Undergraduate Evening Policies and Procedures
Course Registration
Students must register for courses within the curriculum requirements as set in the College Catalog of the year of matriculation. However, it is the right of the college to alter the requirements to meet statutory, educational, or professional standards.
For regularly scheduled courses, students must register before the second class meeting. Early registration is recommended for all matriculated students and applicants in order to secure seats in the courses needed to proceed in degree programs. The regular registration period ends two weeks prior to the start of the semester, with late registration and late charges commencing thereafter. Please refer to the semester course bulletin for specific registration dates.
Senior Level—Graduate Credit Policy
A senior level student (90 semester hours or more) with a 3.5 GPA or better may register for graduate credit courses at the 6000 level and above with the following restrictions:
- Approval must be obtained from the dean or designee
- Combined graduate and undergraduate credit load in a semester is not more than 15 hours
- No more than three graduate credits may be taken in
a semester
- Recommendation of the appropriate undergraduate advisor and registrar must be submitted to the dean for approval
- No more than nine semester hours of graduate credit may be accumulated by a senior. Graduate credits are applicable to maintain full-time status to receive financial aid
- Graduate courses taken toward undergraduate degree requirements cannot be transferred into a graduate program at Fitchburg State College
Scheduling of Courses
The Office of Graduate and Continuing Education schedules courses at times that are convenient for working adults. Schedules are created in the academic departments in consultation with the Office of Graduate and Continuing Education. Most courses are offered in the late afternoon or evening; some courses are scheduled on weekends. Winter session and summer session courses are scheduled during mornings, afternoons, or evenings.
Course Load
Fall and spring semesters: Maximum academic load is nine credit hours.
Winter session: Maximum academic load is six credit hours.
Summer session: The maximum academic load during the combined summer sessions is 12 credit hours.
Any student registering for credit beyond the normal load must submit a written request seeking approval from their advisor prior to registering by submitting an academic petition waiver form.
Full-time status: Minimum of 12 semester hours each semester. Students must maintain full-time status to remain eligible for financial aid, varsity athletics, academic honors, including Dean's List, participation in student governance, VA benefits, scholarships, and health insurance coverage. Both day and continuing education courses are included in calculating total semester hours.
Course Changes
Changes to courses must be made before the second meeting. No change in credit is permitted after the second meeting. After the start of the second class meeting, the dropping of a class is considered a withdrawal. A change of credit to audit status must be made before the third class meeting of a course. (Class meeting is defined as 2.5 hours.)
Course Withdrawals
Withdrawals without academic penalty may be made through the end of the 11th week of classes for regularly scheduled courses and up to the 26th class hour for special scheduling courses or institute courses. Course withdrawal is initiated by calling the Registrar's Office at (978) 665-3181, or by visiting that office in the Sanders Administration Building. In either case, the student must receive a confirming copy of the completed Course Withdrawal Form. Any student who withdraws by simply not attending classes automatically receives a failing grade for the course.
Cancellation of Courses
The college may cancel courses for insufficient enrollment or for other reasons deemed to be in the best interest of the college. Students who sign up for a course which is canceled may transfer to another course or receive a full refund of tuition and fees.
Withdrawal from the College
A degree-seeking undergraduate student may initiate withdrawal from the college by contacting the dean of student and academic life. A student who does not register for a course for two years is automatically withdrawn. A degree-seeking student who decides to return to Fitchburg State College must initiate reinstatement through the Registrar's Office.
Student Grievance
A student who is dissatisfied with a grade received or with any other aspect of instruction in a particular course is to confer with the instructor, who will explain the reasons for awarding the grade. If such a conference fails to achieve a satisfactory resolution, the student should confer with the department chair. If still unsatisfied, the student may then appeal in writing to the dean of Student and Academic Life to adjudicate the situation.
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