REGISTRATION POLICIES

REGISTRATION POLICIES

About our policies

The Registrar’s registration policies provide essential guidelines for students during the registration process. These policies cover various subjects, including how students can add or drop courses, the deadlines for making these changes, and the implications of doing so after specific dates. The policies also emphasize the importance of maintaining a full-time academic load and outline procedures for managing exceptions. Additionally, students are encouraged to consult with academic advisors to understand the potential impact of their registration decisions, particularly when dropping courses after the census date, which may result in a “W” grade on their transcript.

Registration Policies

Take a moment to explore our registration policies to ensure a smooth and successful registration experience.

Effective July 1, 1986, North Carolina State law requires that no person shall attend a college or university in North Carolina unless a certificate of immunization indicating that the person has received the immunizations required by the law is presented to the college or university on or before the first day of matriculation. There are provisions for waivers on medical or religious grounds.

If a certificate of immunization is not in the possession of the college or university on the first day of matriculation, the person shall have 30 calendar days from the first day of attendance to obtain the required immunizations.

Important: Persons not in compliance with the immunization requirements at the end of 30 calendar days will be administratively withdrawn from school by the University Registrar.

Overview of Repeated Courses

Repeated courses are tagged in the ConnectCarolina Course History and Tar Heel Tracker when students:

  • successfully complete (with a passing grade) the same course at Carolina more than one time;
  • earn transfer credit for coursework completed at an external institution and you complete the same course at Carolina; or
  • earn credit for a course through an exam (for example, AP or on-campus placement exams) and you complete the same course at Carolina.

While repeated courses do not count toward Undergraduate degree requirements, repeated courses that are completed at Carolina are included in the students’ GPA calculation as illustrated in the example below.

For example, assume a student earns a D in CHEM 101.  The following semester, the student repeats the course, and earns an A.  Once the second course is completed:

  • The course with the lower grade will be flagged as a repeated course.
  • The student will earn only 3 hours (rather than 6) toward the cumulative hours for graduation.
  • The repeated course will not count toward the fulfillment of the University’s general education, major, and minor requirements.
  • A total of 6 hours will be included in the cumulative hours that are used to calculate GPA.
  • The A and D will be included in both the term and cumulative GPA calculations.

Repeated Courses in ConnectCarolina Course History

Repeated courses are tagged in the Repeat Code column of the Course History page as described below:

Example 1 – Repeated Enrollment

In this example, the student completed two CHEM 101 courses at Carolina.  The 3 hours associated with the D is tagged as repeated and will be excluded from the student’s degree requirements and degree-applicable hours.  Both courses (hours and grades) will be included in the GPA calculations.

Repeat Rules Example

Example 2 – Repeated Credit by Exam
In this example, the student’s Course History page shows two occurrences of CHEM 102.  Since courses taken at Carolina trump course credit earned through an exam, the BE (by exam) is tagged as repeated and will be excluded from the student’s degree requirements and degree-applicable hours, while the course at Carolina will count towards the degree requirements and degree-applicable hours.

Repeated Credit by Exam

Example 3 – Repeated Transfer Credit
In the following example, there are two occurrences of CHEM 102.  Since courses taken at Carolina trump transfer courses, the transfer course is tagged as repeated and will be excluded from the student’s degree requirements and degree-applicable hours, while the A that was earned at Carolina will count towards the degree requirements and degree-applicable hours.

Repeat Rules Example

Example 4 – Repeated Transfer Credit (Transfer Course is Taken after Carolina course)
In the following example, there are two occurrences of CHEM 102. The transfer course was taken after the course was taken at Carolina because the student did not earn the required minimum grade of a C or better at Carolina. The course that was transferred is tagged as repeated and will be excluded from the student’s degree requirements degree-applicable hours. However, if the Carolina course did not receive a minimum grade for a requirement in a major or minor, the transfer course is eligible to fulfill the requirement upon review by an academic advisor and an adjustment to the student’s Tar Heel Tracker.

Repeat Rules Example

Repeated Courses in Tar Heel Tracker

Repeated courses are excluded from the degree, general education, major, and minor requirements in the Tar Heel Tracker and included in GPA requirements.

Global Limits
As shown in the example below, the repeated CHEM 101 was excluded from the degree requirements.

