Please note: This is NOT the most current catalog.

Registration and Course Enrollment

REGISTRATION

Course credits cannot be earned unless a student is officially registered with the college for courses actually taken. Registration for courses and sections is completed only through the Office of the Registrar and Academic Advising. Informal arrangements, including section change, between a student and an instructor do not constitute official registration. The presence of a student’s name on a class list in Moodle (the college’s course management tool) does not constitute in and of itself official registration in the course. Registration does not go into effect until the student has made arrangements for financial charges with the Business Office.

College-wide registrations are held three times each year: September (new students) for fall semester, November for Interim and spring semester, and April (currently enrolled students) for fall semester and summer school. In November and April, registration is completed via the Student Information System (SIS). Advisors electronically authorize students to register. Students participating in off-campus programs are registered for the program by the Office of International and Off-Campus Studies. If the program includes an Interim, registration is made at both the semester and the Interim registrations. New students, students not enrolled during the previous semester, and students returning from off-campus programs may register in the opening days of each term. Specific registration dates are posted on the academic calendar and on the Office of the Registrar and Academic Advising Web site. Note that students must have settled their tuition bills with the Business Office to be able to register for a term.

Students register via the Student Information System (SIS). Registration order is rotated via a planned random algorithm from registration to registration so no one group of students is consistently first, last, or in the middle of the registration schedule. Special arrangements are made for students with disabilities. Failure to register during the registration period may result in a limited selection of courses. Part-time students, high school honors students, and other “special status” students register on the first day of classes at the Office of the Registrar and Academic Advising window.

Students should consult the Student Information System (SIS) to verify the courses for which they are registered and to inspect their degree audits. Schedule errors and/or corrections to the record should be made immediately at the Office of the Registrar and Academic Advising window. Students are also responsible for reading and understanding the academic regulations in this catalog and are urged to consult the catalog regularly.

During registration, courses may be closed to additional enrollment by the department chair or interdisciplinary program director. Thereafter an instructor may add a student to a course by signing a drop/add slip returnable by the student to the registrar’s window before the posted add deadline.

A wait list to enroll in a course closed at registration is an informal arrangement between a student and the instructor of the course. The arrangement does not constitute enrollment in the course or negate the college-wide deadline for adding a course or the need to submit a signed drop/add slip in order to register for it. It does not constitute a promise on the part of the college that a closed course will be open at a later date. Departments/programs or individual instructors, not the Office of the Registrar and Academic Advising, maintain wait lists for their courses following registration.

The fully updated class and lab schedule is posted and maintained on the Office of the Registrar and Academic Advising Web page. The schedule lists the titles, credit value, general education attributes, instructor, and meeting place and time of all courses offered during the next academic term. Should a schedule be found in error with regard to course credit, the registrar maintains a master course file for reference and inspection.  

PROXY REGISTRATION

Students away on St. Olaf-sponsored off-campus programs may complete their registration via the Student Information System (SIS) or, via the SIS, authorize a resident student proxy to register for them for the next term. An approved proxy receives limited SIS access that only allows the proxy to complete the student's registration process.

AUDITING COURSES

All persons attending, auditing, or participating in a program of instruction must officially register with the college. Permission of the instructor and the registrar is required to audit a course. An auditor participates in the class activities only at the invitation of the instructor. Students are discouraged from seeking to audit courses that involve performance, lab work, discussion sessions, or extensive use of equipment such as studios, gymnasia, and computers. In the case of science courses with attached labs, students may audit the course but not the lab. Auditors take exams or hand in written work only at the direction of the instructor.

Students may:

  • Take a course for credit after auditing it;
  • Audit a course after taking the course once for credit;
  • Audit a course more than one time;
  • Audit a maximum of one full credit beyond a full 4.50 course load;
  • Audit an Interim course if not registered for a different Interim course, provided they meet the graduation requirement of three completed Interim courses in addition to the audited course.

Students may not:

  • Subsequently earn credit for a course by special examination after auditing the same course;
  • Register for credit through petition for courses where tests and evaluations are used to establish an early grade pattern after the add deadline has passed;
  • Audit an Interim course if concurrently registered for a different Interim course;
  • Audit an IS/IR or internship;
  • Audit summer school courses.

Successful Audits: A person attempting a successful audit must have the permission of the instructor at the time of entering the course and should negotiate the conditions necessary for completion of a successful audit with the instructor at that time. A Course Audit form, available from the Office of the Registrar and Academic Advising, is to be completed by the student and the instructor together and returned by the student to the Office of the Registrar and Academic Advising no later than the last day to add a class for the semester in which the course is being offered. Changing a course from graded to audit requires completion of the Successful Audit form and must be submitted by the last day to drop a class or make a change in the grading option. A properly-documented successful audit is entered on the auditor's transcript with a notation of AU. Successful audits are not awarded course or grade credit nor do audits fulfill graduation requirements in whole or in part. An unsuccessful audit occurs when the student does not complete the plan set forth on the audit form. An unsuccessful audit appears on the transcript with a notation of UA. Auditors other than registered full-time St. Olaf and Carleton students or staff will be required to pay 20% of the current tuition charge per course.

