Registration
When can I register for classes?
Registration dates fluctuate from semester to semester. Look up dates for a specific semester by visiting the academic calendar or the registration and advising page on the UA registrar’s office website.
In general, registration for current students begins in March for the upcoming fall semester and October for the upcoming spring semester. The schedule for advising is based upon hours earned (i.e. seniors are advised first, then juniors and so on).
How do I get special permission to register for a class that's closed? Or one I don't have a prerequisite for?
Only the academic department in which the course is based can choose to make an exception to course capacity or prerequisite requirements. Talk with your advisor about requesting an override or contact CD Academic Support at cd@as.ua.edu or 348-7131.
What do I do if I have a scheduling conflict between two CD courses when trying to register?
Declaring a Major and Minor
When do I need to declare my minor? What minors do CD students typically do?
By the third year of full-time enrollment. CD students typically declare minors in human development, psychology, Spanish, and neuroscience, but the choice is ultimately up to the student and based on what interests the student. Most minors will require around 18 hours, but some are more and some are less. Some minors may have ancillary requirements. DegreeWorks should put all the requirements in there, though.
How do I declare a major or minor?
If you want to declare or change your major, or add another major within the College of Arts and Sciences, you should be able to make these changes via mybama. If you need additional assistance please contact CD Academic Support at cd@as.ua.edu.
How do I declare a double major?
If you are adding a double major, be aware that if the program you are interested in is offered by a different division of The University of Alabama, such as the business school, you won’t be able to make that change online — you must contact the advising office of the college you are interested in adding a second major in. Consult the list of colleges on the UA website for help. For CD, you will not need a minor if you are double majoring.
Courses
How do I drop a class?
During the add/drop or “change of schedule” period, you can drop classes through myBama.
After the add/drop deadline but before the 10th week of classes, you can still use myBama to drop a course. The difference is that when you drop a course after add/drop, your transcript will show a “W” for that course.
For fall and spring semesters, add/drop ends one week after the first day of classes and the last day to withdraw with a grade of “W” falls around the 10th week of classes. During Interim, Winter Interim, and summer sessions, however, both intervals are considerably shorter. Consult the UA academic calendar at registrar.ua.edu for dates.
How do I drop a class after the last drop date?
The last day to drop a course with a grade of “W” typically falls at the end of the 10th week of classes during fall and spring semesters, the second week of Interim session, the third week of a five-week summer session, and the fourth week of a 10-week session. These intervals, which are University of Alabama policy, are designed to allow you plenty of time to decide whether to withdraw from a course.
Sometimes extraordinary circumstances arise, however, and when they do, a student may request an exception to the University’s withdrawal policy by filing a petition for late withdrawal. If the exception is granted, the student will receive a grade of “W” (which carries no GPA penalty) for the course on his or her transcript.
The University sets a high standard for granting late withdrawal requests, and the conditions prompting a petition for an exception to the withdrawal policy should be serious. Not doing as well as you’d like in the class, having accrued too many absences, or deciding you want to change your major are not considered adequate reasons.
Because late withdrawals must be approved at the college (not department) level, start the process by making an appointment with an advisor in the A&S Student Services Center in 200 Clark Hall. Complete the late withdrawal form and bring it to your meeting with the advisor, who will discuss with you the reasons why you wish to drop the course and help you file the petition.
*Consult the UA academic calendar at registrar.ua.edu for dates.
If I retake a course, will my new grade take the place of the previous grade?
No, both grades will factor into your GPA.
I’m going to take courses at another institution this summer. What do I do?
Log in to myBama to complete a letter of transiency (found under the Student tab), which is essentially a contract between you and the University granting you permission to take a specific course at another school. This should be completed before you take the course. After you complete the course, remember to request that a transcript be sent to the UA registrar so that you will receive credit.
I took a class at another institution last summer. Can I still transfer that credit to UA?
