Academic Policies

Since excessive absences or tardiness may affect the quality of a student’s academic performance, the College expects all students to attend classes regularly. Faculty members may determine their own policies regarding irregular class attendance. Students should be aware that non-attendance at classes will not result in automatic withdrawal from a course. Unless the student initiates a formal course withdrawal request through the Registrar’s Office, non-attendance will result in a “ZF” grade.

Students must complete all assignments, examinations and other requirements in all of their courses. Absence does not constitute exemption from such obligations, and it is the student’s responsibility to take the initiative to make up any work missed. Students must be aware, however, that the opportunity to make up an examination is not a student right, rather it is a privilege granted under special circumstances. Make-up examinations must be offered for absences due to religious observances, hazardous weather conditions, verifiable medical reasons or field trips that are related to an academic program. In the case of academic field trips, students should inform their instructors prior to the trip so that arrangements to submit work or to schedule a make-up exam can be made. In all other cases, faculty members are free to determine their own policies regarding make-up examinations. Students must be informed, in writing, at the beginning of each semester of the make-up examination policy for each course.

Absences Due to Inclement Weather

On days when the College remains open during inclement weather, students should make their own determination whether to attempt to travel to class based on the safety of road conditions in their own locale. Students will not be penalized for missing class under this circumstance, although students are responsible for the work missed and are expected to make it up in a reasonable time as determined by the instructor.

Absences Due to Religious Beliefs

Any student at the College who is unable, because of his or her religious beliefs, to attend classes on a particular day or days will be excused from any examination or any study or work requirements. College faculty will provide an equivalent opportunity for the student to make up any work that he or she may have missed because of such absence. (Section 224, New York State Education Law)

As an expression of its commitment to academic excellence, the College recognizes superior scholarship by its students in several ways.

President’s List: Students who distinguish themselves by earning a QPA/ CPA of 3.75 or better, with no grade below C, based on a minimum of twelve academic or degree credits, in the semester or semesters under consideration, are named to the President’s List.

Part-time students who achieve a QPA/CPA of 3.75 or higher for each full-time equivalent semester of study completed shall be placed on the President’s List. A full-time equivalent semester is defined as the completion of twelve credit hours of study.

Dean’s List: Students who distinguish themselves by earning a QPA/CPA of

3.2 to 3.74, with no grade below C, based on a minimum of 12 academic or degree credits of work, in the semester or semesters under consideration, are named to the Dean’s List.

Part-time students who achieve a QPA/CPA of 3.32 to 3.74 or higher for each full-time equivalent semester of study completed shall be placed on the Dean’s list. A full-time equivalent semester is defined as the completion of twelve credit hours of study.

Academic Citation: A notation is made on the transcript for students who earn a QPA/CPA of 3.0 to 3.19 based on a minimum of twelve academic or degree credits of work, in the semester or semesters under consideration.

Part-time students who achieve a QPA/CPA of 3.00 to 3.19 or higher for each full-time equivalent semester of study completed shall have a notation on the transcript. A full-time equivalent semester is defined as the completion of 12 credit hours of study.

Honors Courses: Honors courses challenge liberal arts students through interdisciplinary study. These courses introduce students to all aspects of the college experience including library research, academic advisement, extra-curricular opportunities and transfer possibilities. Students who have taken Honors courses in the past have transferred to a variety of quality colleges including Colgate University, Cornell University, New York University, Vassar College and Williams College as well as to SUNY’s most competitive four-year campuses. Students are selected for the Honors Minor on the basis of high school achievement, standardized test scores, and an individual interview. Honors courses are open to qualified full-time and part-time students. For details on the honors minor, see page 34.

Phi Theta Kappa: This is an international honor society established to recognize and encourage scholarship and service among two-year college students. Phi Theta Kappa provides opportunities for the development of leadership, service and academic excellence. Many four-year colleges have set aside scholarships for community college transfer students who are Phi Theta Kappa members. Students are invited to become members of the DCC Alpha Psi Kappa chapter of this honor society if they have a 3.5 CPA or a total of 12 hours of college-level work completed at the community college and maintain a 3.2 CPA throughout their community college career.

