Dates, times, procedures and eligibility conditions for registration are published on the UAH website. Registrations for Fall and Spring Semesters begin several weeks before the start of the new semester and continue through the fifth day of classes. All financial obligations to the University must be cleared before a student may register for courses. Students should consult with their academic advisor prior to registration. Non-degree students have a lower registration priority.
Concurrent registration for multiple sections of a course is not allowed.
A student who schedules courses during registration makes a financial commitment to the University. Course adjustments, drops and withdrawals must be officially transacted in writing on a Registration/Schedule Adjustment form and recorded by the Office of the Registrar by the published deadlines. Adjustments in fees, if any, will be made by the Office of the Bursar. The University assumes no responsibility for students who attend classes without proper registration.
The Semester System
The academic year is divided into two semesters and one summer session. The fall semester begins in late August and ends in December. The spring semester begins in January and ends in May. The summer term consists of 10 weeks with two 5-week mini-sessions. The summer session begins in May and ends in August. (See Academic Calendar.)
In addition, the University offers a Maymester term that begins after the Spring term and before the Summer term. Maymester is a 3 week term with the same contact time as a regular semester course. Maymester credit courses are intense and require significant effort on the part of the instructor and the student. Departments carefully select courses that are suitable for this fast pace, and students registering for Maymester courses should be in good academic standing. Students may only register for one course during Maymester and Maymesters are considered part of the Summer academic term. The policies for registration, payment, grading, etc. are the same as for other summer courses.
A semester hour is an academic unit of credit awarded for the completion of educational activities. The amount of credit awarded depends on the expected amount of time required to complete in-class and out-of-class work during a semester for a course that is passed. For example, each semester hour awarded for a lecture course at UAH requires at least one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester. At least three hours of work per week is required for each semester hour awarded for practica, internships, activity courses, laboratory experiences, and distance learning courses, although there will be variations in the amount and type of instruction and the minimum amounts of outside student work to accommodate differences among academic disciplines and the natures of particular subject matters and courses. The institution reserves the right to make semester hour assignments that exceed the minimum time requirements stated. Time expectations for work outside of class are minimums and may be higher depending on the nature and level of the course as well as the ability, commitment, and learning style of the student.
In the Department of Art, an undergraduate studio semester hour at UAH consists of at least 1.66 hours of in class instruction with a minimum expectation of at least 1.33 hours of work outside of class each week. For a three semester hour studio art course this would equate to at least five (5) hours in class and at least four (4) hours outside of class per week during a 15-week semester. Time expectations for work inside and outside of class are minimums and may be higher depending on the nature and level of the course, and for outside work, [also] on the ability, commitment, and learning style of the student.
Student Course Loads
The typical full-time undergraduate course load is 15-18 semester hours each semester. Students should take between 30 and 33 semester hours annually in order to graduate in four years. The minimum full-time load for an undergraduate student is 12 semester hours per semester.
A part-time student is one who is enrolled in less than 12 hours and is defined as follows for all academic terms/semesters (fall, spring, summer): Full time = 12 or more semester hours
¾ time = 9.00 to 11.5 semester hours
½ time = 6.00 to 8.5 semester hours
Less than ½ time = 0.5 to 5.5 semester hours
Prerequisite, Prerequisite with Concurrency, Co-requisite
Some courses offered at UAH require students to complete a prerequisite or prerequisites prior to registering for a course, to register for a prerequisite with concurrency, and to register for a co-requisite course. The definitions for these categories are as follows:
Prerequisite – a course must be taken before a target course, i.e., successful completion of EH 101 before registering for EH 102.
Prerequisite with Concurrency – a course must be taken before or at the same time as a target course, i.e., CH 101 and CH 105; PH 111 and PH 114; CE 271 and MA 201. A "W" or "F" grade in one course does not require that a student re-register for both courses. Prerequisite with concurrency courses do not have to be completed at the same time. A student may withdraw from a target course or a concurrent course and continue enrollment in the other course and vice versa. Note: A student may be asked to withdraw from a required course if in the judgment of the instructor/chair/advisor the student does not have the requisite knowledge to successfully complete the course (i.e., CE 271 and MA 201).
