Undergraduate Catalog 2021-2022

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ASCENT (Accelerating Students through Concurrent ENrollmenT) Program

A student who has completed at least 12 credit hours of transcripted post-secondary credits (non­ remedial) prior to completion of their 12th grade year may be eligible for the ASCENT Program ("Program"). The student remains a pupil in their Local Education Provider (LEP) for one year following their 12th grade year, and the LEP receives ASCENT-specific state funding that is used to pay the student's college tuition.

The following information and requirements apply to the Program students:

  • A student must attend UNC new student orientation.
  • A student must meet the same prerequisites and course expectations as noted in the UNC catalog and the course syllabus.
  • Admission into the Program is not admission into a degree-seeking program at UNC. However, the grade the student receives will be on their permanent UNC academic transcript. Please visit www.unco.edu/registrar/etranscripts for ordering information. Credits earned in the course(s) completed may transfer from UNC to another college or university if allowed by that institution. The student should check with the institution that will be attended regarding transfer of credits.
  • A student (or the student's parent/guardian if the student is under 18 years of age) is responsible for payment to UNC of tuition and fees for Program courses not paid by the student's high school.
  • If a student drops or withdraws from a Program course, they must contact the Office of the Registrar at 970-351-4UNC (4862) by the UNC-posted deadline, otherwise the student will receive a· grade for course work completed during the semester. The student (or the student's parent/guardian) will be responsible for payment to UNC of tuition and fees for any Program course from which the student did not drop or withdraw by the UNC-posted deadline. The deadlines may be found at http://www.unco.edu/registrar/calendars.
  • A student (or the student' s parent/guardian) is responsible for payment of books and other materials required by the Program course(s) in which the student is enrolled.
  • A student is subject to all relevant provisions of the UNC Student Code of Conduct. Information may be found at https://www.unco.edu/dean-of-students/
  • A student is subject to the Academic Standing Policy applicable to other full-time students.
  • A student is not eligible for privileges provided to UNC degree-seeking students. Thus, a student is not entitled to participate in other college activities including but not limited to student organization or intercollegiate or club sports and is not eligible for financial aid including but not limited to federal- or state-funded aid, or institutional scholarships.

Audit

When students audit a course, there is no need to complete assignments or exams, but students are expected to attend class. If students don’t attend class they may be removed from the roster. If students successfully complete the class, they will be given a grade of "NC" (no credit). Tuition and fees are charged for audited courses and the course is not eligible for the COF stipend. Current students wanting to register for an audit course must contact the Office of the Registrar to change their registration status to an audit. Students may not change the status for any course, including audit courses, after the add deadline for a given term. For visiting students, please contact the Office of the Registrar at 970-351-4UNC (4862).

If you are age 65 or older and wish to audit a course, you may do so with no tuition charge (course fees may apply). Registration may occur beginning the first Monday following the last day of pre-registration for UNC students. Registration is subject to space availability. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact the Office of the Registrar at 970-351-4UNC (4862).

Availability of Main Campus Seats for Extended Campus Programs

Undergraduate students in Extended Campus distance education programs may wish to take Liberal Arts Curriculum and/or elective course(s) that are not offered via Extended Campus in a specific term. If seats are available in eligible courses offered through Main Campus, Extended Campus will seek to acquire these seats in order to make them available at Extended Campus tuition rates. To be eligible for seat acquisition, the course must fulfill a Liberal Arts Curriculum and/or elective requirement in the student’s Extended Campus Program and be scheduled as a state-funded and distance-delivered course.

Undergraduate students in Extended Campus distance education programs wishing to acquire a seat through this process must contact the Extended Campus Program Services Coordinator at extended@unco.edu or at 970-351-2944 in advance of the course(s) add deadline to ensure adequate time for processing. Add/Drop Deadlines are available at http://www.unco.edu/registrar/calendars/. Seat acquisition approval is not guaranteed.

Once notified, the Extended Campus Program Services Coordinator will contact the appropriate main campus instructor(s), chair(s), director(s), and/or coordinator(s) to determine whether seats can be made available. If so, the Extended Campus Program Services Coordinator will assist the student with registration.

