Academic Regulations and Procedures:

Earning Multiple Graduate Degrees or Credentials
Credit earned in one post-baccalaureate program at Aurora University may be applied toward the requirements of a second program at the option of that program. In those cases where application of this policy results in a student meeting all specific coursework requirements of a program without having completed the total number of credits required for completion, the graduate program faculty shall determine additional coursework to be completed by the student in order to fulfill the total credit required for the program.

Veterans
If a person has served in the United States armed forces and wishes to use veterans’ benefits to attend Aurora University, contact the University’s Veterans Affairs Officer in the Registrar’s Office. Veterans must follow the admission requirements and procedures outlined in this catalog. For certification of eligibility for education benefits under one of the public laws, apply for Veterans Administration benefits through the Veterans Affairs Officer.

Registration
Advisement: As soon as an application for admission has been approved, students are notified and asked to contact their Graduate Program Office to make an initial appointment with an advisor.

The advisement period begins the sixth week of each term for the following term. All degree-seeking graduate students are required to consult with an academic advisor before registering for classes.

Registration: As soon as the advisement appointment is completed, a student may register at the Office of the Registrar. All accounts with the Student Accounts Office must be up to date. Students must be in compliance with the State of Illinois immunization requirements.

Students-at-large may register by mail. Registration forms and information are supplied in the Aurora University Course Bulletin, published each term by the Office of the Registrar.

Payment of Tuition and Fees: Tuition and fees are assessed in accordance with approved policies. Payment is due by the first day of term, unless approval has been given to participate in a University-approved monthly budget plan, deferred payment plan or corporate billing authorization. Information on payment plans may be obtained from the Student Accounts Office. Grades and transcripts are issued to students in good financial standing.

Student I.D. Cards: Students are issued an Aurora University photo identification card after registration. The card must be re-validated every term and must be surrendered upon withdrawing from the University. The I.D. card is required for the use of University facilities and services and for free or reduced-price admission to paid events on campus. There is a $15 fee for replacement of lost or damaged I.D. cards.

Late Registration
The normal registration period ends with the closing of the Registrar’s Office on the last University business day preceding the first day of the term or the first day of a class that officially begins at some point other than the beginning of a term. Students may late register only during the first 10% of the term and before the class has met for 10% of the published contact time. Specific deadlines are published in the Course Bulletin or may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar. It is the responsibility of a late-registering student to make up missed class work, and students are permitted to late register only with the understanding that their grades may be affected by work that cannot be made up.

Academic Advisement and Registration

1. General program advising with a faculty member is available by appointment to all graduate students through their graduate program office.
2. Academic advising with an assigned advisor should be arranged each term by all students before they may register for classes. (This does not constitute registration. It only indicates the outcome of the advisement session.)
3. All registration forms must bear the signature of an graduate academic advisor to indicate that the student’s proposed registration has been reviewed. Forms must also bear the signature of the student to indicate that the student accepts responsibility for the programmatic consequences of the registration and agrees to be bound by all relevant University regulations.

Accelerated Load (Overload)
Graduate students desiring to register for an accelerated load of more than 11 semester hours in any term must have the approval of the Graduate Program Director. Each case will be considered individually against the general guidelines, taking into account other factors such as recent performance patterns.

Adding and Dropping Courses
Changing Courses: Once a student has registered for courses, he/she must file a Change of Course Petition at the Office of the Registrar to either add or drop a course. Courses may be added only during the official late registration period. No course may be dropped after the end of the ninth week of classes in ten-week terms or the tenth week of classes in eleven-week terms (prorated for summer terms).

Refunds: During regular terms, a 100% refund of tuition is provided through Monday following the second week of the term; no refund is provided thereafter. Refunds for summer-session classes and for classes not meeting in accordance with other regular term calendars are provided in accordance with refund schedules provided by the University Comptroller. Refunds are in all cases governed by the actual date of filing of a written drop notice (signed letter or signed Change of Course Petition) in the Office of the Registrar.

Grades for Dropped Courses: Courses dropped with 100% refund do not appear on the student’s permanent record. Thereafter, and through the next-to-the-last week of the term (tenth week of an eleven-week term and ninth week of a ten-week term and prorated for summer terms), a grade of “W” (withdrawal) is posted. After this date no withdrawal will be allowed. No drop petitions will be accepted during the final calendar week of the term. Drop petitions must be filed in the Registrar’s Office by the conclusion of the ninth calendar week or its equivalent for shorter sessions.

Billing/Registration Policy

1. Students who have unpaid balances from prior terms that are not covered by duly approved and current installment payment plans with the University, by duly approved and current deferred payment plans, or by duly approved corporate billing agreements, or who have failed to meet any other statutory or University requirement for registration will be designated as being on hold status.
2. No student on hold status will be registered by the Registrar for any class until the hold status is removed by the appropriate University authority.
3. Students who have resolved their hold status will be registered and admitted to classes only during the time period permitted under the University regulations concerning LATE REGISTRATION.
4. No grades will be recorded for students who are not duly registered.
5. In the event that a student duly registered for a class is subsequently placed on hold status, no grade(s) will be recorded and no credit for the class(es) will be transcripted until the student’s hold status is removed by the appropriate University authority.