Degree Questions

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS TAKEN FROM THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES FAQ AT http://college.indiana.edu/recorder/how.shtml#campus. 


In general, where can I find answers to my questions?

The College Recorder's Office (Kirkwood Hall 001, office hours 9:00-4:00 Monday - Friday, phone (812) 855-1821, email coasrecd@indiana.edu), or the College website, or your academic advisor in your major department.

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What majors and minors are available in the College of Arts and Sciences?
More than 60 different majors and minors are available in the College. See the College of Arts and Sciences Bulletin or pick up a hard copy in the College Recorder's Office. The College has academic advisors in each department who will be happy to answer any additional questions you have concerning the majors and minors the department offers.


How do I change my major?
You must meet with an academic advisor for the department that offers the major you wish to declare. The advisor will process the major change on your behalf.


How do I declare a second major (option only available to B. A. candidates)?
You must meet with an academic advisor for the department in which you wish to major.


How can I earn a second degree (not to be confused with a second major)?
There are two types of second degrees, sequential and concurrent. Concurrent degrees are for currently enrolled IUB students who wish to add a second degree objective to their current degree. Sequential degrees are for students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree (from IUB or another institution) and who wish to pursue a second undergraduate degree. When admission is granted for a sequential second degree, candidates must earn at least 26 additional College credit hours in residence and meet the requirements of the College of Arts & Sciences and of the department(s) in which they are candidates. Students seeking second degree candidacy of either type should contact the Second Degree Advisor (jawatson@indiana.edu) to request application information. If approved for second degree status, students must observe the deadlines for application. The deadlines for applying for a sequential second degree are as follows:

Spring semester start: November 1st
Fall semester start: April 1st

Students with a Bachelor’s degree who wish to further their education in that field or a related field should consider becoming qualified for admission to a graduate program.


How do I declare a minor?
You can graduate with up to three minors on your record. You must meet with an academic advisor for the department(s) in which you wish to minor. The advisor(s) will process the minor application on your behalf. You can apply for several different minors in the Kelley School of Business and the Medical Sciences minor (School of Medicine) by logging in on the College Recorder’s Office homepage and applying online. Check with your academic advisor or refer to the Bulletin for a list of other non-College minors that are available to students in the College.


How do I drop a major or minor?
You can drop a second major or any minor by logging in on the College Recorder's Office homepage and completing the information requested.


What if I am unsure which major is right for me?
The College offers an Exploratory category that allows students to take courses in their potential major areas while also fulfilling general degree requirements. To find out whether you would be eligible for this option, contact the College Exploratory Advisor (jawatson@indiana.edu). To schedule an Exploratory Advising Appointment, log in to https://starnet.indiana.edu/ (Login > jawatson (Jacki Watson) under ‘choose active advisor’ > ‘view calendar’ to see the appointment times).


How do I graduate?
You must complete all requirements for your degree(s). You are responsible for knowing what is required. Consult the College Bulletin that corresponds to the year in which you began your studies at IU, meet with the academic advisor in your major department, and use OneStart to monitor your progress toward degree using the Academic Advisement Report (AAR) tool available through the Student Center. You must also apply for graduation in advance by logging in on the College Recorder's Office homepage and completing the information requested.

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How do I change from another school to the College of Arts and Sciences?
If you are currently a student in another school on campus (not including University Division), and you wish to declare a major within the College, you must meet with the academic advisor for the department that offers the major you wish to declare. The advisor will submit the school change on your behalf.


What are the requirements to get into the College of Arts and Sciences?
The minimum requirements for entrance are listed in the College of Arts and Sciences Bulletin. You must have a minimum cumulative College of Arts of Sciences GPA of 2.000, have completed 26 College of Arts of Sciences degree applicable hours towards graduation, and have completed the English Composition requirement in the campus-wide General Education Curriculum.

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How do I “X” a course?
College of Arts and Sciences students may process an Extended-X petition for the official transcript only. This will NOT, however, affect the College of Arts and Sciences degree record. The grade you earned on your first enrollment as well as grade(s) for any subsequent enrollment(s) for the same course will be averaged into your College of Arts and Sciences GPA.
If you wish to “X” a course for transcript purposes only:

1. Re-take the exact same course (the title and subject matter must be the same; you must be particularly careful about this in the case of College Topics courses (for students who matriculated prior to Summer 2011), Critical Approaches courses (for students who matriculated in Summer 2011 or later), and variable topics courses offered by individual departments.
2. You may only "X" a given course once. You are allowed to use the Extended-X policy to retake up to 3 IU courses (or a total of 10 hours) and replace the grades earned in the first enrollment with the grades earned in the second enrollment, with some significant restrictions.
3. Read the full text of the policy at registrar.indiana.edu/extendedx.shtml on the Registrar’s website. Additionally, College of Arts and Sciences students should contact their academic advisor(s) and the College Recorder's Office before retaking the course.
4. Complete and submit the Extended-X petition at the College Recorder's Office, Kirkwood Hall 001 prior to graduation, during the semester in which you retake the course, or after you have taken the course the second time.

