FAQ

FAQ PAGE CONTENTS

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How do I...?

How do I make an appointment with my Advisor?
As a student in the College of Arts, Media and Design, College of Science or College of Social Sciences and Humanities, you have multiple advisors. The nature of your question will determine which advisor you should see.

Students in the  General Studies Program have a separate set of advisors, for more information about the General Studies advisors, check out the GSP  website.
  • Who Do I see?
    • Registration questions should start with your Faculty Advisor (a.k.a. Major Advisor or Department Advisor).
    • Questions regarding major/department specific requirements and registration should be directed to your Faculty Advisor.
    • Questions regarding Co-op placement and division changes need to be directed to your Co-op Advisor.
    • Questions regarding core requirements, general academic planning, study abroad, outstanding transfer credit issues, registration, or leaves of absence should be directed to your Academic Advisor. (a.k.a. Dean’s Office Advisor)
  • Making appointments
    • Faculty Advisor - Call them or stop by their department office.
      Click here for a list of advisors
    • Co-op Advisor - Do this through your myNEU under the Co-op & Career Services tab.
    • Academic Advisor  -Online: 1.) Log into your myNEU
                                              2.) Click on the Self Service tab
                                              3.) Click on AppointmentCalendar
                                  -Phone: 617-373-3980
                                  -In person: Stop by One Meserve
    • For additional information about our online calendar system, please click here to access a brief tutorial.
                                
      • If you're on co-op and can't come during regular business hours, you still have the option to make a phone appointment with your Academic Advisor during our regular office hours of 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.  In your phone appointment you will have a dedicated half hour to discuss your needs with your Academic Advisor.
        Note: If possible, please make arrangements so that you can be at a computer view your degree audit or have a print out of your degree audit for your meeting.

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How do I calculate my GPA?

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How do I register for my courses?/I don't know what courses to select.

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How do I change my Major or declare a Second Major? 
(General Studies students look below.)
  • First download and print the  Program of Study Petition .
  • Fill out your information in Part 1 and indicate your new major in Part 2.
    • If you are declaring or changing your primary major, select the 2nd check box: "Change program to"
      • If there is a concentration associated with the new major, you can declare the concentration by selecting the 6th check box: "Pursue a concentration in"
    • If you are declaring a combined major, you will select the 2nd check box: "Change program to".  Note: Combined majors are not two different majors, but a special "Hybrid" major between two other existing programs.
    • If your current major is outside of your current college, select the 3rd check box: "Transfer to another college at NU, majoring in" and indicate your new major that is in the College.
    • If you are declaring a second major, choose the 4th check box: "Pursue a second major in"
  • Go to the department that offers the major you are declaring.  (The location and contact information is listed on the second page of the  Program of Study Petition .)  Meet with a Faculty Advisor, and when they approve you for the major,  have them sign on the second line in Part 3.
  • Return your Program of Study Petition to 1 Meserve Hall.  We will complete the processing of petition.
    • Once you have the signature from the Faculty Advisor, the major change is official.  This last step is only clerical, so the major can be added to your record.  You will know that this last process is complete when your MyPaws (DARS) Degree Audit defaults to the new major.
  • By this point you have already met with a faculty advisor in your new department, so most, if not all, of your scheduling related questions should have been answered.  But, you may want to meet your new  Academic Advisor in One Meserve as well.
    • To make an appointment with your new academic advisor, call our front desk at 617-373-3980 or talk to the front desk when you drop off your petition and ask to schedule an appointment to go over long range planning for your new major. Just keep in mind that you can only see the academic advisor for your new major  after you have submitted your completed petition.

General Studies Information

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How do I join a major provisionally?

If you are interested in declaring a major, but do not meet the entrance criteria for the major as it's listed in the Undergraduate Catalog, you may be eligible to join the college of that major for a provisinoal term so that you may work toward achieving the required entrance criteria. This process will likely require two appointments, so please plan accordingly.

