Course Policies

Students must register for courses in myWCU, an online tool available to all active students at West Chester University.

Registration Order

The Registrar’s Office assigns students scheduling times in compliance with the University’s Priority Registration Policy. Students are not eligible for enrollment into courses prior to their enrollment time.

Registration Timeline

Students are expected to register at their assigned registration time. All semester registrations should be completed prior to the start of the semester. Final registration must be completed by the add/drop deadline for the semester.

Waitlists

If there are no seats available in a course, students may add themselves to the waitlist if one is available. Students are permitted to waitlist up to 7 credit hours. Students are not officially registered in the class when on the waitlist nor are they guaranteed enrollment into waitlisted courses.

General Policies

• Students can only attend courses for which they are registered. Individuals not registered for a course may attend classes on a temporary basis at the discretion of the faculty member. *For students requesting in-classroom support, contact the Office of Educational Accessibility (OEA).
• Students are financially responsible for all courses in which they are registered. To reduce or eliminate financial responsibility, students must officially drop courses prior to the add/drop deadline or completely withdraw from the University for the term in accordance with the University’s Policy on Adjustment of Tuition and Fees.
• Students must meet all course prerequisites and co-requisites to register for courses. Exceptions may be considered by the Department chairperson.
• Students with a hold on their records will not be allowed to register until the hold is cleared.
• Students should discuss course registrations with their academic advisor. Undergraduate students will have an Advisor Hold applied each semester, which will prevent registration until they have consulted with their academic advisor.

The number 598 following the departmental prefix indicates an "open" workshop that allows the departments to offer a variety of short-term seminars in specific subjects under this designation. Such workshops may or may not carry credit in a graduate degree program.

Credit by examination may not be taken for graduate course work.

The pass/fail option is not available to graduate students for graduate or undergraduate courses.

Graduate students may repeat up to two courses, which are being applied to their degree. Courses may be repeated only once. Both grades earned for a course will remain on the student's record; however, the most recent grade (whether it is higher or lower) will be used in the GPA calculation.

This policy also applies to courses taken at the undergraduate level and applied to the graduate degree or certificate or teacher certification program, or taken as a prerequisite for the program.

Some departments have identified selected undergraduate courses that may be taken by graduate students (under departmental advisement) for graduate credit. No more than six credits of specifically designated 400-level courses may be applied to the awarding of the graduate degree. See departmental listings. All undergraduate credits, even those applied towards a graduate degree or certificate or certification program, will not be certified as graduate credit by The Graduate School for any reason (e.g., notification to employer, or transfer of credits to another institution). Students must also file the proper form with The Graduate School via the school's website.

I. Students participating in University-sanctioned events such as, but not limited to, the Marching Band and NCAA athletic events, will be granted an excused absence(s) by the respective faculty members for class periods missed. Students will be granted the privilege of taking, at an alternative time to be determined by the professor, scheduled examinations or quizzes that will be missed. The professor will designate such times prior to the event and the make up should be as soon as possible following the missed class. Professors can provide a fair alternative to taking the examination or quiz that will be missed. Students must recognize that some activities cannot be directly made up (e.g., a laboratory, group presentation, off-campus experience), and faculty will arrange a fair alternative to the missed work. Students must submit original documentation on University letterhead signed by the activity director, coach, or advisor detailing the specifics of the event in advance. Specific requirements include the following:

1. Responsibility for meeting academic requirements rests with the student.
2. Students are expected to notify their professors as soon as they know they will be missing class due to a University-sanctioned event.
3. Students are expected to complete the work requirement for each class and turn in assignments due on days of the event prior to their due dates unless other arrangements are made with the professor.
4. If a scheduled event is postponed or canceled, the student is expected to go to class.
5. Students are not excused from classes for practice on nonevent days.

The following are specifics for the student athlete:

1. The student athlete is expected, where possible, to schedule classes on days and at hours that do not conflict with athletic schedules.
2. Athletes are not excused from classes for practice or training-room treatment on nongame days.