Alpha Beta Gamma: This is an international business honor society established in 1970 to recognize and to encourage scholarship among two-year college students in business curricula. The organization reserves more than $500,000 in scholarships for initiated members of Alpha Beta Gamma who transfer to four-year colleges and universities. To be eligible for membership in the Delta Zeta Chapter of Alpha Beta Gamma at the College, a student must be enrolled in a business curriculum and have completed 15 credit hours with at least 12 hours of work taken in courses leading to a business degree recognized by the College. In addition, the student must have demonstrated academic excellence by attaining a 3.5 CPA in business courses as well as a 3.5 overall CPA.

Dutchess Community College is committed to the principles of honesty, integrity, and ethical behavior. It is expected that students will recognize these values and adhere to all aspects of student conduct and academic honesty inside and outside of the classroom. Academic dishonesty in any form is regarded by the College as a breach of academic ethics and may result in disciplinary action. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Cheating on examinations
• Plagiarism: the representation of another’s ideas or writing as one’s own. Examples include:
  • presenting all or part of another person’s published work as something one has written.
  • paraphrasing or summarizing another’s writing without proper acknowledgement (citation).
  • representing another’s artistic or technical work or creation as one’s own.
• Willingly collaborating with others in any of the above actions which result(s) in work being submitted which is not the student’s own.
• Submitting work containing any content that was generated by an Artificial Intelligence bot or website when not explicitly directed to do so by the instructor.
• Stealing examinations, taking electronic images, falsifying academic records and other such offenses.
• Knowingly permitting another student to use one’s work or cheat from one’s examination.
• Submitting work previously presented in another course without permission of instructor.
• Unauthorized duplication of computer software.
• Unauthorized use of copyrighted or published material.

If, based on substantial evidence, an instructor deems that a student is responsible for a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy, the instructor may take the following actions:

• The instructor may require that the student repeat the assignment or examination,
• The instructor may give the student a failing grade for the assignment or examination, or
• The instructor may give the student a failing grade for the course.

As an institution of higher education, it is incumbent on the College to ensure that students understand and uphold the highest standards of academic honesty and that there be accountability in cases where students repeatedly violate those principles. In order to build an intellectual culture of academic integrity and ensure that students learn appropriate behavior in their academic endeavors, faculty and staff who judge that a student intentionally violates the Academic Integrity Policy shall report said violation to the Office of Instruction & Learning. Students’ right to privacy will be upheld, and all students shall have the right to appeal any action that results from this process. A complete description of the formal academic dishonesty appeal process may be found in the Student Code of Conduct.

Types of academic dishonesty, from cheating to unauthorized duplication of computer software, are listed in The Student Code of Conduct which is available online here.

Students are considered "in good academic standing" if they are making satisfactory progress toward completion of a certificate or degree, and have met the required cumulative grade point average for the number of credits that they have attempted.

Students may register to audit courses on a space-available basis beginning with the first day of classes each term. The approval of the Registrar and instructor are required for an audit status. Payment is the same as for students taking the course for credit. Students may not change from audit status to credit status or from credit status to audit status after the third week or the equivalent for shorter parts of term.

Senior citizens, 60 or older, may audit college credit courses on a space-available basis. There is no auditing charge for senior citizens. Senior citizens are permitted to audit during the spring and fall semesters only.

MORE INFO ABOUT AUDITING

Students may change their curriculum if they feel their abilities and interests are better suited to another program of study. When considering a curriculum change, the student should explore the possibilities and realities of the new program with his/her academic coach. Length of time needed to complete degree requirements, prerequisites and suitability of a new curriculum can be discussed at this time. A student may be referred to the chairperson of the curriculum in which the student is interested for additional information. In changing curriculum, a student should understand that no credit will be granted for courses previously taken that do not apply to the new program.

Eligibility for TAP awards for students changing academic programs will be based on the student’s CPA and accrued credits in the old curriculum prior to the effective date of the program change. Change of majors for the current semester must be submitted during the first three weeks of the semester in order for it to be reflected for the current semester. After the first three weeks the change of major will take effect for the following semester.

