Course Registration, Overloads, and Attendance for Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate Add-Drop Procedure 

• To add or drop a course after initial registration, or to change a grading option, use an Add-Drop form, available from in MyMBU -> My Academics -> Registrar Forms. A student may not add a course after the first week of classes. The student’s advisor must sign the form. Once approved, forms may be emailed to registrar@marybaldwin.edu. 
• Non-Participation Policy - Students who do not participate in a class within the first 5 days of the term will be automatically dropped from the course and their financial aid adjusted accordingly. Non-Attendance/Non-Participation is defined as inactivity in the first 5 days of the term and a failure to communicate with the instructor to explain that period of inactivity. Non-participation reporting is required by state and federal financial aid regulations and applies to both in-seat and online classes and to all students of all divisions. Examples of academic-related participation include:
  • Attending an in-person class
  • Attending a scheduled class online
  • Taking an exam, adding to a discussion, or submitting an assignment on Canvas

• In the traditional fall and spring terms, MBCW/UC students in good academic standing (i.e. not on academic probation) may register for online courses with advisor approval each semester. Enrollment in online courses requires advisor approval. A first-year MBCW/UC freshman cannot take an online class in their first semester. In their second semester (based upon their GPA in the first semester), a first-year freshman can take one online 7- or 15-week class to ensure they are prepared for this form of learning. A transfer student with online learning experience can take an online class in their first semester. 
• In the summer term, online course registration is open to all students, including MBCW/UC students, without advisor approval. The summer online courses are billed at the current per-credit-hour rate as published in the current catalog. 
• A student may withdraw from a course after the second week, up through the eighth week of a 15-week course, or the third week of a 7A or 7B course. Withdrawals are designated with a W, which will appear on grade reports and the permanent transcript. Marks of W do not affect grade point average. 
• Students may drop courses for documented medical or providential reasons at any time within the current term or, in extenuating circumstances, retroactively if requested with documentation in the semester immediately following, upon complation of the Leave of Absence or Withdrawal from the University form. Students will be awarded grades of W. 
• During May Term, a student may add classes only through the first day of classes. Courses dropped on the first day will not appear on the transcript. Students may withdraw from a May Term course through the sixth day of classes in May Term, receiving a mark of W. The student may change grading option up through the sixth day of class. 

Overloads and Credit Load Limits 

• Academic load limits for full-time students are shown in the chart below. 
• Enrollment in more than 18 semester hours per semester (unless the enrollment is for only five courses) constitutes an overload. Overload fees will apply above 20 hours to all courses except fee-based applied music.
• No student may enroll for more than 24 semester hours in a semester, or in more than one academic course during May Term except in the case of certain May-term study abroad courses.
• Overloads must be approved by the student’s advisor and a college dean using forms available online in MyMBU -> My Academics -> Registrar Forms. Completed forms may be emailed to registrar@marybaldwin.edu.  
• Students with cumulative GPA above 3.5 can register during the regular registration period.

*Note: Normal progress toward graduation is based on participation in two May Terms during a four year career, but participation in May term is not a requirement for graduation. 

Attendance 

Regular attendance in classes is a vital part of the educational process. At Mary Baldwin University, students are expected to accept the responsibility of attending classes regularly and promptly. 

• Students must be enrolled in classes by the University’s Add-Drop deadline. Students must be enrolled at university AND in a class to participate in that class.
• It is recommended that instructors state their attendance policies to their classes. The instructor is not obligated to allow students to make up missed work; it is the instructor’s decision whether students may be allowed such a privilege.
• Absences traditionally excused are those that occur because of
  • Hospitalization
  • Serious illness
  • Death in the family
  • Important religious holidays
  • Authorized University activities (field trips, University-sponsored athletic events)
• Students anticipating an absence are expected to inform the instructor in a timely manner.
• In the traditional fall and spring terms, MBCW/UC students in good academic standing (i.e. not on academic probation) may register for online courses with advisor approval each semester. Enrollment in online courses requires advisor approval. A first-year MBCW/UC freshman cannot take an online class in their first semester. In their second semester (based upon their GPA in the first semester), a first-year freshman can take one online 7- or 15-week class to ensure they are prepared for this form of learning. A transfer student with online learning experience can take an online class in their first semester. 
• In the summer term, online course registration is open to all students, including MBCW/UC students, without advisor approval. The summer online courses are billed at the current per-credit-hour rate as published in the current catalog. 
• A student may withdraw from a course after the second week, up through the eighth week of a 15-week course, or the third week of a 7A or 7B course. Withdrawals are designated with a W, which will appear on grade reports and the permanent transcript. Marks of W do not affect grade point average. 
• If a student ceases attendance without formally dropping or withdrawing from a course, the student will receive a grade of F, which affects grade point average, or NC, which does not affect grade point average.