Goal
In order to support students with certain academic needs related to college readiness, Suffolk provides developmental courses in reading, mathematics, English or English as a Second Language (ESL). These courses are designed to help students refine scholastic skills, and, thereby, effect a smooth transition to college-level courses. While developmental courses do not carry credit toward a degree or certificate, successful completion of these courses is required and may serve as a prerequisite to enrollment in college-level programs at Suffolk. Developmental courses may lengthen the time needed to complete a degree program. However, faculty at Suffolk continue to develop multiple approaches to enable students to begin college-level course work in a timely manner.
Course Placement
Newly admitted matriculated students are enrolled in college-level or developmental-level courses based on scores earned on the Computerized Placement Test (CPT), certain high school Regents exams, and/or other available test scores and measures. Students entering Suffolk who have completed appropriate college-level courses may be waived from part or all of the CPT.
Course placement may determine a students need to enroll in one or more of the following developmental courses, which do not fulfill degree requirements:
ENGLISH
ENG009: Basic English Skills
ENG010: Developmental Writing
ENG011: Enhanced Writing Skills
ENG012: Emerging Writers Workshop
MATHEMATICS
MAT001: Developmental Mathematics Skills
MAT006: Pre-Algebra and Algebra I
MAT007: Algebra I
MAT009: Mathematical Literacy
READING
RDG096: Essential College Reading
RDG098: Introduction to College Reading
RDG099: Reading in the Content Areas
In addition, students for whom English is a second language may be required to take any or all of the following:
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE
ESL011-012: ESL College Reading I and II
ESL013-014: ESL Intensive Grammar I and II
ESL015-016: ESL College Listening Speaking Skills I and II
ESL017-018: ESL College Composition I and II
Enrollment Requirements
Students required to take developmental courses in two or more subject areas or one developmental course at the lower-level English, reading, or ESL (ENG009/ESL017 or RDG098/RDG096/ESL011) may enroll in up to 14.5 credit hours per semester which would include the required developmental courses and courses from the student’s chosen curriculum. Courses are arranged by the counseling staff in consultation with the student. Students enrolled in developmental courses may drop or add courses only after written approval by a faculty advisor, counselor, Academic Chair, or Academic Dean.
Full-time students placed into developmental reading, English, or mathematics courses must register for them during the first semester. If two levels of a developmental courses are required, students successful at the lower-level must continue to the higher-level during the subsequent semester. Students earning a U, UN, R, or W must repeat the lower-level course before moving on to the higher-level.
Part-time students placed into two or more developmental courses may take them in conjunction with certain approved courses. Students placed only in developmental mathematics are required to take it during the student’s first semesters.
New students who are applying for financial aid with state aid eligibility must earn at least 3 college-level credits toward their current degree. In the subsequent semester the student must earn at least 6 college-level credits toward their current degree.
Any grade issued for a developmental course is binding. A test and retest score on the CPT cannot be used to substitute for or replace an earned grade.
