Registration and Course Policies and Procedures

Academic load refers to the number of credit hours you're taking in a semester. Usually, full-time students take at least 12 credit hours. If you’re taking fewer than 12 credit hours, you’re considered part-time. Your academic load can affect things like your financial aid and how you plan your semester, so it’s important to keep that in mind!

Transfer Program Students

Students in a transfer program that plan to graduate with an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree in two years, usually take 16 transferable credits each fall and spring semester.

Taking more than 18 credit hours in a fall or spring semester is not allowed without approval from an academic dean.

During the summer semester, students are limited to 10 credit hours, unless they have approval from an academic dean.

Career and Technical Students

Students in a career or technical program will follow their program of study for the suggested number of credit hours.

Regular Attendance is Crucial to Success in Your Courses

If you don't attend the first two classes of a course, you will lose your place, at the instructors discretion, to others waiting to register. However, non-attendance does not mean non-payment.

It is the responsibility of the instructor and their department to keep accurate attendance records and to make required reports as established by Hawkeye's administration. Instructors will publish and distribute attendance policy guidelines during the first class of a course.

Please note, if you stop attending or never attend a class, it doesn’t mean you are automatically withdrawn. You will still be considered enrolled unless you complete the official withdrawal process. Not completing the withdrawal process means you’re still responsible for paying for the class and will receive an "F" on your transcript.

Also see Military Absence Policy.

Non-Graded, Non-Credit Participation

Auditing a course provides you the opportunity to attend classes as a non-graded, non-credit participant. Students who audit a course typically want to review a subject as a refresher or for their general interest.

To audit a course, you'll need to fill out a Petition for Course Audit form before the first day of class. You can get the form from the department offices or the Registrar's Office.

You’ll still need to pay the regular tuition and fees for the course. Keep in mind that audited courses aren't eligible for financial aid.

When you audit a course, you don’t have to complete assignments, tests, or quizzes, though you're welcome to participate in class. Your transcript will show a grade of "N," and it won’t affect your GPA. If you later decide you want to earn credit and a grade, you’ll need to retake the course.

Hawkeye Community College reserves the right to cancel, reschedule, or adjust the class time of any course. If you would like to replace a cancelled course, you must complete the adding a course / late registration process.

Enrollment Policy

You can’t attend classes at Hawkeye Community College unless you've registered for the class.

Part-Time Enrollment Status

If you're registered for fewer than 12 credit hours during a 16-week semester, you're considered a part-time student. Keep in mind that your financial aid award depends on how many credit hours you're enrolled in. So, the amount of aid you receive will change based on how many classes you're taking.

Full-Time Enrollment Status

You're considered a full-time student if you're taking 12 or more credit hours during a 16-week semester, or at least six credits during the 8-week summer semester.

Enrollment Verification

An enrollment verification request is how you can get official proof that you’re enrolled at the college. It shows things like whether you’re full-time or part-time, your program, and your dates of attendance. You might need it for financial aid, scholarships, health insurance, loan deferment, or even a job.

When it comes to enrollment verifications, they’re based on the 16-week semester.

Approval Required for Late Registrations

To get the best selection of courses and class times, it's a good idea to register early. Planning your schedule carefully will help you avoid making changes once classes start, which can affect your tuition, program length, and financial aid.

You can register for a class on your own through the second calendar day of any 16-week course in Self-Service Student Planning. After that you'll need the help of an academic advisor and faculty signature for approval to register. For summer semester classes, shortened terms, or Minimesters, check with your academic advisor.

Note: Some career and technical programs don’t allow late registration due to specific requirements.

Late Registration and Your Financial Aid

If you make changes to your schedule after the financial aid lock date (like adding late start classes), your financial aid won’t be adjusted. For more details, check out the Financial Aid Handbook.

Related Policies

• Registering for Classes
• How to Drop or Withdraw From a Course
• Tuition Refund Policy for Credit Classes

How Repeated Classes Impact Your GPA and Transcripts

If you receive an unsatisfactory grade, you have the option to repeat the course at Hawkeye Community College or another accredited institution, or earn credit through an exam.

