Academic Information, Examinations, and Grades

Academic Information

Developmental Courses

Developmental courses are specifically designed and required for students who initially fail to meet the minimal proficiency level in English and/or Math based on the CUNY Proficiency Index. Developmental courses are non-credit (zero credits). In some cases, students may be eligible for a corequisite course that combines developmental course work and a credit-bearing course, examples are ENG 12A0  and MAT 500 . 

Basic Courses

Basic courses are courses that individual Kingsborough departments feel are essential for college students so that they may learn the fundamental and basic concepts of a discipline. Some basic courses require prerequisite courses or departmental permission. This is indicated within the course description.

Advanced Courses

Advanced courses are courses that individual Kingsborough departments feel are important as follow-up courses to explore, either in breadth or depth, the areas of knowledge to which students have been introduced while taking the basic courses.

Cross-Listed Course

A cross-listed course is one that is offered by more than one discipline or department, but has the same content and in which students should expect to have the same or similar experience. An example is MAT 9100 - Biostatistics /BIO 9100 - Biostatistics .

Equated Credits

Weekly class hours in developmental courses for which credit is not given are, for certain purposes, counted as equated credits. For example:

Credits

Credits are points granted for courses taken at the college. The number of credits is usually based on one credit for each weekly class hour. In some cases, the number of required hours may exceed the number of credits granted (e.g., science and physical education courses). For example:

Course Load

Matriculated students register for a specific degree in a particular curriculum or plan. To be considered a full-time student, a student must enroll in a program of study carrying a minimum of 12 credits and/or 12 equated credits during the fall and spring terms. Part-time students carry fewer than 12 credits and/or equated credits.

While it is possible to carry a full-time evening program, not all Kingsborough degree programs are available for full-time evening study. Non-department required degree courses can be used for necessary basic courses and credits before completing department requirements in the day session. Advisors are available for consultation.

Prerequisite Requirements

A course or test that one must pass, or skills set that is required, before enrolling in a basic course or more advanced course.

Corequisite Requirements

A course that must be taken at the same time that you enroll in a particular course and in conjunction with that course.

Pre-/Co-requisite Requirements

Courses that can be completed before enrolling in a particular course, or at the same time as a particular course.

Student Attendance Policy

A student who has been absent 15% of the total number of instructional hours that a class meets during a session or module may be considered excessively absent by the instructor. The instructor may consider excessive absences as a factor in the assignment of a student’s grade.

Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes

Instructors usually distribute a syllabus on the first day of class that identifies student learning goals and objectives, and lists the requirements of the course. He or she will choose approaches to teaching that are designed to help you meet these outcomes, and will assess how well you have achieved them through exams and/or assignments, as appropriate to the course.

Types of Courses

Independent Study

The college offers students the opportunity to take a limited number of credits outside the traditional course structure as Independent Study, designated by the course number “8100.” Students registering for such courses undertake a prescribed program of individual and/or group research and may attend seminars or workshops dealing with their field of study. All work will be conducted under the supervision of the assigned instructor and will be evaluated and graded by the instructor.

Successful completion of the “8100” courses generally requires from one (1) to three (3) hours per week and earns from one (1) to three (3) credits per term. These courses are open ONLY to upper freshmen and sophomore students who have an overall “B” average (3.00 grade point average) in the subject area, with departmental approval. Students will be permitted to take no more than six (6) credits of Independent Study in any one area and no more than 12 credits toward the degree.

Learning Communities

Learning Communities, cohorts of 25 or fewer students, enroll during a term in anywhere from two to five courses that are linked together. These courses are linked around a common theme and students are encouraged to think in an integrative way. Faculty teaching these courses collaborate with each other, as well as with advisors, librarians, and tutors, in order to offer students additional support.

Research has shown that students who participate in learning communities are more successful in completing courses and obtaining their degrees, and students report better connections to faculty and with each other. Kingsborough offers a variety of learning communities, which may include a Freshman Year Seminar (SD 1000  ) or an Integrative Seminar. For English as a Second Language (ESL) students, the accelerated College English program (ACE) offers students a year-long learning community experience in which students can earn eight (8) credits in the first session.

Topical and Pilot Courses

In addition to the courses described in the catalog, the college offers a group of courses that meet the immediate needs and interests of various members of the student population or gauge the appropriateness or popularity of new subject areas. These topical and pilot courses are designated by the course number “8200.” These courses appear as listed in CUNYfirst for the term in which they are offered.