Possibly, though it’s better to complete a letter of transiency before you take a course somewhere else. Why? Because it’s possible the course won’t translate into UA credit, or that the course actually duplicates work you’ve already completed (i.e., the transfer course might be equivalent to a course you’ve already completed at UA). In the case of duplication, you lose the credit and grade earned for the first course.
If you still want to seek credit for a course taken elsewhere, log in to myBama to complete a letter of transiency (found under the Student tab), and have a transcript of your work at the other institution sent to the UA registrar.
For the general education requirements, do I have to have a history sequence and a literature sequence?
Students are required to either have a history sequence OR a literature sequence. If you choose a history sequence, the two courses must relate and line-up in course number (i.e. HY205 and HY 206). If you choose to do a literature sequence, the two literature courses do not have to relate or line-up in course number. For example, you can take an English Literature I and a World Literature I. Regardless of which sequence you choose, all students will still take at least one history course (3 credits/hours) and at least one literature course (3 credits/hours) to fulfill general education requirements. Example: A student may take HY101 and HY102 and 1 literature course or a student may take EN205 and EN 210 and 1 history course. Refer to DegreeWorks for the remaining requirements in these areas.
Are there prerequisites for CD courses?
When are undergraduate CD courses offered?
All undergraduate CD courses are offered in the fall and spring semesters. Based on need and interest, select courses may be offered in the summer.
What are the ancillary requirements for CD?
- Psychology/Sociology 101
- Biology with lab component
- Chemistry or Physics (4 hours with lab component)
- Statistics (Options: BER 345: Educational Statistics; PY 211: Psychological Statistics; ST 260: Business Statistics)
Are there any writing courses in CD?
CD 447, the undergraduate Clinic Practicum course is a W course offered in the fall, spring, and summer semesters. Complete the clinical practicum application on our website. There is limited enrollment in this course. You must apply each semester you wish to be considered for the course. For summer and fall semesters, apply by February 1, and for the spring semester, apply by September 1. You will be notified by email if you have been approved to register for the course. This is typically reserved for CD Juniors and Seniors.
Special Opportunities
Where do I find information about studying abroad?
I'm in CD research opportunities through an independent study. Where do I start?
Please contact the specific faculty member you are interested in working with to see if they have availability. Faculty research interests can be found on our website cd.ua.edu/people/.
I'm interested in CD research opportunities for experience only. Where do I start?
Directly email a CD professor and check the availability of volunteer opportunities in their lab. It is best to email well ahead of the semester you are wanting to volunteer. These spots fill up quickly.
I'm interested in volunteering at the SHC. How do I get started?
Complete a student volunteer application form.
Graduation
How many hours do I need for graduation?
90 hours in Arts and Sciences
36 hours in upper-level courses
120 TOTAL to graduate
*No more than 42 hours outside of the Arts and Sciences College
If I am in my last semester of school and have enough hours to graduate, do I still need to be registered as a full-time student?
No, there is a “last semester exception.” Students only take what they need to graduate unless they have requirements under their scholarships or financial aid. NOTE: If a student only requires one class to graduate, it cannot be taken as an online or distance learning class. This exception is only for the final semester of study.
F-1 and J-1 (international) students who are in their final semester of study at UA may enroll in less than 12 credit hours of classes if they require less than full-time enrollment to graduate. It is highly recommended that international students contact the UA International Student Office with such questions.
When should I apply for graduation?
During your next-to-last semester. Visit the Arts and Sciences graduation page for a complete graduation-prep checklist.
How do I complete a Degree Audit, and when should I do this?
It is recommended that you apply for a Degree Audit the semester before you plan to graduate. You can apply for the audit online through myBama. This will ensure that you have all the proper coursework in place prior to your final term.
Careers and Graduate School
If I have scholarship leftover from undergraduate studies, can it be applied to graduate school?
It depends on the type of scholarship. Please contact the UA Graduate School at graduate.school@ua.edu to inquire.
How do I find out if CD is right for me?
Do you have any tips for applying to graduate school?
- Applications are due by Dec. 15th for the following fall semester.
- UA Admission requirements: 3.0 GPA.
- UA CD students do not need letters of recommendation.