  1. Review the entrance criteria for your intended major in the Undergraduate Catalog. 
    1. Go to: http://www.northeastern.edu/registrar/catsugd.html
    2. Click on the link for the current catalog
    3. Scroll down until you see the major you're interested in, and click on the name of the major.
    4. Review the information listed uner "Transferring to the major"
    5. If this section lists "Same as college requirements" then you must have at least a 2.000 GPA to declare that major.
    6. If you meet the stated requirements to transfer to the major, then follow the instructions above on declaring a major.
  2. Call 617-373-3980 to set up an appointment with the academic advisor who works with the major you want to declare.
  3. Attend your meeting with the academic advisor.  You will discuss quite a bit in that meeting as well as receive a Provisinal Major Contract.
  4. The academic advisor will let you know if you must also meet with the intended department to receive assistance in completing the Provisional Major Contract or receive assistance in registering for courses for the new major. 
  5. Return the completed Provisional Major Contract to the front desk in 1 Meserve Hall.

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How do I declare a Minor?
  • First download and print the  Program of Study Petition .
  • Fill out your information in Part 1 and indicate your new minor in Part 2, by selecting the 5th check box: "Pursue a minor in"
  • Go to the department that offers the minor you are declaring.  (The location and contact information is listed on the second page of the  Program of Study Petition .)  Meet with a Faculty Advisor, and when they approve you for the minor,  have them sign on the second line in Part 3.
  • Return your Program of Study Petition to 1 Meserve Hall.  We will complete the processing of petition. Once you have the signature from the Faculty Advisor, the minor declaration is official.  This last step is only clerical, so the minor can be added to your record. 
  • You can however, always track your progress in your minor by looking at a degree audit of the minor. See " What is the MyPaws/DARS Degree Audit ?"

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How do I change my Pattern of Attendance (POA)?
  • Pattern of Attendance changes almost always involve changes to when a student is going out on Co-op.  That is, POA changes are either setting a student's record to go out on a future Co-op or are setting a student's record so that they won't be going out on any further Co-op's.  Since roughly 95% of POA changes involve Co-op, please contact your Co-op advisor to initiate this change.   You can find your Co-op advisor here. You can also call our front desk at 617-373-3980 to speak with someone who can help you determine the right advisor to help you with your POA change. 

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How do I change my Grad Year?
  • Please contact your Academic Advisor in 1 Meserve to make changes to your graduation year.   Find your Academic advisor here. Please note: Your advisor cannot change your graduation year in your Junior or Senior year until you complete your  Graduation Clearance . Please call 617-373-3980 to set up an appointment or to learn about your Academic Advisor's Walk-In hours. You may also schedule your appointment online by 1.) logging into your myNEU, 2.) clicking on the Self Service tab and 3.) clicking on Appointment Calendar.

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Internships and Directed Studies
Internships most often receive credit in the form of a directed study.  In order to sign up for a directed study, you'll need to do the following:
  • Find a faculty member that you will work with to oversee your internship experience and coordinate with your internship supervisor. 
  • You'll need to work out the details of expected outcomes, communications and any deliverables that are due at the end of the internship.  This is quite often a reflection paper on the experience that is due to the faculty member, but each directed study is unique.
  • When all of these details are worked out, then the faculty member will assist you in filling out a directed study form, which is available in the registrar's office or on their website: http://www.northeastern.edu/registrar/form-ugd-dir-study-reg.pdf  
    This will need to be submitted to the Registrar's office in 120 Hayden.
  • Directed studies can be taken for between 1 and 4 credits, so depending on your academic needs, you can receive a varying amount of credits.

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How do I take a Personal Leave of Absence? 
To initiate a leave of absence, print out the Leave of Absence form and then get in touch with your  Academic Advisor in the Center for Academic Student Services. The process is quite simple, and can usually be handled by email or a phone call.

The following are some common things to keep in mind about taking a leave of absence.  For the complete policy, please refer to the "Academic Policies and Procedures" section of the Undergraduate Catalog: http://www.northeastern.edu/registrar/courses/welcome0910.html#univ 
  • Personal leaves must be requested before the start of a semester.
  • Personal leaves are only allowed for a maximum of 6 months.  If a student is on a leave for more than 6 months, the student will automatically be withdrawn from the University.
  • If you receive loans as part of your financial aid package and you take a personal leave, repayment grace periods often start while you are on the leave.  Please consult with your financial aid advisor if you receive financial aid and are considering taking a leave of absence.
  • If you are taking a leave of absence and were planning on living in the residence halls for the upcoming semester, you will need to contact Residence Life at 617.373.2814 to notify them of your intent.
  • If you have questions about your health insurance coverage while on a leave of absence, please contact the Registrar's office at 617.373.2307
  • It is common for students to ask to take classes at other institutions while on a leave of absence from Northeastern.  Please read the FAQ section on Northeastern's Transfer Credit policy for more information.

