FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

HOW DO I GET MY TRANSCRIPTS?

There are two methods to get your transcripts:

PLEASE NOTE: A transcript that is for an official agency will automatically be prepared as an Official Transcript. Transcripts prepared for students or former students will automatically be stamped Issued to Student, making it Unofficial. If you desire to pick up or have mailed directly to you, an Official copy of your transcript, please note that the request must clearly state that you need an Official copy in a sealed envelope. If you break the seal after receiving the transcript, it becomes Unofficial.

METHOD #1 - PICK UP YOUR TRANSCRIPT IN PERSON

Pay the required $5.00 per transcript fee in the Cashier's Office, Room 012, Hoey Administration Building. Fill out the Transcript Request Form in the Office of the University Registrar, Room 102, Hoey Administration Building. (Please note that the form will ask you if you want an Official Transcript in a sealed envelope. See above Notice) Staple the request and the receipt together and drop the request in the box provided.

METHOD #2 - IN WRITING

Write a letter requesting a transcript, including the following information:

• Your name as it appears on our records.
  (If you are unsure, please provide all maiden and married names or name changes so that we may successfully locate your record).
• Your Student ID number or Social Security Number
• Your dates of attendance including the date(s) of graduation(s) and any degree(s) that you may have received.
• Whether or not you want an Official Sealed Transcript.
• The agency and/or address to which you want it sent (or you can indicate that you will pick it up in the Office of the University Registrar).
• Include a check or money order for $5.00 per copy requested.
• Mail the request and check or money order to us (made payable to North Carolina Central University) at the following address:

Office of the University Registrar
North Carolina Central University
Durham, North Carolina 27707

Transcripts take 5 to 7 business days for processing. Please be careful to request your transcript in a timely fashion so that it will be available by the time you need it.

WHAT SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT DEGREES WITH DISTINCTION?

A) Baccalaureate

North Carolina Central University awards three degrees with distinction to graduating students based on all work attempted in meeting requirements for the baccalaureate degree as follows:

Cum Laude with an overall grade point average of 3.0 - 3.299

Magna Cum Laude with an overall grade point average of 3.3-3.699

Summa Cum Laude with an overall grade point average of 3.7 - 4.0.

First degree transfer students who meet the above grade point averages on work completed at North Carolina Central University will be granted a degree with distinction if they have earned a minimum of 60 semester hours of credit at NCCU.

First degree transfer students who have earned between 30 - 59 semester hours of credit at NCCU will be considered for a degree with distinction if they meet the above grade point averages both at NCCU and at all of the institutions previously attended.

Second degree students who meet the above grade point averages on work completed at North Carolina Central University will be granted a degree with distinction if they have earned a minimum of 30 semester hours of credit at NCCU toward the second degree.

B) Graduate Students

Eligibility for graduation with honors by graduate students requires the following cumulative grade point averages:

• Summa Cum Laude: 3.920 - 4.0
• Magna Cum Laude: 3.850 - 3.919;
• Cum Laude: 3.770 - 3.849.

C) Law Students

Degrees with honors will be awarded as follows:

• Summa Cum Laude to students with a grade Point Average of 3.50 or higher
• Cum Laude to students with a grade point average of 3.30 to 3.49;
• and Cum Laude to students with a grade point average of 3.00 to 3.29 at the time of graduation.

25/99 (Proposed) Revised and approved
by the Academic Planning Committee, April 15, 1999.
Approved by the Board of Trustees, April 21, 1999

WHAT ABOUT TUITION SURCHARGE AND EXCESSIVE CREDIT HOURS?

Tuition Surcharge
1. What is the tuition surcharge?

In 1993, the North Carolina General Assembly (Senate Bill 27--Section 89b) enacted legislation directing the Board of Governors to impose a 25% tuition surcharge on students who take more than 140 degree credit hours to complete the first undergraduate baccalaureate degree in a four-year program or more than 110% of the credit hours necessary to complete the degree in eight regular term semesters or the equivalent (or ten semester hours for 5 year programs.