How do I drop or add a course?
Students may drop and add courses via the Student Center link in OneStart. Students should read the information on the Registrar’s website regarding deadlines and related fees related to dropping and adding courses. Petitions for withdrawals after the automatic W deadline will not be authorized by the Dean except for urgent reasons beyond the student’s control related to illness or equivalent distress. The desire to avoid a low grade is not an acceptable reason for withdrawal from a course.


How do I sign up to take a course pass/fail?
See your academic advisor to obtain a pass/fail form. He/She must sign the form before you submit it for processing by the College Recorder’s Office, Kirkwood Hall 001. Pass/Fail deadlines for each semester can be found on the Official Calendar on the Office of the Registrar's website. To take a course pass/fail, you must be in good academic standing. You may not take more than two courses pass/fail within an academic year. (The academic year begins with the fall semester.) A maximum of eight courses may be taken pass/fail during your tenure in the College. Courses completed with the pass/fail option must be electives. These courses may not be used to satisfy any College of Arts and Sciences requirements nor may they be counted toward the student’s major, concentration area, minor or certificate program.

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What does "good academic standing" mean?
You must complete each semester with a 2.000 College of Arts and Sciences GPA or better. In addition, your cumulative College of Arts of Sciences GPA must also be 2.000 or better.


What does it mean to be placed on Academic Probation?
If your fall or spring semester College of Arts and Sciences GPA falls below 2.000, you will be placed on Academic Probation. If you are placed on Academic Probation, a letter will be sent to you regarding your academic situation. Continued poor academic performance may result in dismissal from the College. If you are experiencing academic difficulties, please speak with an academic advisor in your major department right away.


How long will I be on Academic Probation?
You will be removed from Academic Probation following a fall or spring semester in which your College of Arts and Sciences GPA is 2.000 or better, provided that your cumulative College of Arts and Sciences GPA is also 2.000 or better.


What does it mean to be dismissed from the College of Arts and Sciences?
You will be dismissed from the College of Arts and Sciences when, in the judgment of the Academic Retention Committee, you have ceased to make adequate progress toward your degree. If you fail to attain a College of Arts and Sciences GPA of 2.000 in any two semesters, you will be dismissed automatically if your cumulative College of Arts and Sciences grade point average also falls below 2.000. Whether or not you have been placed on probation previously, the Academic Retention Committee may dismiss you if your record reveals any of the following:

• failing or near failing performance in any semester;
• failure to make adequate progress toward completion of major requirements;
• failure to make any progress toward completion of degree requirements in any semester;
• a College of Arts and Sciences cumulative grade point average below 2.000.

The Academic Retention Committee considers petitions for readmission from students who have been dismissed. The deadlines for submitting petitions for readmission are June 20 for the readmission during the Fall semester and October 1 for readmission during the Spring semester.

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I want to study at another IU campus for the upcoming summer/fall/spring term. Is there anything I need to do?
Complete the appropriate Intercampus Transfer Form prior to your transfer. To transfer from one campus to another (including back to IU Bloomington) you need a minimum College of Arts and Sciences cumulative GPA of 2.000. Grades from all courses taken on another IU campus will automatically be reflected on your transcript. Meet with your academic advisor to ensure that the courses you take will count toward your degree requirements at IU Bloomington.


How do classes that I take at another IU campus transfer to IU Bloomington?
Your transcript is automatically updated upon completion of course work on another IU campus. However, you should be aware that classes you take on other campuses may not automatically fulfill IU Bloomington requirements. Contact your academic advisor prior to registering for courses to ensure that the course you take will count toward your degree requirements at IU Bloomington.


I took classes at another university. How can I transfer credit earned there to my transcript here?
The Office of Admissions is responsible for transferring credit from other institutions to the University. They have a useful website, the Credit Transfer Service, which includes courses that have transferred to IU in the past which can serve as a reference. Please check this website first and if your course is not listed there, you should contact the Office of Admissions to obtain the Credit Transfer Agreement form that you must complete. Please be advised that there are certain restrictions on transferring credits earned at another institution to IUB. For example, courses with grades below a C will not transfer to your record, and courses that are deemed to be remedial will not count towards graduation.

