Enrollment Status
Full-time undergraduate students are registered for sufficient credits each semester to complete their academic programs in four years (eight regular semesters). For most programs, this means students must average 15 credits per semester to earn the minimum of 120 credits required for graduation. A few programs require more than 120 credits.
The University treats undergraduate students registered for 12 or more credits as full-time students for purposes of calculating student financial aid, determining eligibility for campus housing, athletic eligibility, veteran’s benefits, student fees, and for all other activities which vary according to enrollment status. Failure to register for at least 12 credits per semester will jeopardize eligibility for financial aid, athletic eligibility, veteran’s benefits and campus housing.
Exception: The University may grant full-time privileges to students with documented disabilities who register for fewer than 12 credits but more than 6 credits per semester. This exception requires the positive recommendations of the University of Maine Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities and of the Special Student Services Advisory Committee, and must be approved by the Executive Vice President and Provost (or designee). Students requesting this accommodation must provide current, comprehensive evidence of a documented disability from a health care or psycho-educational professional, as well as a copy of their academic records from institutions attended prior to enrolling at the University of Maine. Eligibility of reduced-load students for certain benefits is contingent upon payment of appropriate fees.
The University of Maine considers students formally registered in courses in Cooperative Education, Field Experience, or Internships as part of their UMaine programs, to be full-time students. Also, graduating seniors who need less than 12 credits to complete requirements are considered full-time.
Students wishing to take courses at the University of Maine but who are not working towards a University of Maine degree are non-degree students. These students typically register for classes through the University’s Division of Lifelong Learning (DLL, located in Chadbourne Hall). Except for courses offered through Continuing Education/Summer Session, the University allows non-degree registration in regular courses on a space-available basis.
Some non-degree students register and are advised through the appropriate academic colleges rather than through DLL. These include:
- Students holding a degree but who are pursuing a certificate (e.g., a teaching or professional certificate).
- Students who are degree students elsewhere but are attending the University of Maine under a formal student-exchange program (e.g., National Student Exchange, Canadian-American Exchange, New England Land-Grant University Student Exchange).
Non-degree students registered for 9 or more (Orono campus) credits per semester are eligible for campus housing on a space-available basis. The University of Maine does not normally award student aid to non-degree students.
UMaine students temporarily registered for a semester or an academic year at another institution should fill out an “Away Registration” form. “Away” registration keeps the student as a fully enrolled University of Maine student while on Away status. This is important for student aid purposes and for maintaining enrollment in one’s degree program at UMaine. Students seeking to register “away” must be in good academic standing. To ensure that the maximum number of credits transfer to the UMaine program from the “away” institution it is important that students plan “away” registrations carefully with their academic advisor and obtain the prior approval of the associate dean of their college. Grades earned while on “away” status normally do not appear on the UMaine transcript and do not affect the UMaine GPA.
Leave of Absence
Undergraduate students in good academic standing and who have no financial indebtedness to the University may request a leave of absence from the University for up to two semesters. Students returning from leave normally are required to return to the college in which they were enrolled when leave began. Students must obtain approval for a leave of absence the semester prior to the desired leave. Students desiring a leave of absence should contact the associate dean of their college.
Withdrawal from the University
Students thinking about withdrawing from the university should consult the associate dean of their college for information about the correct procedure. Withdrawing officially is preferable to simply ceasing to attend because it may prevent the assignment of failing grades that then are forever part of one’s transcript. If a student withdraws from the university during the first third of a semester, all courses will be deleted from the student’s academic record. Withdrawal during the second third of a semester will cause a “W” to be assigned as the grade for each course. “W” grades will show on the academic record, but do not affect the GPA. Withdrawal during the final third of a semester will normally result in a grade of “WF” being assigned for all courses, unless extenuating circumstances prevail. “WF” grades show on the academic record and count in the GPA as if they were “F” grades.
Program Requirements for Returning Students
Students returning to the University after an absence of less than two full academic years may continue their programs under the requirements in effect at the time of their departure, even if program requirements changed during their absence. Students returning after an absence of more than two full academic years normally must meet the program requirements in effect at the time of their return, even if these are different from the requirements for the same program at the time of their departure.
Maine law prohibits students born after 1956 from registering for classes until they have filed proof of immunization against measles, rubella, tetanus, and diphtheria with the Cutler Health Center. New students will receive information about how to comply with this law upon admission to the University.
Students select and register for classes in consultation with an academic advisor.
Courses are numbered to indicate their level. Those numbered 000-099 are considered remedial and do not count towards a University degree. Courses numbered 100-299 are often introductory in nature and intended to be taken during the first two years of a baccalaureate degree program. The numbers 300-399 usually indicate advanced courses with prerequisites designed for the junior and senior years of the undergraduate program. Courses numbered 400-499 are advanced baccalaureate courses, but graduate students may take them for graduate credit with appropriate permission of their graduate committee. Courses numbered 500-599 are designed for students working for graduate degrees, but undergraduates may take them with the permission of their academic advisor and of the professor teaching the course. Courses numbered 600-699 are highly advanced courses for graduate students exclusively.
