| Office: | 315 Otto Candies Building |
| Phone: | 985-448-4153 |
| Director: | Kelly Rodrigue |
GENERAL INFORMATION
University Contact with Students through Electronic Mail
Electronic mail (e-mail) is an official method of contact between the university and students. This e-mail contact applies to all forms of communication including but not limited to matters concerning admissions, registration, financial aid, and academic affairs. Students are given e-mail addresses after their initial application. Students should check e-mail at least once a week. The university provides computer access for all students by way of open computer labs. For information concerning the use of e-mail and the availability of computers, check the Academic Computing website at https://www.nicholls.edu/academic_computing/ for more information.
ACADEMIC RECORDS AND TRANSCRIPTS
Records
All records submitted become the property of the university and cannot be returned to the student.
Change of Name or Address
A change of name form must be submitted with a copy of an official document to substantiate a name change. (This change can only become effective the following semester or summer session.) Forms can be obtained in the Office of Records and Registration.
Students are expected to list their current home (physical/primary) address and, if living on or near the campus, their college (mailing) address. When an address change occurs, the Office of Records and Registration must be notified immediately. Communications will be mailed to students at their addresses currently on file.
Transcript of Academic Record
Students may obtain a certified statement of their academic record from the Office of Records and Registration upon written request. Transcript Request Forms are available in the Office of Records and Registration, as well as on the Internet at www.nicholls.edu/records/. There is no charge for transcripts.
Every effort is made to issue transcripts within two to three working days after requests are received. End-of-semester transcripts are mailed as soon as final grades are posted. Transcripts for graduation candidates are usually mailed beginning the first working day after Commencement day. A student is considered to be in good standing and is eligible to continue studies at Nicholls or transfer elsewhere, unless a statement otherwise is noted on the transcript.
Transcripts cannot be released if the student either is indebted to the university or has not yet submitted official transcripts from institutions previously attended.
Transcript of Co-curricular Activities
If the student has submitted to the Office of Student Affairs a record of his or her co-curricular activities at Nicholls, upon request to the Office of Records and Registration, the student may receive a copy of the co-curricular transcript. There is no charge for the transcript.
Falsification of Academic Information or Records
A student who is charged with falsifying academic information, forging, or altering official academic documents, or withholding information relating to his or her admission, transfer credits, academic status, records, etc., shall be notified to report to the Office of Student Life where the student will be informed of these charges. The student will be formally notified of legal rights, and shall have the option of a hearing before the Disciplinary Committee, or the student may choose to waive the right to a hearing and sign his or her consent of cancellation of registration, denial of credit, or other appropriate action.
REGISTRATION, SCHEDULE CHANGES, RESIGNATION
Registration
Students are offered a variety of means to register for classes:
- Departmental registration
- Internet registration
Available dates and times of the various means of registration are advertised in each semester’s Schedule of Classes.
Early registration is held during the preceding semester (check the Academic Calendar for the dates). Degree-seeking students are given an appointment day and time based on their classification. Students may also add/drop at this time.
Regular registration is held following early registration. There is no appointment day and time and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Students who have not registered during early registration are encouraged to do so at this time. Students who have already registered may also add or drop courses during this period. Regular registration ends at 4:15 on the last business day before classes begin.
Late registration begins at the close of regular registration. A late registration charge of $100 will be assessed for students registering during the late registration period. Guidelines for dropping or adding courses after regular registration has ended are specified in the section “Schedule Changes” in this catalog.
STUDENTS WILL BE INDEBTED TO THE UNIVERSITY IMMEDIATELY UPON REGISTRATION UNLESS STUDENTS “UNREGISTER” BEFORE 15 MINUTES PRIOR TO CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON THE LAST BUSINESS DAY BEFORE CLASSES BEGIN. Refunds for resignations or dropping of courses after this time and date are listed in the section “Tuition, Fees and Expenses” in this catalog and in the Schedule of Classes.
Prior to any scheduled registration period, the student should meet with an assigned faculty advisor or major professor to complete a Registration Schedule Form (RSF). This form allows each student and advisor to identify those courses (course name, course number, section number, course computer number, credit hours, etc.) the student wishes to or must take. It also allows the student and faculty advisor to identify alternate section numbers of courses should the student’s first-choice section be closed or cancelled; and alternate course selections that fit the student’s degree plan should the student’s first-choice course selections not be available at the time the student registers.
University policy requires the student to obtain permission from his or her dean should the student wish to take a course overload. A copy of the RSF will be kept by the advisor and another will be given to the student for registration.
It is the responsibility of each student to be aware of the requirements of the curriculum in which he or she is enrolled and to register for course work applicable toward the degree concerned. Transfer students should secure personal copies of their official transcripts to present for advisement before and/or during registration; this will avoid unnecessary repetition of courses which may have been completed at another institution and will allow advising to be done more efficiently and effectively.
