REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES
Welcome to the Adult High School Diploma program which is designed to help you earn a high school diploma and prepare for more advanced education and training. Following are the requirements and procedures for the program.
Requirements: Twenty-four (24) credits, the successful completion of competency examinations, and participation in the cohort.
Required Coursework Total Credits
Academic Skills Improvement 1.0
Language Arts 3.0
Writing: 1.0 credit
Reading/Communications: 2.0 credits
Mathematics 2.0
Science 2.0
Social Science 3.0
US History: 1.0 Credit
Global Studies: 1.0 Credit
Government: 1.0 Credit
Required Coursework Total Credits
Workplace and Life Skills 6.0
Health: 1.0 credit
Physical Education: 1.0 credit
Personal Finance: 1.0 credit
Career: 0.5 credit
Arts/Second Language: 1.0 credit
Computer Technology: 1.0 credit
Group Dynamics: 0.5 credit
Electives 7.0
Entry Requirements In order to assure success in HSD coursework, you will need to earn the following scores on the CASAS tests: Reading 236, Math 226, Writing 3. This skill level is necessary for completing high school coursework. Once you attain secondary level in reading and writing, you may begin taking high school courses.
Advising After your transcript has been evaluated, you will be contacted by a COCC high school advisor.
Earning Credits Credits in the High School Diploma program can be earned in three ways:
1. You may take high school courses through the ABE department. You will spend at least one term in the GED/College Prep/HSD classroom and subsequent terms with a distance learning instructor. The first high school course offered is Academic Skills Improvement; the credit is awarded when you successfully complete the competency exams.
2. You may take college credit classes (generally, each three-credit class is 0.5 credit in the high school diploma program; a one-credit physical education activity class is a 0.5 credit class in the high school completion program). It is the student’s responsibility to provide the High School Diploma program with a college transcript.
3. You may combine HSD classes with up to seven credits from life experience (an educational experience you have already had) and/or independent study (an educational experience you plan and complete). All such credits must meet Adult High School Diploma standards and must be approved by the director of the program; not all educational experiences will be eligible for credit. The general rule is 30 hours in an instructional program with assessments or 60 hours in a private learning experience is the equivalent of a 0.5 high school credit. Students are encouraged to work with the instructor to develop a plan of independent study. All life experience credits and independent study activities must be thoroughly documented with written essays, multiple choice tests, oral presentation, video or audio tapes, photographs, and art work. Other educational programs not offered by COCC may be eligible for high school diploma credit but must be approved by the director of the program.
The High School Diploma program does not offer all the necessary classes. A few courses may have to be obtained through college credit classes, COCC Continuing Education classes, or other educational experiences.
Previous Credits/Grades All credits earned at accredited high schools are included in a COCC high school transcript. Evaluation of the number of credits and their placement on the transcript is at the discretion of the program director. If you have completed all 24 credits in the appropriate categories at another school and wish to earn a COCC high school diploma, you must take 1.0 credit at COCC, earning a “C” or better, and pass competency exams.
Costs Tuition for the high school diploma program is $90 per 0.5-credit course (including independent study courses). No high school course tests may be taken until tuition is paid. Books average $40 per 0.5-credit course. Transcript evaluation is a one-time $10 fee. Life experience and independent study credits are $90 per half credit awarded. Academic Skills Improvement tuition is $30 every term until competency level is reached.
Grading/Grade Point Average (GPA)/Completion Dates You must earn a “C” or better in all high school diploma courses and all college credit courses applied to high school transcripts.
Grading Scale
A = 100 – 94% F = 79 – 0% (course must be retaken)
B = 93 – 87% W = Withdrawal
C = 86 – 80% I = Incomplete
Some coursework is ungraded, but you must complete the required work in order to pass the test over the material. Progress is recorded on a grading sheet provided in each packet.
Completion Dates Each high school diploma course will be completed within 12 weeks. You must show progress toward completion of the course each week to remain in the program. Most course exams are administered through the COCC Blackboard System. Failed tests must be retaken for better scores; however, this may not occur until two days after the test was first administered.
Attendance Policies
First Term: You are expected to attend GED/College Prep classes to study for competencies and may arrange your attendance pattern with the instructor.
Subsequent Terms: You must communicate with your distance instructor at least once a week to remain in the program.
All Terms: You will attend regularly scheduled, monthly cohort meetings until you earn your diploma.
Incomplete
You may stop the course during the 12 weeks and start again at a later date.
• You MUST notify the instructor by sending an email to hsc@cocc.edu. The instructor assigns a grade of “I” for Incomplete. You will have one year from that time to finish the course and receive a grade. If the work is not completed in that year, the grade becomes and “F.”
• If you discontinue communication and the 12 weeks runs out, you earn an “F” in the course.
Competency Exams. Classroom instruction at the beginning of the program is designed to help you reach competency in reading, writing and math either through CASAS tests or college placement tests. You cannot earn your diploma until the tests are passed. Tests are given by appointment. Call 504-2950. It is your responsibility to seek testing opportunities.
Student Status. To be an enrolled student, you must be attending class, according to the Attendance Policies above. Completion of a transcript evaluation does not indicate enrolled student status.
A full-time student is enrolled in four courses (2 credits) each of which must be completed in 12 weeks; however, some of the courses may be college credit classes and some may be high school credit classes. If a document of full-time status is required, proof of enrollment in courses other than high school completion classes must be supplied by you to the program director. A full-time student must expect to devote eight or more hours each weekday to class and study.
Dropping a Course
1. Stopping work and not communicating with the instructor does not mean you have dropped the course. You are responsible for dropping a course by the deadline in order to avoid tuition/fee charges and not receive an “F.” To drop a course you must communicate with the instructor and state which course is to be dropped.
2. Students have two weeks from the payment date to drop the course with a 100% tuition refund.
3. Students have until the 12th week after the payment date to drop a course with a grade of “W.” There is no refund after the first two weeks have passed.
4. After the 12th week of coursework, if you have not contacted the instructor, the grade will be an “F.”
You may take any course again after paying tuition. If the course is revised or changed before the course is retaken, then all the new materials must be purchased.
I have read and understand the procedures of the Adult High School Diploma program.
Signature________________________________________ Date _________________________
R:31 Rev. 10/2006