Learning Support

Although institutional credit is granted for Learning Support courses, no degree credit is awarded. Students placed into Learning Support courses must be enrolled in required courses until all subject areas have been satisfied. These students must also complete the freshman seminar. Students may earn a maximum of 30 degree credits while enrolled in Learning Support courses, but may not enroll in degree credit courses which require the content and skills of Learning Support courses as prerequisites.

During each semester of enrollment a student must first register for all required Learning Support courses before being allowed to register for degree credit courses. There are two exceptions:

• When two Learning Support areas are required and a student is enrolled in at least one Learning Support course, then the freshman seminar or physical education or other activity or performance courses may be taken that semester instead of one of the required Learning Support courses.
• If a required Learning Support course is not available, a student may enroll in a course for degree credit if the student has met the course prerequisites.

Students who have accumulated 30 semester hours of college-level credit and have not successfully completed required Learning Support courses must enroll in only Learning Support courses until requirements are successfully completed. Students with transfer credit or credit earned in certificate or prior degree programs who are required to take Learning Support courses for their current degree objectives may earn up to 20 additional hours of college-level credit. After earning the additional hours, such students must enroll only in Learning Support courses.

There are two levels of Learning Support: the Foundations level and the co-requisite level.  Placement is determined by the student’s English Placement Index (EPI) and Math Placement Index (MPI). Students who begin at the Foundations level take a 4-nonbaccalaureate credit course in the area of remediation. Upon passing that course, they enroll in the appropriate Area A core course with a co-requisite 1-credit support course.  Students who begin at the co-requisite level enroll in the appropriate Area A core course and the co-requisite support course.

Placement in Learning Support Courses

Students admitted to the Department of Basic Studies are placed in the appropriate remediation level based on their EPI and MPI scores.

English Placement Index (EPI)

Math Placement Index (MPI)

** The course pathway is determined by the declared major: STEM (math, science, computer science or business) or non-STEM major.

Exit Requirements for Learning Support Courses

Students who place into Learning Support courses must meet the following requirements before exiting the program:

1. Students must make a grade of "C" or better in their Foundations Math and/or English courses in order to progress into Gateway and co-requisite support courses within two attempts.

2. Upon successful completion of Foundations Math and/or English coursework, students will proceed into appropriate Gateway and co-requisite support courses as stated below:

3. There are no limits on attempts in co-requisite support courses.

4. Students will exit Learning Support when the required Gateway Math and/or English classes have been passed.

5. All time spent in Learning Support coursework shall be cumulative within the University System of Georgia.  Students shall not be allowed more than two attempts in Math and two attempts in English Foundations courses.  An attempt is defined as a semester in which a student receives any grade or symbol except "WP".  Students who do not complete the placement requirements for these courses within two attempts per area shall be placed on Learning Support Dismissal from Columbus State University for no less than one year.  Appeals will not be granted to students who have been placed on Learning Support Dismissal.

6. Students who have been placed on Learning Support Dismissal without completing Foundations course requirements may complete their Learning Support requirements and additional collegiate-level work at a SACSCOC-accredited Technical College System of Georgia.