Classes for Personal Interest

Non-degree seeking students must submit a non-degree seeking application online.  The application can be found at: https://www.unco.edu/registrar/non-degree/.  Students cannot have been previously denied admission by the Admissions Office.

Directed Study and Non-Scheduled Course

Directed Study

Directed Study is available in most disciplines. These courses are identified within this publication by course number 422. The Directed Study course provides a vehicle to allow a qualified student to receive University credit for an individualized investigation under the direct supervision of a UNC faculty member. Directed Studies cannot be used for Liberal Arts Curriculum credit. For more information, refer to the UNC Catalog or contact the Office of the Registrar, (970) 351-4862. No faculty member will be authorized to supervise a directed study during a semester that they are not actually employed on-campus at UNC.

The investigation must be on a specific topic that is not duplicated by an existing course within the University’s curriculum. The nature of the study must involve intensive use of relevant literature, materials, or techniques, and the study report must reflect a synthesis of the information or techniques acquired. The following policies apply for registration in Directed Studies courses:

  1. An individual Directed Study course may be for no more than 4 semester hours of credit per academic semester. Students enrolled in more than one Directed Study course may take no more than six credits in any semester. A study may be further limited to the maximum number of credits listed in this catalog.
  2. The student should apply through the program in which they are doing the study.
  3. Permission to engage in a directed study for credit must be approved by the faculty member supervising the study, and the school director/department chair of the major program. The Directed Study form must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar at the time of enrollment. A rationale for course credit form should be completed and filed in the academic program office. Forms are available only through the school in which the study is supervised.

Non-Scheduled Course

Courses that were approved through the institutional curriculum approval process and reside in the academic catalog may be offered as non-scheduled courses.

Non-scheduled courses are offered in one of the following situations, either the course is not being offered during a particular term and the student needs the course to graduate or the course is offered at a time the student cannot attend and the student needs the course to graduate.

Permission to register for a non-scheduled course(s) must be approved by the faculty member and the school director/department chair of the major program. A Non-Scheduled Course form for each course must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar by the appropriate semester add deadlines.

Dual Enrollment Program

The UNC Dual Enrollment Program ("Program") provides opportunities for high school students to take college level course work delivered at a high school location. The following information and requirements apply to the Program students:

  • A student must meet the same prerequisites and course expectations as noted in the UNC catalog and the course syllabus.
  • Admission into the Program is not admission into a degree-seeking program at UNC. However, the grade the student receives will be on their permanent UNC academic transcript. Please visit www.unco.edu/registrar/etranscripts for ordering information. The credits earned in the course(s) may transfer from UNC to another college or university if allowed by that institution. The student should check with the institution that will be attended regarding transfer of credits.
  • A student with a GPA below 2.0 in a Program course(s) completed will be placed initially on academic probation if the student is subsequently admitted to UNC in a degree-seeking program.
  • A student who earns a grade of "C-" in a Program course(s) has the option thereafter to register for additional course(s) to provide the student the opportunity to maintain a UNC GPA at or above 2.0.
  • A student who earns a grade lower than a "C-" in a Program course will no longer be eligible to participate in additional Program courses.
  • A student (or the student's parent/guardian if the student is under 18 years of age) is responsible to UNC for payment of tuition and fees for Program courses.
  • A student is not eligible for privileges provided to UNC degree-seeking students. Thus, a Program student is not entitled to participate in other college activities including but not limited to student organizations or intercollegiate or club sports and is not eligible for financial aid including but not limited to federal- or state-funded aid, COF, or institutional scholarships.
  • A student who requests to drop or withdraw from a Program course must meet with their high school counselor or equivalent high school administrator and complete the Dual Enrollment Drop & Withdrawal Form located at http://extended.unco.edu/courses-workshops/dual­enrollment/students/register. The student (or their parent/guardian if the student is under 18 years of age) is responsible for understanding the UNC add/drop and withdrawal policies.
  • A student is subject to all relevant provisions of the UNC Student Code of Conduct. Information may be found at http://www.unco.edu/dos/studentConduct/index.html.