With advance request from a student and appropriate departmental and Graduate School permission, 400-level courses taken while an undergraduate can be transferred toward a graduate degree if the courses are not used to fulfill undergraduate degree requirements. They will be treated as graduate transfer credit and, as such, the grades will not be calculated into the graduate GPA.
Not every course is offered every semester. The Schedule of Classes lists the courses scheduled to be taught in a given semester, showing the days, times, and building locations where they meet. Students should use the Catalog and the Schedule of Classes to prepare a tentative class schedule before meeting with their academic advisors.
The University of Maine gives priority in registration to those students who are closest to graduation and therefore have the fewest semesters in which to complete all course requirements. Thus the registration priority is seniors (students having 84 or more degree credits), juniors (students having 54 or more degree credits), sophomores (24 or more degree credits), first-year students (less than 24 degree credits), and non-degree students.
The details of the registration procedure may vary depending upon which of the University’s colleges, schools or departments offer the student’s major program. In general, after meeting with an academic advisor, students are enabled to perform the actual registration using a personal computer or a telephone.
Continuing Education Registration
The Continuing Education Division (CED) schedules courses in the evenings and on weekends for the convenience of students who can attend the University only on a part-time and evening basis. The content of these courses is the same as that of the same courses offered during the regular daytime hours. Regular students may register for a CED-sponsored course during the first week of the semester if the course has met its minimum enrollment criteria and space is available. Special policies for CED-sponsored courses governing cancellation, adding and dropping, and obtaining refunds are published in the CED fall and spring course schedules and the Summer Session catalog. A complete listing of courses offered through CED is available from the CED Office, Division of Lifelong Learning, 5713 Chadbourne Hall. Students may call the Interactive Voice Response system, (207) 581-MAIN or use Web DSIS - http:www.maine.edu/dsis/ to determine if openings exist in specific CED-sponsored courses.
Grading Options
Students select one of three grading options for each course at the time of registration.
- A-F option. This is the option normally selected. It results in a grade (A-F) upon completion of the course. Courses in the major and courses meeting general education requirements must be taken for A-F grades.
- Pass/Fail option. Students may take a limited number of courses Pass/Fail. Students passing the course receive the P grade and degree credit; students failing the course receive the F* grade and no degree credit. Neither grade affects the student’s grade point average. The purpose of the Pass/Fail option is to encourage students to take elective courses outside their area of expertise by allowing them to do so without risk to their GPA. Students taking Pass/Fail courses may be ineligible for some forms of academic recognition, such as the Dean’s List, the Presidential Pin, or for selection as Valedictorian or Salutatorian. The following restrictions apply to use of the Pass/Fail option:
> Students must have sophomore standing or higher and have a grade point average of at least 2.0 to register for a course Pass/Fail.
> No more than one course per semester may be taken Pass/Fail.
> The Pass/Fail option is not allowed for courses used to fulfill program requirements for the major, for the college, or for general education.
> Students normally select the Pass/Fail option when registering.
- Audit option. Students registered to audit a course attend class meetings but usually do not take exams or complete formal assignments. No grade is assigned and no degree credit is earned for an audited course, but full tuition is charged. The Audit option is appropriate only under special circumstances, and should only be used upon the advice of an academic advisor.
Schedule Changes after Registration (Add/Drop)
The University of Maine allows students to add courses, to drop courses, to change sections within a course or to alter the grading option for a course (see below) through the first five class days of each semester (the add/drop period).
Courses may be dropped over a much longer period, but students will receive no tuition refund for courses dropped after the tenth day of classes each semester.
- During the first ten days of the semester students may change the grading option for courses between the Grade option and the Pass/Fail option. No conversions between the Grade option and the Pass/Fail option normally are allowed after this period.
- During the first third of the semester, a student may drop courses without academic penalty. All such dropped courses are deleted from the student’s academic record.
- During the second third of the semester, a student may withdraw from a course if the student’s advisor and dean approve. Courses dropped will show on the student’s academic record, with a grade of “W”. The grade will not be computed into the semester average.
- Course registrations may be changed from the Grade or Pass/Fail option to the Audit option during the first two thirds of a semester, but changes during the second third can be made only with the approval of an academic advisor and the student’s dean.
- During the final third of the semester, any courses dropped will normally carry a grade of “WF”, unless extenuating circumstances prevail. This grade will show on the student’s academic record and will be computed into the semester average as a failing grade.
Occasionally the University may cancel a class during the first week because of insufficient enrollment. Courses with numbers from 100 to 299 may be cancelled if fewer than 12 students enroll; those numbered from 300 to 499 may be cancelled if fewer than 8 students enroll (fewer than 12 students for courses offered through the Continuing Education Division). |
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