Academics and Advising

Academics

Programs of Study

Registrar's Office

Transfer Credits

Transfer Guide

American Council on Education

Advising Services

Advising, Counseling and Testing Services

Advising for Distance Learning

Additional Advising for Military-Affiliated Students

Degree Plans

• Only courses that satisfy degree requirements outlined by the curriculum guide or graduation evaluation form (Degree Works) can be certified to the VA for education benefit purposes.
• If a student takes a course that does not fulfill a program requirement, it cannot be certified to the VA for education benefit purposes. An example would be excessive free electives.

Lifetime Wellness

• Military service members and veterans who have completed basic military training with an honorable discharge are not required to take KINE103 Lifetime Wellness at MSSU.
• Students must provide a DD-214 with an honorable discharge to receive college credit for KINE 103 Lifetime Wellness.

Remedial Courses

• Remedial and deficiency courses (Math 20, Math 30, English 80) can be certified as part of an approved program of study, but only for students whom a verifiable need has been established.
• Remedial courses offered on campus (traditional and hybrid courses) can be approved and certified to the VA for education benefit purposes.
• Remedial courses offered as independent study (internet courses) cannot be approved or certified to the VA for education benefit purposes.

Tutoring Assistance

• The Student Success Center located in Hearnes Hall offers free tutoring services for all students attending MSSU.
• If students using VA education benefits need additional assistance, they can pay for an outside tutor and then complete VA Form 22-1990t for reimbursement from the VA.

Grades of "F"

• The VA interprets the term as completed with “punitive grades” that will affect the students GPA.The VA will not collect a debt from the student since they completed the semester and received a punitive grade for the course. All grades of "F" can be an exception to this rule.
• Students who continue to receive grades of "F" and are placed on academic suspension cannot utilize their VA education benefits until they have been reinstated by the school.

Single Course Withdrawal or Complete Withdrawal

• The VA cannot pay for “non-punitive grades” such as Incompletes or Withdrawals. Therefore, the VA willcollect a debt from the student for any tuition and fees, book stipend or monthly stipends paid to the student for the course from which they are withdrawing.
• The VA does consider mitigating circumstances for complete withdrawals, such as an illness or death in the student's immediate family, an illness or injury during the enrollment period, an unavoidable change in student's condition of employment, an unavoidable geographical transfer resulting from the student's employment, unanticipated difficulties with child care arrangements, immediate family or financial obligations beyond the control of claimant, unanticipated active military service, including active duty for training, and discontinuance of the course by the School. The VA will request documentation from the student if complete withdrawal was due tomitigating circumstances.

Academic Probation and Academic Suspension

• The VA requires a list of all students using VA education benefitsand placed on academic probation or academic suspension be sent to the VA at the end of every semester.
• Students placed on academic suspension have to be terminated in VA-Once at the end of the semester and cannot utilize their VA education benefits until they have been reinstated by the school.

Round Out for Graduates

• The VA allows graduating seniors to “Round Out.” This means the student can retake a course they previously completed for a better grade, any course or any elective to make their enrollment status full-time during their last graduating semester.
• The VA will consider the additional credit hours taken for payment purposes during the round out semester only. This is the only exception to the degree plan rule listed above.

College Credits for MilitaryTraining and Experience

Military Service Members and veterans who have completed basic training may be granted the following credit:

• KINE 103 Lifetime Wellness (2 credit hours)
• KINE 220 First Aid and Sport Safety (2 credit hours)
• KINE 101 Land Navigation/Recreation (1 credit hour)
• KINE 101 Self-Defense (1 credit hour)
  KINE 101 Marksmanship (1 credit hour)

These requirements will be satisfied if the DD-214 form and/orJoint Service Transcript (JST) is submitted to the MSSU Admissions Office. Credit may also be granted for specific military schooling as recommended by the American Council of Education. The credit granted will be based on applicability and will carry the grade of 'CR'.The veteran must present documentation designating the military course, date and site of the course.

Military transcripts can be ordered from the following websites:

Air Force: Community College of the Air Force Transcripts

All other branches: Joint Service Transcript (JST)

In addition, at the advisor’s request the Registrar's Office will articulate elective credit up to 20 semester credit hours. The Registrar’s Office must have an official Joint Service Transcript (JST) on file for the student to enter the approved hours into record. Grades would be recorded as credit.

Military Withdrawal

Persons involuntarily called to active duty in any branch of the military services of the United States while enrolled as students at Missouri Southern State University will be released from their academic responsibilities without penalty. The following options are available:

• Complete Withdrawal*

A student called to active duty may request to be withdrawn from all classes and receive a full refund of tuition paid for class enrollment. Students selecting this option will follow the normal process for a Complete Withdrawal from the university. A copy of their orders must be submitted along with theTotal Withdrawal form to receive a refund. Total withdrawal forms can be submitted online through the Financial Aid Office.

• Incomplete Grade

A student called to active duty may contact course instructors to explore the option of receiving an “IN” (incomplete) grade for the course. The normal procedures for an incomplete grade will apply. The approval of this option is left to the discretion of each individual instructor.

• Single Course Withdrawal*

A student called to active duty may request to be withdrawn from a single course past the normal published deadlines so long as the active duty orders were not received prior to the published deadline. Students are to complete the Single Course Withdrawal form. The military orders must be submitted along with the Single Course Withdrawal form to receive a tuition refund.

• Transfer to an On-line Course

A student called to active duty may request to be transferred to an on-line version of the same course if available and acceptable by the instructor of the on-line course. Additional on-line costs will be applicable. Students must contact the Office of the Registrar for assistance.

*Grades of “W” will have the following transcript notation: Called to Active Duty

Room and Board: The refund of costs paid for room and board will be prorated. Students must contact Residential Life for assistance.

Special Course Costs: The majority of these costs are not refundable.

The intention of the policy is to insure that based on recommendations from the U.S. Department of Education and the American Council on Education that no service member suffer a loss of funds or educational opportunity because s/he was called to serve.

Rate of Pursuit for Military-Affiliated Students

The VA uses the student's rate of pursuit in school and term dates to calculate all VA education benefit payments.

Undergraduate Degrees and Certificates:

Graduate Degrees: