Class Load

The average annual class load for full-time students is 33 semester hours. This annual average includes courses taken during the fall semester, the January Term, and the spring semester. Normally, a student will register for three or four courses (four hours each) in a semester and one course (4 hours) during two of the four January Terms. Only a student with a grade point average of 3.00 or above should consider a semester class load in excess of 17 hours. Any student who wishes to register for more than 17 hours must first secure permission from the registrar. A fee of $642.00 is charged for each hour of credit in excess of an annual load of 36 hours. Extra credit hours are determined based on the total number of credit hours a student has registered for in the academic year, which includes fall, January, and spring terms. Credit hours for courses dropped without academic record are excluded from this calculation. Additional information on the extra hours fee can be found under the Costs and Financial Policies section of the catalog.

The minimum class load for full-time students is 12 semester hours. Under special circumstances, with the permission of the registrar and the dean for student life, a resident student may be permitted to register for fewer than 12 semester hours.