Students attending a SUNY four-year institution or community college may be permitted to take courses at other SUNY four-year institutions or community colleges without incurring additional tuition charges. Students can apply for cross registration by filling out the online application.

Definitions

Home Institution: SUNY institution where the student is enrolled full-time in a degree or certificate program.

Host Institution: SUNY institution that agrees to allow the student to enroll in coursework while still pursuing a degree or certification program at the home institution.

Requirements

Students must be a matriculated undergraduate, and be attending full- or part-time at their home institution. Students are limited to six credits of undergraduate cross-registered coursework. Cross-registered courses must be applicable toward degree or certificate requirements. If DCC is the home institution the cross registration will be approved only if the options available at DCC impede on the students’ time to degree completion. Students cross-registering at a community college are required to provide a certificate of residence to the institution. Under most circumstances, students registering through a SUNY cross-registration agreement are not charged tuition at the host institution, but may be liable for course- related fees.

Dutchess Community College is authorized by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York to award the following degrees and certificates:

Associate in Arts (A.A.)

Programs that lead to this degree are designed for those students who plan to receive a baccalaureate degree from a senior college or university. The A.A. degree may be completed in two years and consists primarily of courses in the liberal arts and sciences, special liberal arts and science courses related to the student's major field of interest and electives.

Associate in Science (A.S.)

These programs are designed primarily to prepare students to continue their education for the baccalaureate degree in scientific or professionally related programs at a senior college or university. The A.S. degree may be completed in two years and consists of a core of liberal arts and science courses, additional required special courses related to the student's field of interest and electives.

Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.)

These programs may be completed in two years and prepare their graduates for immediate employment in specific occupations or careers. Many graduates, however, do transfer some or all of their credits toward more advanced study at a senior college or university. The A.A.S. degree consists of a basic core of liberal arts and science courses, special courses related to a specific career area and electives.

Associate in Occupational Science (A.O.S.)

Like the Associate in Applied Science, these programs may be completed in two years and prepare their graduates for immediate employment in specific occupations or careers. The A.O.S. degree consists primarily of special courses related to a specific career area.

Honors Minor

DCC currently offers the option for qualified students to enroll in one Minor: the Minor in Honors Studies. A Minor is a set of supplemental requirements designed for students who wish to complement and enrich their respective major curricula. Minors are designed to be broad and complementary, and do not constitute scaled-down versions of active degree programs. Students must be matriculated in a degree program in order to declare a Minor. See specific details on the Minor in Honors Studies.

Certificate Programs

DCC offers two types of credit certificate programs: an academic certificate and an applied academic certificate.

The Academic Certificate includes career‑oriented courses and at least nine credits of liberal arts courses.

The Applied Academic Certificate includes career‑oriented or technical courses and at least one liberal arts course, ENG 101. Certificates may be of varying length. However, it is expected that the majority of certificate programs can be completed in one calendar year. Courses in certificate programs are applicable to associate degree programs at Dutchess Community College.

Microcredential (Applied Academic Credential)

A Microcredential is a targeted credential that is smaller than a certificate. Students do not need to be matriculated to enroll in the courses to earn a Microcredential, and can complete the credential on a flexible schedule. Any Microcredentials that you earn at DCC will appear on your official DCC transcript, and you will also earn a "Digital Badge" that will allow you to share your achievement with potential employers on professional networking sites. Get more information here on the Microcredentials currently offered at DCC.

Online Learning

Each semester, the College offers numerous online and hybrid courses in a variety of disciplines. In online courses, communication with the professor and the other students occurs electronically and assignments, papers and tests are done from your computer. The quality of teaching and expectations for learning are the same whether the course is taken online or on campus. Students should be aware that success in online learning requires organization, self-discipline and good time management skills.

DCC’s online courses are offered through SUNY Online. All students who register for an online or hybrid course for the first time at DCC are required to complete the Online/Hybrid Student Orientation before their class begins. The orientation will introduce students to online learning and covers basic Blackboard skills for submitting online work. This orientation can be found on the My Courses page in myDCC shortly after a student registers for an online class.

