Enrollment & Registration
Students may refer to the University’s Guide to Registration for information related to enrollment. They are also encouraged to review registration details online at www.umw.edu/registrar for the most up-to-date enrollment information.
Course Registration Policies and Procedures
Add
Students may add courses during the official add period after the initial registration
period. The official course-add period is published for fall, spring, and summer in the
Guide to Registration.
Audit
Students may attend a course but receive no academic credit by completing the audit
registration process and paying the appropriate fees. Auditing of courses is permitted in
nonrestricted courses on a space-available basis. Audit registration procedures, dates,
and costs are published in the Guide to Registration.
Drop
Students may drop courses before classes begin without financial or academic
penalty. However, once classes begin, students may withdraw from courses based on
the calendar included in the Guide to Registration. The amount of refund, if any, is based
on the refund schedules published in the Guide to Registration. Nonattendance in a
course does not constitute a course drop; a course drop is official only if the student has
completed the course drop process through the Office of the Registrar.
Courses cannot be dropped after the published deadlines unless a student withdraws
completely from the semester or session. Courses that are taught in short time frames or
that have either beginning or ending dates different from the beginning or ending dates of the regular full academic semester or session will have published drop/withdrawal
guidelines specific to the dates of the course.
Students who drop all courses in which they are registered must withdraw from the
University. Information on Voluntary Withdrawal is available in this section.
Instructor-Initiated Drop
Instructors have the authority but are not required to initiate a drop for
students during the first week of classes if the student does not attend:
- the first and second meetings of a class that meets three times per week.
- the first and second meetings of a class that meets two times per week.
- the first meeting of a class that meets once each week.
Load
Student load definitions, as determined by the U.S. Department of Education and the
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, are:
Undergraduate
full time...................................................................... 12 or more credits
part time .................................................................... fewer than 12 credits
3/4 time...................................................................... 9 to 11 credits
1/2 time...................................................................... 6 to 8 credits
less than 1/2 time........................................................ 1 to 5 credits
Graduate
full time...................................................................... 9 or more credits
part time ................................................................... fewer than 9 credits
3/4 time...................................................................... 6 credits
more than 1/4 but less than 1/2 time.............................. 3 credits
Overload (Undergraduate)
Students with a cumulative 3.0 GPA or with a 3.0 GPA for the most recent semester
or session at CGPS may register for up to 18 credits. To register for more than 18 credits,
permission must be obtained—by signature—from an academic advisor in the Office of
Advising Services. Students who have less than a cumulative 3.0 GPA or less than a 3.0
GPA for the most recent semester or session and who want to register for more than 18
credits must submit a written request, with justification for the overload, to the associate
dean of advising services. If the overload is approved, the associate dean of advising
services will grant the permission in writing, which will include the number of credits
approved.
The Office of Advising Services may grant permission for an overload to students
who present evidence of strong academic achievement at their prior institutions. Degree-seeking and certificate students who are on academic probation will not be allowed to
enroll in more than 16 credits for the semester or session.
Nondegree students may not register for more than 11 credits in any single semester
or session without permission of the Office of Advising Services.
Repeating Courses (Undergraduate)
Students may repeat a course to improve a grade of C- or lower, with permission
of the associate dean of advising services. Although both the initial grade and the new
grade will appear on the permanent record, the new grade in the repeated course is
the grade that determines the student’s grade-point average (GPA) and the amount of
credit earned for the course. Students may not repeat a course that is prerequisite or
introductory to a previously completed course. A repeated course must always be taken
for graded credit and not on a pass/fail basis. No course may be repeated more than
once.
Only courses repeated at the University can improve a student’s GPA. Courses taken
and passed with grades of C or higher at other institutions to make up credits for a failed
University course will be recorded as transfer credit, but the permanent academic record
will include the quality points from the failed University course. All transfer courses
must receive preapproval from the Office of Advising Services.
