Undergraduate Course Retake Permission
- What is the policy on registering for a second attempt of a course?
- What constitutes a second attempt of a course?
- Why does Stony Brook have this policy?
- May I register for a second attempt of any course I wish and how do I make the request?
- May I retake a course in which I received an incomplete (I)?
- What classes are included in this policy?
- Does taking a course a second time replace the grade from the first attempt?
- What happens if I am approved to retake course which I passed with a grade of P, S, or D or better on the first attempt?
- May I P/NC or withdraw from second or more course attempts?
- Where can I go if I am not doing well in my academic coursework?
- What is the likelihood of my request being approved?
- May I enroll in a class outside of Stony Brook?
- What is a controlled access (CA) course and how can I obtain approval to enroll?
- What is the priority order for students who are approved to take controlled access (CA) courses?
- What happens if I withdrew from the entire term before the add/drop period and wish to take one or more courses that are considered controlled access (CA)?
- What happens if I withdrew from the entire term after the add/drop period and wish to take one or more courses that are considered controlled access (CA)?
- Where can I go if I have additional questions about this policy?
updated 3/21/2012
What is the policy on registering for a second attempt of a course?
All undergraduate courses may currently be taken one time only, except those courses in the Undergraduate Bulletin designated as repeatable (i.e., internships). The second attempt of a course requires academic advisor approval as noted on the Undergraduate Course Retake Approval Form, available at www.stonybrook.edu/registrar - click on “Forms” on the right side of the page. The third or more attempt of a course requires students to submit this form AND a petition for approval.
What constitutes a second attempt of a course?
If you are seeking to re-enroll in a class in which you earned a grade on the academic transcript (including, for example, grades of A-F, S, U, W, P, NC) on the first attempt, it is considered a second attempt. Note: For details on specific course policies, refer to the individual course descriptions at www.stonybrook.edu/bulletin.
Why does Stony Brook have this policy?
This policy was implemented in spring 2010 in order to accomplish two goals. First, Stony Brook values the importance of students making good academic decisions. Our research has shown that students who repeat courses often do not perform any better on the second (or later) attempt, and as a result, we want to ensure students meet with academic advisors to map out a realistic academic plan. We hope that by requiring a meeting with an academic advisor, you will engage in a productive conversation to identify strengths, limitations, and strategies for improvement. Second, given ongoing budget concerns, Stony Brook needs to carefully manage its limited fiscal resources. By reducing second attempts of courses in the fall and spring terms, and by offering high demand courses first to new enrollees, we believe it is the fairest way to distribute a reduced number of available seats. Ultimately, our goal is for students to be successful in their first attempt of a course and remain on track for graduation.
May I register for a second attempt of any course I wish and how do I make the request?
You are permitted to register for a second attempt of any course in the summer and winter sessions, but are encouraged to speak with an academic advisor before doing so. General academic advisor approval is required for a second attempt in the fall or spring semesters. Please download and carefully complete the Undergraduate Course Retake Approval Form at www.stonybrook.edu/registrar (click on “Forms”). A petition is required for a third or more attempt in any semester (fall, winter, spring, summer). Permission to retake a course in which you earned a grade of C or better on the first attempt is rarely granted, unless a particular course grade higher than a C is required in your declared major/minor.
May I retake a course in which I received an incomplete (I)?
A grade of incomplete (I) means that you will receive a regular letter grade after completing some work. You should have made arrangements with the professor about how you will complete this work; if you have not, please do so right away. You may only seek permission to retake a course in which you received an incomplete after you have received a letter grade. If it will not be possible for you to make up the missing work, you should arrange with the professor to change the grade to the one you would earn without doing the work.
What classes are included in this policy?
Currently, all undergraduate classes are part of the policy, except those that are designated in the Undergraduate Bulletin (www.stonybrook.edu/ugbulletin) as repeatable. Students may request to enroll in a course for a second time by visiting their general academic advisor, but only after a grade for the current attempt is noted on the academic record; for example, a student currently enrolled in a class cannot seek to enroll in that class for a second time until the grade for the course is noted on the student’s record (A-F, W, P, NC, U).
Does taking a course a second time replace the grade from the first attempt?
No, the grade from a second or more attempt of a course does not replace the grade from the first attempt; rather, both the original and new grades appear on your academic transcript and both are averaged into the GPA.
