Course Program of Study (CPoS) FAQs

What is CPoS?

Course program of study/major (CPoS) is the process that is run to identify courses within a student's program of study/major. Courses that do not apply towards a student's program of study/major will be ineligible for federal financial aid.

Why CPoS?

CPoS is a tool used to ensure students are enrolled in the correct courses needed to persist successfully and graduate and that those courses are eligible to receive financial aid funding. The U.S. Department of Education has required that institutions ensure financial aid funds are used to pay for courses that apply to a student's degree program. This process will allow technology to automatically check each students schedule each term.

When did CPoS become a requirement?

For many years, the U.S. Department of Education has required that institutions ensure federal financial aid funds are used to pay for courses that apply to a student's degree program. Atlanta Metropolitan State College has implemented the Course Program of Study Process.

How will course substitutions be handled?

  • We highly encourage the completion of course substitutions for registered courses by the priority deadlines. Processing for registered course substitutions received by the Office of the Registrar after the Drop/Add period cannot be guaranteed in time for CPoS assessment.
  • As the student meets with their academic advisor or dean, if it is determined that a substitution should be made for degree completion, a form will be initiated by the academic advisor or dean. This will then be signed next by the dean, and forwarded to the Office of the Registrar for processing. All course substitutions must be processed during the add/drop period of the current term. If the course substitution is received after the add/drop period has ended it will be processed for the next semester. For example, a student is enrolled in all 12-week courses, and the course substitution is received after the add/drop period has ended, this course substitution will be processed for the next semester.

How does Degree Works help?

Ellucian DegreeWorks is an easy-to-use online set of academic planning tools that help students and advisors see what courses and requirements students need to graduate. DegreeWorks uses a student's Catalog Year to determine the set of degree requirements to use when producing a degree audit. Degree Works will identify courses that are eligible and ineligible to receive federal financial aid.

What are some common reasons for ineligibility?
  • Student registers for courses other than instructed by advisor and are not required for the declared program.
  • Course is a substitution, but the official substitution process is not complete.
  • Courses are not required in the student's catalog year and are not appropriate to the program of study/major.
  • Course was previously repeated and no longer qualifies for aid.
    • If the course is already repeated twice, with passing grades, it is not eligible for financial aid. The student may register for a different eligible course.
  • Course is an elective and the student already fulfilled all electives.
    • Electives are correctly calculated in Degree Works. If electives are fulfilled and a substitution is not completed, the course is not eligible for federal aid.
What is the Financial Aid impact?
  • Only courses that satisfy your program of study/major will be eligible for federal funding.
  • Prerequisite courses and support courses (classes below the 1000 level) are eligible for financial aid funding up to a maximum of 30 attempted remedial hours. The student is otherwise eligible for federal financial aid, the credits for the remedial courses will be considered as in-program and eligible for federal financial aid.
  • Students receiving federal financial aid are welcome to take classes which are not required for their program of study/major. However, they will need to pay for those classes out-of-pocket or with non-federal financial aid.
What is a program of study/major?

A program of study/major consists of courses required to complete a specific degree, inclusive of required coursework within the major, concentration, and catalog. The specific courses for a program of study/major are identified through Degree Works available to you through the student portal.

What types of Aid are affected by CPoS?

Federal and State funds could be impacted by CPoS.

If I'm receiving VA benefits, how will this affect me?

VA benefits are subject to their own rules and do not fall under CPoS. Please contact your assigned advisor if you have questions about course eligibility.

If I am an international student, how will this affect me?

International students will not be affected by this regulation as you do not qualify and/or receive federal or state financial aid.

How will elective courses noted in program of study/major be counted?

Electives outlined within Degree Works will count towards the program of study/major. Any course not listed on Degree Works will not count towards the program of study/major and therefore will not be covered by Financial Aid.

What about pre-requisite coursework?

These courses count for federal financial aid only if they are required in the student's program of study/major. However, if a student is enrolled as a regular student in an eligible program of study/major and is required to take a prerequisite course prior to enrolling in a required course for the program, the prerequisite may be included in the cost of attendance and federal aid determination. No more than a maximum of 30 attempted hours inclusive of learning support prerequisite coursework from all post-secondary schools combined can count for federal financial aid purposes.

What if a course doesn't count toward CPoS but I think it should?

Email or make an appointment with your academic advisor if you need to make adjustments to your declared program of study/major.

What if I am enrolled in 12 credit hours, but 4 of those hours don't count towards my declared program of study/major. How does that affect my financial aid?

Financial aid will be awarded on 8 credit hours. This would allow you to receive any loans you are eligible to receive and 3/4 of your PELL grant.

Can I change my program of study/major to receive financial aid for a course that does not apply toward my current program of study/major?

No

Some of the classes in which I'm enrolled for do not apply toward my program of study/major. What do I do next?

Your federal aid is based on coursework that applies toward outstanding requirements in your program of study/major. Therefore, your federal aid may be reduced. You have two options:

Meet with your Academic Advisor to discuss your academic options. If the part of term in the semester has not started, it may be in your best interest to drop the ineligible course(s) and enroll only in courses in your declared program that will be eligible for federal financial aid.

- OR -

If the part of term in the semester has already begun and your financial aid does not cover all of your tuition costs, you will be responsible for the outstanding balance owed. Ineligible courses can be paid for out of pocket.

How can I update my major?

