Academic Information & Policies

ORIENTATION

All new students are strongly encouraged to attend orientation, during which they meet their Department Chairperson and are given information about the college facilities, student services, and college policies, including grading, transfer of coursework, and job placement. In addition, students become familiar with Student Activities and the importance of becoming involved.

FINANCIAL CLEARANCE

Financial clearance is the initial step in the process leading to registration for classes each quarter. All students must complete financial clearance through a Fiscal Counselor in the Student Financial Services Office. Typically, this process may include:

NEW STUDENT REGISTRATION

New students register for classes before the beginning of their first quarter or on Orientation Day with assistance from Admissions and the Education Department. Students then submit their schedules to the Registrar.

CONTINUING STUDENT REGISTRATION

Registration for each upcoming quarter will take place during the latter part of the previous quarter.

SUCCESS SEMINAR PROGRAM

Success Seminar is a required program for all first-time college students and international students; however, those with previous college experience are also encouraged to attend. Making a smooth transition into college life is an important step towards achieving success. The seminar teaches techniques to help improve study skills, time management, stress management, and online research skills; it provides a chance to get to know FIDM Students, Faculty, Staff, and other first-quarter participants.

FIRST WEEK OF CLASS

In order to hold an enrolled place in class, students must be present at the start of the first class session.

ATTENDANCE

Attending class regularly has a positive impact on overall performance as well as the student experience. However, FIDM does not take attendance nor does it

directly affect a student's final grade. FIDM highly encourages students to attend classes regularly in order to be the most successful.

INSTRUCTION

All instruction at FIDM is in English.

PROGRAM COURSE SEQUENCE

Students who follow the recommended course sequence precisely will meet all class requirements and will complete courses in the designated time period. If students take courses out of sequence without approval, this may cause a delay in their graduation date. Leaves of absence, taking less than a full course load in any quarter, or having to repeat classes can also delay graduation, and may increase costs.

CHANGES TO DEGREE LOCATION / COMPLETION

FIDM schedules program starts and class sections to help students meet their education goals and to graduate on time. FIDM makes every effort to offer sufficient sections of classes in the quarters in which they are to be taken for degree completion. Very rarely, a section may be canceled due to low enrollment and in such cases, students will be offered an alternative.

In emergency situations, such as the recent pandemic, classes normally scheduled to meet on campus may shift to a fully or partially online delivery mode. This may involve offering classes via teleconference at a scheduled day/time, or by scheduling some combination of online and on-campus class meetings. Depending on the curriculum, some classes may also be shifted to a fully distance-based schedule; students in these types of classes have weekly deadlines but do not have pre-set class meeting times. In all cases, FIDM will follow state and county guidelines in order to prioritize the safety of students, faculty, and staff.

PREREQUISITES

Prerequisites are preliminary courses covering information that is required prior to enrolling in another course.

STUDENT ACADEMIC LOAD

International students must attend a full course of study, or at least 12 units per quarter for undergraduates. Exceptions are made when a student needs less than 12 credits to complete a course of study.

REPEAT COURSES

Any student who fails a required class must repeat that course in order to graduate. Students will be charged full tuition and fees when they re-register for the class. In most cases, course books and supplies may be used when repeating the class. If any of the course books or supplies in a subsequent quarter have been changed, the student will be responsible for purchasing the new items. When a course is repeated, only the higher grade will be included in the cumulative grade point average.