How do I take a Medical Leave of Absence?

  • Medical leave petitions must be initiated at University Health and Counseling Services. Medical leave is an option available to those Northeastern students who become seriously ill or injured during the semester. A student who develops a major medical condition that precludes class attendance, completion of requirements and/or co-op, and wishes a medical leave must first contact the University Health and Counseling Services Medical Leave Team.
  • Students who wish to reenter the University following a medical leave must contact the Medical Leave Team to initiate reentry no sooner than four or later than two weeks before the start of classes. The reentry process will be explained, the academic program notified, and a decision made within two weeks of receipt of all required documentation.
  • More specific procedures and information about the medical leave and reentry, along with the application for leave, can be found at http://www.northeastern.edu/uhcs/forms/index.html.

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How do I withdraw from a course?
If you need to withdraw from a course, it is possible.  You must keep in mind that there is a deadline for withdrawing from a course in every semester.  To find out about that deadline, reference the academic calendar for the current semester. http://www.northeastern.edu/registrar/calendars.html
  • If you're not sure if you should drop a class, it's a good idea to discuss it first with your  Academic Advisor.
  • To drop a course before the last day to drop a class without a W grade (check the academic calendar for this date) drop the course online.
    • Log into your myNEU, click on "Self Service" and click on the link for Registration
    • After choosing the correct semester and you are looking at the Add/Drop web page, look for the "Actions" column.
    • For the course you want to drop, click on the pull down menu and choose "Web Drop"
    • Click on "Submit Changes"
    • When the page refreshes, review the results to make sure that there were no errors and that the course was sucessfully dropped.
  • To drop a course with a W, drop the coure using a form.
    • Print out the "Course Drop Form" (which is under the "Forms for Undergraduate Day" area of the web page) from the Registrar's website. http://www.northeastern.edu/registrar/forms.html
    • Fill out the course information for the course you're withdrawing from.
    • Get it signed by an approved representative at the front counter in the Center for Student Academic Services in 1 Meserve or by your  Academic Advisor in 1 Meserve.
    • Submit the form to the Registrar's Office in 120 Hayden.
      • SUGGESTION: Make a copy for your records.  You can ask our office or the Registrar's Office  to make a copy for you.

General points to consider when withdrawing from a course. For the full policy, review the Undergraduate Day Catalog.  Look for "Dropping Courses" under the section titled "Registration and Taking Courses."

  • Not attending the course does not constitute withdrawal.
  • You must withdraw from the course prior to the posted deadline: http://www.neu.edu/registrar/calendars.html
  • There is no refund when you withdraw from a course.
  • If you sign up for the course again in a future term, you are billed for the future course as you would for any other course.
  • You will receive 0 Semester Hours ( SH) for the course.
    • This may mean that you will have to take an unplanned course in a future summer term or overload in a future term to stay on track to graduate.
  • A grade of "W" has no impact your GPA.
  • IMPORTANT:  If you withdraw from enough courses to fall below 12 SH in a Fall or Spring term (or below 6 SH in a summer term) you should contact the office listed for each area  PRIOR to withdrawing from a course

 

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How do I withdraw from the University?
It is necessary for students who need to take a leave of absence from Northeastern University that will extend beyond 6 months or are planning to transfer to another institution to formally withdraw from the University.  This action is not destructive to your record in any way.  It is simply a formal request to place your academic record in an inactive status.
  • First, print and fill out the University Withdrawal form from the Registrar's Office website: 
    http://www.northeastern.edu/registrar/form-univ-withdraw.pdf  
  • Contact the Center for Student Academic Services in 1 Meserve to sign your withdrawal form.  Either stop into One Meserve Hall or fax it to us at 617-373-7768.  If you fax it, please give us a follow up call at 617-373-3980 to verify that we received it.
  • Walk the form over to the Registrar's Office in 120 Hayden Hall for submission.  If you faxed it to us, we will forward it along to the Registrar's office on your behalf.
  • Contact the Student Financial Services/Financial Aid Office at 617-373-3190 to inform them of your departure so they can make the appropriate notations on your record as well as discuss how the withdrawal will affect your loans and other aspects of your financial aid package.
  • If you made arrangements to stay in the residence halls in an upcoming semester, you will also need to contact them to cancel your housing commitments by calling 617-373-4016

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What/Where is...?

