Programs of Study
The programs of study offered by Oconee Fall Line Technical are divided into the following credentials: Associate of Applied Science Degree, Diploma, and Technical Certificate of Credit.
Many OFTC programs are recognized by state and national accrediting and licensing boards. Program specific accreditations are listed on the respective program pages. In addition, some programs of study prepare students to sit for state licensing exams.
Warranty
Oconee Fall Line Tech offers the following guarantee to its graduates and business partners:
"If one of our graduates, who was educated under a standard program, and his/her employer agree that the graduate is deficient in one or more competencies as defined in the standards, Oconee Fall Line Tech will retrain the employee at no instructional cost to the employee or employer."
This guarantee is in effect for a period of two years after graduation.
Graduation Rates
To comply with the disclosure of graduation rates under the Student Right-To-Know Act, the College tracks the group of first-time, full-time students who enroll at OFTC each Fall Semester to determine the graduation rates for each year’s group. Statistics on student body diversity, job placement rates, retention rates of first-time students, and the completion and graduation rates are published on the Student Consumer Information web page.
Academic Calendar
Be sure to refer to the Academic Calendar on the OFTC website for important dates for classes, registration, and financial aid. Find the Academic Calendar under the “Quick Links” tab at the top of the OFTC website homepage.
OFTC's Academic Calendar can also be found in the Academic Catalog & Handbook. The web calendar will reflect any recent updates or changes.
FERPA - Privacy of Student Records
As a college student, your rights to your education records transfer completely to you. Under the law known as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), your educational records are confidential and will only be shared with staff who are actively involved in your education, administrators or applicable government agencies as required by law.
As a student you have a right to review and challenge information in your academic file and to have copies of that information.
Copies of official academic transcripts may be ordered online. Select Records Request in the "Quick Links" dropdown menu in the header of the OFTC web site. Unofficial transcripts may be accessed through BannerWeb at any time.
Advisement and Registering for Classes
Registration for classes occurs in three phases, leading up to the start of a new semester:
- Advanced Registration (for currently enrolled students)
- New Student Registration
- Final Registration (for all students)
Before registering, students must first meet with their advisor to review the classes the student intends to take. Once the advisor approves the student’s schedule of classes, the student can register him-/herself through BannerWeb, or the advisor can register the student during their meeting.
Registration is not complete until tuition and fees are paid, and a student will be dropped from all classes if tuition and fees are not paid by the date noted in the Academic Calendar. Students who receive financial aid must ensure that all paperwork is complete and submitted in advance so their aid will not be delayed.
Please note that there is a late registration fee charged to students who register on or after the first day of classes.
Drop/Add
The first three (3) days of the semester are considered a no-harm, no-foul Drop/Add period, when students can make changes to their schedules (drop or add courses), without any effect on their academic record or financial aid status. A student who drops a course during the Drop/Add period will receive a 100% refund for tuition and fees for that course.
To drop a course without penalty, a student must notify the instructor teaching the class by the end of the 3rd day of the semester.
If a student drops a course after the Drop/Add period, tuition and fees are NOT refundable, and the course will appear on the student’s transcript as a W, if dropped before the 60% (midterm) mark. Withdrawals are not permitted after midterm.
Change of Program
A Change of Program formmust be completed by the 10th day of class.
Grading Scale
Grades are issued at the end of each semester using a classic A-F grading system. No grades are sent via U.S. Postal Service mail or given over the telephone. You can obtain grades via BannerWeb, accessed through the MyOFTC Dashboard.
Work Ethics
Preparation for the workplace starts now in the classroom!
To help students develop the personal work habits and characteristics that employers expect in the workplace, every OFTC course includes a Work Ethics grade, on a scale of 0 (“Unacceptable”) to 3 (“Exceeds Expectations”). Work Ethics grades are awarded based on work habits that include:
- Attendance
- Punctuality
- Dependability
- Initiative
- Productivity
- Organization
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Appearance
- Cooperation
- Attitude
- Respect
Attendance
Regular and punctual attendance in all classes is the student’s responsibility.
- PLEASE NOTE: Students who do not attend a physical class, or in the case of online classes, who do not log in to the class in Blackboard or complete an attendance verification activity during the first week of the semester will be considered “No-Shows” and will be removed from the course roster. No refund will be given, and the course will not appear on the student’s transcript.