Your program of study/major/major is declared based on your selection on your admission application. It is important that your major is declared and noted in Degree Works. If you have been planning to change your major, but have not yet done so, you should consult your academic advisor immediately and complete the Major Change Form. It is imperative that you do not register for classes toward the new major until the update to your official degree is reflected in Degree Works. Courses can only be determined to be eligible based on the declared major as noted in Degree Works. Changes cannot be made retroactively, and most changes will not be approved once a determination is made that a course is not financial aid eligible.

What should a student do if they need to add another major or minor?

We do not offer double majors or minors at AMSC.

Can a student take classes that are not required for his/her major?

Students receiving federal financial aid are welcome to take classes which are not required for their program of study/major. However, they will need to pay for those classes out-of-pocket or with non-federal financial aid.

I need to take a learning support English or Math class and it is not listed as required on my major requirements?

Learning support (classes below the 1000 level) are eligible for financial aid funding up to a maximum of 30 attempted remedial hours. If the student is otherwise eligible for federal financial aid, the credits for the remedial courses will be considered as in-program and eligible for federal financial aid.

What if I am planning on changing my major?

If you are planning on changing your major, it is vital that you connect and discuss with your academic advisor as soon as you've made the decision to ensure that your courses keep you eligible for federal and state financial aid.

Are scholarships impacted by CPoS?

Scholarships do not require that students enroll in courses in their program of study/major. Scholarship awards will not be based on classes counted in the student's program of study/major/major.

Where can students find their major?

Step 1: Go to www.atlm.edu
Step 2: Log into Student Portal
Step 3: Select Student Services & Financial Aid
Step 4: Select View Student Information
Step 5; Select a term and click Submit
Step 6: Click Submit again
Step 7: View your assigned Advisor

How will affect Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) impact my CPoS?

Satisfactory Academic Progress is based on total hours taken and not federal aid eligible hours taken. All hours will continue to count towards this as noted at Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for Financial Aid Recipients

What is Federal Financial Aid, and State Financial Aid?

First, the term "financial aid" refers to any funding designed to assist with your educational expenses. Most financial aid flows through the school and is applied directly to your student account.

  • FEDERAL Financial Aid: This financial aid is generally determined based on the information included on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and comes from the U.S. Department of Education. Examples include the Pell Grant, SEOG Grant, Stafford Loans, and PLUS Loans to name a few. CPoS DOES impact these awards.
  • STATE Financial Aid: This financial aid may also use information included on the FAFSA to determine eligibility, but sometimes require an additional application. The primary difference is that the source of funding is from the state government. Examples include the HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarship. CPoS DOES NOT impact any of these awards.
What about students who are going to change majors (closet majors)?

Current semester majors must be declared and reflected in the student's Degree Works by the date indicated in the academic calendar. Courses counting only toward future majors will not count toward the program of study/major.

How often will a student's enrollment be reviewed?

A student's course registration will begin being reviewed one week after registration opens.

How and when will I know if I am impacted by CPoS?

We will begin notifying students one week after registration opens.

A course substitution request has been submitted. When will my financial aid be updated to reflect this request?

If a course substitution is received prior to the add/drop period, it will be processed by the Registrar's Office withing 24 - 48 hours. Financial Aid will update your status with 24 - 48 hours. Course substitutions received after the add/drop period will be processed for the next semester.

When is the last day to modify my enrollment to potentially impact CPoS?

The last date to make adjustments to your schedule will be the last day of the add/drop period for the session the class begins.

When is the last day to make major changes to potentially impact CPoS?

Students have until the end of the add/drop period for the part of term that they are enrolled to complete a change of major form. For example, if a student is enrolled in a 15-week course, and a 12-week course, the last date that the student can submit a change of major form will be for last date of add/drop period for the 15-week course. All major changes will need to be made prior to add/drop for CPoS consideration.

What if a student is currently listed as one major on their Degree Works but is taking classes in another major?

Financial Aid will not pay for classes that are not in the students' current major
Dashboard image view of where to find your current major

Will a student that is currently enrolled in an Associate's Degree program be allowed to take Bachelor's Degree classes?

No. Students will only be allowed to take classes that are listed in their current program of study?
Image of Dashboard to find non eligible course list

Student recently changed their major but is currently enrolled in courses under their old major. What will this look like on my Degree Works, and will Financial Aid cover those courses?

No, Financial Aid will not cover any courses that are not a part of your current program of study. Courses that are not a part of your major will be found in the "Fall Through" section of Degree Works.

Will financial aid pay for classes that have been taken repeatedly? Will financial aid pay for classes that have been taken repeatedly?

In the example shown, the student has taken ENGL 1101 and received a grade of an "FA" in the Fall 2019 semester. The student retook the class in Fall 2022 and earned a "D".
Dashboard image view of where to find classes covered by Financial Aid

Dashboard image view of where to find classes covered by Financial Aid second slide

How can I find who my Academic Advisor is in Degree Works?

Click on the envelope in the upper right corner. Your advisor name and email address will appear.

Dashboard image view of where to find your Academic Advisor

How do I see what classes are not covered by Financial Aid?

Your Degree Works will notate which courses are not covered by financial aid. It will be indicated at the top of your Degree Works form.

Current Courses dashboard view image of not covered by Financial Aid

Where do I view my declared major?

From your student portal, you can access your DegreeWorks. Check your DegreeWorks to be sure your major is correctly declared.

Dashboard image view of declared major

If you have any questions, please contact:

Office of Financial Aid
FinancialAid@atlm.edu
404-756-4002

Office of the Registrar
Registrar@atlm.edu
404-756-4001

The Center for Academic Advising & Student Success
AcademicAdvising@atlm.edu
404-756-5690