Students who have not enrolled in credit classes at DCC for a minimum of three consecutive years, and who have Ds and Fs on their transcript, may apply for the Fresh Start Rule. All grades of D and F will be made non-applicable on the student’s transcript. The rule can be used only once and cannot be applied if a student has already graduated. Students are expected to apply prior to completing their first semester returning in order to be eligible. All other requirements for graduation remain in effect. Students apply through the Registrar’s Office. If approved, the Fresh Start will not be reflected on the student’s transcript until 3 weeks into the returning semester.

MORE INFO ABOUT FRESH START

1. Informal Appeal Process

If a student wishes to discuss a grade that he/she has received for a test, an assignment or the final grade in a course, the initial step is for the student to meet with the instructor to resolve the concern in an informal manner. 

2. Formal Appeal Process

Introduction: It is the responsibility of Dutchess Community College faculty members to establish clear grading policies and standards for academic performance in their courses. These policies must be stated in writing. Individual approaches to grading are valid, and as long as faculty members evaluate student work fairly and consistently. There should be no need for students to challenge their grading.

The formal appeal of a grade for a test or assignment must begin within thirty calendar days of the receipt of the grade. If the appeal is related to the grade for a course, the process is similar to that for an assignment or test grade, except that the student has until the end of the second week of the following semester to begin the process.

Grounds for Formal Appeal: Students may appeal grades in DCC courses on the following grounds, provided that they have evidence, or believe that evidence exists, to support their claims: 

A. Failure by the instructor to explain clearly the method by which grades in the course would be determined.

B. Assignment of a course grade by substantial departure from the announced method.

C. Capricious or prejudiced grading.

Step 1

To initiate a formal appeal, the student must obtain a Grade Appeal Form from the academic department secretary, the Office of Student Services, or the Office of Instruction & Learning. Complete the first portion of the Grade Appeal Form and submit it to the instructor and request a meeting. This meeting should normally take place within fourteen days of the instructor's receipt of the Grade Appeal Form. If the student goes first to the Dean, Academic Department Head, or Departmental Supervisor, that person should refer the student to the instructor as the first step in this process. Under extraordinary circumstances, the Department Head may choose to waive the first step and proceed to set up a meeting with the student and the instructor as outlined in Step Two.

Step 2

If the meeting with the instructor does not result in a solution satisfactory to the student, the student has fourteen calendar days to appeal to the Department Head.

The Department Head will review the Grade Appeal Form and attached materials, and meet with the student and the instructor to discuss the matter. The Department Head will report his/her decision and rationale in writing to both the student and the instructor within fourteen calendar days of meeting with the student and the instructor.

Step 3

If the decision of the Department Head does not result in a satisfactory resolution, the student or instructor may submit, within fourteen days of receiving the decision of the Department Head, the Grade Appeal Form to the VP for Instruction & Learning, as an appeal to an Academic Review Committee. The Committee, consisting of three members, will be chaired by an Associate Dean of Instruction & Learning, appointed by the VP for Instruction & Learning. The Associate Dean will choose the two additional members of the committee from the faculty on the Committee on Student Learning & Assessment. The faculty selected for the committee will be from outside the academic department with which the appeal is concerned.

The Academic Review Committee will meet and consider all the documentation provided by the Department Head, the student and the instructor. Both the student and the instructor will be given an opportunity to appear before the Academic Review Committee. The Committee will report its decision and rationale in writing to the student, the Department Head, and the instructor normally within fourteen calendar days of the Committee meeting. A copy of the Academic Review Committee's decision and rationale will also be sent to the VP for Instruction & Learning.

Step 4

If the student or instructor does not accept the decision of the Committee, that decision may be appealed to the VP for Instruction & Learning within fourteen days for final review. The VP for Instruction & Learning, with full access to all documentation from previous levels of appeal, and any additional conferences with involved parties, will be the final College arbiter of the appeal. The VP for Instruction & Learning's decision will normally be made within fourteen calendar days of the date on which the appeal was received from the student or instructor.

The VP for Instruction & Learning will report his/her decision and rationale in writing to the student, the Department Head, the instructor, and the members of the Academic Review Committee.

NOTE:The timetable noted above assumes no interruptions in the regular college calendar, such as semester or spring breaks, which would alter the timetable. For an appeal of a grade for a spring semester course, the "following semester" is defined as the following fall semester.

