Northeastern State University

Semester Load

Full-time Student: To be considered full time, an undergraduate student must be enrolled in at least six hours in a summer session and at least twelve hours in a fall or spring semester. Zero “0” level courses which are taken to complete a skill or curricular deficiency are counted when considering full-time status of the student for financial aid and athletic eligibility purposes. For limitations on graduate student enrollment, see the Graduate Catalog.

Normal Load: The average or normal semester enrollment is considered to be fourteen to nineteen semester hours of work. When this amount of credit is regularly earned, it will lead to the completion of all degree requirements in eight semesters or four school years. For graduate load, see the Graduate Catalog.

Above-Average Load: A student who has demonstrated superior scholastic ability (GPA of 3.0 or above) may increase the load above the normal amount. The semester hour load is determined in conference by the adviser and the student and is based upon the past performance of the student. Students with a 3.00 GPA may enroll in more than 19 hours during a Spring or Fall semester and more than nine hours during the Summer term. In no case shall the maximum load exceed one and one-half times the number of weeks in a given semester or summer term. See Section VIII of the catalog for graduate load. (Oklahoma State Regents regulation, January 31, 1977) This is a combined number of hours from NSU, including correspondence and arranged classes, and any other college or university that the student attends during the semester.

Classification

Undergraduate class standing at the beginning of a semester is determined as follows: less than thirty semester hours, freshman; thirty through fifty-nine semester hours, sophomore; sixty through eighty-nine semester hours, junior; ninety hours or more, senior. A student not seeking to complete any degree program or certificate program is classified as a Special student. A student who has an earned degree and is working to complete a second undergraduate degree or a second major is classified as a Post Graduate student.