Undergraduate Student Policies

Course Enrollment Policies

The Bren School strictly follows the campus policy for adding, dropping, and changing grade option or variable units for its courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

However, instructors will sometimes set earlier add or drop deadlines, so it is important to read the syllabus for each class carefully at the start of the quarter. It is the student's responsibility to be aware of deadlines and make the modifications to his or her schedule before those deadlines pass.

Add, Drop, and Change Deadlines

Enrollment Exception Requests

Course Time Conflicts

Prerequisite Substitutions

Excess Units

The Deadline for any Enrollment Exceptions to Policy (this includes Course Time Conflicts, Prerequisite Substitutions, and Excess Units) is Friday of Week 1. Requests received after this date will be denied. 

Enrollment Prerequisite Substitutions: Any student seeking an exception to our prerequisite substitution policy will be reviewed starting on Monday of Week 10. 

» Add, Drop, and Change Deadlines

Always check the course syllabus carefully for course specific add and drop information. If earlier add/drop deadliness are required by the instructor, enrollment will be controlled by the instructor with authorization codes.

The deadline to add or drop courses and to change grade option or variable units is 5:00pm on Friday of Week 2.

Once these deadlines have passed, an Enrollment Exception request must be submitted through Student Access.

The deadlne to submit a grade option change for non major courses through enrollment exceptions is 5:00pm on Friday of Week 10.

Timeline of Enrollment Changes
Week Enrollment Actions Notes
1 Use WebReg to add, drop, and change grade option or variable units. No fee applies.
2 Use WebReg to add, drop, and change grade option or variable units. The deadline to add, drop or to change grade option or variable units is 5:00pm on Friday.
3-6 An enrollment exception request must be submitted for adds, drops and changes to grade option or variable units. Supporting documentation is required for add/drop exception requests. A $3 transaction fee will apply if the request is approved.
7-10 An enrollment exception request must be submitted for adds, drops and changes to grade option or variable units. Supporting documentation is required for add/drop exception requests. A $3 transaction fee will apply if the request is approved. The "W" notation on transcript is applied for dropped courses.

 

» Enrollment Exception Requests

Requests to add or drop are reviewed by the academic advising office of the school offering the course, as well as the school of the student's major (if different). Requests to change grade option or variable units require the approval of the academic advising office of the student's major.

Enrollment exceptions for adds, drops or variable units in ICS are not guaranteed. Exception requests will only be approved for extenuating and documented circumstances outside of the student's control. It is therefore important to continue attending class meetings and keep up with the assignments until your request is fully processed. Enrollment Exceptions for grade option change requests will only be approved for non major courses. If a course can be applied to your major it will not approved. 

Requests will be denied if submitted for the following reasons:

  • You did not know the deadlines
  • You did not understand the Add/Drop process
  • You did not know the grade requirements for your degree
  • The course is not required to meet Major, School, or University requirements
  • You are doing poorly in the course because of difficulties with the course material
  • You are doing poorly in the course because of a heavy course/work load
  • You are doing poorly in the course because of failure to attend

If your drop request is approved, please let your professor know as a courtesy once you have formally dropped the course.

» Course Time Conflicts

Time conflicts between courses may be approved on a case-by-case basis. Note that a lecture to lecture conflict will not be approved under any circumstances. If a course's lab or discussion time conflicts with another course's lecture, lab, or discussion, AND there are open spaces in both conflicting sections, follow these steps:

  1. Enroll in one of the conflicting courses (if the conflict involves a lecture, be sure to enroll in the lecture).
  2. Obtain written email approval from both instructors to allow the conflict.
  3. Forward that approval to ucounsel@uci.edu. Be sure to provide the 5-digit course codes for the conflicting courses.
  4. Allow ICS Student Affairs 2-3 business days to process the request. You will be notified by email when it has been reviewed.
  5. If approved, use WebReg to enroll in the conflicting section.
» Prerequisite Substitutions

Taking a course without completing all prerequisites (or currently enrolled in the final prerequisite upon enrollment) is not approved within ICS. If you believe you have an extenuating circumstance and want to be reviewed for an excpetion, you will need to obtain instructor approval and forward this approval, along with an explanation of your circumstance, to ucounsel@uci.edu. Priority enrollment in the class is given to students who meet prerequisites. 

» Excess Units
  • The UCI Campus 18 unit restriction is strictly enforced and no exceptions will be made. Students can enroll in up to 18 units once the 18 unit restriction is lifted
  • The 20 unit max policy is strictly enforced within ICS. No students will be approved to take over 20 units in a quarter
  • For Summer Session, a maximum of 14 units may be approved but will be reviewed on a case by case basis
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