Frequently Asked Questions

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CAN I ADD A COURSE AFTER THE DEADLINE?

Policy: “University policies determine when students may enroll or adjust their enrollment in courses.” Specific deadlines for a given term are available on the online academic calendar. 

Resolution:  In the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences, the adherence to University deadlines is applied to all students on a fair and equal basis. All students have six business days for full-term courses and two days for half-term courses to assess their course selection, work load, and progress toward graduation. Students are given an equal amount of time to navigate the start of the semester, and the add/drop period allows all students to prepare themselves for a successful term. Deadlines are not designed or enforced to be punitive, but they do ensure a start to the semester that allows instructors to get to know their students and lay the groundwork for academic success. Therefore, we typically do not allow students to add courses after the registration deadline. The following justifications will not be sufficient for an exception:

  • Student thought he/she was registered for the class.
  • Student had registration holds which prevented registering on time.
  • Student thought someone else had completed registration for him/her.
  • Student was granted a permit for the class but did not complete registration on time.
  • Student needs to add the class in order to maintain full-time status.
  • Student had classes dropped due to non-payment and did not re-register on time.

In rare situations when a late add is justified because of a documented error or approval of late internship arrangements, an Academic Petition may be submitted.  Approval will require a positive recommendation from the instructor and/or department that is offering the course.

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CAN I DROP A COURSE WITHOUT A ‘W’ AFTER THE ADD/DROP DATE?

Policy: “University policies determine when students may enroll or adjust their enrollment in courses.” Specific deadlines for a given term are available on the online academic calendar. 

Resolution: CLAS Students will not be permitted to drop a course (without a grade of “W”) after the add/drop deadline. Students who have no intention of attending or completing a course once the deadline has expired are expected to withdraw. Withdrawals appear on the transcript with a final grade of W and are not calculated into the GPA.  W’s do count as attempted hours for SAP calculations.  Students may withdraw from no more than 16 credit hours over the course of their academic careers.  

“Clean drops” (drop without grade of “W”) are approved only in the rarest of circumstances, when registration has occurred in error for reasons beyond the control of the student. To drop a class with no record on the transcript is to alter the academic record implying that the student was never enrolled. Unless appropriate extenuating conditions are documented, the withdrawal on the transcript is an accurate reflection of the student’s academic history.

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HOW DO I GET A REPEAT COURSE OVERRIDE?

Banner will not let you register for a course if you have earned credit by passing the course in a previous semester.  You will need a repeat course override to register.  Please contact your academic advisor.  More information is available via Niner Central. 

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CAN I REPEAT A COURSE WITH GRADE REPLACEMENT?

Policy: “Undergraduate students may replace up to two (2) courses (maximum of 8 credit hours) for grade replacement. Both grades will be reflected on the transcript. However, the higher of the two grades will be used in calculation of the GPA.”

Resolution: Grade Replacement requests must be submitted online at the beginning of the semester in which the course is to be repeated.  More information about the process, is available via Niner Central.  Exceptions to the grade replacement policy are not approved.  

When a student repeats a course without submitting a grade replacement request, all grades will be shown on the student’s official transcript and be used in the calculation of the GPA.

Students will be notified after the last day to add or drop a course for the term or half-term about any grade replacements in effect for that term or half-term.  Students wishing to opt out of using a grade replacement must comply as instructed by the Office of the Registrar and by the withdrawal deadline for the term or half-term.  

When the course being repeated is a course with an associated lab, the lecture and lab must be repeated concurrently to only consume one of the two allowable grade replacements.

Grade Replacement will not be applied to:

  • Any course repeated where the previous grade was earned prior to Fall 2007
  • Any course other than the first two courses repeated where the previous grade earned was a C or below
  • Courses that may be repeated for credit, except for special topics courses where the student is enrolled in the same topic for which they originally received the grade to be replaced
  • Courses for which the initial grade was received owing to an admitted or adjudicated academic dishonesty violation (this exception is not subject to appeal or academic petition)

For Grade Replacement to apply, the course to be repeated and the repeat course must have their grades assigned by UNC Charlotte.  Grade Replacement will not be processed after a student graduates. Exceptions to the Grade Replacement are not approved.

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CAN I TAKE A CLASS AND BE GRADED AS PASS/FAIL?

Policy (Updated Fall 2021): “Every student will be permitted during their undergraduate years to select up to a total of four courses (at most one per academic year) in which they can receive an evaluation of H (honors), P (pass), or N (no credit).  This option is designed to encourage curiosity, exploration, and experimentation in areas where a student has strong interest but little or no previous experience.  The Pass/No Credit option only applies to courses normally graded on an A-F scale, and it cannot be used on courses taken by a student for credit toward their major or minor or to satisfy University General Education requirements.  [Note:  courses designated by the faculty to be graded on a Pass/No Credit basis may count for the major.]  To exercise this option, the student must declare their intention to take a Pass/No Credit option by completing an Academic Petition by the withdrawal deadline for the term.  The deadline is available on the Academic Calendar.  This petition requires the approval of the student’s advisor, major department chair, and college associate dean.  Courses completed with the grade of Honors or Pass will count toward the hours needed for graduation, but they will not be considered in the computation of the grade point average.”

