Adding or Dropping a Course

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Adding a Course

1^st through 4^th class days (1^st and 2^nd class days in the summer)
You may add a course using the online registration system. Be sure to check your registration information sheet (RIS) for your specific access times. 

5^th through 12^th class days (3^rd and 4^th class days in the summer)
To add a course, you must go to the specific department that offers the course you are trying to add. The College of Communication can only assist students in registering for College of Communication coursework. For example, if a student is trying to add an open section of a Sociology course on the 5th class day of a fall or spring semester, the student would need to contact the Sociology department for registration assistance.

After the 12^th class day (4^th class day in the summer)
You must visit the Student Advising Office and pick up a Late Add Petition to begin the process for adding a course.

Dropping a Course

At no time may you drop all of your classes or the last class for which you are registered. This will require you to withdraw from the University for that particular semester. To begin the withdrawal process, you should meet with your academic advisor.

1^st through 12^th class days (1^st through 4^th class days in the summer)
You may drop a course using the online registration system. Courses dropped during this time are removed from your record and will not count toward your six Q-drop limit. You will be refunded for hours dropped below 12. 

After the 12^th class day (4^th class day in the summer) through the mid-semester deadline (or the rest of the session for the summer)
All courses dropped during this time period will be recorded as Q-drops. When you Q-drop a course, a grade of Q is recorded on your transcript for that course. The Q will not affect your GPA. You will not be refunded for a course that you Q-drop.

To initiate a drop, you must visit the Student Advising Office.

IMPORTANT: Students who began full-time college enrollment at a Texas public institution for the first time in the Fall 2007 semester or later will be limited to a total of six (6) dropped courses for academic reasons during undergraduate studies. Full details can be found here.

Dropping a class for non-academic reasons before the mid-semester deadline

If you want to drop a course for a non-academic reason, you may apply for a non-academic drop. The two options for non-academic drops are as follows:

1. For course drops due to a health-related issue, you must use the University Health Center’s process to apply for a medical course load reduction. Your academic advisor will need to sign your course load reduction application.
2. For all other non-academic reasons, you must submit a Non-Academic Drop Petition (available in the Student Advising Office, BMC 2.600). This appeal must be accompanied by supporting documentation.

Dropping a class after the mid-semester deadline

You must meet with your academic advisor if you want to drop a course at this point in the semester. The two options for dropping a course are as follows:

1. You may use the One-Time-Exception if you have not already done so.  Or,
2. You must have an urgent and substantiated non-academic reason for dropping a course.
   • If it is before the University Health Center’s medical course load reduction application deadline and the reason for your drop involves your physical or mental health, you must use the University Health Center’s process to apply for a medical course load reduction. Your academic advisor will need to sign your course load reduction application. 
   • For all other urgent and substantiated nonacademic reasons, you will need to submit a Late Drop/Withdrawal Petition (available in the Student Advising Office, BMC 2.600). This type of appeal requires you to submit:
     • a written explanation;
     • a questionnaire completed by your course instructor regarding your performance in the course; and,
     • supporting documentation.

If you are registered for less than 12 hours of coursework in a fall or spring semester, you are considered a part-time student. Please see this webpage for full details.