Enrollment Regulations

The student is responsible for class attendance after completion of registration. The student must cancel before the first day of classes to avoid being charged fees and tuition. Students who do not attend classes beginning the first day may be canceled from a course if there is high demand for seats from students who are waiting to enroll in courses. HOWEVER, STUDENTS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT NON-ATTENDANCE AND/OR NON-PAYMENT OF FEES WILL NOT AUTOMATICALLY RESULT IN CANCELLATION OF ENROLLMENT. THE STUDENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DROPPING COURSES BY THE APPROPRIATE DEADLINES IN ORDER TO AVOID TUITION CHARGES.

To be considered full-time, a student must be enrolled in at least the number of credit hours listed below, depending on the semester:

Note to students applying for Veterans' Benefits: VA may not accept all hours taken when determining benefits. Consult the VA Certification Office in Buchanan Hall, Rm. 234 for more information.

Note to students applying for Financial Aid: Additional enrollment regulations may apply. Please consult Financial Aid Services for more information.

Whereas the institutional definition and the financial aid requirement for full-time undergraduate enrollment status is 12 hours per regular fall or spring semester, it is important to note that it is impossible to graduate in four years with this enrollment unless other measures are considered. Many students may be capable of taking 15 to 16 hours per semester, and OU encourages you to consider that. Additionally, students who are not pacing their enrollments in such a manner should consider Intersession and/or Summer term enrollments. A student needs to average at least 31 hours of completed and applicable coursework each year to have any opportunity to graduate in four years.

Some may ask why it is important to graduate in four years. There are many reasons to consider. A timely graduation benefits students who are applying to graduate schools. Many graduate programs only accept students for the fall semester, so a one semester delay can result in a one year delay of entering and completing a graduate degree. A timely graduation also benefits students who are seeking employment. It enables students to enter the workforce and begin to experience to enhanced earning power that a college degree usually provides. Furthermore, graduating in four years is much less expensive. Tuition and housing costs usually increase on an annual basis. Many students also do not realize that just housing and living expenses per semester often amount to $5,000 or more.

There are limits on how many credit hours a student may enroll in each semester, without permission of the student's dean. These limits are listed below:

FALL/SPRING: 19 hours for undergraduates; 16 hours for graduates.

SUMMER: 9 hours for undergraduates; 9 hours for graduates.

SUMMER MINI-SESSIONS: 5 hours maximum for either of the four-week mini-sessions.

Students may elect to enroll in courses on a Pass/No Pass basis, but should understand that Colleges may not count Pass/No Pass enrollments when determining whether the student has fulfilled the requirements for a degree. Specific College limits are listed below.

Academic Affairs. The Pass/No Pass option may be used to fulfill no more than 16 credit hours of free electives only. The Pass/No Pass option may not be used to fulfill requirements for any General Education, College, major, major support, or minor requirements.

Architecture. The Pass/No Pass option will not count toward any College of Architecture degree requirements.

Arts & Sciences. The Pass/No Pass option may be used to fulfill no more than 16 credit hours of free electives only. The Pass/No Pass option may not be used to fulfill requirements for any General Education, College, major, major support, or minor requirements.

Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences. A Pass/No Pass enrollment will not count toward any College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences degree requirement.

Business. The Pass/No Pass option may not be used with any College of Business course, General Education requirement, or specifically required course. Business majors may take a maximum of 12 hours of P/NP in free, non-business electives. Not to exceed 1 course per semester.

Continuing Education (Aviation). The Pass/No Pass option may not be used to fulfill requirements for any General Education, College, major, major support or minor requirements. P/NP may be used in the free electives, as long as they are not aviation courses.

Earth and Energy. A Pass/No Pass enrollment will not count toward any College of Earth and Energy degree requirement.

Education. The Pass/No Pass option may be used only on courses belonging to one of the general education areas of free electives.

Engineering. A Pass/No Pass enrollment will not count toward any College of Engineering degree requirement.

Fine Arts. Students are allowed a maximum of 16 hours of elective credit under the Pass/No Pass option.

Graduate. A Pass/No Pass enrollment will not count toward any Graduate degree requirement.

Journalism. No more than 16 semester credit hours earned under the Pass/No Pass option will apply toward the degree. P/NP credit may not be used to satisfy general education, college, major, major support, or minor requirements. Transfer credit graded P/NP is counted as part of the 16 semester credit hours earned.

Law. A Pass/No Pass enrollment will not count toward any Law degree requirement.

University College. The Pass/No Pass option is allowed, with Dean's permission, for University College students who are above the freshman level.

Cautions:
Both grades, Pass and No Pass, are considered neutral grades in the computation of grade point averages, i.e. credit hours for Pass, though earned, will not be included in grade point averaging, and credit hours for No Pass simply will not be earned. Pre-professional students who plan to apply for admission to professional schools such as law or medicine after completion of an undergraduate degree are advised that courses taken on the Pass/No Pass option may hinder admission possibilities when grade point average is a major consideration. For advice, the student should consult the admissions office of the professional school where he/she intends to apply.

Before enrolling in courses on the Pass/No Pass option, students should consult with their advisers or personnel in college offices to be certain of approved enrollment.

Procedure:
Students may change enrollment in a course by the add/drop procedure to or from the Pass/No Pass option through the end of the second week of a regular semester or the first week of a summer session in Enrollment Services. College and/or adviser approval should be obtained prior to any change.

To prevent discrimination in grading, the student’s choice of P/NP grading will not be made known to the instructor of a course. The grade will be automatically assigned at the end of the course on the basis of the letter grade submitted by the instructor. The lowest letter grade required to receive a P grade in a course will be C.

Enrollment as an auditor is permitted in all courses subject to the approval of the instructor in the course. Initial enrollment in a course as an auditor may be completed only between the first day of classes and the last day permitted for late enrollment for credit in any semester or summer session.

A change of enrollment from audit to credit may be made provided the change is made no later than the end of the second week of classes of a regular semester, or the first week of classes of a summer session, and provided the instructor and appropriate dean approve.

A change of enrollment from credit to audit may be made during the first ten weeks of classes of a regular semester or five weeks of classes of a summer session, provided the student is passing at the time the change is processed. A change of enrollment to audit supersedes the original enrollment for credit, and no withdrawal from the credit enrollment is posted on the student’s academic record. Fee and tuition policies for audit enrollments are the same as fee and tuition policies for credit enrollments. A student enrolled exclusively as an auditor may withdraw only during the refund period. Such withdrawal will result in the student’s registration being cancelled, and no entry will be made on the permanent record. An instructor may assign a final grade of AW to a student who has not performed according to the instructor’s requirements for an auditor.

Before classes begin, students may cancel enrollment online or in person in Enrollment Services, Room 230 Buchanan Hall. After classes have begun, students must withdraw from enrollment according to the following instructions.

Students withdrawing from the University after classes have begun should report to their College Office. If you do not know your college, check with Enrollment Services, Room 230 Buchanan Hall. Withdrawn students are refunded fees and tuition according to State Regents’ refund policy.

October 2009