Registration Policies

Your final schedule will determine your full-time or part-time enrollment status for the semester. This status affects your tuition, fees, and financial aid. 

Adding Classes

• You can add classes during the first week of the semester. For shorter terms, please refer to the academic calendar for specific add deadlines.
• If you miss the deadline, you may submit a Late Add Appeal during the second week. The instructor and department chairperson will review and decide if the late enrollment is academically suitable. 

Dropping Classes

• You can drop classes during the first two weeks of the semester. For shorter terms, please refer to the academic calendar for specific drop deadlines.
• Dropped courses have no academic penalty and won't appear on your transcript.
• After the drop deadline, you may withdraw from a course up until the withdrawal deadline and receive a 'W' on your transcript. 
• Ensure you drop or withdraw by the refund deadline if you wish to receive a refund for tuition and fees.

If you encountered extraordinary circumstances that prevented you from meeting deadlines, please contact the Dean for the college or school where the course is offered to discuss potential adjustments.

Regular class attendance is expected by the university and it is the responsibility of the student to understand the attendance policy in each course he or she takes, as outlined in each course syllabus. When absent, students remain responsible for finding out what class activities occurred during the absence and make up missed work if the instructor permits it. When a student knows in advance that it will be necessary to miss a class session, the student should inform the instructor.

When a student has missed a significant portion of coursework, which may be difficult or impossible to make up, the student should confer with the course instructor to explore options, including withdrawal from the course. The student may consult with an academic advisor or the Dean of Student Affairs Office to consider various options.

Absences occasioned by official University activities, such as participation in conferences, intercollegiate athletic events, musical performances, and other events, must be documented in advance through the Dean of Student Affairs Office. A student that knows that such absences will occur shall confer with the instructor in respect to such absences. Students may also contact the Dean of Student Affairs Office with questions about the University's policy on class attendance.

Non-Participation or Stopping Out

In order to ensure compliance with federal enrollment status and financial aid reporting requirements, Southern Connecticut State University monitors participation in all classes and adjusts enrollment as follows: 

• Students who have attended or participated in course must be reported to the Registrar’s Office as ‘Attended’ to confirm enrollment one-time at the start of each term.
• Students who have not attended or participated in a course by the end of the second week will be withdrawn from the roster and a grade of ‘N-Never Attended’ will be recorded on the transcript.
• Students who have not attended or participated in any course on thier schedule by the end of the second week will be dropped from the university, all tuition and fee charges are reversed, and the courses are removed from the student’s transcript.
• Students who have been removed from the roster may request reinstatement from the instructor and be approved in the third week.
• Full-time students do not receive a refund when withdrawn from individual courses for non-attendance. Part-time students are issued a 60% refund when withdrawn from individual courses for non-attendance.
• For courses less than 8 weeks, students must attend or participate by the end of the first week and, if removed from the roster for non-attendance, may be approved for reinstatement in the second week.
• When students stop attending a course, the instructor shall issue a midterm and final grade 'FS-Failure Due to Stop Out' along with a last date of attendance.

The university reserves the right to cancel courses having insufficient registration and to make changes in the schedule of classes when necessary. Students will be notified of a course cancellation via their Southern e-mail account. A student's enrollment status will be adjusted to either full-time or part-time based on the cancellation. The university also reserves the right to change instructors when necessary.

Graduate level courses are numbered 500-999; 500 and 600-level courses are typically applied to a master's program; 700-level courses are typically applied to a post-master's program; 800 and 900-level courses are typically applied to a doctoral program. See Course Descriptions for the list of courses by subject area that have been offered within the past two years.

Southern Connecticut State University follows the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) definition of the credit hour defined as an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutional established equivalence that reasonably approximates not less than:

• One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of
  credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work
  over a different amount of time; or
• At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution including laboratory work, internships,
  practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.
• Our academic year is divided into two semesters, each approximately 16 weeks long, including
  finals week. Standard lecture courses are 3-credit hours and meet for either three 50-minute
  periods or two 75-minute periods per week (or at least 2.5 hours per week and 37.5 hours per semester). Laboratory courses follow a different schedule and may carry more or less credit.

