In addition to the courses listed in this catalog, others may be offered on an experimental basis. Details are published in the online Student Information System (Homer) in the course schedule for the semester they are offered.

Registering for Classes

Enrolled students must register in advance for courses they wish to take the following semester.  Admission to a course depends on the availability of seats when the student registers; therefore, failure to participate in the advance registration process jeopardizes the student’s chance of obtaining desired courses.

Proof of high school graduation or the equivalent is required of all incoming students before online course registration for the students' second semester. A hold that prevents students from registering for their second semester classes will be placed on their records until proof of high school graduation or the equivalent is received by the college. 

The College reserves the right to refuse registration or to dismiss after registration any student whose presence would, in the judgment of College officials, be detrimental to the College’s interests.

Class schedules at the time of registration are as accurate as possible, but the College reserves the right to cancel courses or alter schedules as needs dictate. It is the student’s responsibility to verify the accuracy of their course schedule prior to the end of the add/drop period.

Class Standing Determination

Students are classified as first-year, sophomore, and so on, on the following basis (earned credits from all sources):

Class Determination

Class	Credits
First-Year	0-29.9
Sophomore	30-59.9
Junior	60-89.9
Senior	90 or more

Period for Add/Drop

The add/drop regulations also apply to changing instructors, sections, or the number of credits for which a student is enrolled in a variable credit course.

Students may add or drop a semester course within seven calendar days (plus Labor Day) from the first day of the semester. No add/drop will be accepted after that date.

At the end of the add/drop period, bills of full-time students who enroll for more than 18 hours will be adjusted for the hours actually enrolled. To register for more than 18 hours a student can submit an over 18 credits request for consideration on IC Workflow. Although a student may withdraw after this point (a grade of W will show on the transcript), no refund will be given for a reduction in the number of credit hours. If a record review, later in the semester, indicates that the student’s enrollment exceeds the number of credits for which the student has been billed, a supplemental bill will be issued to cover the deficiency.

Students who change from full-time to part-time status must do so by the end of the add/drop period in order to receive a refund. An application form for part-time study is available on IC Workflow and must be complete and approved by the dean's office for a tuition adjustment to be made. No refunds are made to part-time students after the end of the add/drop period.

Students who change from full-time to part-time status may forfeit their right to on-campus housing and financial aid.

Although faculty members have the option of dropping students from class for nonattendance (see below), it is the student’s responsibility to drop a course that they do not plan to attend. If a course is not dropped for nonattendance a grade of F will be posted.

When a student withdraws or is withdrawn from a course, a grade of W will show on the student’s transcript.

Course and Registration Restrictions

Health Certification 

Before the first day of classes, every new student (first-year, transfer, or returning adult) is required to complete and submit health certification information to the College health service. This information includes the New York State immunization requirements, a health history form, and any other immunizations required by the College. Entrance medical requirements are submitted electronically to the Hammond Health Center via a secure web portal that is linked from the health center’s web page. Students who do not comply with this requirement will not be allowed to remain on campus and their course registrations will be canceled. In the event that a student does not receive directions for submitting this information, they may contact the College health center for assistance, or visit the Health Certifications website for instructions. Hepatitis-B immunization is recommended and may be required for students in athletic training, occupational therapy, and physical therapy before clinical fieldwork/affiliations.

Semester Course Load

Full-time status requires that a student enroll for a minimum of 12 credits in a semester. A student may enroll for as many as 18 credits each semester without being charged extra tuition. To enroll for more than 18 credits, students must submit a request for consideration via IC Workflow. Billing for the additional tuition will occur at the end of the add/drop period.

Undergraduate students, who are not enrolled full-time (i.e., for at least 12 credits per semester) at Ithaca College, may be subject to removal from their rooms or apartments at the discretion of the Office of Residential Life. However, dropping to part-time status does not automatically make a student exempt from living on campus. Any housing questions regarding part-time status should be directed to the Office of Residential Life.

Part-time status for degree candidates requires approval and should be requested via IC Workflow. Part-time students who are not degree candidates should contact the Office of Extended Studies for registration information.

Block Courses

Courses that meet for only half a semester are called block courses. Block I courses meet for the first seven weeks of a semester. Block II courses meet for the final seven weeks of a semester. The add/drop period for a block course extends for only the first week of the block. Final examinations in block courses are normally given during the last class meeting, not during the final examination period for the semester.

Placement Tests

All incoming students may take a series of tests that are used for placement and guidance purposes. A mathematics placement examination is required of all first-year and transfer students. Any student that has previous language experience and intends to continue their studies needs to complete the language placement exam.  All students entering the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance must also take placement tests in music theory and keyboard musicianship.