Complete information about registration policies and procedures can be found in the University Schedule of Classes published prior to the fall and spring semesters and the summer session.
Dropping/Adding Courses
Schedule Changes
A student should consult with an assigned faculty advisor before adding or dropping a course or changing sections. This is to ensure that the student chooses those courses which will apply toward the student’s degree. Courses may be added or dropped at any time during early and regular registration. After regular registration ends, the following rules apply:
Courses may be added through the fifth class day with permission of the instructor and student’s dean. Students may increase indebtedness (tuition and/or fees) for addition of courses.
There shall be no refund for dropping a class after regular registration ends.
A course dropped prior to census date will not be recorded on the student’s transcript. A student may drop a course with a grade of W after the census date. (See the Academic Calendar for census day date for each semester or session.)
When a student’s official record in the Office of Records and Registration indicates that he or she is registered in only one course in which a final grade will be earned, and the student wants to drop that course, a resignation form must be processed to clear the records.
A student may change the section of a course in the same manner as that used for adding and dropping courses. There shall be no refund of course related fees for changing a section after regular registration ends. However, a change in section may increase indebtedness.
A $50 processing charge may be assessed beginning with the first day of classes for each add, drop and/or change of section when the transaction is for the convenience of the student.
Ineligibility for Registration
Students who have not met an admission, immunization, housing, or payment requirement are ineligible to register (ITR) until the requirement(s) has been met.
Resignations
A currently registered student can withdraw from the University with a partial refund only up until the census date. Undergraduate students who wish to resign must complete an official form available in University College (234 Elkins Hall). Graduate students who wish to resign must complete an official form available in the office of their program of study. Grades of W are posted for resignations occurring after the census date. Non-attendance or non-payment WILL NOT constitute a resignation. Students who stop attending classes and fail to resign from the University will receive a grade of “F” in all classes and will continue to be indebted to the University. Students will not be allowed to register for any other classes until this indebtedness is resolved.
A student may request approval of resignation (from all courses) after the last day to drop or resign as designated in the academic calendar only by submitting the official form as referenced above and a written explanation of the reason for the request to the academic dean. A resignation after the deadline may be approved only in the following exceptional circumstances:
Death of a student or immediate family member (parent, spouse, child, sibling). Death certificate required.
Involuntary call to military service. Copy of orders required.
Illness or accident of student of such severity or duration to preclude completion of courses. Confirmation by a physician required.
In addition, students receiving Title IV financial aid must submit a form signed by instructors verifying class attendance, however slight, during the semester or session in question.
A student who leaves the University without properly completing a resignation form will receive grades of “F” or “U” in all courses. A student who voluntarily withdraws from the University during a regular semester or summer session is considered a continuing student for purposes of registration for the next semester or session. A student on probation cannot remove his or her probationary status without completing the semester.
ACADEMIC CREDIT AND ADVANCED PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Credit by Petition
An undergraduate student with an exceptionally high score on the ACT (American College Test) examination or who has prior knowledge of a subject may be placed in advanced level course work in certain academic disciplines. Credit will not be granted for academic sequence course work taken previously and for which grades have been earned. Credit by petition is applicable to courses taken at Nicholls only, not to transfer courses. Students are allowed advanced placement credit only in courses numbered below 200. If the advanced level course work is completed with a grade of C or better the first time taken, the student may receive credit for the lower level course work by submitting a completed Credit by Petition form to the Office of Records and Registration. A student who earns less than a C in the advanced course work forfeits eligibility to petition for credit for the lower-level course work. Credit will be allowed only on academic sequence course work approved by the appropriate department head. Credit received by petition may be applied toward graduation but will not be considered in computing the overall grade point average. The petition form can be obtained from the office of the student’s academic dean.
Correspondence, Independent Study, Extension Work
Credit toward a degree may be awarded for independent study and for correspondence and extension courses completed through regionally accredited colleges or universities. A maximum of fifty percent of Nicholls degree requirements may be earned through correspondence, extension, military service, military service schools, College Level Examinations Program (CLEP), or any accumulation from all categories of testing, placements, and similar programs. Since the university policy on granting credit for CLEP scores excludes certain academic areas, the student should request further information on the policy regarding CLEP from the Office of Records and Registration or the Testing Center. Credit will be granted for scores of 3 or higher on the Advanced Placement Program of the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB). Official transcript of AP and CLEP test results should be sent directly to the Office of Records and Registration by the testing agencies.
