All registration at Kennesaw State University is conducted over the web through Owl Express.
Registration Access
Access to registration will be granted by time tickets in Owl Express based on a student’s number of overall earned hours (this includes transfer hours). The University may grant earlier access to registration to certain students who have been approved by the University.
Maintaining Eligibility to Register
A student must enroll during one semester each year to maintain eligibility to register for courses. If a student is not enrolled three (3) terms or more (including summer), the student must apply for readmission through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
Holds on Registration
Holds may be placed on a student’s registration in order to satisfy an obligation owed to the University. Holds are displayed on the student’s advising guide through Owl Express. Failure to return equipment or lab supplies may also result in a financial hold. Registration and transcript requests may not proceed unless all holds are removed.
Verification of Course Schedule
Each student must verify that student’s class schedule for each semester enrolled. No course additions/deletions are permitted after Drop-Add has ended. Each student is responsible for verifying the student’s class schedule, including credit hours, in Owl Express for accuracy.
Credit Hour
KSU defines a credit hour as a minimum of 2,250 minutes of academic engagement per semester. For many courses, the time is distributed as 750 minutes of direct, faculty-led instruction and 1,500 minutes of out-of-class academic engagement. For a 15-week semester (i.e., Spring Semester or Fall Semester), that equates to 50 minutes of direct, faculty-led instruction and 100 minutes of out-of-class academic engagement per week. An equivalent amount of work and a minimum of 2,250 minutes of academic engagement per credit hour is required for credit-bearing educational activities, for which the direct, faculty-led instruction time varies, including internship, field experience, cooperative education, and some online courses. Thus, this definition applies regardless of type of course, term length, and delivery mode.
Classification of Courses
Kennesaw State University divides courses completed for academic credit into four categories – lower division, upper division, graduate, and doctoral – representing increasing levels of rigor. Lower-division courses are numbered 1000-2999; upper-division, undergraduate courses are numbered 3000-4999; graduate courses are numbered 5000-7999; doctoral courses are numbered 8000-9999. Advanced, undergraduate coursework for the five-year, Bachelor of Architecture program are numbered 5000-5999. Graduate courses are open only to students accepted to graduate study. Courses numbered below 1000 do not count for degree credit but do count for determining fees and enrollment status.
Graduate students may use graduate level work only to complete their degree requirements. Undergraduate coursework may not substitute or transfer more than one level; (i.e. 1000‐level course may not be used for 3000‐level courses and vice versa). Graduate‐level work may be used only in the undergraduate degree if a Double Owl Pathway is in place (maximum 9 credit hours).
Full Time and Maximum Course Load
For an undergraduate student, twelve (12) semester credit hours is a full-time load for determining veteran status, financial aid, insurance eligibility, etc. However, a student must complete an average of fifteen (15) semester credit hours each fall and spring semester to complete a 120-credit-hour undergraduate degree in four years. Nine (9) semester credit hours is a reasonable load for a shorter summer semester. Although, financial aid and insurance rules may require a student to attempt twelve (12) semester credit hours – a full-time, undergraduate load – or more. For graduate students, nine (9) semester credit hours is a full-time load.
During fall and spring semesters, a student may register for a maximum of 18 semester credit hours without additional approval. The Office of the Registrar may approve a course load of more than 18 credit hours, if the student’s Institutional GPA is 3.5 or higher. Additionally, course loads above 21 credit hours require a recommendation from the Department Chair applicable to the student’s major.
During summer semester, a student may register for a maximum of 13 semester credit hours without additional approval. The Office of the Registrar may approve a course load of more than 13 credit, if the student’s Institutional GPA is 3.5 or higher. Additionally, course loads above 15 credit hours require a recommendation from the Department Chair applicable to the student’s major.
A student on academic probation should consult the Academic Probation section of the Catalog for additional course-load limitations.
Course Audits
A KSU student may request to audit one or more courses. An audited course does not affect the student’s GPA, requires the same tuition and fees as a course taken for credit, and will be noted in Owl Express and on the transcript with the symbol “V.”
Withdrawal from an audited course is subject to the KSU withdrawal policy.
A student may choose to enroll in a previously audited course for a grade or for an additional audit attempt. However, the applicable department may choose to limit course audits.