The overall quality of a student's work for a semester is measured by current term GPA, while the quality of all the work a student has done at the College through one or more semesters is indicated by cumulative GPA or CPA. The student's term GPA is determined in the following manner:

Using quality points for each grade as defined in the Grading System section, multiply the number of quality points equivalent to the letter grade received in each course by the number of credit hours for the course to get total quality points received for the course. Divide the sum of the quality points received in all courses by the total number of credit hours. Round to the nearest hundredth. The quotient represents the student's current term GPA for the semester.

The student's cumulative GPA is determined in the same way, except that it includes all credit work completed at the College. In the event a course is repeated, the highest grade and quality points are used in the computation of the cumulative GPA.

Matriculation is the process by which a student becomes an official candidate for a degree or certificate at the College. Full-time students become matriculated through the initial registration process. Part-time students are not automatically matriculated, but are eligible to apply for matriculation after enrolling in one or more credit courses and submitting the Application for Admission. Part-time students are encouraged to matriculate to declare intent to complete the degree requirements as of the time of matriculation.

Student status is defined as follows:

Full-Time Student:  A student enrolled for twelve or more credit hours during a semester.

Part-Time Student:  A student enrolled in fewer than twelve credit hours during a semester.

Although the College reserves the right to modify courses or programs where appropriate, matriculated students in that circumstance will have an opportunity to use the waiver process to apply equivalent courses toward the completion of the degree or certificate. See also: Waiver of Program Requirement.

This policy applies to all credit-bearing distance education courses or programs offered by Dutchess Community College, beginning with the application for admission and continuing through to a student’s graduation, transfer, or withdrawal from study.  The purpose of this policy is to ensure that Dutchess Community College operates in compliance with the provisions of the United States Federal Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) concerning the verification of student identity in distance education.

The HEOA requires that institutions offering distance education or correspondence courses or programs have processes in place to ensure that the student registering for a course is the same student who participates in the course or receives course credit.  The Act requires that institutions use one of the following three methods:

• A secure login and pass code;
• Proctored examinations; and
• New or other technologies and practices that are effective in verifying student identification.

Identity Verification

The verification of a student's identity begins at the time of admission or initial course registration. Procedures related to student identity verification include registration, advising and transcript procedures as well as generation of a unique Banner ID for each student. When a student is initially registered, a unique login and password is created that provides access to the secure college intranet (myDCC) and that information is mailed to the student. If a student does not receive or misplaces this information, they are required to bring photo identification to the Registrar's Office or the IT Help Desk. Student access to the course management system is through myDCC and requires the use of this login and password. Data transmission of login information is secured using standard encryption technology. Students are given information regarding best practices related to setting up and maintaining the security of the passwords on the myDCC login screen.

When a student first logs in, they are prompted to set up security questions that allow them to retrieve their password if they forget it. Student who cannot retrieve their password electronically may contact the DCC Help Desk for assistance. Personally identifiable information collected by the College may be used, at the discretion of the institution, as the basis for identity verification. For instance, a student requesting that their myDCC login password be reset may be asked to provide two or more pieces of information for comparison with data in our records.

The Brightspace Learning Management System is used at DCC for the delivery of distance education courses. Authentication to this system is through a single sign-on connection to myDCC and the DCC authentication servers.

As technology and personal accountability are not absolute in determining a student’s identity, faculty members are encouraged to use these technologies and to design courses that use assignments and evaluations that support academic integrity.

FERPA Compliance

Dutchess Community College complies fully with the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), 20 U.S.C. 1232g. This act protects the privacy of student information in distance education by requiring, with certain limited exceptions, that the student's consent must be obtained before disclosing any personally identifiable information in the student's education records. Additional information on FERPA and student record access can be found here.

Proctored Examinations: In the event that an exam for a distance course must be proctored, the instructor is required to make arrangements in advance with students. These arrangements must include advance notification of any fees associated with proctoring.

Student Responsibility

The Student Code of Conduct specifically prohibits all forms of cheating, plagiarism and academic dishonesty. The policy also proscribes any misuse of college computer resources such as to "knowingly gain access to or use DCC computing or internal or external communications facilities to which legitimate authorization has not been granted".

