Course Credit for Unitized Instruction

Students who complete the competencies of a unit of a course may receive credit for the portion(s) successfully completed.  For information about this process contact the student advisor.  Note: Students required to take a three-credit (unit) course may not split units between two or more courses to satisfy one course requirement.

Residence Credit

Students seeking a degree at the college must earn a minimum of 16 semester hours from New Hampshire Community Technical College Laconia .  At least eight semester hours of the courses taken to meet the minimum residency requirements shall be advanced courses in the student’s major field of study or in appropriate advanced courses in related fields.  Advanced courses are associate degree program courses listed in the first and second semesters of the second year, or in the second semester of the first year of one-year programs.  Students seeking a professional certificate must complete a minimum of 9 credits or 25% of the credits, whichever is larger, from NHCTC Laconia.   For a certificate, students must complete at least 6 credits or 25% of the credits, whichever is larger, from NHCTC Laconia.

Directed Study

Under certain circumstances a matriculated student may take a course in a semester when the course is not offered either during the day or through the Division of Community Education.  A Directed Study allows a matriculated student to pursue the published learning objectives/outcomes for a course independently under the guidance of a qualified faculty member.  A matriculated student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 to be eligible for a Directed Study.

The student must demonstrate compelling reasons why the course could not be taken in a subsequent semester or was not taken in the semester when it was originally offered in the curriculum.  Barring exceptional circumstances, a Directed Study will not be granted for a course currently being offered in the day or DCE divisions.

Distance Education

The Community Technical College System has many courses offered through a distance education model, primarily using the Blackboard web-based delivery system.  The distance education model is for independent learners.

Alternative Delivery

Alternative Delivery is anything other than the once or twice a week traditional classroom meeting.  It includes 100% Online Learning or Distance Learning, hybrids, video conference, and other condensed formats.  These methods offer flexibility in scheduling while placing more responsibility for learning on the student.  Online Learning and hybrid courses are taught using the Blackboard web-based delivery system.  Students are recommended to take an online self-assessment and have basic computer skills before registering for a hybrid or Distance Learning course.

Independent Study

Opportunities for credit-bearing independent study are available to matriculated students who wish to explore areas of a discipline not covered in the normal curriculum but related to the student’s program.  Independent study is not available to non-matriculated students.  Matriculated students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 to be eligible for an Independent Study.
The intent of the independent study is to expand a student’s learning experience beyond the normal program curriculum.  Typically undertaken for 1-3 credits, an independent study may not be done in lieu of any course existing in the college catalog.

Graduation Requirements

The college has established minimum competencies that must be attained in each program.  Students will be awarded associate degrees upon completion of academic requirements and demonstration of the required competencies.

To be eligible for graduation, students must:
1.   Satisfactorily complete each requirement in their academic program
2.   Earn a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher
3.   Meet all obligations to the college, including payment of all fees
4.   File an Intent to Graduate form with the registrar no later than November 1st for fall term completion or December 31st for May completion of the academic year in which graduation is anticipated.

The student has the primary responsibility for ensuring that he/she meets degree/ professional certificate/certificate requirements for graduation.  The student should initiate at least one meeting with his/her faculty advisor each semester to insure that all the requirements of the transcript checklist have or will be met by the intended time of graduation.

Transcripts

After the student has met all college obligations, including student loan payments, outstanding tuition, payment of fines, and athletic uniforms and library materials turned in, the student may submit a written request for a transcript (the official record of a student’s academic history).  Transcript Request Forms are available in the registrar office or on the college website.  The transcript is valid only with the college seal and the signature of the registrar.  It is released in accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (the Buckley Amendment) and will not be released to a third party, including parents and spouses, without written permission of the student.  The first two transcripts are free; additional transcripts cost $3 each.  There will be a charge of $5 per copy to FAX copies of transcripts.