Frequently Asked Questions

• How Do I Request a Transcript?
  Official Transcripts can be requested through the Office of the Registrar. Requests must be in writing and have the signature of the requestor. Forms for requesting transcripts are available via the web or in the Office of the Registrar. Requests may be faxed as long as there is a signature. Written requests should include dates of attendance, former names, date of birth and degree received. Thanks to the generosity of the Alumni Office, transcripts are free of charge if sent regular mail. Special handling charges are charged to the student for expedited requests.
  
  
• How Do I Declare/Change My Major?
  Students should declare a major by the end of the second semester of their sophomore year. This may be done by filling out a Declaration of Major form and turning it in to the Registrar's office.  This same form is used to add or drop a declared major.  The Declaration of Minor form is used to declare, add or drop a minor.
  
  
• How Do I Change My Advisor?
  A students advisor for their freshman year will be the instructor of their First Year Seminar (LA 101). A change of advisor can then be made during a students second semester, though should be done by the end of their Freshman year. Students generally pick an advisor from their area of interest. Change of Advisor forms are available on the Registrar's web site and must be signed by the new advisor and submitted to the Office of the Registrar.  Students will automatically be reassigned should their advisor leave the College for a semester or longer.
  
  
• What is a Course Withdrawal as Compared to a Course Drop?
  Courses that a student drops during the add/drop period are considered as a drop and are removed from the student’s academic record. Courses that are dropped after the add/drop period are considered course withdrawals. The final day to withdraw from a course is 10 days after mid-semester grades are due (approx. the end of the 10th week). These courses remain on the student’s academic record with a notation of "W." In most cases, a "W" should not be looked at as a negative notation on the student’s record. The Registrar should be consulted if there are questions.  The "W" grade does not impact the students GPA.
  
  
• What is a Course Repeat?
  Any course in which a student receives a final grade of 1.7 or below may be repeated. A course repeat form must be filed in the Office of the Registrar at the time of registration. Courses repeated remain on the student’s record, but only the most recent grade is computed into the student’s grade point average. Also, only one course (unit) is counted toward meeting the 32 unit requirement for graduation. The Registrar should be consulted if there are questions.
  
  
• What are Directed Studies, Practicums and Internships?
  A directed study enables a student to do in-depth research on a topic or to carry out a creative project at a level beyond that offered in course work. Only Juniors and Seniors are eligible for directed studies. A directed study form must be completed and returned to the Office of the Registrar before a student is allowed to register for the directed study. Directed Studies range between .50 and 2.00 units
  
  Internships and Practicum experiences offer opportunity to participate in, observe and analyze the workings of a firm, agency, or organization. Normally a student will not undertake an internship until the junior year. Internships and Practicums are offered on a credit/no credit basis and range between .50 and 2.00 units. Students must have a minimum 2.70 grade point average. Forms are available in the Office of the Registrar or on the Registrar’s Home Page.
  
  
• What is a Unit of Credit Compared to a Semester or Quarter Hour of Credit?
  At Albion College, one unit of credit is equal to four semester hours of credit. Therefore, a 3-semester hour course transfers to Albion as .75 units and/or a three quarter hour course transfers as .50 units. Students interested in taking an off-campus course during the summer must consult with the Registrar for course approval.
  
  
• What is an Audit?
  When a student audits a class, they are expected to complete all assignments and exams for the course. A final grade is assigned by the instructor. However, there are no quality points or units awarded. A grade appears on the transcript, but it is not computed into the grade point average.  There are charges associated with auditing a course.
  
  
• How many PHED activity courses can I take? Physical education activity courses are .25 unit courses and usually designated as such by a "P" in the section column of the schedule(1P).  Only 1 unit (4 courses) can count in your 32 units required to graduate.
  
  
• How many music ensemble courses can I take? Music ensemble courses are .25 unit courses and usually designated as such by a "E" in the section column of the schedule (1E).  Only 2 units (8 courses) can count in your 32 units required to graduate.
  
  
• How many units can I take in my major? Only 16 units from any one department can be counted in the 32 units required for graduation.  Should a student desire to take more than 16 units in a single department, they would need more than 32 units to graduate.
• Can a course count for both a mode and category? No, a course is assigned either a mode or category designation by the respective committee based on the criteria outlined in the catalog for modes and categories.