Registration, Scheduling and Attendance

Registration, Scheduling and Attendance

Each student is assigned a faculty advisor who helps plan a course of study and who is available throughout the year. Students should also feel free to consult any faculty or staff member who might be able to help. Students are primarily responsible for their own academic progress, but all members of the faculty and administration are prepared to assist. Students must have their schedule or education plan for the following semester approved by their advisor(s) in order to register for classes. The written approval of the student's Dean is required to register for more than 20 credit hours in a semester. 

Adding and Dropping Courses

A course may be added or dropped during the periods indicated in the Academic Calendar without penalty. Dropped courses do not appear on the student's transcript. 

Withdrawing from a Course

Attendance

Regular class attendance is expected of all students. Under the “First Class Attendance Rule”, a student in a closed course who does not attend the first class meeting or communicate with the instructor or the Registrar's Office by the close of the day of the first class may be dropped from the course. 

Priority Registration for Gi-Bill Benefits

Priority registration helps ensure that Student Veterans can graduate before their educational benefits run out. This would extend to all those who receive Gi-Bill benefits, to be a “Qualified student” means a student who: (A) Is an active member of the Armed Forces of the United States or served in the Armed Forces of the United States; (B) If a former member of the Armed Forces of the United States, was relieved or discharged from that service with either an honorable discharge or a general discharge under honorable conditions; or (C) Is a student who receives veterans’ educational benefits as a federally qualified dependent.

Cross-Registration at Area Schools

To provide students with the opportunity to explore an area of interest not otherwise available, Alfred University participates in a cross-registration program with more than 15 area colleges and universities through the Rochester area Colleges (RAC) consortium. The list of participating RAC members includes nearby Alfred State College. Cross-registration under this program is available in Fall and Spring Semesters to full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students.

The course to be taken must be one that is not available at AU and it must be applicable to some component of the AU degree program. Faculty advisor approval is required.

Students should be aware that the various member schools operate on differing academic calendars. The registration deadlines and all other academic polices of the school offering the course apply. There is no additional tuition charge for RAC cross-registration, but any lab, materials, or other special fees must be paid.

Cross-registered courses count as “credit” only. The grades received do not affect the AU grade point average (GPA). Obtain a RAC cross-registration form from the Student Service Center or download an electronic form.  For more information, contact the Student Service Center-Registrar's office in Seidlin Hall. 

Academic Load Expectations 

The University baccalaureate program is designed to be accomplished in eight semesters of 15 weeks each (inclusive of final exams).

The typical academic load of full time students at Alfred University is 16-18 credit hours per semester.

• Most courses meet for 1 (50-minute) hour per week for each semester credit hour, or the equivalent
• Courses with labs typically meet for 2 to 3 hours per week of class time plus 2 to 3 hours per week of lab time
• Art studios meet 1.5 to 2 hours per week for each credit hour

On a weekly basis, students should expect to spend a minimum of two hours outside of class studying and completing assignments for each hour spent in class (three hours per week outside of class for each hour in class for art studios); which is a minimum of 45 hours of total learning time per credit hour for the term. Students taking an online course should, likewise, expect to spend about 45 hours of total learning time per credit hour in a term; the same amount of time as in a traditional, on-campus course.

The Registrar and the Deans review the class schedule each semester and review at least annually courses and programs as published in our catalogs in order to ensure compliance with credit hour requirements.