D03.0 Registration

It is the responsibility of the student to enroll in classes during the designated registration periods, using the Student Information System (SIS). Prior to the registration period, students are responsible for ensuring that any holds that may have been placed on their accounts have been resolved and removed so that access to the registration system is permitted.

Using SIS, faculty can access official class rosters for each course they are teaching, in any given term. Class rosters indicate those students who have been properly registered for the class. Students whose names do not appear on the class roster are not formally registered for the course. Without formal registration, students are not permitted to attend the course beyond the add/drop period.

Degree-seeking undergraduate students (see Policy D02.0) may register for undergraduate courses (100-500 level) that are approved for the academic plan(s) for which they are enrolled. To gain enrollment, students must also demonstrate successful completion of any pre-requisite work. When seeking registration into courses not typically associated with enrolled academic plan(s), the approval of the department offering the course is necessary. Exceptions to this are as follows:

1. Degree-seeking undergraduate students are allowed to take graduate courses (600-900 level) provided these courses fit into the schedule for the baccalaureate degree and are approved by both the home department and the department offering the course.

2. Degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in a baccalaureate/master's combination program will be allowed to take graduate courses (600-900 level) that are approved for the academic plans for which they are enrolled.

3. Non-degree-seeking undergraduate students will be allowed to take graduate courses (600-900 level) with the approval of their primary academic department and with the knowledge that the course work completed while a non-degree student may or may not apply to any given baccalaureate or graduate program. Decisions regarding the application of the course work to a degree program are at the sole discretion of the head of the academic department in which the student intends to enroll.

Degree-seeking graduate students (see Policy D02.0) may register for graduate courses (600-900 level) that are approved for the academic plan(s) for which they are enrolled. When registering for graduate courses outside the home department not typically associated with enrolled academic plan(s), the approval of the department offering the course is necessary. Exceptions to this are as follows:

1. Non-degree-seeking (undergraduate or graduate) students will be allowed to take graduate courses (600-900 level) with the approval of the department offering the course and with the knowledge that the course work completed while a non-degree-seeking student may not apply to any given baccalaureate or graduate program.

2. Degree-seeking and non-degree-seeking graduate students may register for undergraduate (100-599 level) courses with the understanding that these courses are not applicable to graduate programs.

No more than 1/3 of the courses in a masters level degree program can be graduate courses that are cross listed with undergraduate courses.  Cross-listed studio courses do not count towards this limit. The Provost in consultation with Graduate Council may allow exceptions to this rule provided there is sufficient justification.

If a graduate and undergraduate course is to be cross-listed, the undergraduate course must be at the 500 level and the graduate course must be at the 600 level.  Additional advanced level learning outcomes and educational experiences designed expressly for graduate students (content, instruction, and workload) are required in any graduate level course that is cross-listed with an undergraduate course. Graduate programs are expected to monitor the additional learning outcomes and educational experiences of cross-listed courses.

The add/drop period is the first seven (7) calendar days, excluding Sundays and holidays, of the full fall, spring, and summer terms. The add/drop period for other academic sessions is determined based on the length of the course and posted on the Registrar's Office website. In extenuating circumstances in which a student requests to be added or dropped from a class outside of the established add/drop period, the student must submit a completed Add/Drop/Audit form, with all required signatures, to the Registrar's Office.

Independent study is executed under a specific set of rules with guidance and direction from a sponsoring faculty member. Students earn a predetermined number of credits for independent study.

Independent study is guided by the following expectations:

1. Independent study is to be regarded as any other course in matters of registration and grading.

2. Each college of the university must establish the total number of credits that a student may earn through independent study in a given term from that college.

3. Each department must establish the total number of credits that a student may earn through independent study toward degree requirements.

4. Before a student is allowed to take an independent study, a faculty sponsor should carefully consider the past performance of the student in regular courses and other indicators of the student's ability to successfully the complete the independent study.

5. In all cases of independent study, after consultation with the sponsoring faculty member, the student will submit a written proposal to the sponsoring faculty member.

6. The department head should determine the application of the course used as an independent study to degree requirements. In most cases, an independent study should be taken as an elective.

7. An independent study must carry a specific number of credits. This number is to be agreed upon between the student and the sponsoring faculty member before the initiation of the independent study.

8. The proposed content of the independent study must be approved by the sponsoring faculty member and other administrators as outlined in the sponsoring college's guidelines for independent study.

9. There must be a well-defined evaluation of the student's work at the conclusion of the independent study. The sponsoring faculty member, after consultation with the student, may involve one or more other persons (faculty members, outside experts, and in some cases, even senior students) in the final evaluation of the independent study work.

In order to afford undergraduate students the wide range of educational opportunities available in the Rochester area, members of the Rochester Area Colleges (RAC) participate in a cross-registration program. Guidelines are as follows:

1. The requested course or its equivalent is not available at the home institution.

2. The student is enrolled full time at the home institution throughout the duration of the requested course. A full-time student as defined in D02.0 - Admission is a degree-seeking student carrying not less than 12 credit hours.

3. The requested course must be considered an integral part of the student's academic program at the student's home institution.

4. Registration is on a space-available basis. No course sections will be created for visiting students.

5. Inter-institutional registration is not applicable to summer programs, graduate students, or graduate-level courses.

6. Students are governed by academic policies of the visited institutions including but not limited to course requirements, withdrawal policies, etc.

7. There is no additional charge for a cross-registered course unless the requested course has associated fees or causes the student to assume a course overload. The additional charges are based on the current rates of the home institution during the term in which the registration takes place.
   
   NOTE: The forms necessary to initiate inter-institutional registration can be obtained from the Registrar's Office of the student's home institution.

Responsible Office:
Office of the Registrar

Effective Date:
Approved May 1958; Revision effective 2013-2014

Policy History: 
Edited August 2010 
Revision approved April 26, 2012
Revised April 24, 2014 - clarification of applicability of cross-listed courses to graduate degrees
Revisions endorsed December 10, 2020 - Section C - Graduate Registration