2025-2026 Academic Catalog

Registration and Withdrawal Information

Registration for the academic year* is held both online and in person for all undergraduate students currently in attendance. New freshmen students register through Jump Start, while new transfer students register online with assistance from the Academic Advising office. All students will be assigned an Academic advisor and a program advisor. It is strongly recommended that the student meet with his/her advisor before registering for courses to plan for appropriate coursework to be taken. It is important to make frequent contacts with the advisor, who will assist the student in an orderly progression from enrollment to graduation. The ultimate responsibility for compliance with academic requirements for graduation, selection of courses, prerequisites and class registration rests with the student. Undergraduate students choosing not to register for subsequent semesters must adjust their status accordingly. They may either withdraw from the University altogether or move to Leave of absence status. Please consult the Academic Status section of this catalog for more details. By registering, the student accepts the responsibility to subscribe to all University policies, financial and otherwise. Fulfillment of registration requirements is the individual student’s responsibility and must be completed in accordance with procedures established by the Office of the Registrar. 

Payment or arrangement for payment must be made with the University’s Students Business Services Office by the published deadlines for payment. Failure to meet published payment deadlines will result in the cancellation of the student’s course registration for that term.

Academic Year Definition*

Concordia University Chicago’s Academic Year consists of three 16-week semesters (Summer, Fall, and Spring with Summer acting as a header to the Academic Year). The undergraduate Academic Year is 24 credit hours and 32 weeks long. Summer semester courses typically run from early May through late August, fall semester courses typically run from late August through mid-December, and Spring semester courses typically run from mid-January through early May. 

Registration

Once the term has started, courses can only be added to or dropped from a student schedule during the first five days of the term per the academic calendar. No student may enroll in a class after the first five days of the term unless there are extenuating circumstances that are approved by the course instructor, division chair, college dean, academic advisor, the Office of Student Business Services, and the Office of the Registrar. The course add/drop may be completed online via Banner Self Service or a form must be submitted to the Office of Academic Advising.  All registration documentation must be accompanied by a student's official signature or must be done electronically via the student portal. Non-registered students may not participate in a course.  All other registration rules and restrictions apply with regard to holds, maximum hours and approval from the Office of Student Business Services. Student may contact their academic advisor with any questions. 

Prerequisites

A prerequisite is a requirement that students must successfully complete prior to taking a course. Please note that not every course has a prerequisite – prerequisite information is found in the catalog course description. With student success being the focus at CUC, if a student has not yet completed the prerequisite, they will be required to meet the minimum prerequisite at the time of registration based on the current catalog. Students who completed the prerequisite requirement prior to the standardization will not have to retake the prerequisite if they previously earned a lower eligible grade or score than currently required. If a student fails to meet the prerequisite of a course, the course will be Administratively Dropped.

Co-Requisites

Co-Requisites are courses or other requirements that must be taken at the same time.   

Course Drop and Withdrawal Policy

Dropping a Course

If a student no longer wishes to attend a course and it is prior to the withdrawal deadline, that student must officially drop the course to avoid receiving a failing grade. Dropped courses are not included on the student transcript. If you wish to drop a course, you must do so by the drop deadline that is published in the Academic Calendar. Courses can be dropped in CUConnect through the first week of classes.

Withdrawing a Course

Dropping a class after the drop/add period has ended is considered a Withdrawal. You may withdraw from a course after the add/drop period has ended with no grade penalty, however, you will not be eligible for a tuition refund and must pay any outstanding balances owed to the college. You will receive a "W" grade for the course when you withdraw. If you wish to withdraw from a course, you must do so by the withdraw deadline that is published in the Academic Calendar. Withdrawals are counted as an attempt for a course. Students who remain enrolled in courses after the withdrawal deadline has ended will be assigned a final grade in the course from the faculty.