A student requesting to audit a course should meet with the applicable academic advisor and complete an Audit Request Form. The completed form must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar no later than the last day of Drop-Add. Changes in an audit status cannot be made after Drop-Add has ended.
Prerequisites
Registration for many courses is restricted to students who completed certain coursework (i.e., prerequisite course(s)), met certain milestones (engineering standing, admission to the program, earned more than a particular number of credit hours, etc.), or permission from applicable faculty. Each student is responsible for identifying prerequisites and planning a program of study in consultation with an academic advisor. For example, lower-division major courses are designed to serve as preparatory for upper-division major courses.
Enrollment Classification
Undergraduate students will be classified based on the number of earned institutional hours.
- Freshman: 0 – 29 hours
- Sophomore: 30 – 59 hours
- Junior: 60 – 89 hours
- Senior: 90 hours or more
Tuition Classification
Each student is responsible for registering for classes in the correct tuition classification (in-state or out-of-state). To be classified as an in-state student with a resident tuition classification, the student must provide verification of lawful presence in the United States.
Withdrawal from Classes
Students who withdraw from courses before the withdrawal deadline, as specified by the academic calendar will receive a grade of W. A student who officially withdraws from a course by the end of the last day to withdraw without academic penalty will receive a grade of “W” and receive no credit.
A student who officially withdraws from a course after the last day to withdraw without academic penalty and before the last week of classes during the semester will receive a grade of “WF,” which will be counted as an “F” in the grade point average calculation.
Students may drop one, some, or all of their classes during the drop/add period. Courses dropped in this manner do not appear on a student’s transcript and are not considered as hours attempted for financial aid purposes. No grade is assigned for such courses. However, a student who wishes to withdraw from a course after the last day of the drop period for a term must withdraw through Owl Express. Students with an active registration hold on their record must clear that hold before being able to withdraw from their coursework.
If a student experiences significant personal hardship (e.g., medical or family emergency, prolonged illness), the Dean of Students can approve a hardship withdrawal from all courses in the term for which the student is currently registered. In the case of an approved hardship withdrawal from all courses, the Registrar will assign grades of “W” for those classes. The deadline for final approval of a hardship withdrawal by Dean of Students is the last day of class for which the hardship withdrawal is sought. If the hardship withdrawal process is not complete by the last day of class for which the hardship withdrawal is sought, a student must appeal for a retroactive hardship withdrawal from the Academic Appeals Committee.
Appeals for retroactive hardship withdrawals must be directed to the Academic Standing Committee. Retroactive hardship withdrawals are rarely granted if it has been more than one year since the last day of class for which the withdrawal is sought. Extraordinary justification must be shown. In the case of approved retroactive hardship withdrawals, the Registrar will assign a grade of “W.”
If a student is suspended by the Office of Student Conduct following a violation of the University’s Code of Conduct not related to academic dishonesty, the Office of Student Conduct may facilitate a University-initiated withdrawal from courses for which a student is registered for the term. The Registrar will assign grades of “W” for those classes.
A student will receive a refund only when the student withdraws from ALL courses for the applicable semester and only by the schedule outlined in the University refund policy.
Students should be aware that a reduction in their hours might result in the loss of full-time student status and thus affect their financial aid, scholarships, athletic and ticket eligibility, University housing accommodations, use of University resources and access to University facilities, immigration status for international students, and Veterans Educational Benefits. Students should contact the appropriate office and their academic advisor with questions about the impact of their withdrawal from a course before initiating a withdrawal. Veterans and dependents of veterans who receive educational benefits must notify the Veterans Education Benefits Area in the Office of the Registrar of any course load reductions.
Military Withdrawals
A student will receive a “WM” symbol for all courses and a full refund of tuition and mandatory fees and a pro rata refund of other fees for military and other service, as defined by BOR Policy Manual, Section 7.3.5.3. To request a military withdrawal, the student must submit a copy of official orders to the Office of the Registrar.
Military Short-Term Absence Policy
The University recognizes and appreciates the important contributions made in service of our country by Active Duty, Reserve, and National Guard members and their dependents. At times these students may be called to fulfill their duties for training or short-term deployment, which cause students to be absent from classes for a short period of time. These absences qualify as “excused absences” which means that the absence, with proper documentation provided, is not subject to penalty and coursework may be satisfied through agreement between individual instructors and students.