For information concerning repeat of graduate credit, students must consult the
appropriate program director, program handbook, or the Office of Advising Services.
Requests for Graduate Courses
An undergraduate student at the University of Mary Washington with 18 or fewer
credits of course work remaining for degree completion may take up to six credits
of graduate course work beyond the undergraduate degree requirements on a spaceavailable
basis. Such graduate credit may be counted toward a master’s degree at the
University, but will not be used to fulfill undergraduate degree requirements. The
student must have a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade-point average and must meet all
applicable foundation and prerequisite course requirements. The student is required
to obtain permission from his/her academic advisor, the program director, and the
associate vice president for academic affairs. The registrar and student will be notified of
this approval.
If there are financial aid considerations, the student is encouraged to review all
policies related to taking graduate courses prior to completion of the undergraduate
program.
Students in accelerated degree programs should consult information on Accelerated
Degree Programs in the Academic Rules and Regulations section.
Section Change
Students may officially change sections of a course during the add period (usually
the initial week of the course) by dropping one section and adding the new section of the course in accordance with Office of the Registrar procedures. Attending the new
section and not attending the old section does not constitute an official change of section.
Section changes are official only if the student has completed the course change process.
The official last day to change sections is published in the Guide to Registration.
Withdrawal
Students may withdraw from a course until the date published in the Guide to
Registration. However, any financial refund will be determined based on the withdrawal
date. A grade of W will be recorded on the permanent record. Students are required to
obtain approval from the Office of Advising Services. Students may not withdraw from
courses after the deadlines published in the Guide to Registration.
Withdrawal, Administrative
The administrative withdrawal of a student from a given semester or session is an
action required as a result of either a disciplinary or Honor violation, or improper course
enrollment as deemed by the University administration, and is not a voluntary action
taken by the student. Such withdrawals may be noted on the student’s permanent record,
including whether the student is eligible to return to study.
Withdrawal, Voluntary
Regardless of the date, students who wish to drop all of their courses are voluntarily
withdrawing from study for that semester or session. Such withdrawals must be
completed by the last day of class for the semester or session. If students have received
grades in a completed course, within the semester or term, they are not eligible to
withdraw. In this case, students may drop courses registered for in the upcoming or
current session; however, these students are subject to drop policies for the courses,
and grades received for courses in completed sessions will be recorded as part of the
student’s permanent academic record.
Students must complete a withdrawal form and obtain the required approvals.
Students are fully responsible for all outstanding charges on their account, and will
not be permitted to return to the University or register for courses until their account
is cleared. An undergraduate degree student who withdraws may return to study
within three semesters/sessions, without applying for readmission to the University,
if the student’s cumulative grade-point average is 2.0 or higher, the student’s account
is in good standing, and all other obligations to the University have been met. A
graduate student who withdraws may return to study within three semesters/sessions,
without applying for readmission to the University, if the student’s cumulative gradepoint
average is 3.0 or higher, the student’s account is in good standing, and all other
obligations to the University have been met. If a student remains withdrawn for more
than three semesters/sessions, the student must apply for readmission. Information on
Readmission is available in the Academic Rules and Regulations section. Any refunds
due at the time of withdrawal are based on the refund schedule for the period published in the Guide to Registration. Such withdrawals are noted on the student’s permanent
record.
Definitions Related to Enrollment and Registration
Corequisite and Prerequisite Courses
Corequisite courses are two or more courses that must be completed concurrently.
A course that is required to be completed before enrollment in another course is
considered a prerequisite course. Prerequisite courses must be taken in the appropriate
sequence to count toward graduation. No student may enroll in a course with
prerequisites unless the prerequisite courses have been successfully completed, or
waived by the program director. The appropriate program director, in consultation with
the Office of Advising Services, will resolve prerequisite rule violations.