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How do I get a copy of my transcript?
The Office of the Registrar handles all requests for official transcripts. They can be reached by phone at (812) 855-0121 or by email at registrar@indiana.edu. You can also print an unofficial copy of your transcript from SIS through the Student Center in OneStart.

Graduation Reminders

Attention all students who hope to graduate sometime in the next year or so!

You must file for graduation with the College of Arts and Sciences Recorder’s Office. Simply go to http://www.college.indiana.edu/recorder/, log in, and click on the Apply to Graduate link from the menu on the left. For more detailed instructions on how to apply, see http://www.indiana.edu/~college/recorder/appinfo.shtml.

If you have already applied to graduate but you have realized that you will be unable to complete all degree requirements by your stated graduation date, you will need to go online to re-submit the graduation application, specifying your new graduation date. Keep in mind that August graduates can still take part in the May commencement ceremony, so don’t apply for May graduation just because you plan to walk in the May ceremony. The date you specify should be the date by which you will have completed all degree requirements.

Please note that minors need to be on your degree before you graduate; they cannot be added once the degree has been finalized. To declare a minor, you will need to go to the department or school in which you are earning the minor. Let me know if you are unsure about who you need to contact, and I will direct you to the right person. The exception to this is the Minor in Business and the Minor in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management. These minors can be declared on the Recorder’s website (http://www.college.indiana.edu/recorder/ - the same place you go to apply to graduate).

If you have filed for graduation and will be using any transfer credit, it is your responsibility to have an official transcript sent from that institution to our Office of Admissions. You must then check to make sure that the credits appear on your online degree progress report and that they meet the requirement(s) you want them to fulfill. To access your degree progress report, log in to OneStart and click on Degree Progress Report (this should be located under the Academic Services heading on the self-service page). If you need any help reading the degree progress report, just let me know and we can go over it together.

Should there be an exception needed for your degree plan or if you have any questions about transfer credits, they need to be addressed well before the deadline for certifying your degree. If all your course work is not completed by the end of the month in which you plan to graduate (May, August, or December), you will not graduate and will have to wait until the next graduation date.

For more information about commencement, see http://www.commencement.iu.edu/bloomington/. 

Registration Q&A

How can I find out my registration appointment?
Go to OneStart at http://www.onestart.iu.edu/, click on Go to Student Center, and then look under Enrollment Dates on the right-hand side of the page. You can register any time after the day and time listed.



The system isn’t letting me register/I have a “hold” on my record. What do I do?
If you have tried to register for classes but are blocked, you may have a “hold” on your record. Having a hold on your record means that Indiana University needs you to fulfill an obligation before being allowed to register. For instance, you may have to pay an outstanding tuition bill, turn in immunization records, or return a library book.

To find out what you need to do to be released to register, go to OneStart at http://www.onestart.iu.edu/, access your “Self Service” tab, and click on “Holds on My Record.” There should be more information there.

It is a good idea to check your “holds” list several weeks before your registration date every semester.



Am I required to see an advisor before registering?
If you have been admitted to the College of Arts and Sciences as a CMCL major (and CMCL is your only major), then you are not required to see an advisor. However, we strongly encourage you to visit us before registering. To set up an appointment with an advisor, call the department’s main office at 855-7217.

If you are not a CMCL major (including if you are a University Division student), or if you carry an additional major/degree, you may need to see an advisor before registering. Check your “holds” list on OneStart to see if this is true for you. (See above for a description of a “hold.”)



Where can I find this semester’s Schedule of Classes?The schedule of classes on Onestart contains the most up-to-date information about class availability and meeting times/locations.  To access the schedule, log on to Onestart, click on Go to Student Center, and then click on Search for Classes.

The Registrar's schedule of classes is also very useful for browsing course offerings: http://registrar.indiana.edu/scheofclass.shtml.  Keep in mind that this site is updated every night, so enrollment numbers are slightly out of date (again, for more accurate information about how many seats are open in a particular class, check the schedule on Onestart). 

There is also a very useful new tool that will allow you search for summer 2012 and fall 2012 courses that fill specific degree requirements (e.g., CASE N&M, Critical Approaches, Culture Studies, and Intensive Writing):  http://college.indiana.edu/undergrad/courses.php.  Hopefully this will be available for future semesters as well.

You can search on multiple attributes at once, so you can look for a course that counts toward both the CASE A&H and CASE GCC Culture Studies requirements, for example.  You could even look for a first or second eight-week course from a specific department that fulfills those requirements. 

The Registrar's Special Course Listing section (http://registrar.indiana.edu/specialcourse.shtml) is also very helpful for finding courses that fill specific CASE requirements. 