Global Limits Example

GPA Calculation

Repeated courses at Carolina count toward a student’s GPA calculation as reflected in the following Tar Heel Tracker minimum cumulative GPA requirement example:

GPA Calculation Example

Minimum Degree Hours

Repeated courses do not count toward the minimum number of required degree-applicable hours as reflected in the following Tar Heel Tracker example:

Minimum Degree Hours Example

Non-Degree Applicable Courses
Repeated courses will be listed in the non-degree applicable courses section of the Tracker as shown below:

Non-Degree Applicable Courses Example

Repeated Course Codes

  • Repeated courses are tagged in the ConnectCarolina Course History Repeat Code column with an REP code indicating that the course does not count toward Undergraduate degree-applicable hours.
  • Repeated courses completed at Carolina are included in the GPA calculation.

For information on the University’s policies on repeated courses, refer to the Undergraduate Catalog.

In case of withdrawal from the University, tuition and fees will be prorated according to the withdrawal refund calendar .

Important:The last date for credit on a student’s financial account for withdrawal is nine weeks after the first day of classes for the fall and spring semesters.
For additional information on the cancellation and withdrawal policy, please refer to UPM 7 – Cancellation, Withdrawal and Suspension

If you fail to attend both of the first two class meetings in any regular semester, you are subject to being dropped from the class at the discretion of the teaching department. However, you may not assume that departments will automatically process a drop for non-class attendance.
Important: It is your responsibility to insure that drop/add transactions are appropriately recorded.

  • The minimum course load for undergraduates for a single semester is 12 academic credit hours (one hour physical education activities do not count towards academic hours). You may not go below 12 academic credit hours without permission of your dean.
    Important: You should discuss semester enrollment of fewer than 15 academic credit hours with your adviser because such enrollments necessitate:

    • Summer School
    • Correspondence
    • A heavier course load during a later semester
  • The maximum course load for undergraduates for a semester is 17 credit hours and for graduate students is 16 hours. The maximum load will increase to 18 credit hours for undergraduates at the beginning of open enrollment for each term.
    Continuing Studies students are limited to 8 credit hours. If you wish to enroll for more than the credit hour limit you must obtain permission from your dean to carry a credit hour “overload”.
    Important: The registration system will not permit you to register for more than the credit load limit without obtaining your dean’s approval. Only the Dean’s Office can increase credit hours.

View the special procedures and policies under which auditing of courses is permitted.

According to federal law, once a student enrolls at the University, the student’s parents no longer have automatic access to the student’s education records unless they claim the student as a dependent for federal income tax purposes or have the student’s written consent.
To establish that your child is your dependent for these purposes you will need to:

Send all items to the Office of the University Registrar:

Office of the University Registrar UNC-Chapel Hill Suite 3100,
SASB North
CB# 2100
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-2100

Committee Membership

Members of the Priority Registration Advisory Committee (PRAC) will be appointed by the University Registrar and will include faculty, undergraduate students, and administrators representing a range of interests and expertise. The PRAC will include some individuals who have experience in educational policy, academic advising, and disability services.The University Registrar will serve as Ex Officio member and Committee Chair.

The Committee will include:

  • 3 faculty for staggered three-year terms
  • 2 students each for a one year term
  • 2 administrators for staggered two-year terms

Committee Charge and Schedule

At the beginning of each Spring Term (for the subsequent Fall Term Early Registration) and the beginning of each Fall Term (for the subsequent Spring Term Early Registration), the University Registrar will announce to the campus community the process and timeline for submitting requests for priority registration on behalf of student groups.

  • The official who has responsibility for students who are potentially eligible for priority registration will send the Registrar an application form along with a list of students who are recommended for priority registration.
  • The form will articulate the rationale for the need for priority registration given the demands of the students’ activities and/or circumstances.
  • The Committee will not see the list of individual names.
  • The PRAC meetings will be open to the public and all rationale statements and tallies as well as the PRAC’s decisions will be publicly available.
  • The PRAC will review summary data regarding the operation of priority registration including the specific courses that are selected during priority registration and will suggest modifications to the Priority Registration Policy as needed.
  • The Registrar will present an annual report to the Educational Policy Committee indicating the number of students who were granted or denied priority registration, and an evaluation of whether course selection during priority registration appears to be serving its intended purpose.

Roster

Ex Officio Member and Committee Chair

  • Lauren M. DiGrazia, Assistant Provost & University Registrar

Faculty

  • Jennifer Coble, Ph.D.,Senior Lecturer, Biology
  • Marsha R Penner, PhD, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience

Administrators

  • Jonathan C. Sauls, Dean Of Students
  • Lora Wical, Deputy Director and Senior Assistant Dea, Academic Advising

Students

  • Niharika Vattikonda
  • John (Sam) Johnson

    • University regulations require students who do not register before the first day of classes in any semester or summer session to pay an additional fee of $20.00 for delayed registration.

    • Any student who believes that they can show sufficient justification for the delay may petition for a refund by completing this form and outlining the reason for delay. The justification will be reviewed and acted on by the Office of the University Registrar. Students will receive an email notice of the decision.

