21 NCAC 57B .0303          COURSE COMPLETION STANDARDS

(a)  Academic standards for course completion shall assure that students receiving a passing grade possess knowledge and understanding of the subject areas prescribed for the course. A student's grade shall be based on his or her performance on examinations, graded homework, and class work assignments.

(b)  Course completion requirements shall include a comprehensive final examination that accounts for at least 50 percent of a student's grade for the course. Open book final examinations shall be prohibited. Schools and course sponsors may, within 90 days of the course ending date, allow a student one opportunity to make up any missed course examination or to retake any failed course examination without repeating the course; however, any make up examination shall be comparable to the initial examination with regard to the number of questions and overall difficulty, and at least 75 percent of the questions in the make up examination shall be different from those used in the initial examination.

(c)  The final examination shall be proctored in person or remotely. If in person, the proctor shall:

(1)           require photographic identification from the applicant, such as a driver's license or a passport;

(2)           not allow a student to bring any personal items such as a backpack, purse, briefcase, or device that would enable the student to access the internet during the examination; and

(3)           be the school or course sponsor director, an employee of the school or course sponsor, or the instructor for the course. If a director, employee, or instructor is not available to proctor the examination, the school or course sponsor shall employ an official to serve as a proctor. Officials that may serve as proctors include a public librarian, notary public, attorney, police officer, or teacher. A proctor shall not be a family member or friend of a student unless that person is the director, an employee, or an instructor of the school or the course sponsor.

(d)  If the final examination is proctored remotely, the proctor shall ensure that it is a closed book exam with no study materials available during the exam, through continuously observing the student remotely from a web camera or through use of software with bio-metric proctoring.

(e)  The instructor may offer additional hours of instruction so that students may make up lost hours of instruction.

(f)  Students who are taking a qualifying course, other than the 15 hour National USPAP course, for continuing education credit, may sit for the final course examination, but they shall not be required to pass the examination in order to receive continuing education credit. Students who take and pass the examination, and who comply with the provisions of this Rule shall be given a course completion certificate. Students who do not take and pass the examination but who otherwise comply with the provisions of this Rule shall be given a certificate of attendance. The requirements set forth in a conditional dismissal, consent order, or order of the Board after a hearing shall not be modified by the provisions of this Paragraph.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 93E-1-8(a); 93E-1-10;

Eff. July 1, 1994;

Amended Eff. July 1, 2016; July 1, 2014; July 1, 2010; September 1, 2008; July 1, 2005; August 1, 2002;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. October 3, 2017;

Amended Eff. July 1, 2022.