Registration and Records

Change of Name

A student may change his or her name by completing a Name Change form in the Office of the Registrar. Certain types of identification (i.e. driver's license, marriage license) are required depending on the type of name change (i.e. clerical error, legal change).

Categories of Students

Regular

An Individual who is admitted to a degree program is defined as a regular student and is classified according to the total number of semester credits completed. A regular student may enroll either full-time, two-thirds time, half-time, or less than half-time for a given semester.

Auditor

Student who wish to enroll for no credit may register as auditors with the approval of the department offering the course. While no credit or grade may be earned, auditors may, at the discretion of the instructor, receive the same class privileges as other students. Auditing students whose performance in class is considered unsatisfactory may be dropped from the university, if a written authorization, signed by the instructor, Academic Dean, and Provost is filed in the Office of the Registrar. Auditors are not eligible to receive financial aid, including student loans.

Classification of Students

Term Status

For all semesters:

Full-Time:	9 or more credits
Half-Time:	5 - 8 credits
Less than Half-Time:	0 - 4 credits

Period of Instruction

Instruction and specific dates for registration, as well as fee deadlines, are available on the NSU website and in the Office of the Registrar prior to the beginning of each semester. Registration may be cancelled for nonpayment of fees.

Registration Enrollment Dates

Enrollment for each semester begins on or around the following:

• Summer/Fall Semester: First week of April
• Spring Semester: First week of November

Military Veterans*, Graduate students, Seniors, Juniors, Sophomores, and Freshmen have specific dates and time for registration referred to as Enrollment Appointments. To view the enrollment date and time assigned, login to the Student Center via myNSC or the NSC Portal.

*Veterans receiving VA benefits who self identify to Nevada State University as a veteran will be placed in a priority registration status and will be allowed to register the first week of registration.

Requirements for Registration

Registration is done online at nsc.edu via the NSC Portal or myNSC.

To complete the following registration transaction, the student must contact the school offering the course to obtain permission:

• Full Class
• Instructor Permission
• Pre-/Co-requisite Waiver
• Two classes at the same time

Clearance of Accounts

Students who have a prior unpaid balance on their account are not allowed to register, receive a transcript of record, receive their diploma, or certification of enrollment.

Adding Courses

Students may add courses/classes up until the last day of registration. See Academic Calendar for specific dates.

Late Registration

Students may enroll in classes up until the first week of instruction.

Auditing Courses

Students who wish to attend a class without being graded or receiving credit may choose to audit the course. Changes to credits status may be made in the Office of the Registrar. See Academic Calendar for specific deadlines.

Class Absences

There are no official absences from any university class. It is the personal responsibility of the student to consult with the professor regarding absence from class.

Note, students who do not begin participating in a class during the first two weeks of instruction will be administratively dropped for nonattendance. For more information about enrollment cancellation for nonattendance, visit https://nsc.edu/college-policies/enrollment-cancellation-for-nonattendance-policy/.

Religious Holiday Policy: It is the policy of NSHE to be sensitive to the religious obligations of its students. Any student missing class, quizzes, examinations, or any other class or lab work because of observance of religious holidays shall, whenever possible, be given an opportunity during that semester to make up the missed work. The make-up will apply to religious holiday absence only. It is the responsibility of the student to notify the instructor in writing if the student intends to participate in a religious holiday which does not fall on state holidays or periods of class recess. This policy shall not apply in the event that administering the assignment at an alternate time would impose an undue hardship on the instructor or the institution which could not have reasonably been avoided. Any student who is denied a make-up option after appropriately notifying the instructor shall have the right to appeal that decision through the normal appeal mechanism in place at the university. A student must make the initial appeal to the department chair or coordinator of the program in which the class is offered. If it is not resolved at that level, the student may appeal to the Dean or Director.

Cancellation of Courses

The university reserves the right to cancel any course in which the enrollment is insufficient to warrant offering the course.

Dropping/Withdrawing Courses

Students may drop or withdraw from a course(s) without penalty until the last day of registration. Dropping a course(s) may affect a student’s financial aid.