    • The University Cashier's Office will be notified of those petitions approved for refund of the late charge. If the form is submitted by a departmental representative, the department will also be notified at the email address provided below.
  • (Personal Identification Number)
  • **** If other than student

Course Adds

Changes in course registration should be made prior to the add deadline, which is on the fifth day of classes. Up until this time, students may add courses to their schedule using the registration system in ConnectCarolina.

After the add deadline, the addition of a course to a student’s registration schedule requires permission of the instructor and/or teaching department. Students may receive assistance from the teaching department to add courses to their schedule until the census deadline.

Students seeking enrollment into a course after the census deadline must meet with an academic advisor for approval. In these cases, course enrollment will only be approved if permission has been received by the instructor, and only for truly exceptional circumstances.
See the University Registrar’s Calendar for specific dates.

Course Drops

Undergraduate students students may drop courses using the online registration system during their access period which expires at the end of the 8th week of classes.

  • Important: Any drops completed after the university census deadline will receive a “W” grade notation.
  • Students are encouraged to meet with an advisor to review implications of drops made post census.
  • Undergraduate students are responsible for ensuring that any registration schedule changes do not result in less than a twelve-academic hour semester registration, excluding all one-hour Physical Education Activity (PHYA) 200-level courses from the twelve-academic hour total, for full-time status. Students wishing to enroll in less than full-time hours must meet with an advisor of their college to discuss academic load options.

See the University Registrar’s Calendar for specific dates pertaining to drop deadlines.

Graduate students may drop courses using the registration system during the first eight weeks. After the eighth week of classes and before the end of the twelfth week of classes, graduate students must obtain approval from their program advisor.

  • Course drops requested After the Last Day for Graduate Students to drop courses requires approval of the Graduate School.

See the University Registrar’s Calendar for the Last Day for Graduate Students to drop courses.

Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate Students should refer to the University Catalog for additional details.

During Fall and Spring terms, students have through the 5th day of the term to add classes online and through the 8th week of the term (or equivalent for summer terms) to drop classes online. After these time periods they should consult with an academic advisor.

Please review the following chart for information on Course Schedule Changes:

Dropping Classes

Process

Signatures Required

Grade Recorded

Before the first day of classes for term

Drop online through the ConnectCarolina Student Center

None, student processes transaction

None

First day of classes through Week 2

Drop online through the ConnectCarolina StudentCenter

None, student processes transaction*

None

Weeks 3-8

Drop online through the ConnectCarolina StudentCenter

None, student processes transaction*

W with a WC notation (withdrawal by choice)**

Weeks 9+

See Academic Advisor in Academic Dean’s Office***

See Academic Advisor

W (withdrawn) ****

* Note refund policies

**  For external purposes (transcript), the WC notation grade is equivalent to the grade of W.  Please note that students are limited to 16 total credits with a notation of WC during their undergraduate career. When a WC grade is recorded, the class shows as dropped on the student’s class schedule, but the W grade is reflected on their Course History and listed on transcripts (internal and official).

*** Students must continue to attend classes and complete all assignments until informed of committee’s decision.

**** When a W grade is recorded, the class will show as dropped on the student’s class schedule, but the W grade is reflected on their Course History and listed on transcripts (internal and official).

If students have questions about dropping classes once the term starts or about which set of drop rules applies to them, it is recommended that they consult with their Academic Advisor of Academic Dean’s Office.

Students should refer to the University Catalog for information regarding Summer enrollment.

Graduate and Professional Students

Graduate students may drop courses using the registration system during their online access period listed on the Academic Calendar. However, they are responsible for insuring that any registration schedule changes do not result in dropping below full-time enrollment *

*  If admitted through Digital and Lifelong Learning, please find policies on their website.

Summer School Students

Dropping Classes

Process

Signatures Required

Grade Recorded

Before the first day of classes for term

Drop online through the ConnectCarolina Student Center

None, student processes transaction

None

First day of classes thru Day 3

Drop online through the ConnectCarolina StudentCenter

None, student processes transaction*

None

Day four of term through the last day of the term

Petition to drop class(es) through Academic Dean’s Office***

If the course drop appeal is granted, Dean’s Signature required

W (withdrawn) ****

Note: no WC notations assigned for summer

* Note refund policies – Please see the Cashier’s Important Dates for additional information

*** Students must continue to attend classes and complete all assignments until informed of committee’s decision.

**** When a W grade is recorded, the class will show as dropped on the student’s class schedule, but the W grade is reflected on their Course History and listed on transcripts (internal and official).

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