Course Catalog 2012-2013

A normal load is set at 16 semester hours of credit per semester. This total should include the appropriate requirements. The normal academic load enables a student to meet the graduation requirements within eight semesters. A student who pays regular tuition charges is permitted to audit, without additional cost, one course a semester for which no credit may be claimed. Audits may not be allowed by the various departments until after credit seeking students have been accommodated.

This classification is recommended for a student who for any reason cannot carry a normal schedule satisfactorily. If reduced registration is advisable, a student may be required to carry a schedule of 12 to 14 credit hours and be asked to devote an extra semester to fulfill the graduation requirements. Without special permission from the Associate Provost, 12 hours shall be minimum registration for any regular student. With special permission a regular student may register for 9 to 11 credit hours. The reduced registration option could have ramifications for financial aid eligibility.

The payment of tuition for fall or spring semesters of any given academic year entitles a full-time regular Denison student to 18 credit hours in that semester. See Annual Cost section of Catalog for the fee, billing, and payment arrangements if taking more than 18 hours in any semester. With extenuating circumstances and evidence of careful planning, a student may request twice during the Denison career to take up to 20 hours and waive the excess hours fee. Any such request should be submitted to the Registrar's Office in writing prior to the beginning of the semester in question.

With the consent of the instructor, a student may request to take a course for an additional hour of credit. The nature of the additional work that the student must do in order to receive the additional credit, and how that work will be evaluated, must be clearly outlined in the petition. Usually instructors award one grade, but may choose to assign different grades to the regular course and the additional project.

A student whose petition for additional credit is granted may not ask to drop that credit after the deadline for dropping courses has passed.

With the permission of the appropriate Dean, a regular student may take a part-time schedule of eight or fewer academic semester hours of credit. A part-time regular student may pay by the credit hour and must carry eight hours or fewer. Regular students carrying more than eight hours are counted by the University as full-time students and must pay full tuition. A full-time student normally carries 15 to 16 hours. For students on financial aid or scholarship, a minimum registration of 12 hours is required.

Special registration is open to persons living within commuting distance of the campus, certain foreign students who wish to take for credit or to audit certain courses of special interest but who are not degree candidates, and certain graduates wishing to take post-graduate work. A special student may not register for more than 8 credit-hours of academic work except by permission from the Academic Standing Board. A special student desiring credit must submit appropriate credentials to the Office of Admissions. If after one semester a special student has failed to maintain a 2.0 average, his or her special standing can be terminated.

A student may add courses or credits to his or her registration during the first two weeks (10 class days) of a semester. The student should consult with the advisor and must have the consent of the instructor and academic advisor. The appropriate documentation must be filed promptly.

A drop of a course or credit may be permitted through the end of the fourth week of classes by submitting to the Office of the Registrar a properly completed change of registration form. During the first collegiate semester, first-year students may drop a course until the conclusion of the ninth week. Please note that excess hour fees and applied music lesson or other course fees are not refunded after the fourth week in the case of a student withdrawing for any reason from a course or from the University. Change of registration after the stated deadlines requires action of the Academic Standing Board. The decision of the Academic Standing Board is final.

Students failing to register by the deadline date prescribed in University publications and/or failing to respond properly to University official's notices regarding the problem shall be withdrawn from all preregistered courses. Such withdrawal carries with it financial forfeitures of 50 percent of all fees due. Appeal of this action shall be to the Academic Standing Board and, with a resulting decision of reinstatement, normally carries a minimum penalty of $50 and other disciplinary sanctions as deemed appropriate.