Co-requisite – a course must be taken simultaneously with a target course, i.e., BYS 119 and BYS 121; PH 102 and PH 102L; CPE 211 and CPE 211L: CE 370and CE 370L: MAE 311 and MAE 311L; NUR 660 and NUR 660L, and etc. Co-requisite courses must be completed at the same time. A student may withdraw from a target course; however, the student must also withdraw from the co-requisite course and vice versa.
Student Classification
An undergraduate is classified as indicated in the following table when a student has completed the number of semester hours shown.
| Semester | Hours Earned |
|---|---|
| Freshman | 0-30 |
| Sophomore | 31-60 |
| Junior | 61-90 |
| Senior | 91 and up |
Schedule Adjustments
After the beginning of an academic term, students seeking to change their course schedules must follow the Schedule Adjustment Process. Schedule adjustments fall into seven categories: Drop/Add, Late Addition, Credit/Audit, Withdrawal, Retroactive Withdrawal, and Medical Withdrawal. The following definitions and procedures will govern the Schedule Adjustment Process.
Drop/Add
After classes have begun, students should consult with their academic advisor and other university officials for advice and approval before making any schedule changes. Students are advised to check the impact of dropping courses on things like financial aid, athletics eligibility, visa status, etc.
Through the sixth day of classes for a ten-week or fifteen-week semester, fourth day of a seven-week semester, or third day of a six-week or shorter semester, students may Add a course through the web-registration process, by meeting with their advisor, or by submitting a Registration/Schedule Adjustment form to the Office of the Registrar.
Through the sixth day of classes for a ten- or fifteen-week semester, fourth day of a seven-week semester, third day of a six week or shorter semester, students may Drop any or all courses from their schedule and receive a refund of tuition and fees associated with the dropped courses.
Late Addition
In rare circumstances a student may have a legitimate and substantial need to register, add a class or change a class section after the deadline (i.e., Last Day to Add a Class). In these instances the student must complete the Registration/Schedule Adjustment form, with recommendations (approval/non-approval) from the instructor and the chair of the department that offers the course. The Office of the Registrar will process the request once approvals are obtained.
New international students who want to register after the deadline must obtain approval from the International Student Advisor, and in the case of graduate students, the Graduate Dean. Approvals for late registration for new international students will include the respective academic units.
Credit to Audit
A student is permitted to change a course from credit to audit through the fourth week of a fifteen-week semester, the third week of a seven- or ten-week semester, and the second week of a five-week or shorter semester. The instructor is not required to grade any written assignments that may be submitted by an auditing student. A student who elects to audit a course may not at any point after electing to audit, change to “for-credit”, i.e., graded status. Any student failing to follow established procedure for change to audit will continue to be enrolled in the class for credit and may receive a failing grade in that course.
Withdrawal
After the Drop/Add period a student may Withdraw from any course and receive a grade of W. The deadline for Withdrawal is the last day of class prior to final exams for all parts of term.
Withdrawal is accomplished by either 1) executing a withdrawal on the registration website or 2) by submitting a Registration/Schedule Adjustment form to the Office of the Registrar. No signatures or approvals are required for a Withdrawal, but students should consult with appropriate officials to determine the impact that withdrawing from a course may have on financial aid, athletics eligibility, visa status, etc.
Class non-attendance does not constitute withdrawal nor does notification to the instructor. Any student failing to follow the established procedure for withdrawal will continue to be enrolled in the class and may receive a failing grade in that course.
Retroactive Withdrawal
Undergraduate students may at times experience extraordinary problems during an academic term. Within two years of having completed such a semester, a student may petition the Dean of Students to withdraw retroactively from ALL classes taken during that term. A retroactive withdrawal is granted only under exceptional circumstances, such as extraordinary circumstances and is only granted prior to graduation. The petition must use the Retroactive Withdrawal form and include clear and documented evidence whenever possible. The Dean of Students verifies the documentation and considers the petition. If the request is granted, the grades for ALL courses taken during the semester in question will be changed to W's. Petitions for Retroactive Withdrawals are considered after final grades are posted. Students should be aware that retroactive withdrawals may have an impact on their ability to receive or retain financial aid and timely completion of their degree.
