Academic Catalog

POLICY SUMMARY

This policy is to identify the conditions under which undergraduates may enroll in graduate courses.

REASON FOR THIS POLICY

Identifying the conditions under which undergraduate students can enroll in graduate courses minimizes confusion and promotes consistency across units. 

ENTITIES AFFECTED BY THIS POLICY

• Enrollment Management
• Faculty
• Graduate coordinators
• Institutional Research and Analysis
• Office of the Registrar
• Undergraduate students
• University Advising

WHO SHOULD KNOW THIS POLICY

• Enrollment Management
• Faculty
• Graduate coordinators
• Institutional Research and Analysis
• Office of the Registrar
• Undergraduate students
• University Advising

SOURCES

ABOR Policy

DEFINITIONS

Career: classification of a student as an undergraduate student or a graduate student

Senior: an undergraduate student who has/will have successfully completed at least 90 units by the term in which the graduate course will begin
 

POLICY

If you are a qualified senior not enrolled in an accelerated program, you may enroll in up to a total of 9 units of NAU 500-level courses during your undergraduate career with the permission of the instructor and your advisor. You can count up to 9 units of credit toward either a bachelor’s or a graduate degree, but not both; if you plan to count the course toward a graduate degree, it should not be used to fulfill undergraduate degree requirements. Use the Out of Career form.

Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s Programs Policy listed in 100309 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Advisors: 

• undergraduate student not enrolled in an accelerated program: review with the student their interest in enrolling in a graduate-level course; explain the implications on their degree progress of enrolling in the course; confirm that the student has/will attain senior-level status (i.e., at least 90 units) by the term in which the course begins and will not exceed 9 out-of-career units; and, officially record whether the course will be used to fulfill undergraduate or graduate degree requirements on the Out of Career form.

Faculty advisors/graduate coordinators: Include the I code on the Program of study for graduate courses completed out of career and not used to fulfill undergraduate degree requirements.

Graduate College associate dean: may approve exceptions to the Undergraduates in Graduate Courses policy.

Instructors: review with the undergraduate student the rigor and workload expectations of the graduate course and officially record that required pre-requisites have been waived on the Out of Career form.

Office of the Registrar: develop and maintain the Out of Career form; upload to a student's record in Louie all completed and signed Out of Career forms.

Students: meet with their advisor to discuss degree progress implications of enrolling in a graduate course; meet with the instructor to discuss the rigor and workload expectations of the graduate course; and, obtain all necessary signatures on the Out of Career form.

Students will follow the instructions on the form and submit the completed form to the Registrar’s Office.

RELATED POLICIES

600 level exclusion of undergrads.  Course numbering and prefixing policy, UPL. 100223: Course Numbering and Prefixes

 

Forms or Tools

Any undergraduate student requesting enrollment in a graduate-level course may complete the Out of Career form.

APPENDIX*

None.