A student's registration determines whether they are enrolled full-time or part-time for the term. Tuition, fees, and financial aid will be adjusted based on this status. To be considered full-time, students must be admitted to a graduate program and register for 9-15 semester credit hours, with the typical workload being 12 credits per semester. Part-time enrollment is categorized as follows:

• Three-quarter time: Registered in at least 6.75 credits.
• Half-time: Registered in at least 4.5 credits.
• Quarter time: Registered in at least 2.25 credits.
• Less than quarter time: Registered in fewer than 2.25 credits.

Undergraduate matriculated students must be a senior with at least 90 earned credits and have a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA), or higher as determined by the department, to be eligible to enroll in graduate coursework (500-level or above). Graduate courses must fulfill a student’s current undergraduate program requirements to be eligible for financial aid. Approval to start graduate coursework during an undergraduate program does not guarantee future admission to the graduate program.

Graduate course grades will be recorded on the undergraduate transcript, computed in the undergraduate GPA, and credit may be earned towards completion of the bachelor’s degree. If the student earns a ‘C’ or better in a graduate course, the grade will also be recorded on the graduate transcript, computed in the graduate GPA, and credit may be earned towards completion of the master’s degree. Some programs may have higher grade requirements in place for certain courses which will require the student to retake the course for a higher grade later.

Students will meet with their faculty advisor to prepare a Graduate Course Plan based on their intended graduate program of study for accelerated pathways. Students may take up to 6 graduate credits per semester and up to 12 graduate credits overall (the specific number of credits may vary by program and student). The Department Chairperson for the student’s undergraduate program must approve the graduate courses to be applied to the bachelor’s degree requirements. The Graduate Coordinator for the student’s intended graduate program of study must approve the plan to authorize registration in the graduate courses. The ability for undergraduate students to take graduate level courses may be limited by seat availability.

Matriculated students who have completed at least 9 credits of graduate work and have maintained at least a 3.0 GPA ("B") or better are eligible to apply for an independent study with the support of their faculty advisor.  Students who are considering an independent study should first review the policies and guidelines on the Application for Independent Study located on the Graduate School's website.

To take a leave of absence and time off from your studies, but with the intention of returning, students must submit a University Withdrawal/Leave Option Form to remain matriculated at the University. Students may elect to take a leave of absence due to a variety of personal or professional reasons.  A student may consider taking a leave of absence if required course(s) are not being offered or if they are a graduate student completing a comprehensive exam in a later semester and will not be taking any additional coursework. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with their advisor to discuss plans for degree completion.

A leave of absence is effective when the Registrar’s Office receives the form or at the time indicated by the student if completing the semester, whichever is later. Requests are not retroactive and will not be accepted after the last day of the semester. Students may take a leave for up to two consecutive semesters (12 months) without reapplying for admission (see Readmission Policy). Those attending another institution during their leave must submit a Transfer Credit Request form and obtain prior approval. Failure to return within the 12-month period will result in automatic withdrawal from the University. Graduate students must complete all degree requirements within six years, or seven years for doctoral students, including any periods of leave.

After the drop period, students who take a leave before the 12th week will receive "W" grades; after that, grades will be as assigned by instructors. Tuition and fees may be adjusted if the effective date of withdrawal is within a refund period. Financial aid recipients should contact the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships, as withdrawal may impact aid and result in a balance owed.

Appeal Process

The appeal process allows students to request a review and possible adjustment of their leave date or billed charges due to extraordinary circumstances. Appeals must be filed within 30 days following the end of the semester under appeal. Note that submitting an appeal does not alter current academic or financial responsibilities, but it will prompt a review of associated charges and financial aid. Any approved reductions in charges by the University President or designee will be calculated after considering any retained grant or scholarship aid.