A. For any emergency orders where the student will be absent approximately 3 weeks or less: Students are responsible for making arrangements with instructors to maintain and/or make up classwork as needed. Service members should provide instructors with maximum advance notice of absences, providing copies of directives from the Military, Reserve, or National Guard.
B. A student who will be absent for up to three weeks will be allowed to make up any missed work within a reasonable time frame (generally up to 30 days) without a grade penalty. Instructors must accommodate absences of up to three weeks for 15-week semesters and a proportional duration for other sessions. It is the responsibility of the student to communicate in writing directly with each instructor, as far in advance as possible, so appropriate accommodations can be made.
C. For time-sensitive state or federal emergencies/activations where written documentation may not be available until the end of the obligation, the student is responsible for securing the orders to provide to faculty members upon return to the University.
Transient Authorization for a KSU Student to Attend Another College/Institution
A KSU student requesting to register as a transient student at another institution must complete the Transient Letter through Owl Express. In order to be eligible for transient status, a student must be an undergraduate, in good standing, and have completed at least one semester at KSU. The student must be currently enrolled or enrolled within the past three semesters. A student not in good academic standing or in the student’s first semester of attendance may complete the Transient Letter through Owl Express to acquire a letter of no objection. Transient coursework will not be included in the KSU Institutional GPA. If a student repeats a course previously completed at KSU as a transient student at another institution and receives a higher grade in the transient course, the KSU grade will be excluded from the KSU Institutional GPA. Transient forms will only be processed for the upcoming semester. A student on disciplinary suspension or expulsion will not be issued a transient statement. The student should consult with the student’s academic advisor prior to enrolling in the transient course(s).
Cross Registration – Atlanta Regional Consortium for Higher Education (ARCHE)
Kennesaw State University is a member of the Atlanta Regional Consortium for Higher Education (ARCHE), an association of colleges and universities in the Atlanta area offering a combination of reciprocal academic services, such as cross registration, interlibrary loans, and visiting-scholars program.
The cross-registration program is available to students officially enrolled in ARCHE institutions. This program is distinct from transient status in that it is possible for a student to register for an approved course at any of the 20 consortium schools and receive credit, while paying tuition costs to the home institution. The intent is to allow a qualified student to complete coursework in that student’s area of study that is not available at the home institution.
A student applying to cross register must meet all eligibility requirements under the ARCHE agreement and the partnering school. Courses taken at a partnering school are transferred back as transfer credit. Credits earned through the ARCHE program do not count in the KSU residency requirement.
To be eligible to participate, the student must be in good standing and must have the recommendation of the faculty advisor or Department Chair at the home institution. Cross registration may be pursued only for courses not offered at the home institution for the given term and is not recommended for a student enrolled in the student’s last semester before graduation. A KSU student must be enrolled for at least one semester hour at KSU in order to cross register. To apply for cross registration at an ARCHE member institution, a student must submit a Cross Registration Application to the Office of Registrar. KSU’s cross registration coordinator should be consulted for individual member college cross-registration deadlines. A complete list of the requirements for eligibility and registration procedures are located on the application.
Member Institutions
Agnes Scott College
Brenau University
Clark Atlanta University
Clayton College & State University
Columbia Theological Seminary
Emory University
Georgia Gwinnett College
Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia State University
Interdenominational Theological Center
Kennesaw State University
Mercer University of Atlanta
Mercer University
Morehouse College
Morehouse School of Medicine
Oglethorpe University
Savannah College of Art and Design – Atlanta
Spelman College
University of Georgia
University of West Georgia
Attendance Policy
Attendance in classes, laboratories, and lectures is important. Each student is expected to attend the activities corresponding with the student’s schedule of courses. The instructor determines the attendance policy for the course and at the beginning of the semester, provides the students a clear statement regarding the absence policies for the course, including academic consequences of absences. A student who is absent because of participation in University-approved activities, such as field trips and extracurricular events, will be permitted to make up the work missed during the absences.
Changing or Declaring Majors
A student declaring or changing a major or concentration must make the request through Owl Express, Student Records, which will be routed to the academic department applicable to the new major. The updated major will appear on the Academic Transcript in Owl Express after the academic department has approved the change. Changing a major may require courses beyond those required for the completion of the original program. Each student should declare a major, as soon as possible, so that an academic advisor can be assigned to help the student expedite progress toward a degree and prepare for a career.