2. Who is affected by the tuition surcharge?

All under graduate degree seeking students admitted to, NCCU beginning Fall 1994 are affected,- The surcharge applies to transfer students, freshmen, in- state and out-of-state students. Students enrolled prior to Fall 1994 are exempt.

3. What counts in the 140 semester hours allowed before the surcharge applies?

The following are used to compute the 140 semester hours:

a. all regular semester degree creditable courses taken at NCCU including repeated courses, failed courses, and those dropped after the last date to add a course, and

b. transfer credit hours (up to 98 semester hours) except those taken at another UNC institution through summer school or through degree credit extension.

4. Is there anything that doesn't count in the 140 semester hour limit?

The following are excluded from the 140 semester hour limit: AP and CLEP credit (e.g. math or foreign languages, etc.), institutional advanced placement credit, summer term credits earned at a UNC institution, and credits earned through the degree credit extension division at a UNC institution.

5. How will transfer credit affect the 140 semester hour limit?

All transfer credits will count toward the 40 semester hour limit except credit earned in summer school at NCCU or at another UNC School. Credit hours earned through, UNC degree credit extension programs are also exempt. (If a student, transfers over 98 semester hours, he or. she is allowed 30 semester hours at NCCU before the surcharge applies.)

6. What happens if a student attends, summer school out-of-state or at a, private school in North Carolina?

Any credit earned at any institution except a UNC school will be counted in the 140 semester hour limit, including credits earned in summer school.

7. What if a student attends summer school at a community college in North Carolina?

All credits earned at a community college (regular semester or summer school) count in the 140 semester hour limit.

8. What if a student has over 140 semester hour but graduates in four years or less?

The 140 semester hour limit applies only to students who take longer than eight regular term semesters to earn a 4 year baccalaureate degree.

9. How much will the tuition surcharge be?

If a student has 140 semester hour or more, the surcharge is 25% of his or her tuition (only tuition, not fees.) The surcharge applies to in-state tuition and out-of-state tuition.

10. If a student has 130 semester hour of credit and enrolls for 15 semester hour will he or she have to pay a surcharge? How will it be computed?

Yes , the student Will have to play a surcharge. (S)He will be charged the tuition surcharge in the first semester in which enrollment exceeds 140 semester hours. The amount of the surcharge is based on the number of hours in excess of 140 semester hours. (The exact amount depends on the number of hours for which the student is enrolled and the number of excess hours.)

11. What happens if a student's degree program requires over 128 semester hours?

NCCU has no program which requires more than 128 semester hours.

12. How does the 140 semester hour rule apply to students seeking a second undergraduate degree?

The surcharge will be applied when the student exceeds 110% of the minimum number of additional hours required for the second degree. For example, at NCCU the surcharge will apply if the student takes more than 33 hours in a program that requires 30 hours. The surcharge does not apply to non-degree seeking students.

About the 15 Semester Hour Courseload

1. What is the 15 hour average courseload policy?

In 1993, the North Carolina General Assembly (Senate Bill 27--Section 89a) enacted legislation directing the Board of Governors "to set a goal of increasing to 15 the average number of credit hours per term taken by full time undergraduates" with the mandate that the goal "be met system-wide and by each constituent institution no later than December 1997." This policy is part of the legislation aimed at improving graduation rates.

2. Does NCCU meet this mandate?

Since Fall 1994, all students enrolling at NCCU are encouraged to take a minimum 15 credit hours per semester and to complete all requirements in no more than 8 semesters.

What about Excessive Credit Hours?

In addition to the surcharge for hours exceeding the 140 semester hour limit, any student who has attempted more than 168 hours toward a single degree will be dismissed from the University. Students who are working toward two undergraduate degrees simultaneously may register for hours in excess of 168 only with special permission from the appropriate dean. Deans may also make exceptions in cases where a student has transferred more than 44 hours from other institutions. In these cases, only transfer hours that apply toward the NCCU major will count toward the 168 hours attempted.

Contact Info:
NCCU Registrar's Office
108 Hoey Admin Bldg
Office Phone: 530-6262
Office Fax: 530-7974
Email: registrar@nccu.edu