College Credits Assigned for Instructional Hours

Kingsborough Community College complies with New York State Department of Education, Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and U.S. Department of Education definitions and standards of credit hours assigned to instruction. The College assigns credits based on the hours and mode of instruction (whether instruction is delivered as a lecture, in a classroom, laboratory or studio setting, or through an out-of-classroom field or clinical experience). In all cases where the hours assigned per credit differ from the standards of practice, the hours exceed the number of credits, and are based on the practice of a particular discipline and subject matter at this college or are compliant with individual professional or accreditation standards.

The College utilizes the Carnegie Unit to define one semester credit. The Carnegie semester credit is equivalent to a minimum of one hour (defined as 50 minutes) of instructional work plus two hours (100 minutes) of individual work per week per semester. This is based on a 15-week semester. Based on its 12-week semester, Kingsborough Community College defines a credit hour as 60 minutes per week plus a session (typically two hours) for a final examination in the 13th week. In a 12-week semester out of class time is two hours and five minutes per credit per week. Thus, for example, a three credit course would require six hours and fifteen minutes of individual work per week.

Kingsborough Community College encourages experimentation and innovation in the delivery of instruction, which may result in occasional variations in credits assigned for instructional hours of a course. Additional instructional hours may be assigned in coursework identified to be critical for academic progress. The rationale for assigning credits for instructional hours for every course offered for college credit is reviewed and approved by College Council.

College Credits Assigned by Instructional Mode

Lecture

Courses that meet to engage multiple students in various forms of direct faculty instruction. For example:

Laboratory

Courses that focus primarily on experiential activities that support student learning and are under the direct supervision of a faculty member in a laboratory setting. Minimum contact time is based on two (2) times the amount of contact time of a lecture (2:1). For example:

Laboratory hours per credit in health care related disciplines are assigned according to the standards for these disciplines at this college or to comply with accreditation requirements.

Independent Study

Courses that permit a student to study under an instructor’s guidance a subject or topic in depth beyond the scope of a regular course. The instructor regularly interacts with the student and directs student outcomes with periodic and final evaluation by the instructor. Minimum credit hours (corresponding to one [1] to three [3] credits) are determined based on faculty instructional contact minutes and student outside work. Such courses match the amount of time and work using the examples above.

Studio

Courses taught as applied study on a private or semi-private basis. In the visual arts, instructional hours in studio settings are assigned four (4) hours of work per week for three (3) credits in recognition of the experiential, creative, skills-building nature of the work. In performance disciplines, hours are assigned according to the demands of the specific work, such as work on theatre, video or digital productions.

Professional Field/Clinical Placement

Courses developed for job related or practical skills in a particular discipline. These courses allow for observation, participation, and field work, and are generally offered off-campus at an approved site. Components of this type of instruction include a combination of supervised time by approved experts outside the college, student assignments, and time supervised by a college instructor.

Where the work takes place in out-of-classroom professional field or clinical settings, credits are assigned to instructional hours in order to accommodate the requirements of each field. At least one (1) classroom hour per week is assigned to out-of-classroom courses for work with the course instructor.

Hybrid

A “blended” course composed of both online learning and classroom learning. Courses may be designated “Partially Online” where up to 32% is online, or “Hybrid” where 33% to 80% is online. (Courses which are 100% face-to-face with some course content or assignments online are designated “Web-Enhanced.”)

Credit hours are equivalent to courses that are delivered completely through face-to-face modality using the examples listed above.

Online (Asynchronous)

Courses offered entirely online and without any required face-to-face class meetings. Courses may be designated “Online” in which 80% but less than 100% is online, or “Fully Online” where 100% (including all exams) are online.

Courses should be consistent in terms of quality, assessment, learning outcomes, requirements, etc. as courses offered face-to-face. Students are expected to be academically engaged through means which would include, but are not limited to, submitting an academic assignment, taking an examination, an interactive tutorial, or computer-assisted instruction, attending a virtual study group assigned by the instructor, contributing to an academic online discussion, and engaging in contact with the faculty member and class peers related to the academic subject of the course.

Credit hours are equivalent to courses that are delivered completely through face-to-face modality using the examples listed above.

Accelerated Courses

Courses offered outside a standard 12-week session in which the credit hours offered are the same as the standard session courses. The content and substantive learning outcomes are the same as those in the standard session.

Accelerated courses must meet the total amount of instructional and student work time as the examples above even if delivered in an accelerated format.

Examinations

Mid-Term

Mid-term status is provided orally by instructors and it is not entered on the permanent record.

Final

Students are responsible for meeting examination schedules. The final examination schedule is available on the college’s website by approximately the ninth week of the session or the fourth week of the module. Students who have a conflict with a final examination schedule must immediately contact the instructors involved for rescheduling. Students can access their final grades online via their CUNYfirst account.

Makeup Final

Students who miss final examinations for legitimate reasons may apply for makeup examinations. Generally, permission is granted only to students who maintain passing grades up to the final examination period. Students should contact their instructors to make arrangements for makeup finals.  

Grades

Grades indicate how well a student is doing academically. They deserve careful attention as evidence of good progress and as an indication of the need for counseling and/or for increased effort.

Standard Grades

Students receive an official grade for each course at the end of each session and module. This becomes part of the permanent record. The standard grades are:

Kingsborough Community College

OFFICIAL GRADING SYSTEM

The college interprets alphanumeric grading equivalencies, with certain exceptions noted below, according to the following general guidelines:

It should be noted that the above alphanumeric equivalencies apply to the final course grades; instructors may choose to assign a D- grade to particular assignments, exams, or other elements of coursework, but the college does not permit the use of a D- grade for the final course grade.  

Departments or programs with external accreditation criteria reserve the option of publishing department- or -program specific guidelines, and individual instructors reserve the option of publishing course-specific guidelines.  However, any departures from the above equivalencies must be published in the course syllabus and distributed to students at the start of the semester. 

Incomplete (“INC”) Grade

The grade of “INC” (Incomplete) is assigned only when the course requirement has not been completed for good and sufficient reasons and where there is a reasonable expectation that the student can complete the requirements for the course.  The “INC” grade will change to a “FIN” grade if work is not completed by the 10^th week of the following semester (see the College’s Academic Calendar for the specific date).

Withdrawal (“W”) Grade

The grade of “W” (Withdrawal Without Penalty) is assigned when the student officially drops the class using self-service in CUNYfirst by the due date listed on the College’s Academic Calendar.

Repeat (“R”) Grade

The grade of “R” does not count in computing the scholastic index. It is given to a student in a developmental course who does not meet the minimum requirements at the completion of the session or module. A student who receives the “R” grade in the same developmental component three (3) times will NOT be permitted to repeat that course again.

“PEN” Grade

The “PEN” grade is a temporary grade awarded when the disposition of the final grade requires further evaluation and when the absent or incomplete grades are inappropriate.  “PEN” is also use to facilitate the implementation of the Procedures for Imposition of Sanctions whereby colleges must hold a student’s grade in abeyance pending the outcome of the academic review process.  The PEN grade will not lapse to FPN; final determination of a grade will depend on final evaluation by the instructor or the outcome of the college’s academic review process.

“S” Grade

The “S” grade does not count in computing the scholastic index. It was assigned when a student had a minimum grade of 88 on the CUNY Elementary Algebra Final Exam (CEAFE). The student must also have had an overall class average of 85 (Grade no longer assigned).

Effective Summer 2021, the “S” grade when assigned to an UIP ENGRW course indicates English placement into ENG 12A0 . 

“Special COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy for Spring 2020 Term”

As part of The City University of New York’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, during the Spring 2020 term, all students shall have the option to convert any or all of the (A-F) letter grades they earn in their classes, to Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) grading.  The full policy can be found here, “Special COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy for Spring 2020 Term”   

“Special COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy for Fall 2020 Term”

The City University of New York has extended the Special COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy - also known as the Credit/No Credit Policy - to the Fall 2020 term.  

At Kingsborough, for the Fall 2020 A and B (winter 2021) terms, students have the option to convert earned grades of B+ through D into a Credit (CR) grade and an earned grade of F into a No Credit (NC) grade. Certain classes, are excluded from this option due to licensure, accreditation and/or pre-requisite requirements.  

Click for HERE  for Classes EXCLUDED from the Credit/No Credit Policy

Information concerning the City University of New York’s Special COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy for the Fall 2020 term and information concerning Kingsborough Community College’s implementation of the Credit/No Credit Grading Policy can be found here, Special COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy for Fall 2020 Term  

Grade Change Appeals

Students may appeal a final grade to the Committee for Academic Review NO LATER than the end of the term following the term in which the grade was given. The term is defined as fall/winter or spring/summer. For example, students wishing to appeal grades assigned during the fall/winter term must file an appeal no later than the end of the following spring/summer term. Likewise, students wishing to appeal grades assigned during the spring/summer term must file an appeal no later than the end of the following fall/winter term. 

