Course Credit

Numbering of Courses

Series Number Year in School
100 series Freshmen
200 series Sophomore
300 series Junior
400 series Senior
500-999 series Graduate Courses

400-level courses listed with a G suffix may be taken for graduate credit.

A student ordinarily should not enroll in a course more than one year out of his or her classification.

Prerequisites/Corequisites

Prerequisite: a course that must be completed prior to enrollment in a particular course. Prerequisite may also refer to acceptable class standing, prior academic standing, permission of instructor, departmentally determined competencies, or other departmental requirements.

Corequisite: a course that must be taken simultaneously with another course.

Note: It is the responsibility of the student to comply with the prerequisites/corequisites as stated in the University catalog and course syllabus for all courses he/she plans to take. Instructors may withdraw a student who does not meet course prerequisites/corequisites at any time from course registration through the 100 percent refund/credit period by sending the student written notification (e-mail or letter) with a copy to the registrar. The written notification must include the reason why the student is being withdrawn from the course and must allow the student five working days to respond to the instructor to determine if the prerequisites/corequisites have been or will be satisfied. After the five working days, unless otherwise notified by the instructor, the registrar will drop the course from the student’s schedule and send an updated schedule confirmation. Departments may also designate specific course sections as having enforced prerequisites. During registration, these courses will be identified on STARS and students who do not meet the requirements will be deleted prior to the first day of class.

Proficiency Examination Regulations

Proficiency examinations may be taken by regularly enrolled students with the permission of both the department and the Council on Admission, Graduation, and Academic Standards (CAGAS) or its designated representatives. Proficiency examinations are open to all WIU students, including freshmen entering directly from high school. Forms may be secured in the Office of the Registrar.

Proficiency examinations may not be taken at a level more elementary than completed coursework or if the student has received course credit after completion of the course.

In general, proficiency examinations cover elementary coursework and should therefore be taken early in the student’s college career, preferably in the freshman or sophomore year.

Credit earned by proficiency examination is recorded on the student’s permanent record with the letter grade of S. Hours earned are not included in calculating the grade point average, but they are counted toward University degree requirements.

Credit earned by proficiency examination does not satisfy residence requirements and does not satisfy minimum hours earned for graduation with academic distinction.

The maximum number of credit hours which may be earned by proficiency examination is 16 semester hours, no more than nine of which may be earned in one subject matter field.

Proficiency examinations, where applicable, may be taken in place of General Education Curriculum courses. If successfully completed, credit is recorded on the permanent transcript. Course credit only is given. No other requirements are then imposed in lieu of the courses so completed.

Proficiency credit does not apply toward the determination of full-time student status.

Repeatable Courses

Courses may not be repeated for credit unless the catalog course description specifies that the course is repeatable. This is not to be confused with retaking a previously passed course.

Repeating Failed Courses

A student may repeat any credit course in which a failing grade (F) was received. Both the failing grade and the grade earned by repeating the course will appear on the transcript and will be used to calculate the student’s grade point average.

Retaking Passed Courses

If a student decides that her/his mastery of a previously passed course will be improved by retaking the course, he or she may do so subject to the following conditions:

  1. All grades received for each course retaken will appear separately on the transcript in addition to the original grade.
  2. No honor points or credit toward graduation may be received for retaking a previously passed course.
  3. Fees must be paid for all courses retaken.
  4. The student must properly register to retake a course during registration or preregistration.

Previously passed courses are those for which any of the following grades have been received: A, B, C, D, P, S. If a course graded S is retaken, the second grade (assuming successful completion) will also be an S since only S and U grades can be given for such courses. For all other previously passed courses, the grade on the transcript will reflect what the student has achieved by taking the course a second time.

Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate-Level Courses

Under certain circumstances, an undergraduate student may enroll in graduate-level courses for either graduate or undergraduate credit.

Regulations governing graduate course offerings for undergraduate credit are as follows:

  1. The student must be of senior classification and in good academic standing.
  2. The student must apply to take the course for undergraduate credit through the Office of the Registrar, Sherman 110, prior to enrolling in the course. A form must be completed by the student requiring the signatures of the adviser and the registrar.
  3. The student must satisfy the prerequisites of the course.
  4. No more than nine semester hours of graduate-level courses (numbered 500 and above) may be taken for undergraduate credit.
  5. These courses may not be used for a future graduate program unless approved as a bridge course for integrated degree programs.

Regulations governing graduate course offerings for graduate credit are as follows:

  1. The student must be of senior classification.
  2. The student must fulfill prerequisites of the course.
  3. The student must apply to take the course for graduate credit through the Office of the Registrar, Sherman 110. A form must be completed by the student requiring the signatures of the designated authorities in the offices of the Registrar and Graduate Studies. The application form must be filed in the Office of Graduate Studies prior to enrolling in the course.
  4. The student must file a graduation application in the Office of the Registrar and an application for admission to the School of Graduates Studies prior to enrolling in graduate-level courses for graduate credit.
  5. The student must have a grade point average of 3.00 or better if a first-semester senior and must meet admission requirements to graduate school if a second-semester senior.
  6. The student may enroll in a maximum of three graduate-level courses for graduate credit unless an exception is made by the designated authority in the Graduate Studies office.

Regulations regarding bridge course offerings for integrated degree programs are as follows:
  1. The student must be of senior classification and have filed an application for graduation in the Office of the Registrar.
  2. The student must have fulfilled all prerequisites for the course.
  3. The student must have applied to the School of Graduate Studies and have been accepted into an integrated degree program.
  4. A form must be completed by the student. This form requires the signatures of the undergraduate academic adviser, the graduate department chairperson, and designated authorities in the offices of the Registrar and Graduates Studies.
  5. The completed form must be filed in the Office of Graduate Studies prior to enrolling in the course for "B" credit.

Variable Credit Courses

Courses with a variable credit designation, (e.g., "English 409, Independent Study [1–3]"), may be taken for a different number of credit hours. Students should consult the course instructor or the department offering the course to determine the number of semester hours for which they may register. A variable credit course cannot be taken again unless it is clearly designated as repeatable.

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