- Each instructor sets his or her own attendance guidelines for a class. The attendance expectations will be stated in the course syllabus, which is available in Blackboard at the beginning of the semester in each class.
- Students who anticipate an absence from class should contact their instructor prior to the absence. Students should communicate with instructors following unexpected absences to explain any extenuating circumstances or to discuss opportunities to make up any assignments missed.
- The attendance procedures for occupational courses in some programs are set in accordance with accreditation or licensing requirements. Students who do not meet those attendance requirements will be unable to progress to subsequent program courses.
Maintaining Academic Standards
Academic Probation
- Students must maintain a minimum of a 2.0 cumulative grade point average to be in satisfactory academic standing.
- Students whose semester grade point average falls below a 2.0 will be placed on academic probation for the next semester.
- The purpose of academic probation is to alert students to the fact that their academic performance is not acceptable and to point out the possible consequences if improvement is not made during the next semester of enrollment.
Academic Suspension and Dismissal
- Students will be suspended for a minimum of one semester if the semester GPA is less than 2.0 during the semester enrolled on academic probation.
- Students who fail to remove themselves from academic probation by attaining a minimum 2.0 GPA the next semester in attendance after being placed on suspension will be academically dismissed for three semesters.
- • Students who are dismissed from the College may appeal their suspension or dismissal by filing a written appeal with the Vice President of Academic Affairs within ten calendar days from the first day of class of the following term the suspension or dismissal status was attained.
Academic Appeals
A student may appeal a final grade and/or work ethics grade by raising the issue with the instructor who awarded the grade within ten business days of the date student learned of the grade.
If consultation with the instructor does not resolve the appeal, the student should follow the Academic Appeals Procedure to seek resolution in the matter.
Refer to 6.5.1. OFTC Academic Standards, Evaluations, and Appeals Procedure for more information regarding the consequences of unsatisfactory academic performance as well as the procedures for filing Academic Appeals.
Withdrawing from Classes
- It is the student’s responsibility to officially withdraw from a course; instructors will not initiate a withdrawal. Non-attendance does not constitute an official withdrawal.
- Students may initiate a course withdrawal at any point through the published 60% point (midterm) of the semester by completing the electronic Withdrawal Form, available on the OFTC website under the “Admissions” tab.
- Withdrawals are not processed after midterm. A student who has not officially withdrawn by that date will remain on the roster and will receive the grade earned, which will include zeros for any assignments not submitted.
Students should be aware that a withdrawal could affect their ability to receive Financial Aid and, in some cases, the student may be required to repay Financial Aid that was received based on his or her enrollment in the dropped class. Consult with Financial Aid staff before you initiate a withdrawal to understand how dropping the course will impact your financial aid.
Important Note: If you are considering dropping a course, please speak to your instructor, to members of the OFTC Retention Team, or to any other OFTC staff member, in case there are other options. Because of the negative effects of a dropped course on both your transcript and your financial aid, withdrawing from a course should be your last resort. Very often, instructors can work with you to develop a plan that will allow you to catch up and continue to attend their class. Communication with your instructor is the KEY to success.
OFTC's withdrawal procedure is located in the Academic Handbook on the OFTC website.
The midterm date for each semester and minimester is noted in the Academic Calendar.
DegreeWorks
DegreeWorks (DGW) is a Web-based tool available by logging into MyOFTC Dashboard to help students and advisors monitor a student's progress toward program completion.
DegreeWorks combines OFTC’s degree requirements and the coursework you have completed into an easy-to-read worksheet that helps you see which courses and requirements you still need to complete.
Transferability of Courses and Programs
OFTC has articulation (transfer) agreements with several four-year colleges that will accept our credits for a smooth transfer with minimal repeating coursework. Read more about these agreements.
Other colleges and universities may accept transfer credit from OFTC in the absence of an articulation agreement. Acceptance of transfer credit from OFTC is the decision of the receiving institution, not OFTC. Students interested in transferring will need to contact the receiving institution to determine transferability of a particular course or program.
Accreditation
Oconee Fall Line Technical College is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS-COC) to award associate degrees, diplomas, and technical certificates of credit. Learn more about OFTC's accreditation and SACS-COC.
Program-specific accreditations are listed on the respective program pages and in the Academic Catalog & Handbook.
Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP)
OFTC is in the early stages of a multi-year project, known as a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), to improve student learning. OFTC will focus on enhancing students’ reading comprehension skills.
The title of OFTC’s QEP is “Reading Transforms”.