CARLETON INTER-REGISTRATION

Full-time, degree-seeking St. Olaf and Carleton College students may enroll in courses on either campus. Inter-registration is limited to one course per term. A course taken at Carleton must receive prior approval of the Carleton instructor and registrar and be worth at least six variable Carleton credits. A Carleton course must be properly registered in order for credit to be awarded (see procedure below). As a general rule Carleton will not inter-register St. Olaf students for Carleton courses which are routinely taught at St. Olaf. Carleton courses are computed in the St. Olaf grade point average.

Registration for a Carleton winter term course is considered a full St. Olaf Interim load. A St. Olaf student may not simultaneously register for a St. Olaf Interim course. A Carleton winter term course counts as one (1.00) St. Olaf Interim (January term) course.

A student wishing to apply a Carleton course to his/her major should consult with the appropriate St. Olaf department chair or program director before completing the inter-registration procedure. Consult the St. Olaf Office of the Registrar and Academic Advising for the procedure to secure general education credit approval before completing the inter-registration process. Physical activity courses must be inter-registered. A SPM course taken at Carleton will count toward the general education requirement (SPM) at St. Olaf, but no credit will be given toward the total number of courses required for graduation.

Seniors must be aware that Carleton grades from spring quarter courses are not reported until after St. Olaf’s commencement ceremonies. Taking a Carleton course during the spring semester of the senior year will affect the student’s graduation status.

To enroll in a Carleton College course, students must:

  1. Obtain an application form from the St. Olaf registrar.
  2. Obtain the signature of the Carleton instructor and the Carleton registrar.
  3. Complete an application each term that they take a Carleton course. Example: A student must register for two Carleton terms if s/he wishes to take the Hebrew 101-102 sequence.
  4. Return the completed application to the St. Olaf registrar’s window for approval. A copy of the completed form will then be sent to Carleton and the student notified by email.
  5. Drop a Carleton course by obtaining a change of registration form from the St. Olaf registrar’s window; have it signed by the Carleton instructor; return it to the St. Olaf registrar by the posted Carleton drop deadline.

Note that St. Olaf students may not register for an independent study or independent research with a Carleton faculty member. St. Olaf students may not audit Carleton courses.

INDEPENDENT STUDY/INDEPENDENT RESEARCH

Independent work is a privilege to be extended only if those involved agree the student is prepared to benefit, that the proposal is well-planned, and that there is previous course work in the area to give credence to independent study. The following regulations apply:

  1. Total work to be done shall approximate that expected for a regular semester course. No proposal worth less than or more than a full (1.00) course credit will be considered.
  2. Independent study/independent research may fulfill an elective credit; it may fulfill a credit in the major only if approved by the department or program. It may not fulfill a general education requirement, except for a Writing in Context course [WRI], if approved.
  3. Independent study/independent research is not a substitute for a regularly offered course, but a special type of educational experience with purposes different from those for which regular courses are designed. Ordinarily, prerequisite course work will have been completed in the area of the independent study. A student may not substitute an independent study/independent research for a course regularly offered in a department or program.
  4. First-year students may not take an independent study/independent research course.
  5. A student may take up to a total of three independent study courses. A student may also take two independent research courses in each field in which he/she has completed five courses. Independent study is registered by department or program as 298, level II. Independent research is registered as 398, level III.
  6. Independent study/independent research courses must be supervised by a St. Olaf faculty member. The exception is already-established independent courses or study service through approved St. Olaf off-campus study. Normally, a faculty member may not supervise more than two independent study, independent research, or internships per term.
  7. Applications for independent study/independent research are available at the Office of the Registrar and Academic Advising window or Web site. Paperwork is due by the last day to add a class. Several signatures are required. Students need to complete the form before they register for the independent study/independent research. Once it is approved by the registrar, the registration appears on the SIS.
  8. Students on non-St. Olaf programs do not receive credit for independent study/independent research.

Questions about independent study/independent research should be directed to the registrar.

INTERIM (JANUARY TERM)

The January Interim is a four-week period of intensive study in one area. The Interim provides an opportunity for instructors and students to focus their entire attention on one course for a full month and offers a time for single-minded study in depth. It is a time when unique teaching and learning styles may be utilized in traditional courses or when unique subjects may be studied in international or domestic off-campus locations. Upperclass students may pursue, with guidance of a faculty member, independent study projects or internships on or off campus during the Interim. St. Olaf upperclass students may also attend an Interim at one of approximately 25 other 4-1-4 colleges on an Interim exchange basis. Consult the Office of the Registrar and Academic Advising for details.