A course may be repeated but credit will only be earned once toward degree requirements, unless specifically noted otherwise in the course description. Grades for all attempted courses are recorded on the student transcript and will be used in determining the cumulative GPA, unless eligible for Grade Replacement. Students should also review Financial Aid Repeated Coursework policy for more information about aid eligibility for repeated courses.

A matriculated graduate student may obtain approval from their Graduate Coordinator to enroll in a maximum of 6 credits of undergraduate coursework at the 300 or 400-level to fulfill requirements towards a master's degree. Undergraduate courses can only be applied to master's degree programs and shall not fulfill requirements for any other graduate program.  Students in a master's degree program must still complete a minimum of 30 credits of graduate level coursework at the 500-level or above, in addition to completing all program specific requirements, to earn their degree.  All courses must fulfill a student’s current program requirements to be eligible for financial aid.

Competency-based waiver exams may be available for graduate students who have the requisite skills and/or prior coursework necessary to waive one or more courses in their programs of study. These exams provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate competencies and receive credit for a particular course requirement. Graduate students seeking a waiver exam are encouraged to contact their department to determine if this option is available, for a particular program, or course.

The following graduate students may be eligible to petition to take a waiver exam:

1. Working professionals with a strong academic and employment background in their field who can demonstrate competency for the waiver of a course requirement in their program of study.
2. Those who have taken relevant coursework more than six (6) years ago that is equivalent to a course requirement in their program of study.

A graduate student who receives a satisfactory grade on a waiver exam as determined by the program, earns three (3) credits or the equivalent credit(s) of the course, and the course is waived from the student's program of study. 

Waiver credits are not considered when calculating a student's GPA. An "EP" is recorded on a student's transcript to indicate credit received through successful completion of a waiver exam.  A waiver exam may be taken only once. The Waiver Exam Fee for a waiver exam is $250.  

Course Withdrawal

Before withdrawing from a course, students should consult their instructor and academic advisor. After the drop period, students may withdraw in Banner Student self-service up until the end of the 12th week of classes. For shorter terms, refer to the academic calendar. Withdrawals are effective on the submission date and will be marked as 'W' on the transcript. Financial aid recipients should contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, as withdrawing may affect their aid and potentially result in owing funds.

Course Withdrawal Appeal

Students facing extraordinary circumstances who missed the withdrawal deadline can submit a Course Withdrawal Appeal to the instructor up to the last day of classes. If approved, the instructor will forward it to the department chairperson for final approval. If the instructor is the chairperson, the Dean of the college or school will handle the approval. The Dean can also approve appeals received after the deadline.

University Withdrawal

To withdraw from the university, without the intention of returning, students must submit a University Withdrawal/Leave Option Form. Withdrawal is effective upon form receipt or when all courses are either dropped or withdrawn.

After the drop period, students withdrawing before the 12th week will receive "W" grades; after that, grades will be as assigned by instructors. Tuition and fees may be adjusted if the effective date of withdrawal is within a refund period. Financial aid recipients should contact the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships, as withdrawal may impact aid and result in a balance owed, and to discuss loan repayment and exit counseling requirements.

Students who stop attending without notifying the university will be withdrawn at the semester’s end and receive grades as assigned by their instructors. Financial aid returns will be calculated based on the midpoint of the semester or last attendance date reported, whichever is later. Students not returning the next semester will be withdrawn as well.

University Withdrawal Appeal

The appeal process allows students to request a review and possible adjustment of their withdrawal date or billed charges due to extraordinary circumstances. Appeals must be filed within 30 days following the end of the semester under appeal. Note that submitting an appeal does not alter current academic or financial responsibilities, but it will prompt a review of associated charges and financial aid. Any approved reductions in charges by the University President or designee will be calculated after considering any retained grant or scholarship aid.