Questions and Answers
Who is my advisor?
If you are a declared major in one of the departments within the College of Informatics, please choose an advisor based on your program of study. If you are an undeclared INF major, please contact Teri Slick.
Am I required to see my advisor every semester before registering? When should I schedule an appointment?
All declared majors in the College of Informatics are required to meet and/or speak with their advisors each semester, with the exception of junior and senior Journalism majors. Although you will discuss your courses for the next semester, the advising session is also designed to assist you with career options, internships/co-ops, any problems that you're having in class, completion of developmental and/or pre-requisite coursework, certifications, and plans for future semesters. It's very important that you be prepared for your advising session with courses that you'd like to take and any questions that you may have.
In order to be ready for Priority Registration, it's best to make an appointment with your advisor about a month in advance of your assigned registration time. Please see the Registrar Priority Schedule for the current Priority Registration schedule.
What are the deadlines for adding / dropping courses?
For full-session classes, the general deadline to add a course is the second Monday of the semester; the deadline to drop a course without a grade appearing on your transcript is the fourth Monday of the semester. After that point, you can officially withdraw from a course until the 11th Monday of the full semester. In this case, a "W" will appear on your transcript. First and second eight-week sessions, as well as summer and winter terms, will have different deadlines. If you're in good academic standing, you can withdraw from a class via Norse Express; however, if you've been placed on academic probation, you'll need to contact the Assistant Dean in order to withdraw.
How do I change / declare my major?
To do this, you can either pick up a Program Change/Declaration form at the Office of the Registrar (AC 301) or download one . Then, have the form signed by the appropriate chairperson, advisor, or coordinator before taking it to the Registrar for processing. Baccalaureate students are required to declare a major before earning 50 semester hours.
How can I get on the President's Honors / Dean's / Scholar's Lists?
If you are a full-time, undergraduate student who has earned a grade-point average of 4.00 at the end of a semester, you'll be appointed to the President's Honors List. All undergraduates attempting at least eight (8) semester hours will be placed on the Dean's List if they earn a grade-point average of 3.60 or greater. The Scholar's List is reserved for those undergraduates attempting at least three (3) semester hours and earning a GPA of 3.60 or better.
When should I apply for graduation?
Please refer to the Office of the Registrar's graduation information page, which includes dates and a downloadable checklist.
What is academic probation? Who do I need to meet with for advising if I'm on academic probation?
You will be placed on academic probation if your cumulative GPA falls below a 2.00. If this occurs, you will be notified by the Assistant Dean in writing at the end of the semester; guidelines for students on probation are outlined in the letter. For example, you cannot perform any transactions on Norse Express if you're on academic probation; you must contact the Assistant Dean to make any changes to your schedule. Additionally, you cannot carry more than 13 credit hours per semester while on probation. When it's time to plan your schedule for the next semester, you should first meet with your designated academic advisor to choose the exact courses that you'll take. After that, you'll meet with the Assistant Dean for additional guidance regarding your academic status and for final approval of your courses.
I have no holds on my account, but yet I still can't register for classes on Norse Express. What could the problem be?
When you're on academic probation, both your advisor and the Assistant Dean need to clear the advising holds to perform any transaction. However, even though the holds are cleared, the system will not allow you to register via Norse Express if you've been placed on academic probation. If you're in good academic standing and still can't register, the system may be too busy to process the information at that particular time; in this situation, it would be best to just log out for a few minutes and then try again. Since various technical difficulties can arise occasionally, please contact the Assistant Dean if you encounter problems when trying to register.
How do I petition for academic bankruptcy?
According to the Undergraduate Catalog, a returning student who has not attended NKU for a minimum of two, full consecutive academic terms (for example, Fall, Spring, or Summer, but excluding Winter term) may petition for academic bankruptcy of NKU coursework or coursework from a previous institution on a one-time only basis. Beginning Fall 2004, first-time transfer students enrolled at NKU can also petition (on a one-time only basis) for academic bankruptcy for any full term(s) of coursework completed at an institution previously attended.
If you have successfully completed the first 12 semester hours of college-level coursework attempted at NKU with a GPA of 2.00 or higher and you decide to apply for academic bankruptcy, you should obtain an Undergraduate Academic Bankruptcy Petition form from the Office of the Registrar in AC 301. If the petition is approved, the Office of the Registrar will remove the calculation of the GPA that applies to the bankrupted courses, and your NKU transcript will indicate the term(s) bankrupted. Although the courses in the terms affected will be removed from the calculation of the grade-point average, they will still visually remain on your NKU transcript. Please consult either your advisor or the Assistant Dean for more specific information on academic bankruptcy.
What are "Options to Repeat"? How many can I use?
An Option to Repeat form can be filed with the Office of the Registrar if you receive a "D" or "F" in a course and then re-take it. Once you've completed the course for the second time and the Option to Repeat form is processed, then your GPA will be recalculated to only include the grade that was earned the second time. However, all grades will still appear on the transcript. (For example, if you earned an "F" in SPE 101 in the Fall semester and then repeated it in the Spring and earned a "B," the "F" would no longer be calculated in the cumulative GPA if an Option to Repeat form was filed with the Registrar.)
Every student at NKU is allowed to exercise four (4) Options to Repeat. If more than four "D" or "F" grades are earned, then you can request that the Assistant Dean approve additional repeat options.
How do I appeal a final course grade?
If you feel that the final grade that you received was in error, you should first contact the professor who taught the class. If you and the professor are unable to resolve the dispute, then you would need to address the situation, in writing, with the department chairperson. At this point, the department chair will discuss the matter with both parties, and then render a decision in writing. If you are still dissatisfied with the action taken by the department chair, then you should make an appeal in writing to the Assistant Dean who would then either make a decision after investigating the situation or consult with the Academic Appeals Committee. Please see the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities.
Who do I talk to if I'd like for my transfer credit to be re-evaluated?
Transfer credit that is determined to fulfill General Education requirements is evaluated by the Dean's Office in the College of Arts & Sciences. If you feel that you should have received more General Education credit for particular courses transferred in from other institutions, please contact Janis Cassiere, A&S Assistant Dean, at (859) 572-6464. If the transfer credit in question relates to a particular major or minor, then you would contact the appropriate department chairperson to request a re-evaluation. In most cases, you will have to provide at least a syllabus from the course(s) and a catalog description.
What is academic suspension?
If you are already on academic probation and then earn a semester GPA below 2.00, you will be suspended from NKU. You will then be required to remain out of school for at least two full semesters (for a first suspension). After serving the period of suspension, you may petition for reinstatement by meeting with the Assistant Dean and by providing a written statement regarding your plans for regaining good academic standing. The meeting with the Assistant Dean must occur by August 1 for Fall semester, December 1 for Spring semester, and May 1 for summer sessions. For more details, please consult the current Undergraduate Catalog.
What is NKU's test code for GRE and GMAT?
NKU's code for the GRE and GMAT is 1574. More information about these standardized tests is available here.