After the last day of registration and up until 60 percent of the course instruction has occurred, students may drop or withdraw a course(s) with a “W” grade posted on the transcript. Refer to the academic calendar and your student center on myNSC for refund dates.

Students are not permitted to drop/withdraw from courses after 60 percent of the course instruction has occurred. A grade of "F" will be assigned for the unofficial drop/withdrawal.

Students with extenuating circumstances may file a petition for a "W" or "I" grade on one or more courses or withdraw completely from the university in lieu of the "F" grade assigned for unofficial drop or withdrawal. In both cases, students must follow the rules regarding policy for incomplete grade and complete withdrawal from the university.

Extenuating circumstances include but are not limited to:

1. Deployment of the student in the United States Armed Forces,
2. Death or incapacitation resulting from an illness or injury of the student or the student’s spouse, child, parent, or legal guardian that prevents the student from returning to the school for the remainder of the semester;
3. Involuntary job transfer outside of the service area of the institution as documented by employer; or
4. Other exceptional circumstance beyond the control of the institution or the student.

Withdrawal from the University

Students wishing to withdraw from the university for the semester should contact the advising staff for an exit withdrawal interview and assistance in finalizing their withdrawal from the university. Students who withdraw from the university after 60 percent of the course instruction has occurred and are passing, will receive grades of W on their transcript. Students who withdraw after 60 percent of the course instruction has occurred and are not passing, receive a grade of F.

Students who leave the university without officially withdrawing receive a failing grade in all courses.

Academic Standing

Academic standing that indicates a student has failed to meet minimum requirements.

To review the full policy, visit https://nevadastate.edu/university-policies/

Academic Probration

Probation at the graduate level is a non-punitive mechanism used to ensure Graduate Students who are not successfully progressing in their graduate programs are provided with clear information and requirements to guide them to appropriate progression and successful program completion.

A Graduate Student will be subject to academic Probation if, after attempting nine (9) or more graded units,

the Student’s cumulative graduate NSC GPA falls below 3.0;
the Student fails to earn satisfactory grades, including two or more Incompletes;
the Student fails to meet approved requirements in their program’s graduate handbook.

Probationary Students will be advised of their status via NS e-mail. The communication will include conditions for removal from Probation and the circumstances that would lead to Disqualification. All Probationary Students are required to seek advising no later than the second week of the following enrolled term. Students shall be removed from academic Probation once they have received such advising and a) the cumulative graduate GPA at NS is 3.0 or higher or b) the student meets approved requirements and timelines set by their program.

Academic Disqualification

A Graduate Student on academic Probation will be academically Disqualified for any of the following:

the Student’s GPA in all units attempted at NS falls below 2.5;
the Student fails to meet the requirements for removal from academic Probation within the prescribed time frame;
the Student fails to follow degree program handbook requirements.
Students cannot be placed on Probation for the first time at NS and be Disqualified in the same semester.

Student will be informed of Disqualification via NS email. A Student may appeal academic Disqualification up to thirty (30) calendar days from the date of academic Disqualification. Appeals should be made to the Office of the Provost or designee. Typical grounds for a successful appeal include significant improvement toward meeting the GPA requirements and/or extraordinary circumstances beyond the Student’s control. A successful appeal of Disqualification will result in the Student returning to Probationary status. Students who appeal unsuccessfully will need to apply for reinstatement as specified below if they wish to continue at NS.

Reinstatement

A Student may submit a petition for reinstatement into a graduate program no later than thirty (30) calendar days before the beginning of the term in which the Student wishes to return. The College will only consider the petition for reinstatement of a Student who has remained outside of the College for at least one regular (Fall or Spring) semester after Disqualification. The Student may be required to reapply to their desired degree program.

A Student who is Disqualified, reinstated, and becomes Disqualified a second time will not be granted a second reinstatement to the program.