Course Numbering
The course number is a four-letter discipline code plus a three-digit number
delineating the course level. Courses numbered below the 100 level do not carry credit
that may be applied to a degree. Lower level undergraduate courses are numbered in the
100s and 200s and are typically introductory courses requiring little or no prior study in
the field. Upper level undergraduate courses are numbered in 300s and 400s and require
some previous course work in the field or a level of competence in the subject. Courses
offered at the 500 level are advanced undergraduate- or graduate-level courses. Courses
that are numbered in the 800s and 900s are nondegree professional development
courses either at the pre- or post-baccalaureate level. These courses cannot be used
toward the completion of degree programs at the College of Graduate and Professional
Studies.
Directed Study
Degree or certificate students may undertake a directed study for academic credit to
investigate a topic that is not covered by course offerings. Permission for a directed study
project is granted by the program director of each area of study, if there is an appropriate
faculty member available to guide the student’s work. Students register for directed study
projects with the Office of Advising Services by completing a directed study form signed
by the supervising faculty member and the program director. Nondegree students may
not enroll in directed study.
Schedule of Courses
The Office of the Registrar maintains the official listing of courses offered each
fall, spring, and summer on its website. All University courses adhere to the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools’ accreditation guidelines and provide contact hours
commensurate with the credits earned.
Semester Credit
A semester credit is the University’s recognized unit of instructional contact between
faculty and students. A three-credit course meets for 35 contact or clock hours.
Student Records
Confidentiality of Student Records
All student records maintained by University academic and administrative offices
are confidential. Only such information that is necessary for appropriate business and
academic procedures is maintained in the official student record. University officials may
access student records for the purpose of conducting student business.
Directory Information
The University may release “Directory Information” as defined by the University
under the authority of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), unless
the student informs the University’s Office of the Registrar that all or part of such
information should not be released without the student’s prior consent. Directory
Information includes a student’s addresses (home, mailing, email), telephone numbers,
class level, previous institution(s) attended, major fields of study, awards, honors
(including Dean’s List and President’s List), degree(s) conferred (including dates), dates
of attendance, names of parents, past and present participation in officially recognized
sports and activities, physical factors (e.g., height and weight of athletes), and date and
place of birth. A request to withhold Directory Information must be received in writing
on an annual basis by the Office of the Registrar. A form is available for this purpose
from the Office of the Registrar. If this form is not received in the Office of the Registrar
by July 1 preceding the academic year, selected Directory Information will appear in
the University’s telephone directory due to press deadlines. Note that “name” is not
considered Directory Information and will appear in the telephone directory, along with
the designation “Unlisted.”
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) records, as well as medical records,
are not included in the category of information open to inspection; however, such
records may be personally reviewed by a physician or other appropriate professional of
the student’s choice.
Confidential records maintained by the director of disability services are open to
inspection with limitations. Students may request a copy of disability documentation that
is generated by the office, but may not request access to the director’s personal notes, to
test protocols, or to information released by private practitioners or by other agencies.
Disclosure related to the student’s disability is released neither to any faculty member
nor to another University office without the student’s permission. With the student’s
written permission, disability documentation generated by the Office of Disability
Services may be released to any specified persons and agencies.
Custodians of educational records are not required to give access to financial records
of parents or any information contained therein, nor are they required to give access
to confidential letters and statements of recommendation that were placed in the
educational records prior to January 1, 1975, or to which the student has waived the right
of access.
Directory Information may not be provided to any individual, company or entity for
commercial purposes unless the release of this information is specifically authorized by
the student or approved in writing by the Office of the President.
Permanent Record
The permanent record consists of the documents that are maintained for each
student that must be kept in perpetuity either in hard copy or electronically. Examples
include admission applications, any exception granted by the University, and records of
disciplinary action. Letters of recommendation are excluded for undergraduate students
but included in the records of graduate students. Students may view their permanent
record, in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, by
contacting the Office of the Registrar.
Verification of Enrollment
Verification of enrollment for a specified time period can be obtained from the Office
of the Registrar by submitting a written request authorizing the release of the verification.