II. West Chester University recognizes required (non-voluntary) service in the United States military including the Pennsylvania National Guard as a legitimate reason to miss up to the equivalent of 2 weeks during a 15-week semester. Service members must submit a copy of their orders to the Registrar's Office. The Registrar's Office will communicate with respective faculty members and the student will be granted an excused absence(s) for the class periods missed. All points covered in part I of this policy including make-up work and specific requirements 1-4 also apply. Service members required to miss more than the equivalent of 2 weeks during a 15-week semester can withdraw from the term in a non-punitive manner in accordance with Pennsylvania state law. Students are expected to work closely with faculty and the Registrar’s Office to ensure their academic success. Students in programs with external accrediting bodies must also be aware that there may be attendance requirements that cannot be made up.

III. In the event of a student's unplanned medical emergency, including serious health conditions as outlined in the Family and Medical Leave Act, or the death of a student's immediate family member, faculty members are expected to provide, within reason, an opportunity for students to make up work. Students are responsible for providing proper documentation and will work with respective faculty members to make up course work as described in part I of this policy. Students are encouraged to contact Student Assistance for additional information.

IV. Consistent with guidelines set forth by the Family and Medical Leave Act, students who become parents of new children or have children with serious health conditions that require the student-parent to miss up to the equivalent of 2 weeks during a 15-week semester shall be given an excused absence for the courses that are missed. Students will work with respective faculty members to make up course work as described in part I of this policy. Students required to miss more than the equivalent of 2 weeks during a 15-week semester can withdraw from the term up until the term-withdraw deadline. Students required to miss more than one semester should also refer to Admissions policy on consecutive non-enrollment. Students are encouraged to contact Student Assistance for additional information.

V. West Chester University recognizes excused absences in accordance with federal and state legal statutes including but limited to compliance with jury duty, subpoenas, and notices of deposition. Such excused absences will be dealt with as described in part I of this policy. 

West Chester University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities as defined by Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.  Individuals with hearing deficits or other documented disabilities can contact the Office of Educational Accessibility (OEA) to set up alternative forms of classroom assistance.

The University recognizes that the most efficient means of providing equal access to video media is through use of products with open or closed captioning and/or subtitles. When faculty utilizes essential video material, they should ascertain if a captioned version is available. If such a version is available, the faculty member is required to use it.

Graduate students must declare "audit" status by the course's withdrawal deadline and may only audit one course per semester. Faculty may refuse to grant auditor status. Full-time graduate students have the privilege of auditing without additional charge, provided they obtain approval from the course instructor. Part-time students may audit, provided they obtain the instructor's approval, enroll in the course through the Office of the Registrar, 25 University Ave., and pay the regular course fees.

Credit is never given to auditors. The auditor status may not be changed after it has been declared. The grade of Audit (AU) is recorded on the student's transcript. An audited course will not fulfill any requirement toward graduation.

An undergraduate who has completed 90 credits of undergraduate course work, is in the final year of work for the bachelor's degree, and has an overall grade point average of at least 3.0 may, with the permission of the Dean of The Graduate School, enroll in up to six credits of graduate-level courses. Credits earned may be applied to a master's degree program subject to the approval of the major department. Students must also file the proper form with The Graduate School via the school's website.

Credits earned through previous graduate study at another college or university may transfer credit under certain circumstances. Application forms for transfer of credit may be obtained on The Graduate School website. The following conditions are the minimum requirements for acceptance of transfer credit:

1.  The credits must have been earned at an accredited graduate school.
2. The courses taken must be approved by the department or program in which the applicant intends to enroll at West Chester and by the Dean of The Graduate School.
3. The maximum number of credits number of transfer credits that may be applied to a student's degree/program shall not exceed 30 percent of the total required.
4. The grade earned for courses to be transferred must be B or better.
5. An official transcript and a course catalog description or syllabus must be submitted.  Transcripts must be sent directly to The Graduate School by the institution that granted the credits, and they must clearly indicate that the courses to be transferred are graduate courses for which graduate credit was given.
6.  Current WCU students who wish to take course work at other institutions for credit at West Chester University must obtain approval from their chairperson or graduate coordinator and the Dean of The Graduate School prior to enrollment.