Undergraduate Bulletin
Document Number 2.05

Registration and Credit

[1] Orientation, Advising, and Registration

The academic year beginning in August comprises two semesters, two intersessions, and a summer session.

The university assists students in adjusting to college life. An effort is made to promote self-respect, personal and school pride, and honor so that students may become responsibly self-directing, not only in campus and off-campus experiences, but in later experiences as individuals, professional persons, and citizens.

Several orientation programs are offered to assist freshmen and transfer students. A summer orientation program gives students and parents an opportunity to learn more about UCA, its services and programs, and to advance register for fall semester classes. Immediately prior to the beginning of the fall and the spring semesters, orientation sessions are offered for freshmen and transfer students. Orientation sessions focus on providing students with information to help them succeed at UCA.

The university makes available detailed information about registration procedures and dates. All students are expected to follow established procedures to register for courses during the dates specified for each academic term. Credit is not awarded in any course for which the student is not duly registered. Once registered, a student will be considered officially enrolled unless they officially withdraw from the university before the first date of classes for the term.

Each student is responsible for planning a program of study and for meeting requirements for graduation. Students should become familiar with curricular requirements, course sequences (indicated by course numbering and prerequisites), upper-and lower-division requirements, the unit of credit, and the normal study load limit.

All students receive assistance of a faculty advisor. First-year freshmen and students who have not declared a major will receive advising from the Division of Undergraduate Studies Academic Advising Center in Harrin 100. Declared students in their sophomore year or higher will receive advising from their major advisor within the department in which the major is located. It is ultimately the responsibility of all students to be informed of all regulations and requirements and to monitor progress toward a successful university experience, including meeting any and all requirements for a degree from UCA.

[2] - [3] Changes in Registration/Withdrawal from Courses or the University

Note: This section reflects changes in policy, effective in the spring semester 2003. The superseded policy is made available here for reference: link to archived policy statement.

The change-of-course procedure requires approval by the student's advisor and the Office of the Registrar. No addition to a student's schedule may be made after the late registration period. The semester schedule of classes information outlines procedures and lists dates for course changes.

A student may officially withdraw from a course or the university so long as the withdrawal is within the dates specified in the academic calendar for the semester. If a student withdraws from a course or the university during the change-of-course period, no grade will be recorded.

After the change-of-course period, a withdrawal grade (W - Withdrawn, WP - Withdrawn Passing, or WF - Withdrawn Failing) will be recorded according to the deadlines specified in the academic calendar for the semester and, when applicable, at the discretion of the course instructor, so long as the course instructor has not already dropped the student for non-attendance.

If a student discontinues attendance without officially withdrawing, an instructor may drop the student for non-attendance and report a withdrawal grade, but must do so by the deadline date for a student to officially withdraw with a WP or WF specified in the academic calendar for the semester.

[4] Auditing a Course

A student may audit a course with the permission of the instructor and the Office of the Registrar if such enrollment is indicated at the time of registration. Changes from "Credit" to "Audit" must be made within the late registration period. As an auditor the student does not take examinations or receive credit. An auditor must comply with the instructor's attendance requirements. A regular full-time student does not pay an additional fee to audit a course. The part-time student must add the audited course to regular registration in the computation of fees.

[5] Classification of Students

Since all of the undergraduate courses of the university are integral parts of four-year curricula, students are designated as freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors:

Freshman: A student who has less than 30 semester hours credit

Sophomore: A student who has 30 semester hours credit

Junior: A student who has 60 semester hours credit

Senior: A student who has 90 or more semester hours credit

The post-baccalaureate student is one who possesses a baccalaureate degree, is not a graduate student, and is registered in courses for undergraduate credit. A post-baccalaureate student may elect a program of studies beyond the baccalaureate degree but will not be classified as a graduate student and may not enroll for graduate credit.

A student must be officially admitted to the Graduate School before being eligible to enroll in graduate-level courses.

[6] Course Numbers

The numbering of courses has the following significance:

1. The first digit indicates the level of the course:

1000: Courses designed for beginning students

2000: Second-level courses, often in the sequential development of programs representing a higher level of sophistication than the 1000-level courses

3000: Third-level courses open to both sophomores and upper-division students

4000: Courses open only to juniors and seniors

5000 & higher: Graduate courses open only to students admitted to graduate-level study

1. The second digit indicates the amount of credit. A course numbered 1300 is a freshman course giving three hours of credit.
2. The last two digits distinguish a course from others offered by the same department.

[7] Credit Hours and Course Loads

The unit of credit at the university is the semester hour. A semester hour is defined as the credit earned for the successful completion of one hour per week in class for one semester, or a minimum of two hours per week of laboratory work for one semester. Each lecture hour suggests a minimum of two hours preparation on the part of the student.

The minimum number of semester hours per semester for classification as a full-time undergraduate student is twelve. The maximum number of semester hours in which a student with less than a B average (3.0) may enroll is eighteen. A student who has an overall GPA of 3.0 or a GPA of 3.0 in the preceding semester may, with the approval of the Office of the Registrar, schedule a maximum of twenty-one hours for the following semester. A request to take more than twenty-one hours in a semester will require written approval from the student's advisor, major Department Chair, College Dean, and Provost.