What is the myPAWS/DARS Degree Audit?
The myPAWS (or DARS) Degree Audit is a very useful tool to help you determine your progress in your major.  You can find your audit when you log into your  myNEU and click on the “Self-Service” tab. Here are some main points to the audit.
  • Unless you want to run an audit for a minor or a different major, you will not need to alter any of the default settings, just click on “Submit.” 
  • If you want to run an audit for a major other than your primary major or for a minor, click on the "Explore Options" button and then choose the desired major or minor from the list on the resulting page.  
    Important! - Unless you have reason to do so and have consulted with an advisor, do not change the catalog year from its default setting.   
  • Each Major and Core requirement is split into its own section. If there is an “OK” next to a section, you have completed all of those requirements. If there is a “No” next to a section, there are still requirements that you need to complete. 
  • If you have requirements still to complete, you will be presented with a list of potential courses that you could take to fulfill that requirement.  If you click on a Course Number, you will see the course description for the course.
  • Please refer to the  Registration Tip Sheet  for more information on registration. 

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Where do I go to take a foreign language placement exam?

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What is Graduation Clearance, and how do I complete it?
  • Graduation Clearance is a process that must be completed by every student that is in their Junior or Senior year.
  • We prefer students to complete their Graduation Clearance between two and three academic semesters prior to your expected graduation.
  • If you fail to complete your Graduation Clearance, you will not be allowed to graduate and will not receive your degree.
  • Fortunately, it's easy to complete!  Call 617-373-3980 to set up an appointment with your Academic Advisor. You may also schedule your appointment online by 1.) logging into your myNEU, 2.) clicking on the Self Service tab and 3.) clicking on Appointment Calendar.
    Please Note: Senior clearance MUST be done in person.  Your advisor will not complete it over the phone or over email.  Please plan ahead!

Why is it important

  • First and foremost, it lets our office know when you anticipate graduating.  Then you're on our radar, and we'll keep trackof your progress towards your degree completion.  We'll notifiy all the appropriate offices when you've completed all requirements and are cleared to graduate and receive your diploma.
  • In your meeting, your advisor will map out each and every detail you need to successfully complete so you can successfully graduate
  • We'll let you know if there's anything else that you need to do and expect so you don't experience any unpleasant surprises as graduation approaches.

Additional Information

  • If you're not sure that you have completed your senior clearance, please call 617-373-3980 and we can double check for you.
  • If you're on Co-op this semester and cannot make an appointment during normal business hours, you can defer your appointment until you're on campus next.  Just be sure to discuss registration for your upcoming semester with your advisors to make sure that you're taking appropriate courses.  To see a list of all faculty adn academic advisors, go to: http://www.neu.edu/csas.

 

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What is Academic Probation and how does it affect me?
Academic Probation is for when a student is not performing academically to the standards set by Northeastern University.  For further details, read our page on  Academic Probation.

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Other Practical Matters

I don't check my MyNeu email, what should I do?
  • Forward it!
    • 1)Log into your myNEU, and then click on the email button at the top.
    • 2) Click on the "Settings" tab
    • 3) Click on "Forwarding and POP/IMAP"
    • 4) Enter the email address that you want your @husky.neu.edu email to be forwarded to
    • 5) Click "OK"
  • Now you're all set to never miss an important announcement from your professor, advisor, or any other NEU faculty or staff member.
  • This is very, VERY important! 
    Your @husky.neu.edu email address is considered an official form of communication.  If you don't check your @husky.neu.edu email and don't have it forwarded, "I didn't know because I didn't check my MyNeu email" isn’t an excuse and won't undo missed deadlines. 

