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.

An overload is enrollment in more than 18 credit hours in the fall or spring semester, or more than seven credit hours in an individual summer or winter session. The minimum cumulative GPA required to carry an overload is 2.75.

Permission will not be granted for more than 24 credits in a fall or spring semester or 10 credits in an individual summer or winter session.

Student may request an overload through the myWCU portal. All requests must be made prior to the add/drop deadline. Detailed instructions are available on the Registrar’s website.

Students who carry more than 18 credits in a fall or spring semester will be responsible for additional tuition charges at the standard rate per credit hour.

Remedial courses, designated with a “Q” number (e.g., MAT Q30), are developmental in nature and help to establish a foundation for success in future coursework. These courses do not count as earned credit or apply toward the 120 minimum credits required for graduation, but they are calculated into a student’s cumulative GPA.

Policy Covering Developmental Courses

Policy Covering Undergraduate College-level Courses

Repeat Course Procedure

1. All degree students who are sophomores, juniors, or seniors with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00 are eligible to take courses pass/fail.
2. The pass/fail privilege is limited to one course per semester; only free electives may be taken on a pass/fail basis. Free electives may not be used to satisfy major, core, cognate, or general education (including distributive) requirements. Interdisciplinary, diverse communities, and writing emphasis courses taken to satisfy these requirements may not be taken pass/fail.
3. A grade of pass carries credit value but does not affect the cumulative grade point average.
4. A grade of fail is computed into the cumulative grade point average.
5. After contracting for pass/fail, the student may not request or accept any grade other than a P or an F.
6. This process must be completed by the course's withdrawal deadline. Forms are available in the Office of the Registrar.

Anyone may attend the University for the sole purpose of auditing courses by first scheduling for the course, paying the regular fee, and then completing an audit application form available from the Office of the Registrar. An undergraduate student 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 students have the privilege of auditing, provided they obtain approval from the course instructor and the course does not create an overload situation. If an overload results, students are assessed the per-credit rate for each credit in excess of 18. Part-time students may audit, provided they obtain the instructor's approval, enroll in the course through the Office of the Registrar, 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 including interdisciplinary, diverse communities, and writing emphasis attributes.

Forms to register for credit by examination are available from the Office of the Registrar. Credit by Exam fees will be equivalent to the College-Level Examination Program fee. Contact the Office of the Registrar for current information.
Credit by examination is a privilege subject to the following conditions:

1. Application occurs during the Drop/Add Period. If the student has already scheduled into the course, the course will be dropped from the schedule for that term. Grade notification for credit by exam will occur at the end of the semester. Therefore, if the student fails, the course will have to be taken in a later term.
2. The student has a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00.
3. The student demonstrates evidence of satisfactory academic background for the course.
4. The student has not already completed a more advanced course that presupposes knowledge gained in the course. For example, credit by examination cannot be given for FRE 101 after the student passed FRE 102.
5. Credits taken as credit by examination will be counted in the course load and will carry "0" billing credits. Therefore, courses will not count toward financial aid, athletics, dorms, insurance, etc.
6. A course cannot be repeated by using credit by examination.
7. A course that fulfills the interdisciplinary, diverse communities, or writing emphasis area may not be taken as credit by examination.

NOTE: Students who have taken a course but have not achieved a satisfactory grade may not apply for credit by examination for the same course.

A senior (90 credits or more) pursuing a bachelor's degree who has an overall grade point average of 3.00 may, with the permission of the major advisor, course professor, department chair of the course, the Dean of The Graduate School, and the Vice Provost, enroll in up to six credits of graduate-level course work. The student must be at the senior level with the designated grade point average at the time the course begins.

If the course is dual numbered, the undergraduate must take the undergraduate-level course and apply it towards the bachelor's degree. If the course is not dual numbered, but at the 500 level or above, the course may count either as undergraduate credit towards the bachelor's degree or as graduate credit.

If the student wishes to have the credits count towards the bachelor's degree, the student must submit a completed "application for an undergraduate student to take a graduate course for undergraduate credit.'' The form is available in the Office of the Registrar. If, on the other hand, the student wishes to have the credits count towards a graduate degree, they must submit a completed "application for an undergraduate student to take a graduate course for graduate credit.'' The form is available through The Graduate School. 

Individual departments have the right to implement more stringent academic standards for courses within their departments. Any student not meeting University or departmental standards when the appropriate semester begins will not be permitted to enroll.

If a course is taken for undergraduate credit, no additional fees will be required. If a course is taken for graduate credit, the student must pay graduate tuition and applicable fees for that course. A student not carrying 12 hours of undergraduate credits will be charged at the appropriate hourly tuition rates for both the undergraduate and graduate credits. All other fees will be charged at the undergraduate level.

No more than six credits taken under this policy may be applied to the master's degree. Students may not elect to change between undergraduate and graduate credit after the term or semester has begun.

Undergraduate students approved to take a graduate course for undergraduate credit are bound by the undergraduate catalog policy on repeats and withdrawals. Undergraduate students approved to take a graduate course for graduate credit are bound by the graduate catalog policy on repeats and withdrawals.

Each professor will determine a class attendance policy and publish it in their syllabus at the beginning of each semester. When a student fails to comply with the policy, the professor has the right to assign a grade consistent with their policy as stated in the syllabus. Absences cannot be used as the sole criterion for assigning a final grade in a course. Excused absences, in accordance with the Excused Absences Policy, will not result in a penalty, provided the student follows this policy. University departments or programs may establish attendance policies to govern their sections as long as those policies fall within these guidelines.

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.

Students are assigned early field and student teaching experiences at schools with which the University has a formal agreement. Students will not be assigned to schools that they attended or where members of their families are employed or attend.

Special requests for school assignments will be considered by the student's major department.

Before an undergraduate student may register for independent study or research, practicum, internship, externship, or any field placement, they must have an overall GPA of 2.00 or higher, and a GPA of 2.00 or higher in their major courses.

This policy does not supersede current departmental policies that have established higher standards. This policy does not prevent departments from setting higher GPA standards for undergraduate students within their major. Departments may also establish a minimum required GPA for all cognate courses for undergraduate students who wish to register for any of these courses.

Students may not enroll for credit in a more elementary course in a sequence after having satisfactorily passed a more advanced course in that sequence. For example, a student may not enroll for credit in FRE 101 after having satisfactorily passed FRE 201. Similarly, students who enroll in a course that requires less proficiency than placement or proficiency tests indicate they possess may be denied credit towards graduation.

All students participating in West Chester University academic courses that require participation in observation, practicum, field experience, or student teaching must provide up-to-date criminal background clearances prior to the fourth day of the semester in which they are enrolled in such courses. Students will provide clearances to the University in a manner stipulated by the dean of the College of Education and Social Work in accordance with the WCU Professional Education Unit Policy Requiring Current Criminal Background Clearances for Enrollment in Field Experience Courses and Student Teaching. Students who fail to provide the proper clearances, as stipulated, will have their enrollment in the course revoked.