For each term of the summer sessions, four semester hours is the minimum load for classification as a full-time student; seven semester hours is the normal maximum allowable. A request to take more than a maximum load in a summer term will require written approval from the student's advisor, major Department Chair, and College Dean.

While enrolled for residence credit in the university, a student may carry guided study for non-resident credit, with the approval of the Office of the Registrar. Residence credit is that which is earned through University of Central Arkansas courses, excluding guided study courses.

To be eligible for graduation with a baccalaureate degree, a student must complete a program of study that contains at least 124 semester hours of unduplicated credit (40 hours must be upper-division), or more if the curriculum requires it.

[8] The Credit, No-Credit Grading Option

The credit, no-credit grading option is designed to provide the opportunity for a student to explore academic areas that are not included in required areas of study.

A junior or senior student in good standing, i.e., eligible to be enrolled at UCA, may take one elective course each semester (for a maximum of four courses) under the credit, no-credit option. These courses will not be permitted to satisfy general education, degree, or major and minor (graduation) requirements.

The student must declare an intention to the registrar to receive the "credit, no-credit" designation by the close of the late registration period, and may not change to grade status during the term. Passing work will receive credit; failing work, no-credit. In either event, the course will not calculate in the grade point average.

The above regulations do not apply to courses that are graded only on a credit, no-credit basis.

[9] Credit by Examination

A student may present no more than 30 hours credit earned through examination toward the associate or baccalaureate degrees.

[9.1] College Level Examination Program

The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) allows a student to receive university credit and/or satisfy university requirements. The university permits a student to take either the general examinations or specific subject examinations to earn college credit for a maximum of thirty hours of general education courses. No student may use test scores in lieu of courses in the major or minor, except in instances where general education requirements and major or minor requirements overlap.

CLEP credit may be awarded to those students who have met the minimum score requirement set by the university, have not already satisfied the general education requirement, and have not enrolled for the course.

When a student has satisfactorily completed the examination and has earned 12 hours in residence at the university, credit will be recorded and designated CLEP on the student's permanent record. However, the result of CLEP examinations will not be used in computing a student's grade point average. Thirty semester hours is the maximum examination credit allowed. To earn credit in writing, the examination must be taken before enrollment in college. Other examinations must be taken before the end of the semester in which a student is enrolled for the 75th hour. Students should apply directly to the test center where the test is to be taken. A transcript of scores must be sent to the Dean of Undergraduate Studies.

College credit on each of the CLEP examinations is awarded as follows:

The general education requirement in history is three hours of world history. This can be satisfied by passing subject examinations in Western Civilization I and/or Western Civilization II. The requirement of one course in American history or US government may be satisfied by passing subject examinations in those areas. It is also possible to earn credit on subject examinations in college algebra, general psychology, and introductory sociology.

Credit is awarded on the basis of DANTES Subject Standardized Tests in the same subjects where CLEP credit is awarded by UCA. Score requirements for DANTES credit are the same as those for corresponding CLEP credit.

For more information, contact the Dean of Undergraduate Studies.

[9.2] Advanced Placement Program

The University of Central Arkansas is a participant in the Advanced Placement Program. A list of AP subject areas, courses, and exams; UCA minimum score bases for credit; and UCA credit awarded follows:

In any discipline (except history) in which Advanced Placement credit is earned, no CLEP credit will be allowed for any course lower than that course for which Advanced Placement credit has been awarded. Should questions arise, contact the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies.

With the approval of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies, entering freshmen with Advanced Placement credit may be allowed to enroll in and earn upper-division credit in the area for which Advanced Placement credit was earned.

[9.3] Credit by Examination in Foreign Languages

A student who has studied a foreign language in high school may receive university credit under certain conditions. See the Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures section of this bulletin.

[9.4] Course Exemptions and Challenge Examinations

University departments may specify appropriate placement, exemption, or challenge examinations for general education requirements or for major or minor requirements. Advanced placement does not excuse a student from taking the total number of hours specified in such programs.

[10] Guided Study for Non-Residence Credit

The university provides the opportunity for a person who cannot be in residence to do work by guided study for non-residence undergraduate credit. No more than one-fourth of the total requirements for a baccalaureate degree may be earned in such a manner. A person interested in taking such course work should contact the Division of Academic Outreach and Extended Programs for information describing the regulations governing this service.

A student must be a high school graduate or possess the equivalent thereof to be eligible to enroll in guided study courses. High school students who obtain written approval from the appropriate administrative official at their high school may enroll concurrently in guided study courses. Students are not allowed, except by approval of the Office of the Registrar, to begin or continue guided study for non-residence credit while taking work in residence at the university. Students must notify the Division of Academic Outreach and Extended Programs when they are enrolled for residence work at the University of Central Arkansas.

Guided study work will not be counted in lieu of the requirement of one year's work in residence. Where guided courses are to count for credit in the senior year, students should check to ensure that 24 of their final 30 hours will be for residence credit.

A guided study course should be completed within one year from the date of registration. A grace period of one month is allowed for taking the examination if all lessons are submitted within the time limit. If the course is not completed within the one-year limit, the student may renew the course for an additional one year by remitting a renewal fee plus book rental. The maximum extension permitted is two years from the original enrollment.

Credit may be granted for guided study through USAFI or any other military program through an accredited institution of higher education.