Where can I see my class schedule for a particular semester?Check your class schedule on OneStart at http://www.onestart.iu.edu/. Check your “Self-Service” tab, and there is a link to your schedule there.



How do I drop and add courses?

To Drop/Add Classes THROUGH THE FIRST WEEK OF CLASSES:

1. Log into OneStart (http://onestart.iu.edu) with your IU username and passphrase and click Go to Student Center.


2. Click Go to Student Center.


3. Click Register & Drop/Add.


4. Select the appropriate term and click Continue.


5. Drop or add classes by selecting Drop or Add from the menu bar at the top of the page. The Student Center will walk you through the dropping or adding process.


6. Once finished, click My Class Schedule.


7. Print a copy of your schedule!
   • To print without your name, click Print at the top.
   • To print with your name, click Printer Friendly Page, then click Print at the top.
   • To print a weekly calendar view of your schedule, click Weekly Calendar View.


8. Be sure to log out of OneStart and close the browser to protect your privacy.

Late Drop/Add (eDrop/eAdd): AVAILABLE FROM THE SECOND WEEK OF CLASSES THROUGH THE AUTO-W DEADLINE (see the academic calendar at http://www.indiana.edu/~registra/offcalen.shtml for deadlines)

1. Log on to Onestart (https://onestart.iu.edu)

2. Click the Services tab at the top of the page

3. Click Student Self-Service in the left sidebar

4. Click Late Drop/Add Classes

5. Proceed with Drop Only, Add Only, or Drop/Add Pair (note that drop/add pairs will only be approved if both the add and the drop are approved - if one is disapproved, the entire drop/add request will be disapproved).

How do I take a course pass/fail?
If you are interested in taking a class pass/fail, please stop by my office (in the CMCL building at 800 E. 3rd Street, room 259) so we can complete the required paperwork.

Here is some information about the pass/fail option from the College of Arts and Sciences Bulletin (http://www.indiana.edu/~bulletin/iub/college/2011-2012/policies/academic-policies/pass-fail.shtml): "During their undergraduate program, students in good standing (not on probation) may enroll in a maximum of eight elective courses to be taken with a grade of P (Pass) or F (Fail). The Pass/Fail option is available for a maximum of two courses per academic year, including summer sessions. For the Pass/Fail option, the academic year is defined as beginning with the start of the fall semester and ending with the end of the second summer session. The course selected for Pass/Fail must be an elective (i.e., it cannot fulfill requirements other than the minimum 122 hours required for the degree, but it can be used to meet the requirement for courses at the 300–400 level). It may not be used to satisfy any of the College of Arts and Sciences Foundations, Intensive Writing, Foreign Language, Breadth of Inquiry, Culture Studies, or Critical Approaches to the Arts and Sciences requirements. Nor may it be counted as a part of the student’s concentration area, minor, or certificate program. During the freshman year, students may elect to take activity courses in the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation on a Pass/Fail basis in addition to the two other permitted courses."



I am interested in taking classes at another IU campus or another university. What do I need to know?
Check out the Q&A at the Recorder’s Office website (http://college.indiana.edu/recorder/how.shtml#campus).


Many students are concerned about how the credits they earn will transfer to IUB. It is a good idea to determine before you take a course whether/how it will count for your IUB degree.

If you plan to take a course at another IU campus, see an advisor in the corresponding IUB department for more information about how the course will count at IUB. For instance, if it’s a geology course at IUPUI and you hope to earn N&M credit, talk to the IUB geology advisor about how the course will count.

Courses from other IU campuses with the exact same name and number are almost always equivalent courses (for example, IUPUI's MATH-M 118 Finite Math is exactly equivalent to IUB's MATH-M 118 Finite Math). 

Please note: not all communications/speech classes offered on other IU campuses will count toward the CMCL major/minor. IUB’s Department of Communication and Culture is very different from the communications departments on other IU campuses. If you hope to take a class that will count toward your CMCL major or minor at another IU campus, please see a CMCL advisor before enrolling.

If you plan to take courses at another university, check out the Credit Transfer Service on the IU Office of Admissions website (http://cts.admissions.indiana.edu/index.cfm). It lists the course equivalencies of many non-IU courses.

If your course is not listed there, you should fill out a Credit Transfer Agreement and file it with Admissions. The form is available here: http://cts.admissions.indiana.edu/CTA_FRM.pdf.

