Enrollment in Courses
Enrollment in courses can be accomplished only by the submission of an approved course schedule or, in amendment of the course schedule, by the submission of an approved course change notice. Attendance at a class does not constitute enrollment. The course schedule is an important document. A student is responsible for the timely submission of the course schedule and for the accuracy of all the information that the student enters upon it. The course elections that a student indicates on a course schedule or course change notice shall appear on the student's transcript unless a student formally withdraws from a course before midterm. See "Withdrawal from Courses" in this chapter.
The following rules govern students' enrollment in courses during the fall and spring terms of the academic year:
1. Every student must submit a course schedule for each term at the office of the residential college dean by 5 P.M. on the deadline indicated on the student's course schedule and listed in the calendar in this bulletin. Students whose registration has been withheld by the Office of Student Financial Services or any administrative office of the University must nonetheless submit their course schedules by these same deadlines.
It is the student's responsibility to obtain all necessary signatures, except that of the residential college dean, before the schedule is due. In the rare instance that the student's adviser is unavailable before the deadline, the student should nonetheless submit the schedule on time, and take a copy to be signed by the adviser and submitted to the dean as soon as possible. If the student does not submit a copy of the schedule signed by the adviser within one week of the deadline, the student will be subject to the fines described under paragraph 3 below.
2. The election of a new course after the deadline for submitting a course schedule will not be permitted save by exceptional action of the Committee on Honors and Academic Standing. Students who seek such an exception should consult immediately with the residential college dean. Permission to elect a new course must be requested by a petition that is accompanied by the written approval of the course instructor and the submission of a course change notice at the office of the residential college dean. The petition should explain in detail why the course is necessary to the student's schedule and why the student was unable to elect the course during the course selection period. Timeliness is an essential feature of any request to add a course to the course schedule; a delay in consulting with the dean or in submitting a complete petition will normally be grounds for denial. A fee of $20 will be charged for the processing of an approved course change notice on which the election of a new course is requested. A student may not elect a new course after midterm (October 26, 2007, in the fall term; March 7, 2008, in the spring term), unless such election is made to correct a clerical error on the course schedule. A change of level in courses in which the subject is taught in an ordered progression, as for example in languages or in mathematics, is not considered the addition of a new course. Such a change may be made with the approval of the instructors involved (and, if necessary, with the added permission of the director of undergraduate studies in the subject). Similarly, a change of section in the same course is not considered the addition of a new course.
3. Students who submit their schedules after the deadlines will be fined at least $50. Additional fines, increased $5 daily according to lateness, will be imposed for schedules submitted more than one week after the deadlines. A schedule received more than two weeks after it is due will be accepted only by exceptional action of the Committee on Honors and Academic Standing and will be subject to an increased fine or other penalty.
4. A student who submits a course schedule after the date on which it is due may not employ the Credit/D/Fail option in any course during that term. (See paragraph 6 of "Credit/D/Fail Option" under the heading "Grades" in this chapter.)
5. A student who submits a course schedule or course change notice with clerical errors or omissions of data is liable to a fine of $50.
6. A student may not elect courses with meeting times that overlap. If, for good cause, a student is obliged to elect two courses with a small and insignificant overlap in meeting times, the student must supply the residential college dean with the written permission of both instructors at the beginning of the term and must petition the Committee on Honors and Academic Standing, explaining why the student must enroll in both courses in the current term and how the student will meet all the requirements for both courses. Failure to file a complete and timely petition may result in the loss of credit for both courses.
7. In certain subjects, such as mathematics, foreign languages, and the sciences, knowledge of the subject is acquired in an ordered progression. That is, the concepts and skills introduced in one course are necessary, or prerequisite, for mastery of the material in subsequent courses in that field. Occasionally a student, having completed an intermediate or advanced course in a subject, may take a less advanced one in that same subject. In such a case, although the student obviously cannot receive course credit for both courses, each course will appear on the student's transcript with the grades earned; however, the student will receive course credit only for the more advanced course. A student may sometimes be permitted to complete an intermediate or advanced course without having first completed a less advanced course in a subject; in such a case, the student does not receive course credit for the less advanced course by virtue of having completed the more advanced course.
8. Courses may not be repeated for credit. On some rare occasions, a student may take the same course over again, or may take a course with the same content as another course the student has already passed. In such cases (except for courses marked "May be taken more than once" or "May be repeated for credit"), the student receives credit for the course only once. Should a student take the same or an equivalent course twice, each course with its grade appears on the transcript. The student receives course credit for the higher grade if one is earned; in such an event, course credit is not given for the lower grade. Note, however, that both grades are included in the calculation for General Honors.
9. Election of a starred course requires that a student secure the permission of the instructor and, where appropriate, the director of undergraduate studies. If a student enters a starred course on the course schedule without the appropriate permission, the instructor may direct the registrar to drop the student from the class.
10. Students are expected to have met the prerequisites published in course descriptions in this bulletin. If a student wishes to elect a course for which prerequisites are indicated but has not met those prerequisites, it is the student's responsibility to secure the permission of the instructor and, where appropriate, the director of undergraduate studies before enrolling. The registrar may drop the student from the class if the student has not met the prerequisites for enrollment.
11. For the advancement of teaching in Yale College, anonymous teaching evaluations are made available through the Yale University Student Information Systems. Students are expected to participate in this evaluation process for any Yale College course in which they are enrolled. Students who withdraw from a course after midterm are invited but not required to participate.
12. If the satisfactory completion of a course will require the use of vertebrate animals in experiments, the student must be notified of that requirement at the first meeting of the course. If a student objects on ethical grounds to participating in the animal usage in question, it is the student's responsibility to discuss the matter with the faculty member in charge and not to enroll in the course if no alternative acceptable to the faculty member can be arranged.
13. If the satisfactory completion of a course will require participation in a field trip, students should understand that there are inherent risks, including the risks of travel, involved in such an activity. If a student objects to assuming these risks, it is the student's responsibility to discuss the matter with the faculty member in charge and not to enroll in the course if no alternative acceptable to the faculty member can be arranged.