Students should complete the Appeal for Grade and Tuition Adjustment form and include accompanying documentation.  The form as well as additional information concerning the process can be found at the following link, https://www.kbcc.cuny.edu/registrar/directionsappeaform.html.

Calculating the Grade Point Average

The grade point average (GPA) is obtained by multiplying the grade point value by the number of credits for the course, then totaling the grade points and dividing by total credits. See the Official Grading System above for grade point values.

Grade Point Average (37.9 quality points divided by 17 credits) equals 2.23, or almost a “C+” average.

Repeating Courses

Students may register to repeat a course if they received an “F,” “W,” “R,” “NC,” “WN,” or “WU” grade. Effective September 1, 1990, if a student repeats a course in which an “F” or an administrative failing grade (“WU”) was originally earned and subsequently earns a passing grade of “C” or better in the same course, the original failing grade will remain on the student’s transcript but will no longer be computed into the grade point average. The total number of failing credits earned during enrollment in CUNY which may be excluded is 16. Students who wish to replace an “F” grade earned before September 1, 1984 must first receive approval from the Committee on Academic Review. Appeals may be filed in A-228.

A course in which a grade of “C-” or below was received may be repeated only if a more advanced course in that discipline has not been completed. Students who receive a “C” grade or better in any course offered at the college MAY NOT REPEAT that course.  The grade of “C-” is placed alongside grades in the “D” range to alert students to the fact that while “C-” is a passing grade, courses in which students earn the grade of “C-” typically do not transfer, and students typically need to retake these courses upon transfer to another institution.

The regulations above do NOT apply to students in the EMS-Paramedic, Nursing, Physical Therapist Assistant, Polysomnographic Technology, or Surgical Technology programs. These programs have their own grade regulations.

Maintenance of Academic Standards

Scholastic Standing

Maintenance of Good Academic Standing is necessary to progress toward degree completion.  Students do so by achieving a minimum grade point average (GPA) based on the number of credits they have attempted.

The following table is used when evaluating a student’s academic progress.

Attempted credits are defined as credits for registered courses for which the students received any of the following: an earned grade (A - F), CR/NC, W/WU/WA/WN/WD/FIN or a temporary grade of INC.  Developmental courses and workshops, which have zero credits assigned, do not effect Academic Standing.

Students who fail to achieve these standards will be placed on probation for one term, and if unable to correct their deficiencies during that term, will be dismissed from the college. Students who receive financial aid must maintain these standards. The normal academic appeals procedure of the college will continue to consider individual cases and to make such exceptions to the implementation of these guidelines as unusual circumstances may warrant.

Academic Probation

Students who fail to meet the minimum GPA standards will be placed on academic probation for one term.  This serves as a warning of academic jeopardy and not as a punishment.  Students are notified by the Office of the Registrar concerning their academic probation status.  Students are expected to raise their cumulative GPA to meet the minimum academic standards to continue at the College.  

Continued Academic Probation

After one term on academic probation, students whose cumulative GPA remains below the minimum academic standards at the end of the term, will be placed on continued academic probation.  At the end of the second term, if the cumulative GPA remains below the minimum academic standards, students may be subject to academic dismissal and must wait a minimum of three (3) years before reapplying. 

Appeal for Reinstatement

Academically dismissed students may apply for reinstatement according to the guidelines provided in the dismissal letter.  A letter of appeal should be addressed and submitted to The College Committee on Admission and Academic Standing with all relevant supporting documentation through the online reinstatement form.  Students should consult the Registrar’s website for details on the reinstatement process and the corresponding dates and deadlines. 

If the Committee determines a student may be able to make satisfactory academic progress, the student will be reinstated on academic probation for the upcoming term.  If at the end of the academic year following reinstatement, the student’s academic level has not been raised to the minimum academic standards, nor has adequate progress in achieving academic standards been demonstrated the student will be academically dismissed from the College.  The College reserves the right to revise the academic dismissal policy as deemed necessary.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Students who do not maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), will be placed on financial aid suspension for the following academic year and will remain on suspension until all SAP requirements are met.  if SAP compliance is not met due to extenuating circumstances, a SAP appeal may be filed for consideration.  More information on filing the appeal can be found here. 

Forgiveness Policy

Students who have been out of Kingsborough for a period of three (3) years or more and whose grade point average was below 2.00 may be readmitted in good academic standing by appealing to the Committee on Admissions and Academic Standing. Any prior failing grades, while still reflected in their record, would not be calculated in their grade point average to determine their standing. The forgiveness policy will be applied only once to a student’s academic record.