High School Concurrent Enrollment Program

The State of Colorado provides several options for high school students who meet high school standards to begin college early. The purpose of these options is to promote content standards and provide academic challenges and access to courses that may not be available at a local high school to meet high school graduation requirements.

A student under twenty -one years of age who is enrolled in the 9th - 12th grade in a school district and who has demonstrated academic preparedness is eligible for the High School Concurrent Enrollment Program ("Program").

The following information and requirements apply to the Program students;

  • A student must meet the same prerequisites and course expectations as noted in the UNC catalog and the course syllabus.
  • Admission into the Program is not admission into a degree-seeking program at UNC. However, the grade the student receives will be on their permanent UNC academic transcript. Please visit https://www.unco.edu/registrar/etranscripts.aspx for ordering information. The credits earned in the course may transfer from UNC to another college or university, if allowed by that institution. The student should check with the institution that will be attended regarding transfer of credits.
  • A student with a GPA below 2.0 in a Program course(s) completed will be placed initially on academic probation if the student is subsequently admitted to UNC in a degree-seeking program. A student who earns a grade of "C-" in a Program course(s) has the option thereafter to register for additional course(s) to provide the student the opportunity to maintain a UNC GPA at or above 2.0.
  • A student who earns a grade lower than a " C-" in a Program course will no longer be eligible to participate in additional Program courses. A student (or the student's parent/guardian if the student is under 18 years of age) is responsible for payment to UNC of tuition and fees for Program courses not paid by the student's high school.
  • A student is not eligible for privileges provided to UNC degree-seeking students. Thus, a student is not entitled to participate in other college activities including but not limited to student organizations or intercollegiate or club sports and is not eligible for financial aid including but not limited to federal - or state -funded aid, or institutional scholarships.
  • If a student withdraws from the course at UNC after the drop date the student will receive a grade of "W". Otherwise, the student will receive a grade for the course work completed during the semester. The student (or the student's parent/guardian) will be responsible for payment to UNC of tuition and fees for any Program course from which the student did not drop or withdraw by the UNC-posted deadline. The deadlines may be found at http://www.unco.edu/registrar/calendars.

Instructional Methods

The University of Northern Colorado delivers courses through various instructional methods as prescribed by the Department of Education. The following list provides a description of the delivery methods of course offerings at UNC:

  1. Face to Face: Instructors interact with students in the same physical space for 75 percent or more of the instructional time
  2. Mixed Face to Face: Instructors interact with students in the same physical space for less than 75 percent of the instructional time with the remainder of the instructional time provided through distance or correspondence education (See Item 5 below)
  3. Directed Study: Instructors interact with students through a flexible format
  4. Internships/Practica:
    1. Internship: Applied and supervised field-based learning experience where students gain practical experience following a negotiated and/or directed plan of study
    2. Practicum: Practical student work under the supervision of a faculty member or under supervision of a professional in the student's field and regular consultation with faculty member
  5. Correspondence: Instructors interact with students through mail or electronic interface according to a typically student self-paced schedule
    1. Instructional materials are provided by mail or electronic transmission including exams
    2. Students are separated from the instructor
    3. Interaction between instructor and student is not regular and substantive and is primarily initiated by the student 
    4. Typically self-paced 
    5. Is not distance education 
  6. Distance Education: Education that takes place when the instructor and student are separated by space and/or time. The gap between the two are bridged through technologies.
    1. Students are separated from the instructor
    2. Interaction between the student and instructor is regular and substantive
    3. Technologies
      1. Online Learning Management System (Canvas)
      2. Internet
      3. Email
      4. Audio Conferencing
      5. Video Conferencing
      6. Multimedia (DVD, Online Video/Audio)

Interim Winter Session

Currently enrolled, new and returning students, visiting students and transfer students are eligible to register for the Interim Winter Session. Students whose cumulative GPA is less than 2.00 are not eligible to register for the Interim Winter Session. Due to the short duration of the Interim Winter Session, there is a 4 credit registration limit; no overloads will be permitted.

Inactivation of Ursa account

Students who have not been in attendance at UNC for a year or more will have their Ursa accounts inactivated.

