Progression Policy

1. Students must achieve a “C or better” on all HIT program curriculum courses and maintain at least a 2.0 GPA after being accepted into the program to satisfy the progression policy.
2. If a student makes less than a compliant grade of a “C or better”, or does not maintain a 2.0 GPA, the student will be dismissed from the program. To be reinstated into the program, the student must request readmission in writing to the program chair and submit a written improvement plan to his/her advisor for approval. If approved, the student may enroll the next semester with the understanding that all future grades in the program must be compliant. Without approval of both the request for readmission and improvement plan, the student will be ineligible to progress in the program and will not have his/her Advisor Hold lifted for future enrollment until the student submits a Change of Major form.
   1. One dismissal and one readmission is allowed after initial admission. The noncompliant grade constitutes dismissal.
   2. Approval of a request for readmission and an improvement plan constitutes one allowed readmission.
   3. To be approved, the improvement plan must incorporate strategies to be successful, such as tutoring, or reducing the course load from full-time to part-time as discussed with one’s academic advisor.
   4. The student who is readmitted will be on probation until a compliant grade is achieved, which must occur in the next consecutive semester that the course is offered to continue in the program.
3.  If the student makes two noncompliant grades within a single semester, the second noncompliant grade will fall under the one allowed dismissal. The procedure for requesting readmission and submitting an improvement plan must address strategies to be successful in both courses.
4. A second or third non-compliant grade in a second semester constitutes dismissal with no option to request readmission. (If the student was readmitted after receiving two noncompliant grades in the same semester, the student has no remaining readmission left; if the student makes a single noncompliant grade in two separate semesters, the student has no remaining readmissions left.
5. If the student received three or more noncompliant grades in a single semester, he/she is not eligible for readmission for five years.
6. If the student has been readmitted once, and then makes a noncompliant grade, he/she is not eligible for readmission for five years.
7. A student who has not met the Progression Policy and has been dismissed from the ECC HIT program due to non-compliant grades may reapply for a second readmission to the program 5 years after the last semester of enrollment. If accepted, the student will remain on probation for 3 semesters. A single noncompliant grade will constitute dismissal with no allowed readmissions.
8. To maintain accountability to program outcomes, students must take all courses in the HIT curriculum at ECC once admitted.
9. It is recommended that the HIT degree program be completed in five (5) consecutive semesters and the HIT diploma program be completed in three to five (3-5) semesters. Degree students must complete the HIT curriculum within eleven (11) consecutive semesters; diploma students must complete the program within seven (7) consecutive semesters. For students not following the full-time program of study to complete the HIT degree or diploma programs, all general education and related courses must be taken prior to taking HIT prefixed courses. (HIT 110 and HIT 114, the exception). This will provide a greater opportunity for students to maintain the body of knowledge needed for success on the national “RHIT” exam and/or the “CCS” and/or “CCS-P” exam.
10. If the student does not complete the degree program within 11 semesters, or the diploma program within 7 semesters, the student must start repeating courses that were taken outside of these time limits.

Readmission Policy

A student may enter the HIT Program two (2) times (admission is counted as the first entry; readmission is counted as the second entry). Readmission is contingent upon availability of space in the program. The student desiring readmission to the HIT Program must complete the following steps:

1. Contact the Program Chair in writing to request readmission.
2. If the readmission was due to noncompliant grades, a written improvement plan must also be submitted to the faculty advisor. Once both steps are completed:
   1. Meet current admission requirements.
   2. Update medical information and other clinical requirements such as background check and drug screen as directed by the faculty advisor

• Students called to active military duty while enrolled in the HIT Program will be readmitted with the same academic status that he/she had when last attended.
• Students who have been dismissed twice from the program due to noncompliant grades are not eligible for readmission for 5 years.
• Students who have been dismissed as a result of unsatisfactory clinical performance are not eligible for readmission to the program for 5 years after the last semester of enrollment.
• Any student readmitted to the HIT Program due to noncompliant grades will be required to repeat any HIT courses that are more than three (3) years old.

Transfer Policy

Applicants desiring admission into the HIT Program after having been enrolled in an HIT Program at another school must meet criteria for transfer as well as admission requirements of the program.

1. Only students who have been enrolled in a CAHIIM-accredited HIT program are eligible to apply under these policies. Applicants from HIT programs that were not CAHIIM-accredited at the time of enrollment must follow the admission steps of new applicants and retake all HIT coursework.
2. To be eligible to apply as a transfer student, applicants must not have made more than two noncompliant grades (less than a C or better).
3. Students who have left a CAHIIM-accredited HIT program as a result of unsatisfactory clinical performance that resulted in dismissal will not be eligible for transfer.
4. If accepted, a single noncompliant grade will constitute dismissal with no option to apply for readmission.
5. If accepted, the student will be required to repeat any HIT & OST prefix courses that are more than 2 years old upon admission and repeat any C-level HIT & OST coursework that is less than 2 years old upon admission. HIT and OST courses that are less than 2 years old with a B grade or higher upon admission do not have to be retaken.
6. All clinical courses must be repeated, no matter their age.
7. Acceptance is contingent upon availability of clinical space in the program.
8. Students transferring into the HIT program must complete at least 25% of the credit hours required for a degree, diploma, or certificate at Edgecombe Community College. Within the 25%, at least eighteen (18) semester hours must be major course work (HIT) for a degree or diploma.
9. To be considered for transfer:
   1. Contact the Program Chair in writing to request the transfer.
   2.  If the request for transfer was due to noncompliant grades, a written improvement plan must also be submitted to the faculty advisor.
   3. Once both steps 1 & 2 are completed:
      1. Meet current admission requirements.
      2. Submit medical information and other clinical requirements such as background check and drug screen as directed by the faculty advisor