What happens if I am approved to retake course which I passed with a grade of P, S, or D or better on the first attempt?
If you are approved to retake a class in which you earned a P, S, or D or better on the first attempt, you will NOT earn credits on second and subsequent attempts of the same class. So, for example, if you earned a D in MAT 123 on the first attempt, and then repeated the class and earned a B on the second attempt, your transcript would show both grades; however, you would earn only a total of 3 credits.
May I P/NC or withdraw from second or more course attempts?
You are NOT permitted to select the pass/no credit (P/NC) option for second or more course attempts, and you must sign the Undergraduate Course Retake Approval Form to verify your understanding of this rule. You are permitted to withdraw from a course you are enrolling in for the second (or more) times, but must maintain at least 12 credits if you are a full-time student. A grade of W will appear on the transcript for any course withdrawals that occur between day 11 and the course withdrawal deadline (week 9 of the term).
Where can I go if I am not doing well in my academic coursework?
Our goal is for you do to well in the first attempt of a class, working hard to earn a good grade. There are tutoring services, help rooms, and professor and teaching assistant office hours to provide you with extra support. For more details, visit www.stonybrook.edu/aadvising which lists all of the free tutoring services on campus.
What is the likelihood of my request being approved?
The aim of academic advisors is to guide you along a successful academic path. Since each student is unique, each student’s request will be evaluated on an individual basis. As a general guideline, permission for a second attempt of a course in which you earned a grade of C or better on the first attempt is rarely granted, unless a particular grade higher than a C is required of a course in your declared major/minor. In addition, you are more likely to have your request approved when the specific course is required for a major/minor, and in cases when you provide a reasonable plan for improvement and for making good academic progress.
May I enroll in a class outside of Stony Brook?
Yes. If you wish to take a class outside of Stony Brook University, consult with the Transfer Office, 134 Administration Building prior to enrollment to ensure that the course outside of Stony Brook will meet the general education or major/minor requirement. Note that courses taken outside of Stony Brook do not count toward the Stony Brook grade point average and that students may not take outside courses equivalent to WRT 101 and 102 without prior approval from the Director of the Writing Program.
What is a controlled access (CA) course and how can I obtain approval to enroll?
A CA course is a class that has typically reached 100% enrollment capacity in the past AND had a large number of students in the class for the second or more times. These CA courses are located at http://sb.cc.stonybrook.edu/bulletin/current/policiesandregulations/records_registration/multiple_registrations.php. Students seeking to retake a CA course in the fall or spring semesters must speak with their academic advisor and follow the same process as all other second attempts of courses. However, while second attempts of CA courses can be approved as soon as a grade from the current attempt is on the student’s record, the Registrar’s Office will not begin processing enrollment in CA courses until all students (including new students) have had the opportunity to register. Students who are enrolled into a CA course will receive a SOLAR message from the Registrar’s Office. Because course availability is limited, students should not expect there to be open seats in CA courses.
What is the priority order for students who are approved to take controlled access (CA) courses?
Once all first time takers have registered for the spring semester, students’ requests to enroll in CA courses will be processed. Students should see academic advisors during the winter break to have retake request forms reviewed, but no registration into CA courses will occur until all new and continuing students have registered. Priority will be given on the basis of major, cumulative GPA, credits earned, and number of credits needed to graduate.
What happens if I withdrew from the entire term before the add/drop period and wish to take one or more courses that are considered controlled access (CA)?
If you withdrew from any courses prior to the end of add/drop (that is, within the first 10 business days of the semester), they do not appear on your transcript. Therefore, they are not considered a first attempt, and you should be able to register for any of these same courses as long as there are open seats.
What happens if I withdrew from the entire term after the add/drop period and wish to take one or more courses that are considered controlled access (CA)?
If you withdrew from all classes between day 11 and the last day of the term, your record will show Ws for all classes in that term. If you wish to be considered for a second attempt of any courses, including CA courses, please visit your academic advisor to discuss your specific situation. Academic advisors will work with you to design the most appropriate schedule for your return to Stony Brook.
Where can I go if I have additional questions about this policy?
To see the list of academic advising offices that consider requests for second attempts of courses, please download the Undergraduate Course Retake Approval Form from the Registrar’ Office website at www.stonybrook.edu/registrar - click on “Forms” on the right side of the page.