Grades

Grades and Marks

A	the highest grade, is given for work of exceptional quality. Each credit earned with a grade of "A" carries 4.0 grade points.
A-	carries 3.7 grade points for each credit earned.
B+	carries 3.3 grade points for each credit earned.
B	is awarded for better-than-average work. Each credit earned with a grade of "B" carries 3.0 grade points.
B-	carries 2.7 grade points for each credit earned.
C+	carries 2.3 grade points for each credit earned.
C	represents average work. Each credit earned with a grade of "C" carries 2.0 grade points.
C-	carries 1.7 grade points for each credit earned. "C-" is the lowest passing grade for graduate credit.
F	represents failure. No credit or grade points are earned with a grade of "F." Failed courses count as credits attempted.
S/U	indicate satisfactory or unsatisfactory performance in courses offered with this grading option. The grade of "S" indicates achievement equivalent to a "C" or above. The grade of "U" represents performance equivalent to a "C-" or below. Neither the "S" nor "U" grades are assigned a grade-point value.
AD	indicates audit and is given when a student registers in a course for no credit and no grade.
W	signifies that a course has been dropped or that a student has withdrawn from the university with passing grades. The grade of "W" is not included in the grade-point average. Students who withdraw from the university after 60 percent of the course instruction has occurred and are not passing, receive a grade of "F."
I	is a neutral mark and represents incomplete. An "I" is given when a student is performing passing work, but for some uncontrollable reason is unable to complete the course requirements during the instructional period. "I" mark is excluded from grade-point average computation. Nonattendance, poor performance or requests to repeat the course are unacceptable reasons for issuance of the "I" mark. When the student's request for an incomplete mark is deemed acceptable, the instructor is required to indicate the specific work that is necessary to complete the course. Marks of "I" are automatically changed to "F" if they are not made up by the last day of the next regular semester (Summer Session excluded). Students are not permitted to graduate with an outstanding incomplete mark issued under this policy. The extension of an incomplete mark for one semester must be requested and approved by the instructor. The instructor will need to notify the Office of the Registrar, at least two weeks before the end of the semester in which the approved "I" mark expires. Students may make up incomplete marks by completing outstanding course requirements before the end of the next regular semester. The requirements must be submitted to the student's instructor, who is responsible for reporting the final grade and acquiring the approval of the Academic Director. The written approvals must appear on the Grade Change Form before the form can be filed with the Office of the Registrar.
INC	Thesis Incomplete - achievement of B or above
IP	Thesis In Progress
NR	signifies that an instructor has failed to assign a grade to a student's course work. This grade is assigned by the Office of the Registrar until the proper grade is determined. Students may not graduate with grades of "NR" on their record. All grades of "NR" must be resolved by the last day of the following semester. Unresolved grades of "NR" become grades of F.

 

Course Repeat

A Graduate Student who receives a grade that does not meet program-specific minimum grade requirements must retake the course; only one (1) retake opportunity is available. Unit credit for the course will be granted only once unless the course is repeatable as specified in the academic catalog. The repeat grade will replace the original grade in the Student’s GPA calculation, even if the retaken grade is lower than the original grade.

Students cannot retake a class in which they earned a grade that meets program-specific minimum requirements.

Final Grades

Instructors are responsible for determining and submitting final grades to the Office of the Registrar, where they become official records of the university.

Grade Point Average

The grade point average (GPA) is determined by dividing the sum of earned grade points by the total number of credits attempted for a regular letter grade. The I, INC, IP, AD, W, NR, S, and U grades are excluded from the calculation of the GPA.

Transcript of Record

The official transcript is the complete history of work completed at Nevada State University, including, but not limited to, grades, credits earned, previous colleges/universities attended, and an indication of repetition of coursework. Official transcripts can be requested from the Office of the Registrar, in writing. All requests require a 48-hour processing time, exempting high-volume periods of the year, when the processing time may be extended. Students requesting transcripts with degrees posted should submit request forms in advance of the completion of the semester.

Requirements for Graduation

Application for Graduation

Student must apply for graduation by the following deadlines.

• Spring graduation applications due by October 1st
• Summer graduation applications due by October 1st
• Fall graduation application due by May 1st

Graduate Degree Requirements

To view the full policy, visit, https://nevadastate.edu/university-policies/

Catalog Rights

Graduate Students who have maintained continuous enrollment at Nevada State may choose to graduate from NS based upon catalog requirements in effect either (1) at the time they entered NS or (2) at the time they graduate from NS.

