Repeating Courses
Most courses may be repeated, with some exceptions: A student will not be allowed to repeat OC 080 General Mathematics or EN 080 Reading and Writing without approval of the department head. Students who fail these courses may be directed to other means of improving their skills (e.g. computerized instruction or community schools’ instruction) and must re-take the appropriate NMU Placement Exam (i.e. math or English) before proceeding to MA 090, EN 090 or a higher level math or English course. Students who fail an NMU class in two consecutive semesters must wait for one semester during the academic year prior to enrolling for a third time and must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the department offering the course that the factor(s) causing consistent failure was addressed and resolved.
When a course is repeated, credit is only granted once. The last grade and credit hours for a repeated course are used for computing a student’s grade point average and for awarding credit hours applicable toward a degree or certificate, even if the last grade and/or credit hours is lower than the previous grade and credit hours. A grade of “W” (withdrawal, no credit) will not replace a previous grade or credit hours for a course.
Students receiving federal student aid should review how repeats may affect their financial aid. See Financial Aid Repeat Policy.
Students who wish to repeat an NMU course at another college or university should complete and submit a guest application to the Registrar’s Office prior to enrollment. Transfer courses will be considered repeated courses even if the grade earned at another institution is too low for the course to transfer. This may result in loss of credit for the original NMU course if credit had been earned. See Transfer Credit Policy for NMU Students in this section of the bulletin.
Under special circumstances a student may petition to repeat a lower-level course with a higher-level course (e.g., EC 101 with EC 201). Written permission from the appropriate department head must be sent to the Registrar’s Office before the student enrolls in the course.
To ensure the proper recording of repeated courses on a transcript, students must notify the Registrar's Office of the repeat by email at records@nmu.edu. The Registrar's Office is located in 2202 C.B. Hedgcock, 906-227-2278.
Auditing Courses
An auditor is one who enrolls in a course but does not want credit. The cost of auditing a course is the same as enrolling for credit. Students must contact the Registrar’s Office to obtain the appropriate form for enrolling in a course for audit. Changing a course from audit to credit or credit to audit must be completed by the ninth calendar day of a semester. The time frame for classes meeting less than a full semester is prorated. At the end of the semester, students will receive a grade of “AU” (audit) on their transcript. The instructor has the option of requesting a withdrawal from the course if a student’s attendance is irregular or if the student does not complete the course work required by the instructor. Departments may require a student to meet all prerequisites for a course prior to granting permission to audit a class.
Course Attendance
Students are expected to attend all course meeting dates and times in which they enroll. Students who are absent from a course because of participation in university sponsored activities are excused. Students are responsible for all course work whether or not their absence is excused. Individuals are only permitted to attend courses in which they are currently enrolled.
Admission of Seniors to Graduate Courses
A Northern Michigan University senior with at least a 3.00 NMU grade point average and a 3.00 grade point average in the area of concentration, who is within 12 credit hours of graduation, may petition to enroll for a maximum of eight credit hours of graduate credit. These credits may be applied to the undergraduate degree, at the department’s discretion, or toward a master’s degree from NMU, but not both.
Credit to be applied toward a master’s degree at NMU will be accepted and recorded as graduate credit only after admission to the College of Graduate Studies and the successful completion of an additional 12 credit hours of graduate study. In general, these credits will not be accepted in transfer by another institution.
Permission forms to take a graduate course are available from the Registrar’s Office. They require approval from the instructor of the course, the adviser and the registrar.
Note: Students will be charged graduate tuition for all courses taken for graduate credit and for 500-level courses taken for undergraduate credit.
Using One Course to Meet More Than One Requirement (Double Counting)
Between Major and Minor Requirements
Students cannot use the same course to fulfill a requirement in more than one major, or a major and a minor, or in more than one minor.
- If a course is required for both a major and a minor, the major requirement will take precedence over the minor, and an appropriate substitution must be made in the minor with the written approval of the minor department.
- If a course is required in two majors or two minors, the first designated major or minor will take precedence over any subsequent major or minor and appropriate substitutions must be made with the written approval of the head of the second major or minor department.
Note: All substitutions must be signed by the appropriate department head and then sent to the Registrar’s Office.
Between General Education and Majors, Minors and Courses Designated Other Required
Students may use a course from their major, minor or courses designated as “other required” to meet general education requirements. The minimum number of credits required for the degree remains as listed even if a student double counts a course.
Course Limitations
Students in baccalaureate degree programs may count up to six credits of health promotion (HP) courses toward graduation. (Exception: management of health and fitness majors, and physical education majors and minors may apply ten credits of HP courses toward graduation.) Students in associate degree programs may apply three credits of HP courses toward graduation, and those in certificate programs may apply two credits of HP courses toward graduation. HP 200 is included in the maximum credits allowed.
Students in baccalaureate degree programs may apply up to six credits of cosmetology (COS) courses toward graduation unless otherwise prohibited.
Students in associate degree programs may apply three credits of cosmetology (COS) toward graduation, and those in certificate programs other than cosmetology may apply two credits of these courses toward graduation unless otherwise prohibited.
Course Substitutions
Normally, the courses required to complete the total degree plan are offered frequently or on a rotational basis so that the student, with academic advisement, may complete all requirements as stipulated in a timely fashion. The faculty adviser with the support of the department head may substitute* a required course in their major or minor with another departmental course when:
- there has been a curriculum revision and the required course listed is no longer offered;
- the student is in the final semester before graduation and one required course is offered at a time that conflicts with another required course, or a required course is not being offered during that final semester;
- the same course is required in the student’s minor, second major or minor; or
- the faculty adviser has waived a requirement and has selected another course to complete the required hours.
All course substitutions must be signed by the department head.
*The use of course substitutions and the waiving of requirements is restricted to 50 percent or less of the stipulated course requirements for each major or minor.