Dropping a Course
Undergraduate Students
During Schedule Change Period
During the first five days of classes (Mondays through Fridays) of the fall and spring semesters, a student may drop or add a course or courses to his or her schedule. The student should discuss schedule changes with his or her advisor prior to making registration changes. On the day following the five-day schedule change period, a student may make final additions to his or her schedule.
During the summer, the schedule change period is limited to the first two days of classes each term. On the day following the two-day schedule change period, a student may make final additions to his or her schedule in accordance with the policies outlined above for the regular semesters. Course drops during this drop/add period do not count against a student's course drop allocation. (See Course Drop Allocation, below)
After Schedule Change Period
During the first 40% of the regularly scheduled class meetings of a course (including the meeting for the final examination), a student may, at his or her own option, drop the course. After consultation with his or her advisor, the student secures the signature of the advisor on the schedule change form and takes it to the Office of the Registrar for processing. For regular semester-length courses, the drop period is limited to the first thirty days of classes of the semester. For five-week block courses or regular summer term courses, the drop period is limited to the first ten days of classes for the semester or summer terms. The same 40% drop-period rule applies to block courses of other lengths as well. It is the student's responsibility to consult official university bulletin boards, documents, and/or the web to determine the appropriate drop period for such block courses. Ordinarily, a student may drop up to four courses or a smaller prorated number is pursuit of a university degree. (See Course Drop Allocations.) Extenuating circumstances, however, can warrant consideration for drop by exception, as explained below.
Students may petition the Student Academic Appellate Committee through the Center for Academic Services for drops by exception (drops after the 40 percent drop period, drops beyond student's allotted number, and drops not counted against the allotted number). Poor performance in course work, missed deadlines, change of major, or a course grade's adverse effect on the student's grade point average, probationary standing, or other eligibility is not in itself a sufficient basis for exception. Requests for exceptions will not be considered after the last regularly scheduled class meeting prior to the final examination for the course(s) in question except where earlier requests could not have been expected. Petitions for drops by exception will typically be granted only for medical or counseling reasons related to the course(s) to be dropped and will be considered by Student Health Services or the Center for Counseling and Student Development upon receipt of appropriate documentation.
Course Drop Allocations
In pursuit of a degree at East Carolina University, a student may drop up to four courses (outside the schedule change period). The number of course drops is prorated on the student's credit hours (both ECU and transferred) at the time of implementation or the student's initial matriculation as follows:
First Undergraduate Degree
| 0 - 29 semester hours of credit | 4 course drops |
| 30 - 59 semester hours of credit | 3 course drops |
| 60 - 89 semester hours of credit | 2 course drops |
| 90 or more semester hours of credit | 1 course drop |
Second Undergraduate Degree
A student who needs no more than:
| 30 semester hours of credit | 1 course drops |
| 31 - 59 semester hours of credit | 2 course drops |
| 60 or more semester hours of credit | 3 course drops |
Students may use these drops between the schedule change period and the last day to drop term-length courses without a grade. Drops not used roll forward to the following term.
Graduate Students - Schedule Changes
A graduate student may add a course or courses through the day following the last day to register for the semester. The student must process and take to the Office of the Registrar the schedule change form but need only the signature of the advisor, indicating the advisor's awareness of the action, and the signature of the instructor or department chairperson, indicating the space is available in the class.
A graduate non-doctoral student may drop a course and receive no grade up to two weeks prior to the last day of classes. The student must process the schedule change form by taking the form signed by the program advisor to the Office of the Registrar and having it entered into the computer. The advisor's signature indicates awareness of the change. Within the last two weeks before examinations and during the examination period, a student who drops a course will receive a final grade of F unless he or she had permission from the dean of the Graduate School to drop for medical reasons or other justification.
Doctoral students may drop courses only with permission of their department chairperson or graduate committees.
Students should pay particular attention to procedural directions printed on the forms. No course is officially dropped or added until the required procedure is completed.