To take a correspondence course, a student must first get permission from his or her academic dean on the appropriate form. Correspondence examinations are administered by the Testing Center for a fee of $20 per examination. The Request for Correspondence Work form is available in the office of the student’s academic dean. No credit for correspondence or extension work can be earned toward a degree or for professional growth while a student is under suspension. Nicholls does not offer correspondence courses. Registration packets for many correspondence examinations can be found at the Testing Center.
Advanced Placement Program (Credit by Examination)
Nicholls students may obtain credit by examination in four ways:
- ACT Test
- Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations of the College Board
- College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) of the College Board
- Nicholls State University Credit Examinations
ACT Test Program Scores
Entering freshmen are eligible for course credit in English and/or mathematics if their enhanced ACT scores are sufficiently high.
Students receive credit in:
- English 101 if they score 28 or higher in English
- English 102 if they score 32 or higher in English
- Mathematics 101 if they score 23 or higher in mathematics
- Mathematics 102 if they score 27 or higher in mathematics
The university accepts the corresponding Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores in place of ACT scores for advanced placement purposes under exceptional circumstances.
Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations
Students achieving scores of 3 or higher on the Advanced Placement examinations are eligible to receive credit on the basis of such test scores. Credit is granted for freshman-level and sophomore-level courses only. Students who have completed these tests should have their scores sent by the College Board directly to the Nicholls State University Office of Records and Registration. The following examinations are approved for Nicholls credit:
| AP/CEEB Title | Minimum Score | NSU Equivalent | Hours Credit |
| Art History | 3 | ART 280, 281 | 6 |
| Biology | 3 | BIOL 105, 106 | 6 |
| Calculus AB | 3 | MATH 101, 102, 165 | 11 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | MATH 101, 102, 165, 166 | 15 |
| Chemistry | 3 | CHEM 105, 106 | 6 |
| Chinese Language & Culture | 3 | XXXX 1XX | 3 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | CMPS 1XX | 3 |
| Computer Science Principles | 3 | CMPS 130 | 3 |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | ECON 212 | 3 |
| Microeconomics | 3 | ECON 211 | 3 |
| English Language | 3 | ENGL 101, 102 | 6 |
| English Literature | 3 | ENGL 101, 102 | 6 |
| Environmental Science | 3 | GEOL 1XX | 3 |
| European History | 3 | HIST 101, 102 | 6 |
| French Language | 3 | FREN 101, 102 | 6 |
| German Language | 3 | GERM 1XX | 6 |
| Comp Government & Politics | 3 | GOVT 250 | 3 |
| U.S. Government & Politics | 3 | GOVT 101 | 3 |
| Human Geography | 3 | GEOG 104 | 3 |
| Japanese Language & Culture | 3 | XXXX 1XX | 3 |
| Latin: Vergil | 3 | LATN 1XX | 6 |
| Music Theory | 3 | MUS 119 | 4 |
| Physics 1 | 3 | PHYS 101 | 3 |
| Physics 2 | 3 | PHYS 102 | 3 |
| Physics B | 3 | PHYS 101, 102 | 6 |
| Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism | 3 | PHYS 102 | 3 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3 | PHYS 101 | 3 |
| Psychology | 3 | PSYC 101 | 3 |
| Spanish Language | 3 | SPAN 101, 102 | 6 |
| Spanish Literature | 3 | SPAN 2XX | 6 |
| Statistics | 3 | MATH 214 | 3 |
| Studio Art Drawing | 3 | Art Elective to be determined by Art Department upon review of portfolio | 6 |
| Studio Art 2D Design | 3 | ||
| Studio Art 3D Design | 3 | ||
| U.S. History | 3 | HIST 255, 256 | 6 |
| World History | 3 | HIST 150, 151 | 6 |
Freshman and Sophomore (lower-level) courses where there is no direct equivalent are articulated as 100- or 200-level, 1XX or 2XX
Revised June 2017
College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)
Students enrolled at Nicholls State University may receive credit for prior learning through the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), a national standardized testing program that offers exams equivalent to final exams in introductory college freshman and sophomore courses. Nicholls accepts credit earned through CLEP for courses only at the freshman and sophomore levels. Students must earn the minimum score of 50 or higher to receive credit. Credit is awarded when the CLEP examination score is reported on an official transcript from CLEP and sent directly by the CLEP transcript service to the Office of Records and Registration. Passing scores for subjects credited through CLEP are recorded by an “S,” by the equivalent Nicholls course number and title, and by the appropriate credit hours. CLEP credits will be accepted from other four-year regionally accredited institutions only if the scores meet Nicholls credit-granting standards. Students may not gain credit through CLEP for courses equivalent to or at a level lower than other courses for which they have already earned credit with grades A, B, C, D, or S. Students who have not successfully completed courses by earning or being issued marks of F, FNA, I, U, UNA, or W may attempt to earn credits for those courses through CLEP.
