B - Registration

B-1. Registration Access

Registration access is given to new students as described in section A - Matriculation. It is also given to students who were previously enrolled within two years of the term in which they wish to register. Former students who have not been enrolled at U of I within those two years must be readmitted by the Undergraduate or Graduate Admissions Office at least one month prior to the term in which they wish to register. Such students will be required to submit transcripts from any institutions attended since their last registration at U of I, and they may also be required to complete a residence questionnaire. Failure to meet the deadline may cause a delay in registration. Undergraduate students are required to meet with their academic advisor prior to registration.

B-2. Admission to Classes

Instructors do not admit anyone to class whose name does not appear on the class roster. U of I instructors are given the authority to grant or deny access to classes by visitors.

B-3. Auditing Classes

Auditing a course consists of attendance without participation or credit. Audited courses will be recorded on a student's permanent record. The permission of the instructor is required before a student may audit a course. Seating preference in a course will be given to students who are completing the course for credit (see C-2 and C-3 for deadlines).

B-4. Registration for Courses Without Completion of Prerequisites

Students who have not completed the prerequisites to a course for which they are otherwise eligible may register for the course with the instructor's approval.

When not waived, students who do not successfully complete a course prerequisite(s) in a prior semester may be dropped from the course no later than three business days prior to the first day of classes for the semester. Students must be notified of any subsequent changes in registration due to not meeting prerequisites

B-5. Registration of Lower-Division Students in Upper-Division Courses

All academic programs give priority in the first two years to meeting the general requirements for the appropriate degree and acquiring the foundation for advanced study; therefore, freshman students may not take upper-division courses. Exceptions may be made for students who have fulfilled the prerequisites and who are well prepared in their field of study. In such cases, the instructor may, with the concurrence of the student's advisor, authorize the exception.

B-6. Registration of Undergraduate and Non-degree Students in Graduate Courses

Undergraduate and non-degree students may register in graduate courses under the conditions outlined in the College of Graduate Studies section with the prior written approval of the instructor of the course, the student's advisor, and the dean of the College of Graduate Studies.

B-7. Registration of Students with Baccalaureate Degrees as Undergraduates

To register as undergraduates, students with baccalaureate degrees must secure the permission of the dean of their undergraduate college and file a statement with the registrar indicating that they understand that the work will not be classified as graduate work and cannot be used toward a graduate degree at a later date (see J-7-b).

B-8. Registration for Full Semester Courses

Students may register for full semester courses through the sixth day of the semester. A student may register for a course with instructor approval through the tenth day of the semester.

B-9. Registration for Accelerated and Other Short Courses

Students may register for accelerated and other short courses at any time up to and including the starting date of the course without petition.

B-10. Pass-Fail Option

B-10-a. Undergraduate Students

  1. After consultation with their advisors, undergraduates who have a cumulative grade-point average of 2.00 or higher are permitted to enroll in one course a semester under this P/F option. (The grade-point requirement is not applicable to students who are taking university-level courses for the first time.) This procedure is separate from taking courses that are regularly graded P/F. Within the limitations specified above, an undergraduate may enroll under the pass-fail option in any course except in the following cases:
    1. courses listed by number and title in the student's major curriculum as printed in the individual department section;
    2. courses taken to meet the distributional requirements of the college or curriculum, unless allowed for P/F enrollment by the college in which the student is majoring;
    3. courses used to satisfy the general education requirements;
    4. courses in the major subject field; and
    5. courses in closely related fields that are excluded from this option by the student's department (see B-11-d Reporting of Grades).
  2. Students in officer education programs (OEP) may enroll under this regulation in courses required because of their affiliation with the OEP ONLY with the permission of the administrator of the OEP department concerned.
  3. A maximum of 12 credits earned in courses under this regulation may be counted toward a baccalaureate degree.

B-10-b. Graduate Students

  1. With the approval of the major professor concerned (or advisor in the case of an unclassified student) and the dean of the College of Graduate Studies, graduate students may enroll in a limited number of courses under this P/F option. This procedure is separate from taking courses that are regularly graded P/F.
  2. Courses that may be taken by graduate students under this regulation are:
    1. any course not in the student's designated major and
    2. any course required to remove a deficiency or to provide background for the student's program, unless the major department stipulates that such deficiency courses must be taken on a regular-grade basis and completed with an 'A' or 'B.'
  3. Of the minimum number of credits required for a degree, no more than three credits in a master's or specialist program or nine in a doctoral program may be taken under this P/F option.
  4. To have 'P' recorded for courses taken under this regulation, a graduate student must earn a 'C' or above. A grade of 'D' will be converted to an 'F' on the student's records.
  5. An unclassified student may enroll for courses under this option with the approval of their advisor (if assigned) and the dean of the College of Graduate Studies. If, however, at a later date, an unclassified student is admitted to a degree program, the above regulations apply and no changes to regular letter grades will be permitted.

B-10-c. Adds, Drops, and Changes

Students may add or drop a P/F option course in the same manner as a regular course, and they may change from P/F to regular-grade classification, or vice versa, if they do so no later than the deadlines stated in regulation C and the academic calendar. Students may make these changes by securing the signatures of the advisor or major professor and dean concerned.

B-10-d. Reporting of Grades

Instructors are not notified as to which students are enrolled in courses under this P/F option. Grades are reported in the same manner as grades in courses taken on a regular-grade basis. The registrar is responsible for converting C's or above to P's on students' records and, for graduates, D's to F's. Grades of 'D' reported for undergraduates are recorded on students' records and are not converted.

B-11. Registration in Joint-Listed Courses

A student who enrolls in a joint-listed course may only earn credit at the level the student initially completes the course. A student who enrolls in the same joint-listed course at a different level will not receive credit on their transcript.