An approved leave of absence is not considered an interruption in continuous enrollment, providing such absence does not exceed two (2) consecutive semesters. The absence must be consistent with NS policies regarding leave and approval procedures.

Students who have been academically Disqualified lose previously established catalog rights.

Minimum Graduate Grade Point Average (GPA)

Students should refer to the minimum grade and cumulative graduate GPA requirements published by their graduate program. Academic honors (cum laude, magna cum laude, summa cum laude) are not awarded to Graduate Students.

Residency

Two-thirds of the minimum credits required for the specific degree program must be earned in approved courses offered by NS; the last two terms of coursework must be earned in residence at Nevada State. Specific programs may have additional standards or limitations.

Time to Degree Completion

After being admitted, a Student in a graduate program has a maximum of six (6) calendar years to complete a graduate degree program, beginning with the semester the Student is admitted. The time-to-completion calendar re-starts for students who have been re-admitted into a degree program after reinstatement.

Admitted Students who fail to complete the degree within the time-to-completion period will be dropped from the program and must re-apply for admission to the degree program with evaluation of all credits taken to date and pay the application fee. The degree program director will work with the Office of the Registrar to notify students they have been dropped from the program for violating the time-to-completion period.

Students who are using NS resources during the six-year period, including faculty consultation, laboratories, library resources, or scheduling and completing final examinations, must register for a minimum of three (3) graduate-level credits per semester or the minimum number of credits agreed to by the graduate program and the Student prior to the beginning of the term.

Regulations for Students Records

Confidentiality and Release of Information

The confidentiality and security of student educational records are of primary importance to the college. As amended, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 ensures that eligible students have the right to inspect and review educational records, files and other data; to waive the right of inspection and review of confidential letters and statements of recommendation filed since January 1, 1975; to challenge the content of educational records to ensure that it is not misleading or inaccurate; and to preclude any or all directory information from being released.

Most college discipline records are defined as education records by FERPA and therefore protected from disclosure without written consent of the student. Two exceptions to this are: (1) the outcome of any disciplinary proceeding alleging a sex offense must be disclosed to the accuser, and (2) some records of the Police Department created and maintained solely by that unit are not protected from disclosure by FERPA.

Student access is not permitted to the financial statements of parents; to confidential statements and recommendations filed prior to January 1, 1975; to records that the student has waived the right to inspect; to records of instructional, supervisory and administrative personnel; to records created by a law enforcement unit, for a law enforcement purpose, and maintained by a law enforcement unit; to records that are created and maintained by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist or other recognized professionals or paraprofessionals acting or assisting in a professional or paraprofessional capacity; or to college records that contain only information relating to a person after that person is no longer a student. Requests for review of educational records are processed within 45 days of submittal.

The college does not allow access to, or the release of, educational records or other personally identifiable information without the written consent of the student, and, when in person, verification through picture identification, except that the college must disclose information to students requesting review of their own records and to authorized governmental officials or agencies for audit and evaluation of state and federally supported programs.

The written consent must be signed, dated and should include the birth date of the student. The written consent must specify the educational records to be disclosed, the purpose or purposes of the disclosure and the party or parties to whom the disclosure may be made.

The college may disclose, without a student's written consent, educational records or other personally identifiable information to full-time college employees having authorized access; to the Office of the Registrar and/or appropriate officials of another school or school system in which the student intends to enroll; to people or organizations providing student financial aid; to accrediting agencies involved in accrediting functions; to parents of a student whose status as a dependent has been established according to the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, Section 152; to an alleged victim of any crime of violence the results of any institutional disciplinary proceeding against the alleged perpetrator of that crime with respect to that crime; in compliance with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena, provided the college makes a reasonable attempt to notify the student of the order or subpoena in advance of compliance, except if commanded not to do so in a subpoena, if the subpoena has been issued for a law enforcement purpose or by a federal grand jury; to authorized officials in connection with an emergency, if knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the health or safety of a student or other people.