The following procedures will be used in the event of the dropping or withdrawing from a class:

For degree-seeking students:

Traditional Undergraduate

  • 16-Week Courses

    • Drop during the first week: A student may drop from a course online via Banner Self Service or by submitting an Add/Drop form to the Academic Advising Office. Such courses will not be recorded on a student’s transcript.
    • Drop from second week to census date (second Friday of the semester): A student may drop from a course during this time. Such courses will not be recorded on a student’s transcript.
    • Withdrawal from census date through the 10th week: A student may withdraw from a course during this time. Students must submit an Add/Drop form to the Academic Advising Office. A grade of W will be recorded on the student’s transcript.
    • After the 10th week: Students will not be allowed to withdraw courses after this point. After the 10th week, the instructor will issue all registered students a grade. A grade of W will be granted only for extraordinary circumstances approved by the office of the Dean of Students.

  • 8-Week Courses

    • Drop during the first week: A student may drop from a course online via Banner Self Service or by submitting an Add/Drop form to the Academic Advising Office. Such courses will not be recorded on a student’s transcript.
    • Drop during the second week: A student may drop from a course during this time. Such courses will not be recorded on a student’s transcript.
    • Withdrawal from the third through the fifth week: A student may withdraw from a course during this time. Students must submit an Add/Drop form to the Academic Advising Office. A grade of W will be recorded on the student’s transcript.
    • After the fifth week: Students will not be allowed to withdraw courses after this point. After the 10th week, the instructor will issue all registered students a grade. A grade of W will be granted only for extraordinary circumstances approved by the office of the Dean of Students.

Unauthorized withdrawals: Failure to attend class does not constitute withdrawal. In such cases, the instructor will assign a grade.

Administrative Drop 

Students who fail to meet the course prerequisite will be administratively dropped from the course (please note this includes temporary grades such as I, NG and NR). Additionally, students* who have not participated in their course within the first fourteen days of the term and cannot be reached by their academic advisor or do not respond to their academic advisor regarding non-participation will be administratively dropped from the course. Course participation is measured by the following:   

  • physical presence in the classroom for face-to-face courses   
  • presence in the virtual classroom for online synchronous and hyflex courses   
  • submission of a discussion post, assignment, and/or exam in hybrid and online asynchronous courses.    

Students who are administratively dropped will not be charged tuition or course fees for the course nor will the course appear on their transcript. Students who are administratively dropped will not be readmitted into that course for the remainder of the term. Students who have had their degree/credential conferred are not eligible for an administrative drop. Questions regarding the implications of an administrative drop on financial aid can be directed to the Office of Financial Aid at Financial.Aid@CUChicago.edu or at 708-209-3113.  

*International students not utilizing US federal funds (e.g. Title IV) and attending face-to-face courses physically located and delivered outside of the United States of America, US Territories, and/or Minor Outlying Islands are exempt from the non-participation part of the administrative drop policy. 

Administrative Withdrawal

Students who initially participate in the course and then do not officially withdraw from the course by submitting an add/drop form to their academic advisor/graduate program specialist will be considered unofficially withdrawn. When students earn a grade of F (Failure) or W (Withdrawal) the professor will submit the last date of participation based on CUC’s attendance policy. Students will be considered to have earned all of their federal financial aid after the completion of sixty percent of the payment period. Questions regarding the implications on financial aid can be directed to the Office of Financial Aid at Financial.Aid@CUChicago.edu or at 708-209-3113. 

Refunds

For refund information, see the Student Fees section of this catalog or look for exact dates to be posted on CUC’s website, CUChicago.edu, or posted in the Student Business Services Office.

For non-degree seeking students:

All regulations on a grade of W will be the same as stated above for degree-seeking students with one exception: non-degree seeking students are to report directly to the Office of the Registrar, not to Academic Advising. Time restrictions are reduced proportionately for summer sessions.