Returning UNC Students

Students who have not attended UNC within the last 12 months will need to update their student information before they can register. Returning students must submit a Returning Student Application.  https://www.unco.edu/registrar/alumni-former-students/return-to-unc.aspx

Summer Account Balances

Students who do not pay past due summer balances will be dropped from the subsequent Fall semester course schedule. Students will be notified via the UNC Bear email account when courses will be dropped. If a student’s courses are dropped and the past due summer balance is subsequently paid, the student is responsible for registering for courses that were dropped on a space available basis.

UNC and AIMS Community College Cooperative Registration Agreement

Graduate or undergraduate students enrolled full-time at UNC or Aims Community College are eligible to take one undergraduate class (maximum 5 credits) at the other school during the corresponding term without additional tuition charges. Interim Winter Session is not included.

The free course at the host school must not be offered at your home school during that same term you are taking the class.

Please refer to the Transferology Site to determine which courses will transfer between Aims and UNC.  Remember:

  • Students must meet prerequisite requirements and must pay any course fees other than tuition.
  • Continuing Education courses do not count in the 12 credit full-time requirement.
  • Continuing Education courses cannot be taken as the free class. 
  • Aims students register for UNC courses through their URSA portal. Students will be allowed to register the Monday following the last day of pre-registration for UNC students.
  • UNC students register for Aims course via normal procedures outlined in the Aims Schedule of Classes; however, in place of payment, the UNC student completes a certifying form at the Aims Cashier’s Office. A UNC/Aims Cooperative Agreement needs to be completed and submitted to the Office of the Registrar to notify the office of the intent to participate in the agreement.
  • At the end of the term, students found to be ineligible will be billed for and must pay tuition charges to the host school. 
  • Once the course has been completed, please have an official transcript sent to your home institution in order to receive transfer credit.

Unclassified Graduate and Visiting Students

Undergraduate students admitted to another university may take classes at UNC to transfer back to their respective home institution. Unclassified graduate status refers to a student who has at least a Bachelor's degree and has either applied to the Graduate School or wanting to take classes but not pursue a degree. To register for either status, students must submit a non-degree seeking application online.  The application can found at https://www.unco.edu/registrar/non-degree/

Schedule Changes (Adds/Drops)

Schedule changes may be handled through Web Registration http://www.unco.edu/registrar/registration/ or at the Office of the Registrar. After the deadline posted on the Office of the Registrar website, students may not enroll in additional full term courses or drop full term courses in which they are currently registered.

Students may add courses using Ursa through the 5th day of the semester for full semester courses. After the 5th day of the semester all adds require the signature of the instructor and must be processed at the Office of the Registrar on or before the drop deadline to be considered. Special Term/Short Course add deadlines are available online at http://www.unco.edu/registrar/current-students/course-add-drop.aspx.

  • Course Late Add (Day 6-10) form on the Office of the Registrar website and fax it to 970-351-1870 or submit it to the Office of the Registrar. The add request form will only be available on the Office of the Registrar website during days 6-10.
  • Only in unusual circumstances can a student add a course(s) after day 10. Students must complete a Petition to Late Add a Course form and either fax or submit it to the Office of the Registrar.

A course late add will only be approved when there were extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control that kept the student from adhering to the published deadline. Student lack of knowledge of the published deadlines does not warrant an appeal.

In order to submit an appeal:

  • Student must have been attending on or before the drop deadline to be considered.
  • Student must include a written statement describing the circumstances that kept the student from adhering to the deadline. Petitions submitted without a reason will be denied.
  • All required signatures must be obtained.
  • If the student has financial aid, the student is responsible to contact financial aid to understand how this will affect their aid.

In order to use the COF stipend, students must be registered for a course before the course census date (add deadline). There may, however, be legitimate administrative reasons that may allow COF eligibility. UNC will adhere to the Colorado Department of Higher Education College Opportunity Fund guidelines.

Students may drop courses using Ursa through the 10th day of the semester for full semester courses. Tuition and fees are adjusted if applicable. Special Term/Short Course drop deadlines are available online at http://www.unco.edu/registrar/current-students/course-add-drop.aspx or through the Student Tab in Ursa by clicking on the “Your Course Drop/Withdrawal Deadlines” link.

