Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

To find out who your advisor is, log in to MyUniverse and click on the Student Center. You will see the name of your assigned advisor listed in the column on the right. Click “details” to view contact information.

If you are advised through the Office of Academic Advising, call 319-273-3406 to schedule your advising appointment. 

If you are not advised through the Office of Academic Advising, we recommend contacting your advisor via email or phone to determine the best way to schedule an appointment. 

This is a good question to ask your advisor! Typically, students will bring a list of questions they have and a copy of their advisement report for their advisor to review. 

A full-time course load is being enrolled for a minimum of 12 credits.

Students can register for up to 18 credits on their own each semester. A student wanting to register for more than 18 credits in a semester should schedule an appointment with their advisor to discuss this plan and the process for submitting this request. 

There are deadlines in place for adding and dropping classes. Review the Dates to Observe from the Office of the Registrar for specific dates and times. 

To add or drop a course after a published deadline, your first step is to schedule an appointment with your advisor to discuss your decision and any ramifications of this decision. Once you meet with your advisor, they can assist you with filling out the appropriate paperwork and submitting to the correct office. 

A grade of "W" indicates that a course has been dropped between the 4th and 10th week of the semester. A course that has been dropped with a grade of "W" does not impact your GPA calculation. The total number of 'W's’ on a transcript may be a concern to a potential employer or a graduate school.

If dropping a course results in being enrolled below full-time semester status (under 12 hours), you should be aware of the impact on:

• Financial Aid - Less than full-time status could impact the amount of aid that you can receive. Contact the Office of Student Financial Aid with questions or to determine the impact of dropping below full-time status
• Medical and/or Automobile Insurance - Medical and/or automobile insurance companies may also require you to have full-time status to remain on a parent's insurance coverage. Check with your specific insurance company to determine the impact before dropping below full-time status.
• Student Athletes - Student athletes at UNI may not drop below 12 hours to maintain eligibility.  Contact your academic advisor in athletics for more information.

Each semester there are specific deadlines for dropping a course "with a 'W' instead of an 'F.’”  Review the Dates to Observe from the Office of the Registrar for specific dates and times.

• Major - The subject or field of study that you decide to emphasize.  If you choose to specialize in two subjects, you will have a double major.  A student declared a minor on the Declaration of Curriculum form.
• Minor - A smaller concentration of courses in a secondary area of study (fewer credit hours required for a minor). A student declares a minor on the Declaration of Curriculum form.   A minor will be reflected on a degree audit and transcript once the declaration form has been filed. Minors may be disciplinary or interdisciplinary - drawing from coursework from a variety of academic departments.  Minors are optional for most majors. Note that teaching minors are only available to students who are declared in a teaching major.
• Certificate - A certificate program certifies that an individual has completed a program approved by the University. Students interested in a certificate should consult with the supervising department or the Registrar's Office.  Certificates do not appear on a degree audit, and are hand entered on a transcript with the approval of the supervising department.  Certificates different from minors as the are more applied in focus (i.e. Tourism, Training & Development, Outdoor Recreation, and Cartography & Geographic Information Systems).

• To declare a major, you must complete a Declaration of Curriculum form and submit the form to the department of the major you are declaring. The department will assign an academic advisor to you at this time. Your major will be reflected on your advisement report and transcript after the form has been processed by both the department and the Office of the Registrar.
• Minor - The declaration of a minor is also completed through the Declaration of Curriculum form.  If the Declaration of Curriculum form is being used for the declaration of a minor only, no advisor or department signatures are needed and the form can be taken directly to the Office of the Registrar for processing. A minor will be reflected on a degree audit and transcript once the declaration form has been filed with the Office of the Registrar.
• Certificate - Students interested in a certificate should consult with the supervising department of the certificate or the Office of the Registrar.

UNI does not require that you declare your major at a specific time. That being said, it is important to engage in the major exploration process early so that you feel confident making your decision in a timely manner. 

To change your major, you will fill out a Declaration of Curriculum form. Before changing your major, you should consider scheduling an appointment with an advisor in the Office of Academic Advising to discuss the process for changing your major, as well as to review the impact of changing your major.

Yes! ! If you decide to change your major, you will not lose credit for any of the courses you completed. You will work with your new major advisor to determine if any of your courses from your previous major will fulfill requirements in your new major. If they do not, those classes will count as electives and be included in the number of total credits you need to complete your bachelor’s degree.

Yes! Any classes you take that do not fulfill LAC or major requirements are referred to as electives. Most students will complete some elective courses in order to complete their bachelor’s degree. This is a great opportunity for you to take a class that sounds interesting or explore a class that may lead to a minor or certificate!

There are many resources available to assist you if you are struggling in a class. 

• Attend your professor's office hours to discuss class and what you are struggling with. 
• Utilize The Learning Center 
  • Tutoring - Writing Coaches, Math & Science Tutoring, and Academic Coaches
• Schedule a meeting with your advisor to discuss what is happening
• Talk with a Peer Advisor in the Office of Academic Advising 

For a complete description of the UNI Undergraduate Academic Standing Policy, please visit the Office of the Registrar's Undergraduate Academic Standing Policy page.

Questions about readmission after academic suspension?  See the complete undergraduate academic standing policy and the procedure for applying for readmission after academic suspension.

Your GPA is calculated in terms of quality points. For each hour of a letter grade earned, a set amount of "points" is awarded.

To determine your GPA, use the on-line GPA Calculator or the below table to determine the points per grade. You can meet with your advisor for assistance calculating your GPA. 

Notes:

• One third of a quality point is added for every hour in which a plus (+) is earned.
• One third of a quality point is subtracted for every hour in which a minus (-) grade is earned.
• Grades of A+, F+, or F- are not assigned.

Your grade point average is determined by dividing the number of grade points by the number of hours of earned (either total or for the semester). Hours of credit/no credit, withdrawal and/or incompletes are not used in determining your grade point average. See example below.

The Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated by dividing the Grade Points by the Hours. In this example, the GPA is 2.97 (38.67 divided by 13).

The Foreign Language Competency Requirement can be found in the UNI Catalog - General Information - Undergraduate Information and Degree Requirements - Requirements for Graduation.