Academic Policies

Change of Schedule (Drop/Add)

(Policy amended 5/12/08: deadlines specified for shorter and non-standard terms)

Students may drop and/or add courses by following instructions and adhering to deadlines in the appropriate Schedule of Classes each semester.  Change of Schedule (drop/add) forms are available in departments and can also be printed in .pdf format on the Office of the Registrar's Web site.  To see when a Change of Schedule form is required, see Registration Dates and Deadlines.

As of the first day of classes and through the last day of registration for credit, as stated in the Academic Calendar, a student may not add a course with a Change of Schedule form without the permission and the signature of the instructor of the course.

Fall & Spring Semesters (16-week courses):
Course withdrawals filed before the first deadline, at the end of the fourth week of classes, result in cancellation of registration in the course.  The course enrollment is deleted from the student's permanent record.

For course withdrawals filed between the first and second withdrawal deadlines—at the end of the eighth week of classes--the grade of "W" is awarded to students who are passing at the time of withdrawal, and the grade of "E" may be awarded to students not passing at the time of withdrawal.  Either grade will be displayed on the student’s permanent record. The value of the “E” grade will be calculated in the student’s grade point average.

The second deadline to drop a course is normally the student’s last opportunity to drop a course, except for an extraordinary reason approved by the student's college dean (in the case of undergraduate students) or by the Graduate College dean (in the case of graduate students) or by the Dean of Students (in the case of students withdrawing completely from the University). With the college dean’s approval, undergraduates may drop a course through the last day of regularly scheduled classes—prior to the final examination period.  Likewise, graduate students need the approval of the Graduate College dean to drop a course through the last day of classes.  For students in the colleges of Law and Medicine, withdrawals are governed by regulations established by the respective college faculties.

Courses with non-standard start and end dates, including but not limited to all Summer Session and Winter Session courses: 
The Registrar determines the duration of the first withdrawal period and publishes the specific deadline to drop a course with deletion from the record for shorter or non-standard terms in the Schedule of Classes.

For course withdrawals filed between the first and second withdrawal deadlines, the grade of "W" is awarded to students who are passing at the time of withdrawal, and the grade of "E" may be awarded to students not passing at the time of withdrawal. Either grade will be displayed on the student’s permanent record. The value of the “E” grade will be calculated in the student’s grade point average. The second drop deadline is set by the Registrar based on the length of the course.  The specific deadline to drop a course with a grade of “W” or “E” for shorter or non-standard terms is published in the Schedule of Classes.

The two drop deadlines for courses with extended terms (i.e., those extending 5 or more months) are proportional with those set for the Fall or Spring Semester. 

The second deadline to drop a course is normally the student’s last opportunity to drop a course, except for an extraordinary reason approved by the student's college dean (in the case of undergraduate students) or by the Graduate College dean (in the case of graduate students) or by the Dean of Students (in the case of students withdrawing completely from the University). With the college dean’s approval, undergraduates may drop a course through the last day of a class with shorter or non-standard start and end dates—prior to the final examination period.  Likewise, graduate students need the approval of the Graduate College dean to drop a course through the last day of a class with shorter or non-standard start and end dates. For students in the colleges of Law and Medicine, withdrawals are governed by regulations established by the respective college faculties.