The number of credits for which a student is registered at the time of the add/drop deadline determines tuition and fee charges. Drops differ from withdrawals since drops are not recorded on the student's transcript and withdrawals are recorded on the transcript (see Withdrawal from Course(s)).

Overloads

More than 18 credit hours for Fall and Spring semesters and 15 credit hours for the Summer semester are considered overloads for undergraduate students. Interim Winter Session has a 4 credit hour limit; no overloads will be permitted. Students requesting overload credits must have a 3.00 or higher cumulative grade point average.

  • In addition, specific colleges, schools and programs may have additional conditions regarding overloads. It is the student’s responsibility to meet these conditions.
  • Undergraduate students who have lower than a 3.00 GPA (including any first term student with no UNC cumulative GPA) but have extenuating circumstances may petition for an overload from the student's major advisor and school director.

Overloads of more than 21 hours require approval by the student’s major advisor and school director. All approvals must be forwarded to the Office of the Registrar, who will assure that these procedures have been followed.

Registration Procedures

A student must be registered to attend class. The Schedule of Classes can be found by accessing Ursa and selecting "Look Up Classes" or at www.unco.edu/sched. Current students are assigned times during the last part of the academic semester when they may register for courses offered in the following semester. Registration dates can be found on Ursa under the Student Tab, "Your Date to Register" link.  Registration consists of the following processes:

  • Check Registration Status on the Student Tab/“Registration Status” or "View Your Holds" links in Ursa. These will show any holds that need to be cleared prior to registration.
  • Undergraduate students require a new Personal Identification Number (PIN) each semester; PINs are distributed by the student’s assigned advisor. Declared students are assigned an academic advisor in their major degree program. Advisor names can be found in Ursa, under Registration and Grades/Register for Classes by clicking on "View Student Information." If an advisor name is not present, the student may call the department of the specified major to have an advisor assigned. Students declared as Exploring, are advised by Soar. The School of Nursing advises Exploring the Liberal Arts Nursing students.

The PIN changes each semester and is required in order to register for upcoming semester classes. Summer and Interim Winter Sessions do not require a PIN. Students who misplace a PIN should contact the advisor who issued the PIN. Students changing majors must meet with an academic advisor in the newly declared major to obtain a PIN.

  • Colorado Resident Undergraduate should authorize Colorado Opportunity Fund (COF).
  • Payment of student account. 

New First Year students will register prior to their first semester during their scheduled Advising/Registration session.  New First Year students are also encouraged to attend an orientation program that provides essential information about the University.

Priority Registration

Students will be released for registration of future terms based on the number of credits they have successfully completed at the time that registration begins, starting with students who have the highest number of credits downward. However, priority registration is granted to specific groups with unique scheduling needs.

Two-Class-Hour Drop Requirement

A faculty member may drop a student from a class during the Drop period if the student has not attended the first two-50 minute sessions. The student must notify the instructor if they cannot attend during this time. Not all instructors will exercise this option; thus, a student cannot expect that the failure to attend the class will automatically cause them to be dropped. Consequently, the student must follow the procedures listed on the Office of the Registrar website at http://www.unco.edu/registrar/.

Withdrawal from Course(s)

A student is a member of each course for which they register. Students are responsible for confirming their schedule online through the Student Tab in Ursa. Students may withdraw from individual courses in person or online through the Student Tab in Ursa. Students may request a complete schedule withdrawal from the Office of the Registrar. Withdrawal deadlines are published on the Office of the Registrar website or through the Student Tab in Ursa by clicking on the "Your Course Drop/Withdrawal Deadlines" link. A student will be charged 100% tuition for each course from which they have withdrawn.

Full Semester Courses

The first date to withdraw from individual courses is the first class-day immediately after the drop deadline for full semester courses. The last date to withdraw from individual courses or request a complete schedule withdrawal from the Office of the Registrar is the Friday prior to Final Exam week. Respective full semester course withdrawal deadlines are published on the Office of the Registrar website.

Special Term/Short Courses

Special Term/Short Course withdrawal deadlines are published on the Office of the Registrar website.

Transcript Notation for Withdrawn Courses

A “W” appears on the transcript for each course from which a student withdraws.