Credits & Course Info

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Note the following information before you register for classes:

Credits

A credit is the basic unit of measurement of educational coursework. One credit normally represents either 10 hours of lecture/recitation, or 20-40 hours of laboratory/activity work. Oregon State University operates on a quarter system, therefore credits offered are quarter credits. Three OSU (quarter or term) credits are equal to two semester credits.

Full-Time Status

To be classified as full time, an undergraduate student must be taking at least 12 credits and a graduate student must be taking at least 9 credits. Students taking fewer credits are considered part time. As well, audited courses do not count towards full-time status.

Maximum Credit Loads

Fully admitted undergraduates and non-degree seeking students may register for up to 19 credits and graduates up to 16 credits, as an accumulative for the entire summer term. Additional credits may be added, within the guidelines of the academic regulations, by contacting the Registrar's Office.

NOTE: Students are strongly advised to verify their registration and any changes in registration by viewing their schedule on the Student Online Services website.

Closed or Canceled Classes

If all seats are taken in a class or a class has been canceled, you will not be allowed to register for it. We encourage you to have a few alternate classes or sections in mind so that you can complete your registration at that time; or you may try web registration again at a later time (before the term) to add another class.

When you try registering for a closed class, you now can add your name to a wait list. (NOTE: Not every section has wait listing.) Type the CRN into the registration worksheet and click Submit. Use the drop down box in the Action column to choose Wait List. Then click Submit again to add yourself to the wait list. All registration restrictions (prerequisites, major/minor/option, etc...), with the exception of Duplicates, Links, and Time Conflicts, are enforced at the time a student wait lists the course. However, any duplicates, links, and time conflicts must be resolved at the time the student enrolls in the wait listed course. When an opening becomes available you will receive an email directing you to return to your registration and enroll in the course within the designated 24 hour window. If you do not register for the course within 24 hours you will be dropped from the wait list. At the time you attempt to register for the course the system will check for registration errors including; Time Conflicts, Duplicates, and Link Errors. If you have a registration error, you must resolve it and enroll within the 24 hours or you will be removed from the wait list and the available seat will be passed on to the next student on the wait list. If you have been removed from the wait list but still want to take the course, you will need to add yourself to the wait list again, however you will be placed at the bottom of the list. For more information, see http://oregonstate.edu/registrar/waitlisting-courses.

Lectures/Labs/Recitations
(Multipart Courses)

If a class is "linked" to a noncredit lab or recitation, you must register/waitlist for all parts of the course. Web registration will not permit you to register for one part without the other. Likewise, you may not drop one part of a "linked" course; if you do so, the other part will be dropped automatically. If you wish to change one part of a multipart course, you should drop that part and add the new part at the same time before processing your requested change.

Variable Credit Classes

If a class is taught for variable credits, for example 1-16 credits, web registration will ask you to enter the correct number of credits for which you wish to enroll at the time of initial registration. If you need to change that number during the add/drop period, you do so by clicking on the link associated with the course and following the prompts to change the credit hours. If the add/drop period has passed you will need to contact the Registrar's Office regarding late registration petition procedures.

Course Restrictions

Enrollment in some classes is restricted by course prerequisite, class, major, college, level, degree, or alpha sections. If you do not satisfy the class restrictions, web registration will explain the reason you did not receive the class selected. Generally, departmental requirements on class restrictions are firm. However, if you think your registration merits an exception, please go to the course departmental office.

Special Approval

Some classes require consent (approval) of the department. "Departmental approval" will appear in the Schedule of Classes for classes needing this approval. Examples are independent study, projects, research, thesis, reading and conference, music audition, and studio art courses. See the offering department for approval. When you have approval, the department will "clear" you to proceed with web registration; you must then register or add this class to your schedule on your own.

For More Information

Office of the Registrar
102 Kerr Administration Building
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR 97331
Ph: 541-737-4331
Email: registrars@oregonstate.edu