Recording of Withdrawals
If the withdrawal process is completed after the first six days of the semester, then the withdrawing student's name will be on the final roll of the class from which the student withdrew, and that course will be recorded on the student's permanent record with a final grade of W.
Counseling
Students need to be aware that many potential employers, as well as graduate and professional schools, view an excessive number of W's on a transcript as a flag that the student cannot be counted on to complete demanding projects. Advisors should be informed of this fact and students should be encouraged to discuss with their advisors any plans to withdraw from a course, especially after the first two weeks of the semester.
Grading System
The University of Alabama in Huntsville's grading system includes grades of A, B, C, D, F, I, X, W, S, U, P, AU, and N. Instructors have the option of augmenting the course grades of A, B, C, and D with symbols "+" and "-" signifying, respectively, high and low achievement within the assigned grade. These augmented letter grades become part of the student's permanent record and appear on transcripts, but augmentation of a letter grade does not affect its value for the purposes of the GPA computation.
| A | Superior achievement. Four quality points given per semester hour. |
| AU | Audit. Course attendance as a listener. No credit given, no quality points assigned, no attendance requirement. |
| B | Above average achievement. Three quality points given per semester hour. |
| C | Average Achievement. Two quality points given per semester hour. |
| D | Passing work. One quality point given per semester hour. |
| F | Failing work. No credit given; no quality points assigned. |
| I | Incomplete. Assigned by the instructor when a student, due to circumstances beyond his or her control, has not satisfied some requirement of the course. The deadline for a student to remedy a grade of I is the last day of class of the next semester enrolled or one calendar year from the date of the grade whichever occurs first. If the grade of I is on a student's record at the time of graduation, it is treated as an F. |
| N | No grade. Assigned by the Office of the Registrar when the instructor does not report a grade. |
| P | Passing work. Assigned in some courses. See Pass-Fail Option. |
| S | Satisfactory work. Applicable to noncredit courses and to some specified credit courses, and will not be counted in the GPA. |
| U | Unsatisfactory work. Applicable to noncredit courses and to some specified credit courses. |
| W | Withdrawal. (See Withdrawal Policy.) |
| X | Excused absence from examination. Assigned by the instructor when a student completes all course requirements except the final examination. The final grade becomes an F unless the examination is completed by the time of the announced deferred examination date at the beginning of the semester of next regular enrollment of the student. (See Examinations and UAH calendar). Time schedule permits a student to take only one examination on this date. If a student receives more than one grade of X, he or she should make arrangements directly with other instructors for additional make-up examinations. |
Course Numbering System
| Range Year | Student Normally Takes Courses |
|---|---|
| 001-099 | Refresher (noncredit): Remedial courses or prerequisite courses needed to meet certain conditions of admission that do not apply toward any degree requirement. |
| 100-199 | Freshman: Introductory lower-division undergraduate courses, usually taken by first-year students that generally do not include prerequisites. |
| 200-299 | Sophomore: Lower-division undergraduate courses usually taken by second- or third-year students where content is built on materials from the first-year level that may include a minimal amount of prerequisite preparation. |
| 300-399 | Junior (upper-level): Upper-division undergraduate courses usually taken by third- or fourth-year students that are normally courses in the major and often include significant prerequisite preparation. |
| 400-499 | Senior (upper-level): Advanced upper-division undergraduate courses that require a high degree of disciplinary sophistication or specificity in content; these courses assume considerable prerequisite knowledge and experience and include courses that are cross-listed with graduate courses. |
| 500-599 | Graduate: Introductory graduate courses, many of which are cross-listed with 400-level courses; open to undergraduate students in an approved UAH accelerated degree program; open to undergraduate students by permission from the Graduate School; open to all graduate students. |
| 600-699 | Graduate: Intermediate-level graduate courses where content builds on introductory graduate classes; open to graduate students and to undergraduate students in an approved UAH accelerated degree program. |
| 700-799 | Graduate, Ph.D. level: Advanced graduate courses with significant graduate prerequisite information; open to graduate students. |
Change of Grade
When it is believed that a grading error may have occurred, a student is permitted a maximum of one semester from the date a grade is assigned to request a change of course grade. Grades submitted to the Office of the Registrar can normally be changed only by submission by the instructor on a Change of Grade form containing a written explanation of the error. The Change of Grade form must be approved by the department chair and received in the Office of the Registrar no later than two semesters from the date the original grade was assigned.