Students are responsible for maintaining the security of usernames, passwords and any other access credentials assigned to them. This information may not be shared or given to anyone other than the person to whom they were assigned. Users are responsible for any and all use of their account. DCC recommends that all users change their password when necessary to maintain security. Users are held responsible for knowledge of the information contained within the most recent DCC catalog as well as the DCC Student Handbook. Failure to read and comply with College guidelines, requirements and regulations will not exempt users from responsibility.

Policy Review: The Office of Instruction & Learning and the Teaching Learning Center are jointly responsible for ensuring compliance with this policy and to ensure that faculty, staff, and students are informed of any changes in the policy in a timely fashion.

DCC recognizes that some members of our college community wish to use a first name other than a legal first name to identify themselves. As long as the use of this different first name is not for the purpose of misrepresentation, the college will utilize the Preferred First Name for Blackboard, Starfish, Degree Works, your college email address and your student ID card. 

Your legal first name will appear on all other College records and documents. A student’s legal name will remain unchanged in all other College related systems. For more information email registrar@sunydutchess.edu.

Development to accommodate use of a preferred name in College systems is ongoing. Not all College information systems, databases, and processes may be able to display a preferred name and many uses of an individual’s name require display of the legal name; therefore, individuals who utilize a preferred name should always be prepared to reference their legal name and provide corresponding identification when necessary. A preferred name designation is not a legal name change.

FAQs

Prerequisites are intended to ensure that a student has sufficient preparation before advancing to the next course in a sequence. Prerequisites, where stated, must be met before enrollment will be permitted.

Readmission to Dutchess Community College is necessary for students who have not been in attendance according to the criteria below and were previously matriculated (degree-seeking) and wish to re-enter as a degree-seeking student. In order to be readmitted students must officially apply for readmission. Readmitted students are matriculated under the catalog term of their returning semester and are required to meet degree and program requirements in place at the time of readmission. Official transcripts from each college attended since leaving DCC should be submitted for review if applicable.

Readmission is required for students who meet any of the following criteria:

• You previously applied and were accepted to DCC but never attended.
• You were accepted to DCC and attended, but since had a break of two or more consecutive semesters in your enrollment (excluding summer and winter terms).
• You were academically dismissed from the College and lost your matriculation status.
• You were non-academically dismissed from the College and lost your matriculation status.
• You have graduated from DCC and are looking to return to pursue a second degree.

You may apply for readmission using the online form. 

 

Student must complete six credits with C or better in two credit bearing courses (6 credits) to be reinstated to full-time status.

If the dismissal is upheld, the student must meet one of two conditions in order to rematriculate: 1) Register for part-time studies for the next semester on a non-matriculated basis. If the student receives grades of C or better in six credit bearing courses or more, he/she may then return to full-time or part-time matriculated study in the following semester; or 2) Remain non-enrolled for two semesters. The student may then reapply for full-time study (or part-time matriculated study) without meeting special conditions.

Dismissed students who have met the conditions for rematriculation must apply for rematriculation. Application for rematriculation should be initiated in the Office of Admissions. In all cases, the conditions specified to be rematriculated must have been satisfied or be in the process of being met at the time of application.

Students who are dismissed from either full- or part-time status and lose their matriculation are not eligible for financial aid from either federal or New York state sources.

Students receiving a "F" in a course or failing to achieve the required grade for enrolling in the next course in sequence may repeat the course in question once. However, they may not repeat it again without written permission from the head of the department responsible for the course.

Reverse transfer is for students who have already transferred to a SUNY four-year institution without having earned an associate degree at Dutchess Community College. Reverse transfer allows students to transfer the credits they have earned at the SUNY four-year institution back to Dutchess, and have those credits evaluated to determine if the combination of credits earned at DCC and the credits earned at the four-year institution meet the requirements for an associate degree. 

MORE INFORMATION

Students who feel that they will gain significant educational or career advantage by earning more than one associate degree from DCC may pursue study toward another degree with the written approval of the registrar. In order to qualify for the second degree, a student must complete at least 15 applicable credits beyond those used to satisfy requirements for the first degree. Nine of the 15 credits must be specifically required in the second curriculum.

