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NUMBER: 16-10-4 APPROVED DATE: 01-03-1996

Purpose:  To define the criteria and process by which course substitutions can be made for courses required in academic programs.

When circumstances warrant, an academic dean may approve a student’s request to substitute a different course for a course required in the student’s program of study.

Criteria: 

  • The course being substituted must already be recorded on the student’s academic record, whether it is a TTC course or credits earned elsewhere.
  • The course being substituted must be a college degree-level course (may not be a developmental course or other course labeled “non-degree credit” in the TTC catalog).
  • The course (or combination of courses) being substituted must total the same number of credit hours as the required course.
  • The course being substituted must be related to program objectives and support the student’s academic goals.

Approvals

  • A graduation course substitution can originate from a student, an academic advisor, a program coordinator, a department head or a dean, but in every case the student must be included in the decision to make the substitution.
  • Regardless of origination, the dean of the division offering the student’s program must approve the substitution. The dean is responsible for ensuring that the substitution is appropriate and that the nature and number of substitutions do not compromise the integrity of the curriculum.
  • If the substitution is for a course required for the general education core curriculum, it must also have the approval of the Vice President for Education or designee.

Disabilities Accommodations

  • Graduation course substitutions may be appropriate accommodations for students with certain types of disabilities. If a counselor with Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) recommends a course substitution as an accommodation, the SSD recommendation should be sent to the academic dean on the Faculty Notification form.  It is the responsibility of the dean of the student’s program to determine whether the accommodation is reasonable and to recommend the course that can be substituted, if appropriate.  This determination should be based on program objectives and the essential competencies required to complete the program.  If the substitution is for a course required for the general education core curriculum, it must also have the approval of the Vice President for Education or designee.

Process

After consultation with the student, the program advisor or department head should complete the Course Substitution form and forward it to the division dean.  If the dean approves the substitution, he/she will sign the form and send it to the Registrar’s office or, in the case of a core curriculum substitution, to the Vice President for Education or designee. The Registrar will document the approved substitution in the student’s record.

Updated: 03-31-2007

Updated: 12-17-2015

Updated: 05-16-2019

Updated: 07-28-2020