Course Audits

Registration for course audits should occur at or before final registration deadline. Students may change from credit to audit or audit to credit up to and including the 20th day of classes in a 16-week term and the 10th day of classes in an 8-week term by submitting an add/drop form to the Office of the Registrar. A grade of audit (AU) will be assigned at the completion of the course. Students should be aware that audited courses are not eligible for financial aid. 

Auditors are welcome in many classes at Concordia-Chicago, except the MUSA courses. However the exact terms of participation in class activities will be determined upon agreement with the instructor of the course. Depending on the discipline and the type of the course (e.g., lecture; seminar; studio courses in art, music or theater; physical education courses; lab; independent/directed study; service learning, etc.), participation may be limited at the discretion of the instructor. Likewise, students cannot expect to be given a grade and feedback on assignments (e.g., papers, tests, homework, labs, etc.) or to receive individual assistance from the instructor outside of class. Exams and papers assigned to students taking the course for credit do not apply to audit students; all other expectations are the same. A grade of audit (AU) will be assigned at the completion of the course. Graduate students are not allowed to take regular undergraduate courses as audit, with the exception of music courses.

Directed Study

A Directed Study Course is a means by which students may take established Concordia-Chicago courses that they are unable to take in a traditional format or at a time/semester the course is being offered. The use of a Directed Study can be considered as an option for students if they find that a course required for completion of their academic program has not been included in the course offering schedule for a particular semester or is offered at a time that conflicts with another course required in the student’s program. Please consult with your academic advisor and division chair for more information and the appropriate paperwork needed.  

Independent Study

Independent Study courses are designed to provide students with an opportunity to pursue a specific academic interest beyond the division’s curriculum offerings. Independent Study is available for full-time, CUC degree-seeking students only. Courses in the curriculum may not be taken by Independent Study, nor can an Independent Study course duplicate the content of an established course in the academic catalog. Grading procedures and policies concerning incompletes also apply to Independent Study courses. Independent Study may not be taken on a Pass/Fail basis.  

Interested undergraduate, full-time, CUC degree-seeking students are subject to the following limitations: 

  •      Junior or Senior class standing. 
  •      One Independent Study course per term.  
  •       A maximum of two Independent Study courses.  
  •       Cumulative GPA of at least 2.00.  
  •        A 2.75 GPA in the pursued program.   

The Independent Study Application form is available in CUConnect or with your academic advisor. Completed forms with all required documentation, approvals, and signatures must be received by the add deadline in the academic calendar in order for the Office of the Registrar to process the request. Any incomplete forms will not be accepted or processed. The Independent Study Proposal must include the following:  

  •        Semester.  
  •        Course prefix and number.  
  •        Course title.  
  •        Credit hours.  
  •        Prerequisite information.  
  •        Textbooks.  
  •        Rationale.  
  •        Student learning outcomes.  
  •        Descriptions of assignments, exams, etc.  
  •        Grading scale.  
  •        Weekly outline/schedule.              

Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses

Undergraduate students who have reached senior status (a minimum of 90 earned semester hours) may be eligible to take a maximum of two 6000-level graduate courses and apply the credit to their undergraduate program requirements at Concordia-Chicago provided they:  

  • Have a major or minor in the discipline or substantive area of the course being requested.  
  • Have a 3.0 grade-point average in the major or minor in the discipline or substantive area of the course being requested.  
  • Have a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average.   
  • Submit a “Request to Enroll: 6000-Level Courses” form and obtain the required signatures from the student, division chair, college dean, and Office of the Registrar. 

Undergraduate students may not comprise more than 25 percent of enrollment in any 6000-level graduate course at Concordia-Chicago. If a student’s registration would exceed this limit, the request will be denied.  

Undergraduate students may not take a 6000-level course as Pass/Fail grade toward their undergraduate program at Concordia-Chicago.  

Students wishing to apply the graduate-level course(s) to a graduate program at Concordia-Chicago must apply for graduate admission at Concordia-Chicago and receive confirmation from the Program Leader that the course(s) will fulfill graduate program requirements at Concordia-Chicago.