Course Substitution Policies

A. A qualified student for admission to an ATS major, minor, or program of study is defined as one who, with or without reasonable accommodation, meets the requisite academic and technical standards required for admission or participation in a post-secondary institution program and activities.

B. On rare occasions, if a student with a disability (1) encounters a course that has objectives that he/she is unable to meet due to disability, even with reasonable accommodations, and (2) has substantial evidence from the dean of any school represented in the process of substitution, and from other credible sources, that the same objectives of a major, minor, or program of study can be satisfied by an alternate course, then the student can make a course substitution request to the Disability Resource Center.

C. A student may make a course substitution request by submitting the Course Substitution Form. This form requests the following information: (1) the documentation relevant to the request, demonstrating the disability-related need for the substitution, (2) justification regarding why the request is reasonable, and (3) supporting evidence, based upon research and best practices in higher education, that the same objective of a major, minor, or program of study can be satisfied by an alternate course.

D. The Disability Services Coordinator coordinates a collaborative process with the student, the Disability Resource Center, the school dean of the student, and the school dean that offers the course (if different from the student’s departmental chair) to determine if the course substitution substantially alters the program of study. After a deliberation process, the departmental chair(s) will make the final decision concerning course substitution requests.

E. Course substitutions are made only after every other option has been explored thoroughly, and the course substitution appears to be the most effective means for achieving the objectives of a major, minor, or program of study for that particular individual.