What is Course Program of Study (CPOS) and why is it important to me as a student?

CPOS can impact your eligibility for federal financial aid.

The U.S. Department of Education requires that SMC, like all institutions, ensure financial aid funds are only used to pay for courses that apply to a student’s program of study (major/curriculum). CPOS is a federal regulation that requires that only courses that count directly toward your program of study (major/curriculum) can be counted toward your enrollment level, which is used to determine your federal financial aid eligibility.

• How do I know what courses count directly toward my program of study (major/curriculum)?

  A student can refer to either the DegreeWorks graduation audit or the college catalog to see the courses that count directly toward a program of study. All students are required to have a defined curriculum. Students who are unsure what their curriculum should be or what courses align with their curriculum are encouraged to speak with an advisor.

• Are general education and MTA courses covered under CPOS rules?

  For A.A. and A.S. degree programs, all general education and MTA courses would be eligible for financial aid. However, caution should be exercised. If a student’s program of study requires only two humanities courses and the student enrolls in a third humanities course after completing the first two successfully, the student may not be eligible for federal financial aid for the third humanities course. For A.A.S. degree programs, only specific general education courses defined as a part of the program and higher-level math courses are eligible for federal aid.

• When does CPOS take effect?

  CPOS will officially take effect for all students when registration begins in October 2021 for the Spring 2022 semester, but all students should prepare immediately to ensure that their course registration aligns with their curriculum choice.

• How will I know if I am impacted by CPOS?

  If you are impacted by CPOS, you will receive notification from the Financial Aid Office that you may have enrolled in a course that is not financial aid eligible. A student’s financial aid awards are visible in the Financial Aid section of the Student Dashboard.

• What should I do if I receive notification saying that my financial aid has been impacted by CPOS?

  You should review your course registration for the semester and contact your advisor with your questions.

• Does CPOS impact all types of financial aid?

  No. CPOS affects state aid and federal financial aid including the Pell Grant, Direct Loans, PLUS loans, and Federal Work Study.

• What are some examples of how CPOS works?

  Example 1:  A student is enrolled in 12 credits, but 6 of those credits do not apply to their program of study. In this case, federal financial aid will be based on a 6-credit enrollment level (half-time). Federal Pell Grant will be awarded at half-time instead of full-time. Neither Federal Direct Loans nor Federal Work-Study will be impacted.

  Example 2:  A student is enrolled in 6 credits, but 3 of them do not apply to the student’s degree or certificate program of study. In this case, the federal Pell grant will be awarded at less than half-time instead of half-time.  Federal Direct Loans will be impacted. Students will not be eligible for Federal Direct Loans at a less than half-time enrollment level. Federal Work-Study may also be impacted.

• What are the definitions of enrollment levels?
  • Full-time student = 12 or more enrolled credits in a semester after CPOS is applied.
  • Three-quarter time student = 9 to 11 enrolled credits in a semester after CPOS is applied.
  • Half-time student = 6 to 8 enrolled credits in a semester after CPOS is applied.
  • Less than half-time student = 1 to 5 enrolled credits in a semester after CPOS is applied.
  • Please note that students who withdraw from a course are no longer considered enrolled in the course for that semester, and therefore, their enrollment level may change.  Changes to enrollment level can have an impact on financial aid availability and eligibility.
• What should I do to prevent the impact of CPOS on my financial aid?

  First, check your curriculum of study (major) on Wired to ensure that it is up-to-date and accurate.  If not, contact your advisor to have your curriculum changed.

  Second, before registering each semester, contact your advisor to ensure that the courses you select to enroll in are a part of your academic plan.

  Third, review your graduation audit through DegreeWorks to ensure that you are taking courses in your program of study that lead to a degree or certificate.

• What about transitional/developmental courses that are not a part of my program of study, according to the catalog, but I am still required to take?

  Depending on a student’s test scores, some students are required to take “transitional” courses. When passed, these transitional courses satisfy the prerequisite for other courses in a student’s program of study. Examples of transitional courses may b