Registration and Credit

[1] Orientation, Advising, and Registration

The academic year beginning in August comprises two semesters 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 are assigned an academic advisor based on their academic field of study. Students who have not declared a major will receive advising from the Academic Advising Center in Harrin 100. 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] Changes in Registration/Withdrawal from Courses or the University

During the standard change-of-course period specified in the academic calendar, a student can electronically add or drop courses using the online registration system. It is recommended that students check with their advisor and the Office of Student Financial Aid prior to changing their course selections. To add a course after the change-of-course period, a student must submit a schedule exception form approved by the course instructor, the department chair, the dean of the college, and their advisor. Information posted on the Registrar’s website (e.g., academic calendar, withdrawal 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) will be recorded according to the deadlines specified in the academic calendar for the semester.

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

[3] 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. Fees for an audit course are the same as those for a credit course.

[4] 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:

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 study 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.

[5] Course Numbers

The numbering of courses has the following significance:

1. The first digit indicates the level of the course:
   1. 1000: Courses designed for beginning students
   2. 2000: Second-level courses, often in the sequential development of programs representing a higher level of sophistication than the 1000-level courses
   3. 3000: Third-level courses open to both sophomores and upper-division students
   4. 4000: Courses open only to juniors and seniors
   5. 5000 & higher: Graduate courses open only to students admitted to graduate-level study
2. The second digit indicates the number of credits. A course numbered 1300 is a freshman course giving three semester hours of credit.
3. The last two digits distinguish a course from others offered by the same department.

[6] Credit Hours and Course Loads

Definition of the Credit Hour

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 university determines the clock hour-credit hour relationship in other settings—for example internships, clinical rotations, practica, studio work, or asynchronous online courses—with several sources of guidance in mind: minima established by Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board policy, institutional and professional accreditation/licensure requirements, U.S. Department of Education definitions, and commonly accepted practices in other similar educational programs at UCA and in higher education generally. For convenient reference to the language of selected guidance, see Credit Hour Definition.

Definition of Full-Time 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 better or a GPA of 3.0 or better in the preceding semester may, with the approval of the advisor, department chair, college Dean and 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 the summer session, the minimum load for classification as a full-time student is based on the length in the course of study. For a five-week course of study, four semester hours is the normal minimum load required for classification as a full-time student, and 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.

Credit Hour Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees

To be eligible for graduation with a baccalaureate degree, a student must complete a program of study that contains at least 120 semester hours of unduplicated credit – of which at least 40 hours must be upper-division – or more if the curriculum requires it.

[7] 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 UCA Core, 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.

[8] Credit by Examination

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

[8.1] CLEP: 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 UCA Core courses. No student may use test scores in lieu of courses in the major or minor, except in instances where UCA Core 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 UCA Core requirement, and have not begun the course for which credit is sought. All examinations must be taken before the end of the semester in which a student is enrolled for the 75th hour.

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 the student begins the course(s) for which credit is sought. Credit for successful completion of these examinations is recorded at the end of the term in which the scores are received. Students should apply directly to the test center where the test is to be taken. A transcript of scores must be sent to the Office of the Registrar.

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

The CLEP Social Studies-History test will be awarded “general elective” credit (not “UCA Core” or “general education” credit) with a score of 49 or higher and count in the 120-hour minimum for graduation. It is not applicable to any UCA Core or program requirements.

A UCA Core requirement in history can be satisfied by passing subject examinations in World History I and/or World History 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.

[8.2] DSST

Credit is awarded for successful completion of a DSST exam on a case-by-case basis. If this applies to you, contact the Office of the Registrar: phone (501) 450-5200; or email regofc@uca.edu.

[8.3] 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 are detailed in the table below.

Scores for subject areas/exams not included in this table will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Contact the Office of the Registrar if this applies to you: phone (501) 450-5200; or email regofc@uca.edu.

A statewide Advanced Placement (AP) Policy has been adopted by the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board (AHECB), effective for first-time undergraduates entering for Fall 2018. The policy sets forth minimum scores and the ACTS courses for which, at a minimum, credit must be awarded. Institutions are permitted to award credit for higher-level courses than specified in the policy, and in a few cases, UCA programs have decided to do so. The AHECB policy may be accessed here; in the table, ACTS index numbers are indicated where relevant in relation to the new policy. The establishment of ACTS reference courses is intended to increase transferability of AP credit within Arkansas.

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. A transcript of scores must be sent to the Office of the Registrar.

[8.4] International Baccalaureate Program

The University of Central Arkansas recognizes achievement in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program by awarding credit towards relevant UCA courses. Credit is awarded for the following courses based on achieving the listed minimum exam score in the IB subject area at either the standard level (SL) or the higher level (HL) as designated.

Credit for UCA courses may be awarded for other IB courses on a case-by-case basis with a minimum exam score of 5.

[8.5] 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 Languages, Linguistics, Literatures, and Cultures section of this bulletin.

[8.6] Course Exemptions and Challenge Examinations

University departments may specify appropriate placement, exemption, or challenge examinations for UCA Core 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.