Sometimes Admissions will be able to equate the course to a specific IU course.  In other cases, Admissions may just place the course in a particular department (for example, undistributed credit in Criminal Justice).  If you just need the course for elective credit, it is fine to let the credit remain undistributed.  If, however, you need the course to fill a specific degree requirement (e.g., major/minor requirement, N&M, foreign language), you will have to get the course evaluated by the appropriate IU department.  This normally requires at least a syllabus, sometimes more.  If you take a course at another school, just be sure to save all course materials (notes, tests, projects, etc.) in case they are needed during the evaluation process.
Note that most IU coursework from other campuses will automatically appear on your transcript, but non-IU coursework must be transferred. After you complete the course(s), have an official copy of your non-IU transcript sent to the IU Office of Admissions (300 N. Jordan Ave. Bloomington, IN 47405). The Office of Admissions will add the course(s) to your IU academic record. Remember, in order for a course to transfer, you must earn a minimum grade of C.


Can I take correspondence or online courses to fulfill my requirements?
There are certain courses like COLL-X 112 Traditions and Cultures of IU that are offered online during the regular semester timeframe. These courses may be taken without any prior approval. See an advisor to discuss other online offerings during the semester.

Online and correspondence courses were previously offered through IU's School of Continuing Studies, but these courses will no longer be available as of May 31, 2012.  Even when they were available, they could only be taken with permission from the College in extreme circumstances (e.g., incarceration, military deployment, hospitalization). 

You can take online courses from other schools and transfer the credit back to IU.



Waitlist:How long does the waitlist exist?During the first week of classes, until 11:30pm Friday.



Should I attend my waitlisted course?
Yes! This will allow you to keep up with the content in the class, and it will demonstrate your interest in the course.



I’m on a waitlist – will my request be fulfilled?
There is no way to know for sure - you will have to use your best judgment. If it is a large lecture course and you are at the top of the waitlist, maybe. If it is a small course or you are at the bottom of the waitlist, then it is probably less likely.



Will it help to ask an advisor to let me into a waitlisted course?
NO!!! We have no power to help you jump ahead in the waitlist.



Will it help to ask my professor to let me into a waitlisted course?NO!!! Your professor has no power to help you jump ahead in the waitlist. However, it might help to let your professor know that you are attending the class because you hope to add the class (see below).



Then how does the waitlist work?
The waitlist runs automatically during the first week of classes, until 11:30pm on Friday. As students drop the class, others from the waitlist are added. Check your class schedule frequently after you register to determine where you are on the waitlist. You should also receive an email if your waitlist request is successful.

If you do not get in to your waitlisted class by 11:30pm on the first Friday of classes, your professor MAY be able to add you to the class at his/her discretion. Be aware that space limitations may not permit your professor to add you to a class, particularly in classes with limited seating (such as Intensive Writing sections, where enrollment is limited to 25 students).

You should let the professor know during the first week of classes that you are attending the class and would like to add it. That way, the professor will know you are attending if you request to get in during the second week of classes.



What should I do if I don’t get my waitlist request?If you cannot be added to the class, you should continue with your current schedule or talk to an advisor about adjusting your schedule.



I am #1 on the waitlist. Why am I not in the class when there are open seats available?
Call the Registrar at 855-0121 to get a more definitive answer. Common culprits include the following:

You have waitlisted a class session that conflicts with another class. You should check your schedule to make sure that you have no time conflicts with your waitlisted class, including time conflicts with other discussion sections, labs, or exam times.

You have waitlisted a class time in a course in which you’re already enrolled. You cannot waitlist a course to obtain a preferred class schedule. If you are already enrolled in a course and wish to switch class times, you will need to un-enroll from your class and re-enroll in your preferred class. (NOTE: this is risky, so be sure that your preferred class is open before you decide to drop your class!)

The lecture component of the course is open, but the lab or discussion component you waitlisted is not open. If a lecture appears open, but if your discussion or lab is not open, you will not be added to the class.

A certain number of seats have been reserved for a particular group of people—for example, for CMCL majors or for incoming freshmen. For instance, in the fall large sections of most Critical Approaches classes are reserved for freshmen. Once the non-freshman enrollment limit has been reached for a particular Critical Approaches class, a junior trying to register for this class will be waitlisted even though 30 seats are still open in the class. These 30 seats have been set aside for incoming freshmen, who will not register until the summer.

Check and see if any of the above apply to you, and if the reason for your waitlist trouble is still unclear, contact the Registrar.



Can I automatically drop one of my classes if my waitlist request is successful?
Yes, by using the 'drop if enrolled' option when registering - however, you must select this option at the time you originally waitlist the course. You cannot arrange for an automatic drop after your waitlist request.

Before waitlisting, make sure that you register for your second-choice course. Then, when you attempt to waitlist your first-choice course, you can request that your second-choice course be dropped if you are enrolled.

If you fail to use this option when you originally waitlist, you must remove yourself from the waitlist and redo your request.