Directory information is considered public and may be released without written consent unless specifically prohibited by the student concerned. Data defined as directory information includes: student names, addresses, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, major fields of study, student participation in officially recognized activities, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, photographs for college use, and listings of the most recent educational agency or institution that students have attended.

A student may restrict the publication of information by completing a Request to Prevent Disclosure form which can be found in the Office of the Registrar. Students may also update this authorization via myNSC.

Each office in which students' financial records are filed maintains a record of requests for the release of personally identifiable information.

Retention and Disposition

The maintenance, retention and disposition of documents relating to student educational records are governed by institutional policy.

A list of documents and disposition schedules filed in the Office of the Registrar includes:

• The permanent academic records of students which are retained indefinitely.
• Applications for admission and/or readmission; transcripts issued by other institutions; applications for resident fees; military service documents; undergraduate and graduate admission evaluations; advanced standing admission evaluations, including CBAPE, CLEP, ACT PEP, GRE and GMAT; changes of major or advisor; and pertinent correspondence which are retained for one year after the student's last date of attendance. In the case of a student who graduates, only the permanent academic record is maintained.
• The admission file of students who do not register, are disapproved or have incomplete admission files.
• Transcript requests and disciplinary action notices which are retained in the Office of the Registrar for one year.

Policy on Credit Hours

Credit hour is the unit by which an institution measures its course work. The number of credit hours assigned to a course quantitatively reflects the outcomes expected, the mode of instruction, the amount of time spent in class, and the amount of outside preparatory work expected for the class.

Nevada State University (NSU) measures students learning in accordance with the Northwest Commission on Colleges and University (NWCCU) Policy on Credit Hour, which relies on federal regulations on the definition and assignment of credit hours.

Federal regulation mandate that all candidate and accredited institution comply with the definition of the credit hour as set forth in section 600.2, which defines the credit hour as:

An amount of work represent in the intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than:

1. One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit or ten-to-twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
2. At least an equivalent amount of work is required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution, including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.

In general, unit value for course offerings is governed by the NSU Faculty Senate Curriculum Committee and Common Course Numbering Committee. Schools and departments are responsible for submitting course approval requests that include a detailed description of how unit value is justified. In addition, periodic compliance review of the credit hour policy will be incorporated into each school’s established curriculum review schedule to ensure a course’s credit hours reflect the amount of work required to earn those credits.

Review Policy for Compliance with University Credit Hour Requirements

The Office of the Registrar regularly audits scheduled courses offerings to ensure compliance with the credit hour requirements through its processes for class scheduling each semester. This review is conducted across all schools, disciplines, course levels, and modes of instruction. The Office of the Registrar maintains a historical method of its review of each semester.

For additional information, visit https://nsc.edu/college-policies/policy-on-credit-hour/. 

Student Email Policy

Official email communications are intended to meet student, faculty, and staff academic and administrative needs within the campus community. Unless otherwise prohibited by law, the university and its faculty may communicate with students officially by email and will expect that such email messages will be received and read in a timely manner. Official NSU email accounts are created for all admitted students. The addresses are all in the form of [name]@students.nsc.edu.

If a student wishes to have email redirected from their NSU official email to another email address, they may do so but at their own risk. The university is not responsible for the handling of email by outside vendors or departmental/unit servers, none of which are considered official student email accounts. Having email redirected does not absolve a student from the responsibilities associated with official communication sent to his or her [name]@students.nsc.edu account. Students are expected to check their email on a frequent basis in order to stay current with NSU related administrative and course communications and to recognize that certain communications may be time-critical. Students must ensure that there is sufficient space in their accounts to allow for delivery of official email communications. Email users should exercise extreme caution in using email to communicate confidential or sensitive matters, and should not assume that email is private or secure. It is also important that users are careful to send messages only to the intended recipients. Faculty will determine how electronic forms of communication will be used in their classes, and will specify their requirements in the course syllabus. Such use by students and faculty shall be consistent with this policy.