Registration and Confirmation - Traditional Program
Registration
Registration takes place when the student has met with the assigned academic advisor and scheduled classes in the University database. The Registrar oversees this process.
Students who complete registration early in the process have a better opportunity to register for courses, given that courses are closed once student limit has been reached. Students are responsible for all courses listed in their registration. Some students are permitted to register early (e.g. veterans, honors program students).
Returning student registration is conducted during announced registration periods.
Summer term registration is conducted during the spring semester as announced by the Registrar.
First-time freshmen may register for both the fall and spring semesters at the New Student Orientation sessions during the summer. Freshmen unable to attend a session must contact the Registrar for information.
New transfer students who are accepted and who pay their deposit may register after May 15.
New students beginning in the spring semester who are admitted and who pay their deposit may register for courses any time during the fall semester.
Once classes begin, new students wishing to register for classes in the current semester need prior approval from the University Registrar. Credit may be earned only in courses for which the student is properly registered.
Academic Load and Overload
A normal full-time load in the traditional undergraduate program is 30 credits for the academic year as follows: fall semester, 15 credits; spring semester, 15 credits. A student is classified as full-time provided she or he is registered for at least 12 credits for fall or spring.
A traditional student is not permitted to enroll for more than 18 credit hours during the fall or spring semesters without the written permission of the appropriate school dean. Overload forms may be picked up at the University Registrar’s Office. Half-semester load may not exceed eight credit hours, and summer load may not exceed 15 hours, without the same permission. A tuition overload fee is charged for each hour of overload with the exception of the summer term.
Auditing Courses
Students may enroll in one additional course by audit, subject to approval by the course instructor. Students seeking to audit a course must meet with the University Registrar to register for the course, at which point an additional $100 fee will be charged. When a course is audited, no credit is given, and any work performed by the student cannot be counted later for credit. Students who audit courses are in class as observers only and will not be involved in class assignments/activities, unless allowed by the instructor.
Students who audit classes must meet the course attendance policy to have the audit grade (i.e., AU) placed on the permanent record. This grade has no bearing on GPA, and the hours do not count toward earned hours. Applicable dates for dropping and adding courses will be followed. The audit fee is forfeited if the course is not dropped within the first 10 business days of a semester. Auditing is subject to the applicable fees and refunds. Audited courses are not eligible for financial aid.
Changes in Course Registration
Students in the traditional program wishing to make changes in course registration should initiate the process by consulting with their academic advisor. During the announced registration periods in fall and spring semesters, advisors can make changes to a student’s course schedule online. Changes can also be made in the University Registrar’s Office up to the first day of classes. After classes begin, a Class Schedule Change Form (also known as a Drop/Add Form) must be completed by the student, securing signatures of approval from each instructor and the academic advisor. The change is complete only when the student returns the approved form to the University Registrar’s Office and it has been entered into the computer database. A student may request admission to a class until the eighth class day of the semester.
There is no charge for course changes through the 10th business day of the semester. Following the last day to drop a course, charges may be assessed. See the Financial Information section of this Catalog for details.
Repeated Courses
Any course may be repeated once at Mount Vernon Nazarene University without affecting financial aid if the student is enrolled full time (12 hours minimum). Any course may be repeated twice (i.e., taken for a third time) without affecting financial aid if the student is also enrolled full time (12 hours minimum) in non-repeated courses at MVNU. All attempts in a course are reflected on the student's academic transcript; the cumulative GPA will reflect the most recent grade in the repeated course taken as a replacement, even if the new grade is lower than the previous attempt. However, the original grade(s) will remain a part of the student's permanent academic record. Grades of W (withdrawn) or WP (withdrawn/passing) will not replace previously earned grades of A-F or WF (withdrawn/failing) in the GPA calculation. Duplicate credit hours are not awarded when a course is repeated as a replacement. WP and WF are no longer used beginning with the fall 2020 semester, but may show on a student's transcript from a previous semester.
A General Education Core course may be repeated at another college or university only by written permission from the Registrar's Office. A course in the major or minor may be repeated at another college or university only if approved in writing by the school dean, who is to notify the University Registrar.
Courses that are taken multiple times for credit (e.g., ENS-1011G Collegians Chorale) also do not negatively affect financial aid as long as they are within the 18 credit-hour maximum for a semester.