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CAN I AUDIT A CLASS?

Policy: “With the permission of the instructor, a student may audit any course in which space is available.  Fees and procedures for this non-credit enrollment are the same as those for a credit enrollment.  The procedure for adding or dropping an audit course is the same as for credit enrollments.  No student will be allowed to change the designation of a course from audit to credit or from credit to audit after the withdrawal date of a semester (or a proportional period for Summer sessions).  Participation of auditors in course discussions and in tests or examinations is optional with the instructor.  Students who audit receive no University credit, but they are expected to attend the course regularly.”

Resolution: In order to Audit a course submit an Academic Petition in Banner Self-Service and select the petition type, “Change of Grade Mode – Audit”.

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CAN I CHANGE MY GRADE TO “AUDIT” OR “PASS/NO CREDIT” AFTER THE ADD/DROP DEADLINE? 

Policy: No student will be allowed to change the designation of a course to audit or Pass/No Credit after the eighth calendar day of a semester (the add/drop deadline).  See the questions above about Audit and Pass/No credit.

Please note: special policy exceptions were approved for Spring 2020 and Academic Year 2020-2021 (Fall 2020, Spring 2021, and Summer 2021) to extend opportunities for P/N grading, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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CAN I TAKE CLASSES AT ANOTHER UNIVERSITY OR COLLEGE AND TRANSFER THE CREDIT?

Policy: “Courses undertaken by UNC Charlotte undergraduate degree students at a college or university accredited by an accepted accrediting body may be transferred to the University subject to the following regulations:

  1. The University is not obligated to accept any credit from another institution unless the student has obtained the prior approval of the dean of the college in which he/she is enrolled. A “Permit for Transient Study” form should be completed and filed in the UNC Charlotte Office of the Registrar prior to enrollment at another institution.
  2. No credit will be accepted for courses below C level for undergraduate students.
  3. The student must request that an official transcript be sent to the UNC Charlotte Office of the Registrar upon completion of the course. A form for this purpose is available in the Office of the Registrar at the institution where the course is taken.
  4. Students in the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences are not permitted to take courses at another educational institution in the Fall or Spring semester if they are enrolled full-time (12 credits or more) at UNC Charlotte in the same semester, unless it is a course not offered at UNC Charlotte (e.g., American Sign Language).
  5. Grades do not transfer.”

Source: 2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog, Degree Requirements and Academic Policies under the heading “Transfer Credit and Advanced Academic Standing”

Resolution: Submit an Academic Petition in Banner Self-Service and select the petition type, “Transient Study”. Please complete this request for approval BEFORE attempting to take courses at other institutions.  This ensures that the credits will transfer without question, in the interest of preserving your academic efforts and financial expenditures. Here are some additional issues to keep in mind if you are planning to take transient study:

  • You may not transfer additional credit for courses that you have completed and passed at UNC Charlotte.
  • The University accepts a maximum of 64 semester hours from 2-year institutions (including community colleges) and a maximum of 90 semester hours from 4-year institutions.

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CAN I TRANSFER CREDIT BACK TO MY COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND COMPLETE AN ASSOCIATE’S DEGREE?

Please see information about reverse transfer: http://provost.charlottewp.psapp.dev/policies/reverse-transfer.  Please remember, “Your advisor can only advise you on UNC Charlotte degree requirements. It is your responsibility to understand your community college requirements for completing an Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, Associate in Fine Arts, or Associate in Engineering degree.”

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HOW DO I APPEAL A FINAL GRADE?

Policy: “When a final course grade other than Incomplete (I) is officially reported by the instructor at the end of an academic term, the grade is recorded by the Office of the Registrar and can be changed only if the grade has been assigned arbitrarily or impermissibly as defined in the Faculty’s ‘Policy and Procedures for Student Appeals of Final Course Grades,’ available online at http://legal.charlotte.edu/policies/up-410. […] [The grade appeal policy] requires the student to discuss the grade with the instructor as soon as possible after the grade is received.  Students should note, however, that the University is not obliged to respond to a grade appeal unless the student files it with the appropriate department chairperson or interdisciplinary program director within the first four weeks following the last day of the regular semester or the summer term in which the grade was received.  When a grade is assigned consistent with University policy, only the instructor has the right to change the grade except as provided in the Incomplete grade policy.  When an instructor reports a grade change for a grade other than I, the ‘Change of Grade’ form must be approved by his/her department chair and college dean.”  

Resolution: Review closely the “Policy and Procedures for Student Appeals of Final Course Grades,” which details the criteria for a grade appeal as well as the procedure initiating the appeal process.

