Undergraduate FAQ on Advising, Registration & Graduation

Q: Where can I find out about general UMBC academic policies?
Q: Where can I find the requirements for graduation?
A: 
Consult
The Undergraduate catalog http://catalog.umbc.edu
The Office of Undergraduate Education http://www.umbc.edu/undergrad_ed/policy.html
The Registrar’s Office http://registrar.umbc.edu

Q; How do I add a class?
Q: How do I drop a class?
Q: How do I find out about wait lists?
Q: How do I register for classes?
Q: How do I find out about graduation?
A: 
For questions about registration, transfer courses, adding a class, dropping a class, wait lists, graduation, graduation requirements, or other general questions, please consult:
The Office of the Registrar http://registrar.umbc.edu

Student FAQ https://wiki.umbc.edu/display/sa/Student+FAQ
https://wiki.umbc.edu/display/sa/Students+Registration+and+Academic+Info

Q: How can I determine my progress toward graduation?
Q: How can I see how my courses transferred in?
Q: How can I see an unofficial transcript?
A: 
You can use the Degree Audit function from myUMBC > Topics>Advising and Student Support.
Instructions: http://registrar.umbc.edu/services/degree-audit/

Note that Degree Audit fills in all the courses you are currently enrolled in, assuming you will pass them, and uses these classes in calculating credits taken and progress towards graduation.

Q: Why can’t I register for my classes?

A1: Have you been advised, and did your adviser clear you to register? All students must interact with their academic adviser each semester. Then, in order for the student to register, the adviser has to give ‘advising clearance’ in the SA system before the student can register.
A2: Is it too soon for you to be registering? Students may register for classes for the next semester only after a certain date called their ‘registration appointment’. These dates can be found on the Registrar’s web site here: http://registrar.umbc.edu/academic-calendar/registration-appointments/
Registration dates are based on earned credits (not total credits), and students with more earned credits go first.
A3: Did you apply to graduate but not actually graduate? If you apply to graduate, you are automatically locked out of the registration system for future semesters. If you applied but did not graduate, you need to contact the Registrar’s Office and have them reactivate your account.
A4. Do you have a financial hold? You cannot register for classes if you have unpaid bills: this must be taken care of first.

Q: Why can’t I register for a specific course?
A. 
The course might require departmental consent, or you do not have all the prerequisites for the course. Sometimes a course you transferred in, thinking it qualifies as a prerequisite, may not have been deemed equivalent.

Q: How do I get permission to enroll in a closed class?
A: 
If a class is closed, then it has reached its capacity. You should select a different class for your schedule. Exceptions may be made for students graduating in the semester. See our wait list policy for more information.

Q: How do I find out whether a class is an AH or SS?
A: 
Go to the ‘Class Schedule’ link under ‘Academics’ on the UMBC home page, use the form to find the class you want, then click on it, the information is listed in the ‘Class Attributes’ box.

Q: How do I find out what SS or AH classes are offered each semester?
A: 
Go to the ‘Class Schedule’ link under ‘Academics’ on the UMBC home page. At the bottom of the form you can search for classes by Gen Ed type. Note that you have to fill in any two pieces of information in the top panel to make the search work.

Q: I have taken Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate/College-Level Examination Program exams. How can I receive credit?
A: 
First, an official report of your score must be sent from the appropriate testing agency to the UMBC Office of Undergraduate Admissions. These scores will then be evaluated according to the standards listed in the UMBC Undergraduate Catalog.

Q: I received course credit for Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate/College-Level Examination Program exams at my previous institution. Is it possible to receive credit from UMBC as well?
A: 
UMBC does not accept another institution’s assessment of AP/IB/CLEP exam scores for credit. In order for a student to receive credit for any of these exams, an official report of the student’s score must be sent directly from the appropriate testing agency to the UMBC Office of Undergraduate Admissions. These scores will then be evaluated according to the standards listed in the UMBC Undergraduate Catalog.

Q: Do grades I receive when I take classes outside of UMBC count toward my GPA?
A: 
Not usually. You receive credits toward the 120 credits needed to graduate (and toward the 45 upper level credits needed if the course is upper level), but only your grades in UMBC courses are used in your UMBC GPA calculation.

Q: Can I take a course at a community college during my last semester?
A: 
Yes, as long as you have not already transferred in the maximum of 60 credits from a 2-year institution, and you will satisfy the requirement of 30 credits taken at UMBC.

Q: Advising
A:
Computer science and computer engineering majors who have passed their respective gateway requirements are assigned individual faculty advisors. Pre-gateway majors are advised by the advising staff. Their offices are located in the ITE Building in Rooms 203-206. For more information, please see the advising information provided by the Office of Undergraduate Student Services.

Q: Who is my adviser?
A: 
Declared CMSC or CMPE majors with under 30 credits are advised by the COEIT advising office. After 30 credits, majors receive a permanent adviser. You should receive an email from your adviser before the time to register for classes for the coming semester. If you have forgotten who your adviser is, contact the COEIT Advising office.

Q: How often must I meet with my academic advisor?
A: 
Once a semester at minimum. Degree-seeking students must meet with their academic advisor before they can register for the next semester’s courses (Fall and Spring semesters). To ensure that students do this, an electronic ‘advising hold’ is placed on the student’s account, which is lifted by the academic advisor after advising has occurred. You do not have to meet with an adviser before taking Summer or Winter session courses, or if you are in your final semester before graduation.

Q: What do I need to do before showing up for my advising appointment?
A: 
You should be familiar with the requirements for graduation and for completion of the major.
You can find general graduation requirements here: http://catalog.umbc.edu/content.php?catoid=6&navoid=233
CMSC requirements here: https://www.csee.umbc.edu/undergraduate/computer-science-bs/
CMPE requirements here: https://www.csee.umbc.edu/undergraduate/computer-engineering-bs/
you can monitor your progress with ‘Degree Audit’ http://registrar.umbc.edu/services/degree-audit/

You should arrive with a worksheet for the major filled out with courses you have already passed, and a list of courses you propose to take. Do not expect your adviser to do this work for you, it is your responsibility. Your adviser will mostly be concerned with your progress towards completing the requirements for the CSEE or CMPE major, but will be able to answer other questions you have (graduation, careers, etc), or at least be able to point you in the right direction to answers.

Q: Where can I find advising about careers?
A: 
Consult: your academic advisor
http://www.umbc.edu/advising/
http://www.careers.umbc.edu

Q: When do I have to apply for graduation?
A: 
The deadlines to apply for graduation are: May Graduation: February 15; August Graduation: June 15 and December Graduation: September 15.
Additional information can be found on the registrar’s page on graduate requirements.

Q: Can I still ‘walk’ in the graduation ceremony if I have not completed all the requirements for my major or for UMBC?
A: 
Starting in the Fall 2015 (December graduation) students will only be allowed to participate in one graduation ceremony and will only be allowed to ‘walk’ if they will complete all the requirements for graduation with courses they are currently enrolled in.

Q: What counts as academic misconduct?
Q: I am aware of academic misconduct that occurred in a class, what do I do?
A: 
The UMBC policies on academic integrity and academic misconduct and the definition of misconduct.  If you are aware of academic misconduct that has occurred in one of your classes, please contact either the professor or a teaching assistant.