The best grade from your repeated course will count towards your academic record and transcript. The lower grade will be marked as repeated and will not be factored into your current GPA. The repeated course will have a >R next to it on your transcript. This policy does not apply to courses that are meant to be repeated for credit (like some labs or internships).

If you withdraw from a course you’re repeating, your original grade will remain on your academic record. Additionally, if you repeat a course designed for additional credit (and receive an unsatisfactory grade), the new grade won’t replace your original grade.

Keep in mind that repeating a course with a D- grade or higher may affect your financial aid eligibility.

Prerequisites

You must meet the prerequisites for a course, unless you receive permission from the course instructor and appropriate dean.

It is recommended that you earn a minimum grade of C in all prerequisite courses. If you receive a grade of D+, D, D-, F, or FW, you should talk with your academic advisor.

If you do not receive credit for a prerequisite, you cannot take the next course in your sequence of study.

Course Regression

Departments and programs sometimes identify courses as part of particular learning sequences that require a progression from one course to the next. Regression occurs when a student takes a course that is earlier in the sequence than a course they've already taken and passed. Courses taken in regression do not count toward graduation.

At Hawkeye, dropping and withdrawing from a course are different processes with distinct impacts:

• Dropping a Class: You can drop a class within the first few days of the term (the drop period). If you drop a class, it will not appear on your transcript, and you won’t be charged tuition for that class. To drop a class, you need to complete the official drop process by the Tuition Refund Deadline for that term. For more details, check out the Tuition Refund Policy for Credit Classes.

• Withdrawing from a Class: Withdrawing happens after the drop period ends but before the withdrawal deadline. A withdrawal will appear on your transcript as a "W," which doesn’t affect your GPA but may impact financial aid or future course planning. You are still responsible for paying full tuition for the course. To withdraw from a class, you need to complete the official withdrawal process by the Withdrawal Deadline for that term.

Always check the specific deadlines and speak with an academic advisor if you’re unsure about the best option for your situation.

1. Go to Self-Service Student Planning > Plan and Schedule.
2. Verify that the correct term is selected or use the arrow to change the term if needed.
3. Click the blue "Drop/Withdraw" button under the course you wish to drop.
4. Select a withdrawal reason from the drop-down menu in the pop-up window and submit.
5. To confirm the course is no longer on your schedule, click the "Print" button on the registration screen to view your updated schedule.

Your withdrawal request date and last date of attendance will be recorded as the date you completed the official withdrawal process.

Before dropping or withdrawing from a course, it’s important to talk to your academic advisor to understand how it may impact your progress toward your degree. Will it affect your graduation timeline?Your advisor may also suggest alternatives to dropping or withdrawing that could help you succeed.

If you’re considering withdrawing, it’s a good idea to check in with your instructor to see if it’s the best choice. Can you catch up on missed work? What’s your current grade? What assignments or tests are left to complete the course?

If you receive financial aid, make sure to review the financial aid withdrawal policy and the warning/suspension policy, or speak with a Financial Aid Advisor to understand how withdrawing might affect your eligibility for both the current and future terms.

Note: If you withdraw from a class and then register for the same one later, you’ll be charged for both classes. To avoid this, make sure to drop the course by the Tuition Refund deadline.

If you're withdrawing due to an emergency situation and have completed at least two-thirds of the semester and course requirements, you may request a grade from your instructor under the following conditions:

• Illness or Injury: Physical or mental illness or injury that is serious enough to prevent you from completing your courses.
• Death of an Immediate Family Member: This includes a parent, step-parent, spouse, child, sibling, or grandparent. Documentation of the death is required.
• Involuntary Call to Active Military Duty: You’ll need to provide a copy of your military orders.
• Primary Caregiver for an Ill Immediate Family Member: This includes a parent, step-parent, spouse, child, sibling, or grandparent.
• Victim of a Crime: This applies to crimes against a person, not property. Documentation from law enforcement or a Violence Advocate is required.
• Other Circumstances: Any other situation that directly prevents you from completing your classes, labs, or clinicals.