Course Substitutions
Colorado College recognizes that as a result of disability, some students may be unable to satisfy specific coursework typically required for degree completion. Therefore, qualified students with disabilities may request that appropriate course substitutions be considered.
The Accessibility Resources staff, in collaboration with appropriate faculty and staff, will review such requests on a case-by-case basis to determine eligibility and to reasonably accommodate qualified students with alternative coursework that will satisfactorily fulfill the appropriate degree requirement.
Students should follow the steps below to request a course substitution:
- Complete the Request for Course Substitution Form, which can be obtained from Accessibility Resources.
- As appropriate, provide Accessibility Resources with complete and current documentation of disability. The documentation must include verification of disability, evidence of a disability-related need for the substitution, and justification for regarding the request as reasonable. Please refer to the documentation guidelines.
- Provide Accessibility Resources with a history of any previous attempts to complete the coursework in question, including high school and/or college transcripts as appropriate.
- Meet with the Director of Accessibility Resources (or designee) to discuss the request.
Note: It is the student's responsibility to consult with the appropriate academic advisor(s) to determine the impact of a course substitution on the student's program of study/graduation requirements. The substitution should not substantially alter an essential element of the student's program of study, including requirements for majors and minors.
Once Accessibility Resources has received the student's request, the following actions will be taken:
- Accessibility Resources will review the student's request. The AVP of Student Success, the Registrar's Office, and appropriate faculty and staff may be consulted.
- Accessibility Resources will notify the student of the decision to grant or deny the request.
- If denied, the student will be provided with a rationale for the denial. The student can appeal the denial via the Student Disability Appeal Policy and Procedure.
- If the substitution is approved, Accessibility Resources will discuss course options for the substitution with the student.
- Accessibility Resources will consult with the AVP for Student Success who gives final approval of courses that may be used for the substitution; Accessibility Resources will update the student on approved courses.
- If approved, the student's Stellic Account will be updated to reflect an exception in that area of degree progress.
- The student should notify Accessibility Resources when approved courses are completed.
- If the course(s) are completed with a grade of C- or higher or an S, Accessibility Resources will notify the Registrar's Office so the student's degree progress can be updated, if not automatically updated via Stellic.
Critical Engagement through Language
Language Study at the College Level develops language skills along with an essential awareness and knowledge of diverse linguistic traditions and cultural contexts. Language study is a critical means of promoting diversity and inclusion and of understanding a wide range of human experiences, both throughout history and across contemporary societies.
At CC, we recognize that, as a result of disability, some students may be unable to learn a foreign language in an educational setting like Colorado College. Students who are approved for a substitution for the Critical Engagement through Language General Education requirement may take cultural-based courses that develop essential awareness and knowledge of diverse linguistic traditions and cultural contexts.
Curricular goals
- Courses will develop in students an awareness of different cultural systems and how these systems reflect different worldviews;
- Courses will introduce students to the challenges inherent in cultural diversity;
- Courses will teach students to engage with the culture.
Learning outcomes
As a result of taking a course substitution for Language Study at the College Level, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate cultural skills in one of the following ways:
- Respond successfully to written prompts regarding the culture;
- Respond successfully to spoken prompts regarding the culture;
- Express a feeling, thought, or idea regarding the culture.
- Describe how elements of one or more worldviews common to a society appear within the culture of that society;
- Articulate the value of cultural and/or linguistic diversity.
Course Substitution Details
- Courses selected for the language course substitution should be heavily focused on learnings associated with a non-English, non-US, foreign culture.
- The two required units of coursework do not need to be culturally related.
- Per the General Education program, and applicable to course substitutions: “Students may not use a single course to meet more than one Learning Across the Liberal Arts requirement or more than one Equity and Power requirement, and must take and pass all General Education courses with a minimum grade of C- or S, with the exception of CC100.”
- A pre-approved course list is available through Accessibility Resources. If a desired course meets the criteria and is not on the list, please contact the Director of Accessibility Resources to request a review of the course to determine if it will qualify.
- To assist with advising and course planning, approved students will have Language Course Substitutions (LCS) listed as an “exception” under the Critical Engagement through Language General Education requirement in Stellic.
- Students may not use course substitutions to substitute a requirement for a major or minor.
- Courses from outside Colorado College must be reviewed and evaluated for credit by the Registrar, and approved as a course substitution by Accessibility Resources
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