Term and Course Information

Summer Session

Summer session consists of one two-week Maymester, two five-week sessions, one ten-week session and one eight-week session. All academic credits earned by students officially enrolled in the summer session will be recorded as part of Dickinson State University’s official designated summer session.

Winter Intersession

Winter intersession consists of one three-week session between fall and spring semesters. Courses will be available for prior fall and upcoming spring semesters. Academic credits earned in the winter intersession will be recorded for the term of student enrollment.

Course Numbers

Special course numbers include:

Cross-Listed Courses

Cross-listed courses found either in the catalog or in the course schedules are courses that have two prefixes but are the same course, i.e., BIOL 491 - Biology Seminar  (1 cr.), SCNC 491 - Science Seminar  (1 cr.).

These courses can be taken for credit within only one of the prefix disciplines; the example course above can be taken for either Biology credit or Science credit, but not for credit in both disciplines taken simultaneously or separately. Cross-listed courses cannot be repeated in another semester with a registration in the opposite prefix from which the student was previously granted credit.

Class Prerequisites

The student information system verifies that students have taken prerequisites as stated in the catalog before allowing a student to register for a course. However, in the event a faculty member determines that adequate prerequisites have not been met, a student may be asked to drop the course until the prerequisites have been met. Faculty may allow a student to be registered in a course for which a student has not met the required prerequisite within the Dickinson State University policy guidelines. If approval is granted, the student, advisor, or dean shall submit a Registration Action Form for a waiver of prerequisite located on the DSU eforms tile in Campus Connection.

Course Conflict

Course conflicts arise when a student enrolls in two classes with overlapping meeting times. If a conflict exists, the student must resolve this conflict by visiting with both instructors and agree on a solution. To enroll in conflicting courses the student, advisor, or dean shall submit a Registration Action Form for a time conflict located on the DSU eforms tile in Campus Connection.

Waitlisting/Closed Classes

Students may have the option to waitlist courses that are currently full. The waitlist feature allows students to indicate an interest in a course that is presently full. When students are enrolling in courses in Campus Connection, they may check “ok to waitlist” if a course is full. The course will appear on schedules as “waiting” which indicates potential for enrollment, not actual enrollment. If a seat becomes available, the first eligible student on the waitlist will automatically be enrolled in the course provided that they do not have a time conflict, enrollment hold, delinquent account and are not already in the same class but at a different time. Students will be notified by email regarding course additions. Students may be waitlisted in multiple courses.

The waitlist option will be available on Campus Connection through the day prior to the first day of class each semester or session. Students will be enrolled if a seat becomes available through the last day to add a class. As of the first day of the semester, a student may request the instructor’s permission to be added to a closed class if no students are currently on the waitlist for the course. If approval is granted, the student, advisor, or dean shall submit a Registration Action Form for a closed class located on the DSU eforms tile in Campus Connection.

Elective Satisfactory - Unsatisfactory Option

This plan is designed to encourage students to broaden their education by taking courses outside their primary areas. Students may take courses with grades of “S” (satisfactory) and “U” (unsatisfactory), rather than the traditional grades of “A” through “F” subject to the following guidelines:

1. A grade of “S” grants credit toward graduation but does not affect the student’s GPA. A grade of “U” neither grants credit nor affects the GPA.
2. Freshmen may not elect to take courses on an “Elective S-U” basis.
3. No more than 15 semester hours of “Elective S-U” grades will count toward the bachelor’s degree. No more than 7 semester hours will count toward the associate degree.
4. After the normal period for adding a course the student may not change to, or from, an “Elective S-U” choice.
5. Only courses outside the major, minor, professional education, general education, or other program requirements may be taken for an “Elective S-U” grade. Students choosing to major or minor in a field in which they have completed a course on an “S-U” basis may request the school to accept the “S” grade, but the school may require that the grade be changed to a regular letter grade, or the student may take a substitute course.
6. Some courses in a student’s major or minor may be offered only on an “S-U” basis. Also, Service Learning courses and Competency Based Credit-Earning are graded “S-U.” These courses are not counted toward the “Elective S-U” 15 hour limit. Schools wishing to offer “S-U” courses must receive prior approval from the Curriculum Council.
7. In “S-U” courses, work of “C” level or better is required to receive an “S” grade.

For further information, contact the Office of Academic Records.