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I need to petition the Academic Standing Committee, what do I do?
  • The first thing you should do is talk to your Academic Advisor about the details pertaining to your petition.
  • Write your petition letter.  There is no form to fill out.  This is a letter.
    • Address it to: Academic Standing Committee
    • Your explanation of your current situation comes first.
    • Your explanation what you are petitioning for comes next.
    • Your explanation of your justification and reasoning for why your petition should be approved comes last.
  • Give your petition a lot of thought and make sure it's well written.  It's obvious when a student has neglected to take their petition seriously, and it will negatively affect the decision made by the committee.
  • Submit it to your Academic Advisor in 1 Meserve.  You can hand deliver it or send it via email.  Your advisor will serve as a liaison with the committee and will contact you when a decision has been made.

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Policy Issues

Academic Progression Standards
  • The text of the progression standards are in the Undergraduate Catalog.  http://www.northeastern.edu/registrar/catsugd.html
  • The basic points are:
    • Students must keep their overall GPA above a 2.000 at all times
    • Students must successfully complete 12 Semester Hours in the fall or spring semesters when registered.  For a class to qualify as "successful" the student must receive a a non-failing letter grade.  Grades of I, IP, *, X, F, U, or W do not count as having completed the course successfully.
  • If a student fails to meet either or both of these criteria for three consecutive semesters, they will be dismissed from the University.
    • Appealing the dismissal may be possible for dismissed students, and that information is available through your academic advisor  after  a student has been dismissed.
    • It is our policy that for students who have been academically dismissed from the University, they are not allowed to petition to return to classes for the semester immediately following the dismissal.  Students must take at least 1 semester off before returning to classes at Northeastern.  This helps to ensure that students are well prepared for their studies and in a situation best aimed at future academic success.

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Repeating a course

Courses may be repeated in order to earn a better grade. In all cases the most recent grade earned in a course is the one used in calculating the overall grade-point average; however, previous grades remain on the transcript followed by the word “Repeat.” Consult your academic advisor before repeating a course. Students are required to pay normal tuition charges for all repeated course work.

  • Points to keep in mind:
    • Tuition will be charged as normal.
    • The most recent grade will always be factored into your GPA.
      WARNING: If you repeat a course and receive a lower grade the second time, it's the second grade that will count, and lower your GPA.
    • You cannot receive credit for the same course twice (some special topics courses are a unique exception), so if you recieved a grade of D- or better the first time, when you repeat the course you will lose the original credits.  You will only receive credit for the most recent completion of the course.

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Transfer Credit Guidelines
Once students matriculate at Northeastern, they are expected to complete all of their course work at Northeastern.  There are a few standard exceptions to this policy, and they are as follows: 
  • If you have a deficiency from a prior semester, you may make up that deficiency at another institution.  A deficiency is most commonly defined as having received a failing grade (U or F). 
  • If a program or course at another institution presents an opportunity to expose you to course material or other opportunities that relate to your declared program (major), but are not available to you at Northeastern, you may petition to transfer those credits back to Northeastern.
  • Other situations may be permissible, so check in with your  Academic Advisor  if you think you may have a unique situation.
  • In order for a student to be allowed to transfer credit from another institution after the student matriculates, the student must file a petition with their Academic Advisor, which will be reviewed by the Office of the Provost.  Click here to download the  Petition for Exception to Transfer Credit Policy
  • If permission is granted, students must follow the following guidelines for the transfer credit to be allowed:
    • Transfer credits must be granted from an accredited institution
    • Students must earn a C or higher in an academic credit course for it to be transferable
    • You will earn only the number of credits as the other institution attributes to the course
    • A maximum of 80 credits from a four year institution and 60 credits from a two year (combined total of 80) may be accepted toward a Northeastern degree
    • Remedial/Developmental/ESL/Physical Education/Non academic credit courses are not transferable
    • Students have up to one semester after matriculation to finalize transfer credit
    • You can browse the Transfer Credit Database to see what other courses have already been successfully transferred from a given institution:  http://tinyurl.com/nutceval

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Transfer Credit Procedure
  • Before you may register for any courses at another institution, you must have an approved petition on file with your Academic Advisor.  Refer to the guidelines immediately above.
  • After you have completed your course, you must submit an official transcript to your Academic Advisor as soon as possible after completion of the course at the outside institution.
    Preferably, have your transcript mailed to you, and then hand deliver it to 1 Meserve Hall in its original sealed envelope. Opened transcripts cannot be accepted as valid for transfer credit.
    • If necessary, you may also have it sent to your Academic Advisor directly, but this should only be in the event that you absolutely cannot hand deliver your transcript.

