Class Registration and Credit Load

Registration and Records
In this Section

Class Registration

Registration Procedure

Registration for classes is completed online via Access Stout or in the Registration and Records Office, 109 Bowman Hall. UW-Stout has an early registration process which begins in March for Fall semester, October for the Spring semester and March for the Summer Session. There are special orientation/registration sessions in the summer for incoming freshmen and transfer students.

Tutorials are available with details on how to find your specific registration date/time, as well as how to register for classes on AccessStout

For information on tuition, fees, and charges, please visit the Student Business Services website.

No information is mailed. A current listing of course openings can be found on Access Stout

Permission To Register

You must be a continuing student or have received official acceptance to UW-Stout.

New Undergraduate Students (freshmen, transfer, and re-entry) must submit an application for admission to the Undergraduate Admissions Office.

Continuing Students can register for courses via Access Stout during or after their registration date/time.

New Graduate Students must submit an application to the Graduate School.

Continuing Graduate Students receive their student information form from their program director or the Graduate School.

Students should always consult with advisers or program directors for academic program direction prior to registration.

Students with disabilities who have concerns about the accessibility of classroom locations or the registration process should call the Disability Services Office for assistance.

Credit Load Restrictions

General Limits

Once the term begins, students may add credits up to the following maximums:

  1. Graduates and dual level (Seniors/Graduates)........................16 credits
  2. Undergraduates...................................................................20 credits
Undergraduate Students

Courses are designed and graduation requirements are established so that a normal semester credit load for undergraduates is 16 to 18 credits. Early registration will be limited to 18 credits. Additional credits may be added at the beginning of the term by contacting Registration and Records. You should register for only those classes which you fully intend to complete.

If you register for more than 20 credits, you must have an Overload Permit signed by your program director on file with the registrar at the time you go over 20 credits.

You may not register for classes that conflict with other classes on your schedule. Eighteen credits are considered a maximum load for undergraduate students with less than 2.25 cumulative grade point average. Enrollment for any additional credits requires consultation with your program director or the coordinator of undeclared/undecided academic advisement if you are not enrolled in a degree program.

The Registration and Records Office is responsible for the application and interpretations of this policy. You will be notified of non-compliance and any subsequent withdrawals made to bring you into compliance should you not answer the notification.

Graduate Students

Graduate students are allowed to register for a maximum of 16 credits per semester. Credits taken through Stout Online, independent study, audit, internship, co-op or special topics are included in the 16 credits (one credit per week during summer session). The maximum credit load for graduate students, who are on or who later accept a graduate assistantship, is specified in the individual graduate assistantship contract. Students may not register for classes that conflict with other classes on their schedule.

Summer Session

The maximum credit load to register for summer is 12 credits for undergraduate students and 10 credits for graduate students. Requests for an exception in special circumstances must be approved by the appropriate program director. Due to the compressed summer schedule of instruction, it is recommended that at most one credit per week be taken during the session(s) for which the student is enrolled. Students may not register for classes that conflict with other class(es) on their schedule.

Students who register for more than the above limits with an overload permit and find they cannot carry the added courses will be responsible for all course fees incurred unless the course is dropped within the refund period.

WinTerm Session

During the WinTerm session, students are allowed to take up to four credits.

Registration Credit Limit

Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate students, with the exception of graduating seniors (students who have approximately 110 credits), are restricted to 18 credits prior to the beginning of the term. Seniors graduating at the end of the term for which they are registering, are allowed to register for a maximum of 20 credits if the additional credits are required to graduate. This policy will be altered as enrollment limitations dictate.

Registration Holds Due To Remedial Education

New freshmen whose scores on English or mathematics placement tests require them to enroll in ENGL-090 or MATH-010, are required to successfully complete these courses before completing 30 credits.

A registration "hold" will be put on your record if you are required to complete the English course ENGL-090 and/or the mathematics course MATH-010 but have not yet done so. If you are currently enrolled in either course to meet the requirement, you will not have a hold on your permit. Failure to complete the course(s) with an acceptable mark will cause a hold to be put on your record preventing future registration for courses.

Any questions concerning this policy should be directed to the department or individual who placed the hold on the student's record.

Waiver of 20 or 16 Credit Load Maximums

Undergraduate Students

The program director of the degree program in which the student is enrolled will hear student appeals requesting a waiver of the 20-credit maximum load for undergraduate students. Students who are not enrolled in a program may appeal to the coordinator of undeclared/undecided academic advisement for waiver of the 20-credit maximum load for undergraduate students.

Undergraduate students carrying more than 20 credits must have the Credit Overload Permit signed by their program director and submitted to the Registrar's Office at the time of registration for the overload. A new card is required for each term that more than 20 credits are attempted. Students will be notified of non-compliance and any subsequent withdrawals made by the registrar to bring them into compliance should they not answer the notification.

Graduate Students

Graduate students may take a maximum of 16 credits per semester or 10 credits per 10-week Summer Session. With the approval of the program director, a student may take a two-credit overload during a semester or a one-credit overload during the Summer Session. The Graduate School Credit Overload permit signed by the program director must be submitted to the Graduate School at the time of registration. Audits are considered to be part of student credit load.

Graduate students desiring to carry more than 18 credits must submit a Credit Overload Form to their program director, which will be forwarded to the Committee on Exception to Graduate School Policy for review and recommendation to the associate vice chancellor for a decision. When approval for the overload is given, the student may then register for the overload credits. Dual-level students who have not established a graduate record are expected to carry a graduate and undergraduate course load in combination that is equal to, or less than, 16 credits.

All students who are registered for more credits that have been approved, and do not have a Credit Overload permit on file, will have courses dropped from their program beginning with the last course added to bring their load in line with the approved maximum credit load.
 
Please Note:

  1. Students may not register as dual-level students without the approval of the coordinator for graduate studies and appropriate undergraduate program director.
  2. Undergraduate students are considered full time if carrying 12 or more credits.
  3. Graduate students are considered full time if carrying nine credits.
  4. Courses numbered "500" or greater are restricted to graduate students only.