Specific regulations as they apply to Interim include:

  1. For students who originally matriculated at St. Olaf, three successful Interims are required for graduation. Transfer students admitted with sophomore or junior standing must successfully complete two Interims.
  2. First-year students must register for an Interim course unless they have prior approval from their class dean.
  3. Students may take only one course or program of instruction during Interim. For example, St. Olaf students enrolled in a winter term course at Carleton are not permitted to enroll in the St. Olaf Interim. The Carleton course equals a full Interim load. Students enrolled in an Interim course or program cannot audit another course for the purpose of having a second transcript entry, e.g. "successful audit."
  4. Students are expected to devote a minimum of 40 hours of study per week directly related to the interim course, including class time, outside reading, and other course-related work. In general, faculty and student contact hours for the Interim approximate the contact hours per course during the regular semester: 35-40 hours for the entire Interim or 8-10 hours per week. A class session is required on the first day and the last day of the Interim for examination or evaluation purposes. Grades are based on evaluation procedures similar to the regular semester.
  5. Students who enroll at St. Olaf for the year but who elect to omit the Interim course are not entitled to a refund of Interim tuition or room. A student must apply for a board credit through the Business Office before leaving campus. No credit will be given once Interim begins.
  6. Departments and interdisciplinary programs have varying requirements concerning the use of Interim courses in the major, or to fulfill graduation requirements. Students should consult the department or program, this catalog, and the online Interim Class and Lab Schedule.
  7. For senior “participators” (see PARTICIPATION IN COMMENCEMENT), who have successfully completed two Interims, a St. Olaf summer school course taken after commencement may count as the third Interim.  The student must pay the appropriate St. Olaf summer school tuition and meet the residency requirement for graduation.
  8. Students may fulfill one of the three 1.00 credit Interim requirements through participation in a St. Olaf-approved program of off-campus study if the dates of the off-campus program preclude successful completion of a separate Interim course.

INTERIM EXCHANGE

St. Olaf accepts Interim exchange only from 4-1-4 colleges with which it has an exchange agreement and only if the Interim is at least 3.5 weeks in length. Interim exchange courses earn elective credit, may earn general education credit if approved, and may qualify for certain majors. Applications, available at the Office of the Registrar and Academic Advising window, must be approved by the registrar. The student/applicant may check the college's Web site for information about courses.

First-year students may not participate in Interim exchange.

An Interim exchange course must be taken for a letter grade, but grades earned at other colleges through Interim exchange are not computed in the St. Olaf grade point average.

Students who participate in an Interim exchange are not entitled to a refund of Interim tuition or room. A student must apply for a board credit through the Business Office before leaving campus. No credit will be given once Interim begins.

Questions regarding a specific exchange and about course credit from an Interim exchange should be directed to the registrar.

INTERNSHIPS

Academic internships are viewed as an integral part of a student’s academic life at St. Olaf College. An academic internship is a planned, supervised, experiential learning project integrating study and practical work. As a credit-bearing experience it allows students to acquire and apply knowledge through direct experience in a field related to their academic program. The academic internship is intended to integrate on-site learning with the knowledge base of a related discipline. Academic integrity is assured through established department/program criteria, faculty supervision, an academic internship learning plan, and guidance from the The Piper Center for Vocation and Career.

The following regulations govern academic internships:

  1. To assure that a proposed academic internship is credit-worthy, a student must complete a learning plan in advance of the internship. A form for a learning plan is available online at the The Piper Center for Vocation and Career website.
  2. Credit for an academic internship will be granted only when the academic internship is completed in conjunction with a St. Olaf academic program.
  3. Each academic internship must have a St. Olaf faculty supervisor and an on-site supervisor. There must be ongoing communication among the college, the student, and the on-site supervisor during the academic internship to assure fulfillment of the learning plan.
  4. An academic internship as outlined in a learning plan must be approved by The Piper Center for Vocation and Career and by the faculty supervisor. Approval by the department chair or program director is needed for the academic internship to be counted toward a major.
  5. Each academic internship must include both practical work experience assigned by the on-site supervisor and complementary academic work assigned by the St. Olaf faculty supervisor as outlined by the learning plan. The faculty supervisor and site supervisor may not be the same person. Any exceptions must be approved by the registrar in consultation with the assistant director of internships. Normally, a faculty member may not supervise more than two independent study, independent research, or internships per term.
  6. A student may enroll for an academic internship as either a Level II (294) or Level III (394) course, using criteria established by individual departments or programs. At the discretion of an individual department, a student may take a second internship with the same number in that department, provided it has a different focus.
  7. A student may be paid for work done during the academic internship.
  8. The academic internship experience must be evaluated by the St. Olaf faculty supervisor, with input from the on-site supervisor.
  9. Proposals for internships bearing a full (1.00), one-half (0.5), or one-quarter (0.25) course credit will be considered.
  10. Academic internships are offered P/N only.
  11. Academic internships do not fulfill general education requirements.
  12. Consideration of transfer of academic internship credit from another institution will follow the transfer credit policy for matriculated students.
  13. No more than three (3.00) academic internship credits may apply to a St. Olaf degree; the maximum number of internship courses is four (4).
  14. A student may register for an academic internship only after The Piper Center for Vocation and Career approves the learning plan.
  15. A student must register for an academic internship prior to or during the term for which the student receives credit.
  16. The academic internship experience (on-site work in addition to academic work) must total 160 hours, with a minimum of 120 hours on site for a one-credit intership and 100 hours, with a minimum of 80 hours on site for the one-half-credit internship, and 65 hours with a minimum of 55 hours on site for the one-quarter-credit internship.
Credit
Total Hours
Hours devoted to Academic Activities assigned by faculty supervisor
Hours devoted internship
1.0
160
40
120
0.5
100
20
80
0.25
65
10
55

 

  1. Each department or program sets guidelines for approved experiential learning activities and may therefore choose to offer either full-credit, half-credit, or quarter-credit internships as part of its curriculum.
  2. Neither a 0.5 credit academic internship nor the sum of two 0.5 credit academic internships taken during Interim may count towards the graduation requirement that three full course credits must be earned during three separate Interims. Quarter-credit internships may not be taken during interim.
  3. Paperwork for internships during the academic summer school must be completed by June 1. Credit is not awarded retroactively.
  4. First-year students may not register for an academic internship. Any exceptions require the approval of the first-year dean of students in consultation with the student's academic advisor, the registrar, and the assistant director of internships.
  5. Academic internship credit is not awarded retroactively.

Off-Campus Programs

REPEATING A COURSE

Most courses may be repeated only once, only at St. Olaf, and only when the grade is C- or below, U (unsatisfactory) or N (no credit). A course cannot be repeated after satisfactory completion of any course in the same department or program for which the repeated course is considered a prerequisite. A repeated course may be taken satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) only if the course was originally taken S/U and a U was received. If a course receives an S credit, it may not be repeated regardless of the actual reported grade. A course earns only one credit once completed with a passing grade of D- or higher; the credit value of the first attempt does not count among the total credits earned toward graduation. Each course attempt remains part of the permanent record, but only the second grade and credit are computed into the grade point average and into the total number of credits earned.

Students projecting grade point averages where the projection involves repeating a course should consult with the Office of the Registrar and Academic Advising. See individual department/program listings for policies relating to specific departments/programs.

Seniors should be particularly careful when repeating a course. When the repeated course grade and credit are added to the transcript, the credit and grade of the first attempt are no longer included in calculations of course credit or GPA, even if the first attempt resulted in a passing grade. Seniors should contact the Office of the Registrar and Academic Advising to review the degree audit, taking into account the repeated course.

There are a few courses that are considered “allowable repeats.” See individual department/program course listings. If a course may be repeated, the course description indicates so. Topics courses may be repeated if the topic is different each time.

See also information concerning SPM courses and Exercise Science.

SUMMER Session AT ST. OLAF

The St. Olaf College summer session consists of two five-and-one-half-week terms, during each of which a student may take a maximum of 2.50 courses, for a total of 5.00 courses during the two terms of summer session.

For purposes of financial aid and billing, full-time status is defined as 3.0 St. Olaf credits (the equivalent of at least 12 semester or 16.5 quarter credits). Three-quarter time: at least 2.25 St. Olaf credits; half time: at least 1.5 St. Olaf credits; less than half-time status: fewer than 1.5 St. Olaf credits. See "Financial Aid Program" for further information relative to federal and state grants.

Course descriptions, costs, and other details are available online. Questions about summer session programs, credits, and registration should be directed to the Office of the Registrar and Academic Advising.

Summer session tuition must be paid before a student is permitted to register for summer courses.

Seniors anticipating completion of degree requirements through St. Olaf summer session should be aware of limited course offerings in a typical summer session.

For purposes of financial aid and billing, full-time status is defined as 3.0 St. Olaf credits (the equivalent of at least 12 semester or 16.5 quarter credits). Three-quarter time: at least 2.25 St. Olaf credits; half time: at least 1.5 St. Olaf credits; less than half-time status: fewer than 1.5 St. Olaf credits. See "Financial Aid Program" for further information relative to federal and state grants.