      Northeastern University
      ATTN: ACADEMIC ADVISOR NAME, 1 ME
      360 Huntington Ave
      Boston, MA  02115-5000

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Taking a course Pass/Fail 
During your undergraduate studies, it may be necessary for you to consider taking a course on a pass/fail basis.  While this can be beneficial depending on your circumstance, there are some policies that you need to be aware of.  The entire text about Pass/Fail courses is in the
Undergraduate Catalog  in the following section for any year: 
The University > Academic Policies and Procedures > Grading System
  • Policy Points
    • Students may only elect to take only ONE course per semester as Pass/Fail.  If one course is only offered as Pass/Fail (very rare), then the student may still elect for another course to be taken as Pass/Fail.
    • Students on Academic Probation, may not take a course Pass/Fail.
    • Pass/Fail courses CANNOT count for core requirements or major requirements.  Any course taken as Pass/Fail will become a general elective and count only as Earned Hours toward graduation.
    • If a student elects to take a course as Pass/Fail, they are ineligible for the Dean's List for that semester.
  • Benefits
    • Pass/Fail grades are not calculated into a student's GPA.
  • Procedure
    • Print and fill out the Petition to Elect Pass/Fail Grade from the  Registrar's Forms page
    • Meet with your  advisor in the Center for Student Academic Services in One Meserve, to make sure it's an appropriate option for you and have them sign your petition. Call our main phone number at 617.373.3980 to set up an appointment. You may also schedule your appointment online by 1.) logging into your myNEU, 2.) clicking on the Self Service tab and 3.) clicking on Appointment Calendar.
    • Discuss the Pass/Fail request with your instructor within the first two weeks of the term. If they approve your request, have them sign your petition as well.
    • Return the Petition to Elect Pass/Fail Grade to the Registrar's Office in 120 Hayden.

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Registering for an Overload
On occasion a student may need (or elect) to register for an extra course in a semester.  This is called an Overload.  While possible, there are some important things to be aware of regarding extra tuition charges.  If you need to request an overload, please discuss this with your Academic Advisor.

  • What is a standard course load, covered by full-time tuition, for CAMD, CSSH, and COS?
    • Fall/Spring Semesters: 4 regular courses (normally 4 SH each, but some majors have 5 or 6 SH courses in their curriculum) + Mandatory Co-requisite courses + Freebie courses
    • Summer Semesters: 2 regular courses (normally 4 SH each, but some majors have 5 or 6 SH courses in their curriculm) + Mandatory Co-requisite courses + Freebie courses (if offered)
  • Mandatory Co-requisite Courses
    • 0 SH or 1 SH labs for science courses
    • Recitations
    • 0 SH or 1 SH Tools courses (for Art + Design courses)
    • Basically any course that is mandated to be taken along with a regular course
  • Freebie Courses
    • Intro to College (sometimes called "XXXX at NU" where XXXX is a department name)
    • Intro to Coop (Names vary by major)
    • 1 SH music ensembles (for a full list, click HERE) (Music lessons are not a freebie)
  • Things to keep in mind:
    • Overload tuition is assessed for the full credit value of the overload course. 
    • Full-time tuition does not cover up to 19 credits.  It covers a standard course load.  See above for desctiption. 
      • You may see that the registration system allows you to register for up to 19 credits on your own.  That is to allow students to register for the necessary labs, other co-requisites and freebie courses without assistance from an academic advisor.
    • When you are registering for coruses for a term, there are two values on the Add/Drop screen.  One is "Total Credit Hours" and the other is "Billing Hours."  If Billing Hours goes above 16 for Fall/Spring, or above 8 for a summer term, you're going to be charged for an overload.
    • If you're registering for something other than what is outlined in the "Mandatory Co-requisite Courses" or the "Freebie Courses," please contact Student Accounts to see if you will be charged overload tuition, and how much that charge will be.
      http://www.northeastern.edu/financialaid/studentaccounts

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Do you have a question that's not covered here?