CLEP SUBJECT EXAMINATIONS
The following examinations are approved for Nicholls credit:
| CLEP Title | Minimum Score | NSU Equivalent | Hours Credit |
| American Government | 50 | GOVT 101 | 3 |
| American Literature | 50 | ENGL 215 ENGL 2xx |
3 3 |
| Analyzing & Interpreting Literature | 50 | ENGL 1xx | 3 |
| Biology | 50 | BIOL 105, 106 | 6 |
| Calculus | 50 | MATH 101, 102, 165 | 11 |
| Chemistry | 50 | CHEM 101, 102 | 6 |
| College Algebra | 50 | MATH 101 | 3 |
| College Composition | 50 | ENGL 101 | 3 |
| College Composition Modular | 50 | ENGL 101 | 3 |
| College Mathematics | 50 | MATH 117 | 3 |
| English Literature | 50 | ENGL 215 ENGL 2xx |
3 3 |
| Financial Accounting | 50 or 65 | ACCT 1xx or ACCT 205 |
3 |
| French Language | 50 | FREN 101, 102 | 6 |
| German Language | 50 | GERM 1xx | 6 |
| History of the U.S. I: Early Colonization to 1877 | 50 | HIST 255 | 3 |
| History of the U.S. II: 1865 to the Present | 50 | HIST 256 | 3 |
| Human Growth and Development | 50 | PSYC 212 | 3 |
| Humanities | 50 | HUMA 1xx | 3 |
| Information Systems & Computer Applications | 50 | CIS 231 | 3 |
| Introduction to Educational Psychology | 50 | PSYC 1xx | 3 |
| Introductory Business Law | 50 | BSAD 221 | 3 |
| Introductory Psychology | 50 | PSYC 101 | 3 |
| Introductory Sociology | 50 | SOCI 151 | 3 |
| Natural Sciences | 50 | BIOL 1xx GEOL 1xx |
3 3 |
| Precalculus | 50 | MATH 101, 108 | 7 |
| Principles of Macroeconomics | 50 | ECON 212 | 3 |
| Principles of Management | 50 | MNGT 1xx | 3 |
| Principles of Marketing | 50 | MKTG 1xx | 3 |
| Principles of Microeconomics | 50 | ECON 211 | 3 |
| Social Sciences and History | 50 | HIST 1xx | 3 |
| Spanish Language | 50 | SPAN 101, 102 | 6 |
| Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 1648 | 50 | HIST 101 | 3 |
| Western Civilization II: 1648 to the Present | 50 | HIST 102 | 3 |
Freshman and Sophomore (lower-level) courses where there is no direct equivalent are articulated as 100 or 200-level, 1XX or 2XX.
Nicholls State University Credit Examinations
Nicholls administers credit examinations to students who claim special competence gained through practical experience, extensive training, or completion of courses in non-accredited institutions. A credit examination must be approved in advance by the dean of the College in which the course concerned is offered, and the department head and the appropriate instructor in the academic department administering the examination. Students seeking credit by examination will initiate the process by obtaining the required application in the Office of Records and Registration.
The following guidelines apply to university credit examinations:
- Credit examinations will be permitted only in those areas in which the student has already gained fundamental knowledge of the subject.
- Only students enrolled in the university are eligible to take credit examinations.
- Transfer students may not take credit examinations until all credits accepted as transfer credits are recorded at Nicholls.
- The course for which credit is sought must be included in the current university Bulletin.
- In no case will a student be permitted to take a credit examination in either a course which the student has audited (or taken for non-credit) or a course in which the student made an unsatisfactory grade of W, D, F or U.
- A student may not repeat a failed credit examination.
- Credit examinations may not be used to reduce the university’s residence requirements for degree purposes.
- A student must make the equivalent of a C grade or better on the examination to receive credit. However, no grade other than S or U is assigned or recorded.
Credit for Military Service
Act 191 of the 2011 Regular Session of the Legislature (LA.R.S17:3351E) requires institutions to award educational credits to veterans for courses that are a part of the student’s military training or service and that meet the standards of the American Council on Education or equivalent standards. The law defines veterans as a citizen or resident alien who has been released from military service under a condition other than dishonorable who meets at least one of the following conditions: 1) has engaged in active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces; 2) is a member of the national guard OR is a reserve enlistee called to active duty for purposes other than training; 3) was a cadet or midshipman at a U.S. Armed Forces services academy.
In order to receive credit for military service, the student must present an official document showing honorable discharge or assignment to the National Guard or to reserve status. Two semester hours of human performance education activity credit will be awarded for each six months of active service, up to a maximum of eight semester hours of credit.