Course Levels

The letter prefix indicates the department or discipline that offers the course. The first digit of the five-digit group after the prefix indicates the course level:

• 100-level and 200-level courses are generally appropriate for first-year and sophomore students.
• 300-level and 400-level courses are generally appropriate for juniors and seniors.
  • Most courses except those at the 100-level have prerequisites.
• 500-level courses are graduate courses. Seniors may be permitted to take a level-5 course if they
  • have successfully completed 90 or more credits in an undergraduate program;
  • have a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or higher;
  • have the approval of the course instructor, undergraduate adviser, graduate adviser, graduate chair, and dean of the particular school. The petition form for seniors to take graduate-level courses is available on the Registrar's Office website under Student Forms.
  • 500-level courses may be taken for either undergraduate or graduate credit. If taken for undergraduate credit, the courses are not applied to the master’s degree. If taken for graduate credit, the courses are not applied to the bachelor’s degree.

Audit Policy

There are two ways for Ithaca College degree-seeking students to audit courses at Ithaca College:

1. To audit the course for personal interest or for review of certain segments of the course material (no record on transcript), the student must obtain the instructor’s permission to attend the class.
2. To have the audited course appear on the academic transcript with the notation “AU,” the student must

• obtain permission of the instructor;
• pay tuition at the rate of 10 percent of the current undergraduate per credit tuition charge (except when tuition is waived because the student is paying full-time tuition) plus any additional special fee that may be required;
• follow the instructor’s requirements for auditors, including rules in regard to attendance.

Students may not change their registration enrollment from audit to a letter grade. All audits are dependent on space availability. No tuition-paying student will be deprived of a place in a course as a result of a place being provided to an auditor.

Audits are not counted as credit toward graduation or calculated in GPA. Auditing is not permitted during summer or winter sessions.

Extramural (nondegree-seeking) students may audit courses at Ithaca College. However, to have the audited course listed on the transcript (as “AU”), the extramural student must register through the Office of Extended Studies during the first week of semester classes. The audit fee is 10 percent of the current undergraduate per credit tuition charge.

Independent Studies, Internships, and Tutorials

In addition to regular classroom or laboratory instruction, more specialized or individual kinds of study are offered in the form of independent studies, internships, or tutorials. The maximum number of credits earned through internship may not exceed 12, whether attained in a full-semester program or in smaller units during different semesters. Students who wish to enroll for this kind of credit should consult the appropriate school guidelines (available through their dean’s office). Also, they should check the academic program information of the school in which the credit would be awarded to see whether there are any specific guidelines mandated by the school. While transfer credit for these experiences is not generally accepted, students may consult with the Dean's office in their school for additional information.

Withdrawal from a Course

Students may withdraw from a course after the add/drop period and before the beginning of the last third of the course. Thus, for a block course, a student may withdraw during weeks 2-5 and for a semester course during weeks 2-10.

When a completed withdrawal form has been submitted to the Office of the Registrar, a grade of W is entered on the student’s transcript. A student must complete a withdrawal form via IC Workflow no later than the last day of the withdrawal period.

The deadline dates for withdrawal are indicated on the academic calendar for each semester. Withdrawal after the deadline date will be recorded as an F on the student’s transcript.

Students who cease attending a course without having officially dropped or withdrawn from it are required to pay the course tuition and will earn a grade of F. Withdrawal from a course does not result in a waiver of the tuition due for that course.

Faculty Right to Remove Students from a Course

Students must follow the usual add/drop/withdrawal procedures; however, faculty members have the right to remove a student from a course in accordance with official College policy, as follows:

• An instructor can drop any student on their roster if they do not attend the first class meeting of the semester and fails to notify the instructor in advance that they cannot attend the class; and/or
• for nonattendance after the first full week of classes (or after the first class meeting of a physical activity, leisure, and safety [PALS] course) if the student has made no contact with the faculty member; and/or
• any time a student violates the written rules for remaining in good standing in the course.

See the "Attendance Policy" for information on absences due to religious beliefs.

Faculty action to remove a student from a course is not automatic and will be undertaken at the discretion of the faculty member. During the first week of class, students may be removed from the course. In weeks 2-10, a grade of W will be recorded. In weeks 11-15, a grade of F will be recorded. Students should not rely on faculty members to remove or withdraw them from courses.

Reading Day Policy

Ithaca College’s Reading Day is a dedicated, non-instructional day during Finals Week, specifically designed to provide students with ample time to prepare for their final exams. The scheduling of Reading Days is contingent upon the academic calendar’s structure. Typically, if there is a weekend separating the days of final exams, a Reading Day may not be scheduled.

On Reading Days, no mandatory academic activities, such as classes, labs, or assignments, will be held. The primary purpose of these days is to provide students with an uninterrupted period for reflection, preparation, and review in anticipation of their final exams.

Faculty members are encouraged to consider offering optional study sessions or office hours on Reading Days. These sessions are not mandatory and are intended to provide additional support to students who wish to attend. The decision to participate in these supplemental sessions or office hours is entirely at the discretion of the students.