Academic Appeals
An academic appeal may be filed by a student regarding an action taken by University personnel, including instructional personnel, administrators, or staff members at the University, that affects the student’s academic standing. Examples of academic appeals include, but are not limited to, allegations of unfairness in grading, alleged violation of a written or oral agreement with a student (e.g., course requirements for graduation), and alleged inconsistent applications of existing policies. Appeals related to course grades must be filed within 30 days of the end of the semester/term in which the grade was earned. Students wishing to file an appeal must follow the Academic Appeals policy, found at https://www.uah.edu/images/administrative/policies/02.01.12-AA_Academic_Appeals_Policy.pdf
Pass-Fail Option
A student wishing to exercise a P-F option must apply to the Office of Registrar (SSB 120) when registering or before the end of the third week of classes. Any undergraduate student not on academic probation may take courses on a P-F basis. P-F policies vary from college to college; consult your advisor before selecting this option.
A student is limited to 12 semester hours of credit on a P-F basis over the course of the degree. Courses listed on the Program of Study (major, minor, cognate, track, cluster, specialization, option and concentration) may not be taken P-F. Required courses in English composition and mathematics, as well as the rest of the Charger Foundations, may not be taken P-F. Departments may limit the P-F to courses outside the department or college.
A grade of P may be changed to a regular grade only if the student changes his or her program to an area in which a regular grade is required. The change must be initiated at the dean's office and must go through the normal grade change procedures. Once a P grade has been changed to a regular grade, the regular grade must remain. Under the P-F system, a grade of P will not be counted in a student's grade-point average; a grade of F will be counted in a student's grade-point average.
Even though a student chooses to take courses on the P-F basis, instructor's grade sheets will reflect the regular grade and the student may be informed of the regular grade upon request.
Examinations
During each semester, one or more announced examinations of class period length may be held. At the end of each semester, a final examination period is scheduled for each course. Absences from a scheduled final examination without previous arrangement with the course instructor (except in extenuating circumstances) will be classified unexcused and a failing grade in the course will be assigned.
Any student whose final examination schedule is such that the student is scheduled to take three examinations during a single day shall have the right to have the middle examination rescheduled. The date and time of the rescheduled examination shall be by mutual agreement between the student and the affected faculty member and must be agreed upon prior to the final week of the semester. It is the student's responsibility to notify the instructor of this type of conflict, and it is the instructor's responsibility to verify that the conflict actually exists. If a student is scheduled to take four examinations during a single day, then the same procedure shall apply except that the student shall now have the right to have both the second and fourth examinations rescheduled.
Student Grade Report
At the completion of each semester, a report of final grades is available for viewing using myuah.uah.edu.
Grade Point Average
The grade point average (GPA) is computed by dividing the total number of quality points earned at UAH by the total number of semester hours attempted at UAH (transfer grades are not included). Courses in which a grade of NC, W, P, S, X or AU is assigned are not included.
Change of College
Students who are pursuing a program of study in one college at UAH and desire to change to a program in another college may petition to do so by making application at the Office of the Registrar. Academic advisement before changing programs may help students avoid losing credits. Application of previously earned credits toward the new program will be determined after the transfer has been approved.
Student Athletes
Student athletes must declare a major and follow an academic plan by the beginning of the third academic year or fifth academic semester.