Students who wish to qualify for the degrees simultaneously should request approval as soon as they are aware of their plans to earn two degrees. Those who already have received one degree should seek approval prior to matriculating in the second degree program. Interested students should contact their Academic Coach in the ACT Center.

The Service Learning Program at Dutchess Community College facilitates student academic learning through meaningful service experiences, which encourage and enable DCC’s faculty and students to positively impact the community. The Service Learning Program seeks to bring campus and community together in partnership to share resources, meet real community needs, and help educate individuals to become the change agents of tomorrow.

Service learning is an educational experience integrating community service with an academic class to enhance learning and address critical community needs. Service learning emphasizes hands-on experiences that address real-world concerns integrating critical thinking, reflection, and civic responsibility. The service experience provides a context for testing, observing, or trying out discipline-based theories, concepts, or skills. Students gain knowledge that’s directly connected to the student learning outcomes of the service learning course being taken.  Likewise, the academic context enriches the service experience by raising questions about real-world concerns and providing a forum for probing these concerns in-depth. Most service learning work is done with non-profit organizations, community groups, and governmental agencies whose goal is to serve the public good. Faculty who wish to build Service Learning into their courses should contact Linda Haas Manley, Workforce Pathways Coordinator, at linda.haasmanley@sunydutchess.edu or 845-431-8904.

Special studies projects provide students the opportunity to earn academic credit by participating in independent study, group research, seminars, community service, work experience, and other educational activities under the supervision of a faculty member. Special study projects normally are available only to matriculated students who have completed 30 or more credits, applicable to their degree, at Dutchess Community College. Students may not earn more than six credits from special studies courses. Before registering for a special studies project, the student must develop a project with a faculty member who volunteers to serve as the student's mentor and the project must be approved by the head of the sponsoring department. Students should consult their academic coach for further information.

The experience of studying abroad can be a rewarding and exciting addition to a student's academic career. "Study Abroad with SUNY – Study the World" provides opportunities through a number of SUNY campuses. Through our affiliation with the College Consortium for International Studies (CCIS), Dutchess Community College offers a choice of study abroad programs in 31 countries. Recently students have taken advantage of this option to study in Spain, Italy, Russia, Scotland and New Zealand. Questions or inquiries should be directed to the Dean of Student Services Office at (845) 431-8970.

Credit and non-credit courses – day, evening and online – are offered each summer. Summer term is designed to provide students with an opportunity to catch up or get ahead on coursework. The maximum credits allowed for during the summer term is 14 for degree-seeking and 11 for non-degree seeking students. Students are not permitted to take more than 7 credits during any one summer session. Information on course offerings and registration procedures is available in the spring.

Official transcripts may be ordered online from our service provider, Parchment. You will be able to choose whether to have the transcript sent electronically immediately (to a participating institution), or sent through the mail within 7 days. The cost of each transcript is payable by credit card.

It is expected that a student will complete all the requirements of his/her curriculum. Under exceptional circumstances, certain requirements may be waived. New York State Education Department regulations, such as the minimum number of credits required for graduation and the required number of liberal arts and science credits, may not be waived. It should be noted that waivers are never automatic. Examples of when a requirement may be waived include: when a course scheduling problem has made it impossible for a student to meet a graduation requirement, or when a student needs to meet a specific requirement of a four‑year college to which the student intends to transfer.

When a required course is waived, a course of an equal or a greater number of credits must be substituted. A Waiver or Modification of Curriculum form must be approved before the student enrolls in a substitute course. The approval process is initiated by the department chair, program chair or academic coach, reviewed by the appropriate academic department, and finally acted upon by the dean of instruction and learning. It is then sent to the Registrar's Office to be updated in the student's Degree Works Audit.

See information about withdrawal policies.

LEARN MORE

A series of accelerated online two- and three-credit courses are available over winter break. Payment in full is required one week before the beginning of class. Financial aid cannot be used. Apply online through myDCC or visit the ACT center. During the Winter Session students can take a maximum of three credits.