of the DE program and conducts evaluations each semester.
  6. Passaic County Community College reserves the right to determine and revise periodically the conditions under which its courses may be offered for college credit and to assume the responsibility for supervision of its courses.

 
Attendance

Students are expected to attend all classes. Only illness or serious personal matters may be considered adequate reasons for absences. It is the prerogative of the instructor to excuse absences for valid reasons provided the students are able to fulfill all course requirements.

 
Academic Integrity Policy

All members of the academic community at Passaic County Community College must maintain a constant commitment to academic integrity. Academic integrity is central to the pursuit of education. For students at PCCC, this means maintaining the highest ethical standards in completing their academic work. By completing their academic goals with integrity and honesty, students can reflect on their efforts with pride in their accomplishments.

Violations of the principle of academic integrity include (but are not limited to):

 
Cheating

  1. Obtaining unauthorized assistance in any academic work.
    Copying from another student’s exam or work.
    Using notes, books, or aids of any kind during an exam when prohibited.
    The acquisition, without permission, of tests or other academic material belonging to a member of the College faculty and staff.
  2. Fraudulent assistance to another student.
    Completing an academic activity or taking an exam for someone else.
    Giving answers to or sharing answers with another student during an exam.
    Sharing knowledge of test questions with other students without permission.
  3. Inappropriately, or unethically, using technological means to gain an academic advantage.
    Inappropriate or unethical acquisition of material via the Internet.
    Using hidden devices for communication during an exam. Each instructor is authorized to establish specific guidelines consistent with this policy.

 
Plagiarism

  1. Knowingly representing the work of others as his/her own.
    Submitting a paper or other academic work for credit, which includes words, ideas, data, or creative work of others without acknowledging the source, whether intended or not.
    Using another’s words without enclosing them in quotation marks, without paraphrasing, or citing the source appropriately.
    Presenting another individual’s work as one’s own.
  2. Submitting the same paper or academic assignment to another class without the permission of the instructor.
  3. Fabricating data in support of an academic assignment. Falsifying bibliographic entries.
    Submitting any academic assignment containing falsified or fabricated data results.
  4. Internet Plagiarism
    Submitting downloaded term papers or parts of term papers.
    Paraphrasing or copying information from the Internet without citing the source.
    “Copying and pasting” from various sources without proper attribution.

 
Sanctions for Academic Integrity Violations

The faculty member shall review with the student the facts and circumstances of the suspected violation whenever possible. Sanctions for violations of the Academic Integrity Policy may be an academic sanction (reduced grade, a grade of “F” for the assignment, a grade of “F” for the course), or referral to the Student Affairs Office for a recommended disciplinary sanction (e.g., probation, suspension, or expulsion), or both. A student is not allowed to withdraw from class to avoid sanctions.

In cases where the instructor seeks an academic sanction only, and the student does not contest either his/her guilt or the particular sanction, no further action will be taken.

In cases where the instructor seeks an academic sanction only, and the student denies guilt or disputes the reduced grade, the matter will be handled through the Academic Appeals Committee’s process. At this time the student will have an opportunity to present and/or refute evidence.

In cases where disciplinary sanction is sought, the faculty member will submit a written report to the office of student affairs, which will then forward the matter to the Judicial Affairs Committee for adjudication.

 
Overall Timeline

1. For new high schools starting the DE program, ideally six months to one year prior  to implementing DE program

  • PCCC will meet with district superintendent and/or designee to discuss Dual Enrollment Program and to determine payment plan intended for DE program.
  • The high school should submit necessary documentation to their Board of Education for approval.
  • Upon approval, PCCC will meet with principal and guidance counselors to outline
  • The high school will identify potential faculty with proper credentials to teach Dual Enrollment courses.  PCCC will review selected candidates.
  • After successful verification of credentials, PCCC will host a meeting with the principal, guidance counselors, and respective high school teachers to discuss and confirm details of schedule, time, and location.
  • PCCC will supply the syllabus to high school teachers for DE courses.  In some instances, high school teacher(s) will submit course curriculum pertaining to DE course/s for approval by PCCC Department Chairpersons and confirmation of textbook(s) of respective course (allow one month for review). 
  • High school teachers will receive training from the College and essential information from the PCCC Level Leader.

2. Ideally during semester prior to DE course  and/or first-second week of high school

  • PCCC DE Team will have an information session for students to introduce DE Program to juniors and seniors.
  • Interested students will meet with high school guidance counselor or appropriate designee to discuss academic criteria for enrollment.
  • PCCC DE Team and high school coordinator will meet  with parents of interested students.
  • DE Representative will register students at high school.
  • Payment of DE course/s due before end of second week of course.

3. Mid-semester

  • High school teacher completes and gives mid-semester evaluation to students who are having academic difficulty in DE course. It must also be submitted to the guidance counselor and the PCCC DE Team.

4. After last week of DE course

High school teachers will submit final grades to PCCC.  Mathematics high school instructors must submit all of students’ final exams and grade sheets at the end of the semester to the PCCC Mathematics Department. Composition I and II high school instructors must submit all of the students’ final exams at the end of the semester to the PCCC English Department.

5. End of academic year

  • PCCC DE team will meet with the principal and guidance counselors  to evaluate, discuss, and critique the DE program of the current academic year. In addition, the plan for the subsequent academic year of the DE program will be presented.

 
The purpose of meeting with the district superintendent, principal, guidance counselors, and high school instructors of the DE courses is to discuss the DE Program and expectations of PCCC and the high school personnel.  The partnership is necessary to ensure success of the program and to maximize the benefit for the participating students.

For further information, please contact the PCCC Dual Enrollment Team:

  • Tanya Da Silva, Director of Early College and Dual Enrollment
    973.684.6606; [email protected] Office: ES 104
  • Ms. Sandra Sroka; Dual Enrollment Administrator;
    973-684-7047; [email protected]
  • Dr. Jacqueline Kineavy; Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs;
    973-684-6503; [email protected]