CLASSIFICATION OF STUDENTS
Matriculated students are those who are officially admitted to pursue a degree or certificate department. Non-matriculated undergraduate students may take up to 12 academic credits without pursuing a degree or certificate department. Non-matriculated graduate students may take up to 8 academic credits without pursuing a degree department.
Undergraduate students are ranked according to the total number of semester credits they have successfully completed:
Freshmen - less than 30 semester credits
Sophomores - 30-59 semester credits
Juniors - 60-89 semester credits
Seniors - 90 or more semester credits
Graduate students are identified by their acceptance into the Graduate Program.
COURSE ENROLLMENT POLICY
Any student seeking to register for undergraduate credit in Heritage University courses must meet all admissions requirements and must take a placement test. Most sections of this test are computerized and are administered using the multimedia software package Adaptex. The dean of the college may waive the test for special circumstances.
An Admissions Testing Committee will monitor the placement testing process.
The Admissions Testing Committee will determine the minimum placement test score which is likely to predict success in the most basic remedial course offering at Heritage University.
The Director of Testing will meet with students who test below that score and advise them of the following option:Take remedial coursework elsewhere and retest at Heritage University
Students are required to take the course(s) into which they are placed through the assessment testing.
The Admissions Testing Committee will establish an exit test to be administered when students have completed any remedial sequence of courses.
Transfer students who are unable to take HUM 305 in their first semester of Heritage University must take the Transfer Assessment Test independently in that first semester. If students fail in the assessment of their language skills, then they will be required to take and pass ENG 199.
COURSE LOAD
The usual minimum full-time undergraduate load is 12 semester credits (6 in summer term). No more than 18 credits per semester (9 in summer term) may be taken without approval of the advisor, the College Dean and the Provost/AAVP and upon written request of the student.
The minimum full-time graduate load is 6 credits in fall, spring and summer term. Candidates for a master’s degree must comply with the following course load policy:
6-8 semester credits (normal graduate load)
10 semester credits (no permission required)
Over 10 semester credits (College Dean approval required)
For the purpose of financial aid and deferment of loans, half-time enrollment for graduate students is considered two (2) semester credits.
CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT
Students who are working toward a degree at Heritage University and who wish to register simultaneously at another college or university must receive prior approval of the College Dean and the Provost/AAVP in order for outside courses to apply to their degree department. A maximum of eighteen semester credits per semester (nine in summer term) may be taken by undergraduates regardless of where the credits are earned. Prior approval must be obtained for concurrent enrollment.
RE-ADMITTANCE/RE-INSTATEMENT
Former Heritage University students who have been inactive for two years (or six terms) are classified as inactive and must apply for re-admittance by completing the regular admissions process.
Returning students who have been inactive for two years graduate under the catalog current at the time of re-entry. Suspended students may apply for re‑instatement after one semester (excluding summer term) from the suspended date by completing the regular admissions process. Re-instated students re-enter on academic probation and follow the academic probation regulations.
Re-admission is also a requirement for any matriculated student that has finished a graduate course of study and returns to Heritage University for another course of study such as a certificate or an endorsement. Students seeking re-admittance need to reapply for admissions and pay the current admission fee.
REGISTRATION
Students are not permitted to register for courses unless they have been officially admitted to the University and have completed financial arrangements with the Business Office. Students are encouraged to register for each semester on the days specified in the published schedule. Students will meet with their advisors before registration days to plan a program of courses. Students officially register for all academic credits by completing a Registration Form, obtaining the assigned advisor's signature, arranging for tuition and fee charges in the Student Accounts Office and Financial Aid Offices and filing the form in the Registrar's Office on Toppenish campus or in the appropriate administrative office at off-campus centers. No student is permitted in courses unless officially registered. Students who register late are subject to a special fee.
GRADUATE STUDENT REGISTRATION
Students with a baccalaureate degree who do not wish to pursue a program toward a graduate degree or certificate may register for courses if prerequisites are satisfied. Non-matriculated students may take only 8 semester credits.
REGISTRATION CHANGES AND WITHDRAWALS
Students may add or drop courses by completing the Add/Drop Form, obtaining the advisor's signature, arranging for tuition and fee charges with the Student Accounts Office and filing a copy in the Registrar's Office. Courses may be added during the first two weeks of the semester (first 10% of short-term courses) as published in the schedule. Courses may be dropped during the first four weeks of the semester (first 25% of short-term courses) as published in the schedule. Courses dropped during the first two weeks are not recorded on the student's permanent record. Requests to drop courses after the first four weeks (25%) of a semester require an Administrative Withdrawal (WA), which must be approved by the Registrar before the final two weeks of a course. An add/drop fee is charged except in cases where course cancellations force registration changes.
TRANSCRIPTS FROM OTHER INSTITUTIONS
Student transcripts and other related documents that have been submitted to Heritage University as a requirement for admission become part of the official file and are not returned to students. Copies of these documents cannot legally be released to any other school or agency without permission of the student.
TRANSFERABILITY OF HERITAGE UNIVERSITY CREDIT
Heritage University is an accredited university. Recognition of Heritage University as an accredited university means that the accrediting association recommends that Heritage University transcripts be evaluated on the same basis as those of other accredited colleges and universities. Students are reminded that each college and university sets its own rules for accepting particular course credits towards various degree requirements. The Office of Admissions, Registrar, or department chairperson at the institution to which a student wishes to transfer should be consulted about which credits will transfer to fulfill requirements at another institution.