There are myriad rules defined by The University that students, faculty, and staff must follow. Many are confusing. Below are answers to some of the most common issues advisees face.
Note: Professors don’t advise on matters related to finances, because we’re not financial aid counselors.
I found an internship. How do I get credit for it?
The protocol for enrolling and earning credit for an internship is not as simple as registering for a regular class. An agreement has to be filled and signed by the student’s supervisor at the internship site, the chair of the Computing Sciences Dept, and your advisor. Once the form is complete, your advisor or the chair of the CS Dept registers you for the internship course. The procedure is discussed in detail on Blackboard. Visit the cs page of Blackboard, then scroll down to the “Internship” section.
How many credits define full-time student status?
A 12-credit load is considered full-time; enrolling in more than 18 is considered an overload that requires approval.
The class I was looking to register in is full. What can my advisor do for me?
Nothing, I’m afraid. You’ll need to contact the instructor of the course to discuss options, including overrides.
The LBC, or Learning Beyond the Classroom, requirement is confusing. What is the definitive explanation of how it works?
The University has compiled a detailed page explaining it. Ensure you read it all, as it pertains to your degree.
How late may I add a class to my schedule?
You can technically add a class anytime before the drop period, which is usually week 10 of the semester. The longer a student waits to register for a class, the more difficult it is to get approved. The breakdown is simple:
- Week 1: No approval is needed.
- Week 2: Approval and a signature is needed from the instructor of the class(es) in which you’d like to register. You will need the registration add/drop form.
- Week 3: Approval and a signature is needed from the instructor of the class(es) in which you’d like to register, and the same is needed from the dean. This is the most difficult stage in which to get approval, because it is so late in the semester. A pin is no longer needed at this stage. You will need the registration add/drop form.
Note: Always request from the course instructor if they will allow you to register late for the course before filling out the registration add/drop form.
What’s the deal with pass/no pass courses?
Would I be able to take a gen ed course as pass/fail?
Yes. If you desire to make this change before the official drop date, typically around week 10 of the semester, then all you need to do is fill out a Registration/Add/Drop Form that I’d share with you in our shared folder.
Would I be able to take an elective course as pass/fail?
You may take any cs elective pass/fail but, it will not count towards your degree. If you receive a “P”, you will receive the credits earned, but it cannot be used toward an upper-level cs elective. You can choose to re-take it in the future for a grade.
Note: Issues regarding the pass/no pass option must be discussed with the course’s instructor. Your advisor’s role is to sign any documentation requiring an advisor’s signature. You can read about the process on the University’s Student Academic Resources page .
Would I be able to take a required course as pass/fail?
Required courses must be taken with the letter grade option for them to apply towards your degree. (This restriction was temporarily relaxed in 2020 to ease the burden of CoViD-19 on students.) You may, however, take a required cs course pass/fail but, for the course to apply to your degree, it will have to be taken at some point with the letter grade option.
If a course in the major is taken for pass/no pass, then it will be demoted to an elective.
Can my advisor override me into someone else’s class?
No. Only the instructor of the class you wish to take can override the system to let you in.
Am I bound to the major requirements in place on the day I initially enrolled at The University, or to the requirements in place on the day I declared my major?
By default, every student is bound to the bulletin year in which they were admitted, not when they transferred majors — or declared one — within The University. However, it’s possible for a student to choose a newer group of requirements. An Adjustment of Degree Requirements form is required, and it needs the student’s, their advisor’s, the chair’s, and the dean’s signatures.
May I participate (“walk”) in the end-of-spring graduation if I’m short by one or two classes for my degree requirements?
Yes. If you require two or fewer classes to graduate, the sum of which cannot exceed 8 credits, then you may file a Commencement “walk-through” Request Form with your dean. The classes must be taken over the summer following commencement. Consider the following example:
You’re enrolled in spring 2024, and you’re short a single 3-credit course to graduate. The course is being offered in summer 2024. As soon as summer registration is available, you register for the summer course, then file the Commencement “walk-through” Request Form with your dean.
May I take a class at another institution as a substitute for an equivalent course at UHart?
Yes, and the process is involved. The general 5 steps are discussed below. Your exact situation may differ.
You’ll need a copy of the syllabus for the course you’d like to take at the external institution. In some cases, a course description may suffice, but a syllabus is clearer in terms of what the course covers. Submit the syllabus to the chair of the department at uhart that offers the same class. He/she/they will verify/approve that the course is equivalent to the course that conflicts at uhart. If the course you need to take at the external institution is the result of a conflict with another course you’re taking at uhart, then you’ll need to prove the conflict by providing a schedule.
With the approval in place, you’ll then need to fill out the Permit for Transfer Credits form using Adobe Acrobat, which further elaborates on the transfer procedure. Read it carefully.
You’ll then need to have a college evaluator at uhart sign the document. (Contact the Office of Admissions to locate your college evaluator.)
Take the form from step 2 to the Office of Admission and request a copy of the form for your records.
Once the course is completed, request that an official transcript be sent from the external institution to uhart. Do this immediately after finishing the semester. Again, refer to the form in step 2 for physical and email addresses you will need to complete this process.
I’d like to study abroad. What’s your role as my advisor in the process?
Minimal. All I do is sign a document approving your courses. The path to my final signature, however, is involved.
Important note: You may not take any CS-related courses in your study abroad program; only courses not related to the major apply.
Students first need to consult the Study Abroad office’s application checklist, followed by an advising appt with the Study Abroad office. Moreover, you’ll also want to become aware of whom the Study Abroad representative is at the Registrar’s office.
I require students to carry out the following, in order. These requirements are exacting, so follow carefully.
Examine your latest audit and identify classes that satisfy the general education requirements for your degree that you have not yet taken. Since you need to be full-time to take courses abroad, you’ll need to do this for 3–4 courses.
Examine the course offerings at the host institution, cross listing any courses that appear to match general education requirement courses at UHart.
Request a copy of the syllabus for every course from every dept at the host institution. For example, if you were interested in courses that matched wrt 110w (English), cmm 214 (Communication), ART 210w (Art History), and his 101 (History), then you’d request syllabi from the English, Communication, Art History, and History programs at the host institution.
Request to meet with the chair of the dept at UHart for each course you need to match. Show them the syllabus from the host institution for the course at UHart you’d like to match and ask if they approve the match. Get this in writing for every course. A simple email will suffice.
Forward to me each of the emails from the previous step.
Make an appt to meet with me.