Schedule Changes and Withdrawals

Adding a Course

A course may be added by a student using the online registration system without approval of University officials, as long as departmental approval is not required. (See regulation for Normal Load.) It is highly recommended that a student consult with his/her academic advisor before attempting to add a course. After the online registration system is closed, written permission is required from the academic advisor and instructor of the course being added to add the course. These requests must be processed by the Office of the Registrar. The student may only add classes during the time specified in the official academic calendar.

Dropping a Course

Dropping a class is an official action whereby a student drops one or more courses yet remains enrolled in at least one course. A grade of "W" or "WS" will be assigned automatically when a student drops one or more classes after the census date and by the published drop deadline as indicated on the official University academic calendar. In sixteen-week terms, the drop deadline will be the end of the 12th week of classes. After the drop deadline, no drops will be permitted. If a student drops the only course for which s/he is enrolled, the student must follow the process for withdrawing from the University as stated below.

It is highly recommended that a student consults his/her academic advisor before dropping because of possible impacts on financial aid and progress to graduation. After the online registration system is closed, all drops must be processed by the Office of the Registrar. A student who, by dropping a course, becomes registered for less than a normal load will be reclassified as a part-time student.

Withdrawal from the University

If a student finds it necessary to withdraw from all classes during the session, the student must notify the Office of the Registrar and submit a withdrawal form. A grade of "W" will be assigned automatically when a student withdraws from all classes after the census date and by the published withdrawal deadline as indicated on the official University academic calendar. In sixteen-week terms, the withdrawal deadline will be the end of the 14th week of classes. After the withdrawal deadline, no withdrawals will be permitted except for students ordered to military active duty (see below). If the student abandons courses without officially withdrawing, the student will receive a grade of "F" in each course, regardless of the date at which the student ceased to attend classes. (See also regulations entitled "Refund of Fees.")

Withdrawal of Students Ordered to Military Active Duty

If a current student is called to active duty, the student has several options for enrolled courses. The student must provide a copy of military orders to receive one of the following:

  1. Full refund of tuition and fees paid by the student for the semester in which the student withdraws.
  2. With instructor approval, incomplete grade(s) for the semester in which the student withdraws; or
  3. With instructor approval, assignment of an appropriate final grade(s) or credit(s). Upon the student ‘s request, pre-registered classes will be dropped. If the student returns prior to the beginning of a semester he/she will be reinstated into this institution.

Excess Undergraduate Credit Hours (45-Hour Rule vs. 30-Hour Rule)

Effective with students initially enrolled in the fall 1999 semester and subsequent terms, resident undergraduate students who have attempted more than 45 hours beyond the minimum number of hours required for completion of the degree plan in which they are enrolled will be assessed $100 per credit hour for repeated and/or excessive hours.

Effective with students initially enrolling in the fall 2006 semester and subsequent terms, resident undergraduate students who have attempted more than 30 hours beyond the minimum number of hours required for completion of the degree plan in which they are enrolled will be assessed $100 per credit hour for repeated and/or excessive hours.

For the purpose of excess hours, “resident undergraduate student” includes a nonresident student who is permitted to pay resident tuition.

Senate Bill 1231 and the University’s Drop Policy for Undergraduate Students (Six-Drop Limit)

In accordance with Texas Education Code 51.907 (Senate Bill 1231), passed during the 80th Texas Legislative Session, “an institution of higher education may not permit a student to drop more than six courses, including any course a transfer student has dropped at another institution of higher education.” Undergraduate students who completed a high school or equivalent program and enrolled in an institution of higher education prior to the Fall Semester of 2007 are exempt from the requirements of Senate Bill 1231. Undergraduate students who complete a high school program, or the equivalent, and enter a Texas public institution of higher education for the first time on or after the Fall Semester of 2007 are subject to the requirements of Senate Bill 1231.
Undergraduate students subject to Senate Bill 1231 will be permitted only six (6) non-punitive drops during their undergraduate studies. A non-punitive drop is a course that is dropped after the census date and by the drop deadline posted the official University academic calendar. Dropped courses that are counted toward the six-drop limit will be identified on the transcript with a grade of "WS." Once a student has accumulated 6 (six) "WS" grades, the student will not be permitted to drop a course. Drops processed while withdrawing from the university will not be included in the maximum number of non-punitive drops.

Should you attempt to drop a seventh class, your request will be denied by the Registrar and the drop will not be processed due to exceeding the six-drop limit. This includes student and faculty initiated drops and courses dropped while enrolled at other Texas public institutions. This policy does not apply to courses dropped prior to census day or for complete withdrawal from all courses for the semester. As a result, you will have to accept a grade in all courses in which you are enrolled and should plan your schedule accordingly. 

Six-Drop Limit for Courses with Concurrent or Co-Requisite Enrollment Requirements

In determining the number of non-punitive course drops by a student subject to Senate Bill 1231 when concurrent or co-requisite courses are involved, the following regulations will apply. (Concurrent and co-requisite courses are courses with different course numbers such as a lecture course with its own course number and a lab course with a different course number that must be taken at the same time.)

  1. If the student is required to drop both courses when dropping either course, then both course drops will be calculated as one drop.
  2. If the student is not required to drop both courses at the same time, then each course will be treated as a separate drop. However, if the student drops both courses at the same time, the drops will be calculated as one drop.
  3. Each drop will be subject to the maximum number of non-punitive drops allowable under Senate Bill 1231.

Exceptions to the Six-Drop Limit due to Extenuating Circumstances

A student subject to Senate Bill 1231 may request to have a drop excluded from the six-drop limit if extenuating circumstances are involved. Such requests should be made in writing to the University Registrar, and if approved by the appropriate college dean, a grade of "WX" will be posted as the student’s official grade for the course. The following extenuating circumstances are acceptable reasons for a drop to be excluded from the six-drop limit.

  1. The student has a severe illness or other debilitating condition that affects the student’s ability to satisfactorily complete the course.
  2. The student is responsible for the care of a sick, injured or needy person that affects the student’s ability to satisfactorily complete the course.
  3. The student has suffered the death of a person who is considered to be a member of the student’s family1 or person who is otherwise considered to have a sufficiently close relationship to the student1 that the person’s death is considered to be a showing of good cause for dropping the course.
  4. The student is a member or dependent of a member of the Texas National Guard or the armed forces of the United States and the active military service is considered to be a showing of good cause for dropping the course.
  5. The student has a change of work schedule that is beyond the control of the student and the change affects the student’s ability to complete the course.
  6. The student has other extenuating circumstances that prevent the completion of the course and the circumstances are approved by the college dean.
1

A “member of the student’s family” is defined to be the student’s father, mother, brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, nephew, niece, first cousin, step-parent, or step-sibling; a “person who is otherwise considered to have a sufficiently close relationship to the student” is defined to include any other relative within the third degree of consanguinity, plus close friends, including but not limited to roommates, house mates, classmates, or other persons identified by the student for approval by the institution, on a case-by-case basis.

Appeals to the Exceed the Six-Drop Limit

A student who has reached the six-drop limit and wishes to drop a course must submit a letter of appeal with appropriate documentation to the University Registrar within five (5) business days of requesting the drop. If the student cannot provide the supporting documentation within five business days of requesting the drop, the student may request an extension with the appropriate college dean within five business days of the request to drop.