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HOW DO I RESOLVE A GRADE OF ‘INCOMPLETE’?

Policy: “The grade of I is assigned at the discretion of the instructor when a student who is otherwise passing has not, due to circumstances beyond his/her control, completed all the work in the course.  The missing work must be completed by the deadline specified by the instructor, but no later than 12 months. If the I is not removed during the specified time, a grade of F, U, or N, as appropriate is automatically assigned. The grade of I cannot be removed by enrolling again in the same course, and students should not re-enroll in a course in which they have been assigned the grade of I.”  

Resolution: Contact your instructor to inquire what coursework is required to rectify the incomplete grade.  This agreement should be recorded in a written contract between the professor and student.  Once the missing coursework is submitted and graded, your instructor will submit a grade change request to assign the new final grade.

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I FORGOT TO APPLY FOR GRADUATION! CAN I APPLY LATE?

Policy: “Each student must [apply] for his/her degree no later than the filing date specified in the academic calendar.”  

Resolution: The deadline to apply for graduation is posted on the Academic Calendar. If you are planning to graduate and missed the application deadline, please contact Graduation Services at graduation@charlotte.edu.

Please note that students who have not completed all major, college, and university requirements are not allowed to participate in commencement exercises.

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CAN I WALK IN SPRING COMMENCEMENT AND FINISH MY LAST CLASS OVER THE SUMMER?

Policy: “Students completing their degree requirements in May participate in the May ceremony. Students completing degrees in a summer term, as well as those completing in December, participate in the December ceremony.”

Resolution:  The Commencement ceremony is reserved for students who have completed all baccalaureate degree requirements.  The policy reflects the nature of the graduation ceremony and the space limitations we face as the university community continues to grow.  In the interest of implementing the policy in fairness to all students, the University Commencement Committee has agreed to make few exceptions.  If you wish to request an exception to this policy, and if you have special circumstances that you would like to be considered, you may submit an Academic Petition. 

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I WANT TO TAKE MORE THAN 18 HOURS THIS SEMESTER.

Policy: “The appropriate course load for an undergraduate student is dependent on two factors: scholastic ability as reflected by the student’s academic history and available study time.  Successful academic achievement usually requires at least two hours of study per week outside of class for each credit hour in which the student is enrolled.  For example, enrollment in 16 credit hours would require minimally 32 hours of outside preparation per week.”  

Resolution: You may complete an Academic Petition indicating how many total credits you wish to take and your justification for doing so.  You will need a positive recommendation from your major department, so it is a good idea to begin by discussing your plans with your academic advisor.  Credit overloads are generally approved for students carrying a cumulative UNC Charlotte GPA above 3.0 with proven success in a heavy course load. 

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MY ADVISOR TOLD ME TO TAKE THE WRONG CLASSES.

Policy: “The advisor assists the student to develop a plan of study based on the student’s prior preparation and objectives. The academic advisor will counsel, but the final responsibility remains that of the student.”

Resolution: The student always reserves the right to make an inquiry to the Dean’s Office.  If you encounter an issue with your advisor, first arrange a meeting with the Chair or Undergraduate Coordinator of your department.  If this meeting does not lead to a resolution, you may contact the Dean’s Office. You may submit a question by email to Dr. Banita Brown, Associate Dean for Academic & Student Success (bwbrown@charlotte.edu).  If you have a specific request to make, you may submit an Academic Petition. 

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I MISSED THE WITHDRAWAL DEADLINE; CAN I HAVE A LATE WITHDRAWAL?

Policy: “The deadline to withdraw from one or more courses (including withdrawal from all courses) is at the 60% completion point of the term.  The precise date for each term will be published in the academic calendar.  After this deadline, late withdrawal will only be allowed for approved extenuating circumstances.”

Resolution: After the deadline to withdraw from a class has passed, students will not be allowed to withdraw from individual classes for any of the following reasons:

  • Student discovered that the course does not meet a requirement
  • Student discovered that he or she has already earned credit for the course
  • Student has no remaining W-Limit Hours
  • Student has issues with the instructor’s grading or teaching style
  • Issues related to academic performance or course content

Remember that through the registration process, students assume academic and financial responsibility for the classes in which they enroll. They are relieved of these responsibilities only by formally terminating enrollment by dropping or withdrawing in accordance with University deadlines.

If you believe you are eligible for a Withdrawal with Extenuating Circumstances (WE), please contact the Dean of Students Office.  More information is available at https://withdrawal.charlottewp.psapp.dev.  

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I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT A LIBERAL STUDIES (LBST) COURSE.

Liberal Studies courses are interdisciplinary courses that satisfy general education requirements.  They are offered through different departments across campus.  If you have a question about a specific course, you must contact the department offering the course.  If you have a question about an LBST requirement for general education, you must contact University College.

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