Dual Enrollment Policy

Purpose

Dual enrollment refers to courses taught to high school students for which the students receive both high school credit and college credit, regardless of location or mode of delivery. This policy serves to ensure that dual enrollment efforts align with the mission of McNeese State University and that the academic rigor of such courses matches the quality of other McNeese coursework. Dual enrollment courses are McNeese State University-catalogued courses with the same departmental designations, course descriptions, numbers, titles, and credits.

Memorandum of Understanding

McNeese and school districts that participate in dual enrollment must sign a Memorandum of Understanding each academic year that describes the guidelines all parties must follow, including guidelines for student and faculty participation, safe and secure facilities, and comparable access for dual enrollment participants to all student and academic support services available at McNeese.

Faculty Standards and Expectations

All dual enrollment instructors meet SACSCOC qualifications and are approved through the hiring process for faculty at McNeese State University. Approvals must begin at the academic department and go through the college, the SACSCOC accreditation liaison, and the provost. Complete personnel files are kept and readily accessible by the Office of Academic Affairs and Enrollment Management and the Office of Human Resources and Student Employment. See the Faculty Credentialing Policy for information about qualifications.

Dual enrollment instructors participate in faculty development and other collegial interactions at McNeese State University. Academic departments provide dual enrollment instructors with course-specific training in course philosophy, curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, and other responsibilities prior to the instructor teaching the course. Dual enrollment instructors use the McNeese State University learning management system, email, and all other associated technologies for their courses. Dual enrollment instructors are informed of and adhere to McNeese State University policies and procedures.

McNeese State University ensures that dual enrollment courses reflect the learning objectives and the pedagogical, theoretical, philosophical orientation, and academic rigor of the academic department, its college, and the University. Dual enrollment students achieve the student learning outcomes of their courses using comparable grading standards and assessment methods to on-campus sections. Textbooks and instructional materials used in dual enrollment courses must be the same or comparable with those used in on-campus courses.

McNeese State University ensures that instructors for dual enrollment courses that are part of the general education core curriculum and/or part of the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) must conduct appropriate course assessments and submit required data and student artifacts at the end of each semester.

McNeese State University conducts end-of-term student evaluations of instruction for each dual enrollment course to provide instructors with feedback. Other evaluations can include grade distributions, DFW rates, general education assessment, adherence to administrative expectations, and other evaluations as required by the academic department. Faculty liaisons observe course content and delivery to ensure that dual enrollment courses are equivalent to their counterpart courses on the McNeese State University campus. Instructors who receive unsatisfactory evaluations will be subject to remediation as described in the Faculty Evaluation Policy.

Student Standards and Expectations

Dual enrollment students are directed to McNeese’s academic calendar for academic deadlines and registration/enrollment dates. Students may earn a maximum of 27 credits at a single off-campus location through McNeese’s dual enrollment program. Students may earn additional credits by taking courses online, on campus, or at a different off-campus location.

Dual enrollment students are advised about the benefits and implications of taking college courses, as well as the policies and expectations of McNeese State University, particularly those involving course loads, class policies, adding and withdrawing from courses, and grading regulations.

McNeese State University, in conjunction with secondary school partners, provides dual enrollment students with suitable access to library and learning resources and student support services. McNeese State University complies with all state and federal laws regarding protection of students’ personally identifiable information.

Communication

This policy is distributed via the University Policies webpage.