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Undeclared Student at KU
What are the advantages of being undeclared?
As an
undeclared student, you will have
the opportunity to research and evaluate academic
majors
and clarify your goals while you explore your interests
through courses, programs, and extra-curricular activities
at Kutztown University (KU). The
Advising Center for Undeclared Students provides a
variety of resources and knowledgeable staff to help you
make informed decisions about your academic plans while
attending KU.
Who is my advisor if I am undeclared?
Staff or a Faculty Volunteer
from the Advising Center for Undeclared Students
will be your
Advisor until you
declare a major.
If I am not sure
what I want to major in at KU, what is my best course of
action?
Review the following link for more
information on
Choosing
a Major.
As an undeclared student, what courses
will I take?
With the help of an
Advisor,
you will select courses from a variety
of disciplines that match your interests and will fulfill
General
Education requirements for most KU degree programs.
When do I need to declare a major?
You are advised to declare a
major by the time you have completed
forty-five (45)
credits or by the end of
the 1st
semester of your
sophomore year. However, you
are strongly encouraged to work with staff in the Advising Center
for Undeclared Students and the Career Development Center to clarify your
educational and career goals, and declare a major as soon as
you are reasonably certain.
As an undeclared student, why is my GPA
important?
A minimum
GPA of 2.0 is required to declare a
major
and/or a
minor at Kutztown University
(KU), and in some departments a
GPA higher than a 2.0 may be required. For example, to
declare a major in the College of Education, a 3.0 GPA is
required. Your
Advisor can
provide you with information about entrance requirements for
other KU majors. A minimum GPA of 2.0 is also required to
remain in
good academic standing and to
graduate from KU.
Is it “bad” to be undeclared?
No, it is not “bad” to be undeclared;
however, there are some drawbacks. Some academic departments
limit course
registration to students who
have declared a major in that area, so as an undeclared
student you may not be permitted to take courses in certain
departments. Additionally, some academic majors have a very
structured course sequence which means that any delay in
choosing that major could extend your graduation date beyond
four years.
How do I declare a major at KU?
Click on the following link for
information on
Declaring
a Major at KU
What if I am interested in changing my
major to undeclared?
If you are interested in changing your
major
to undeclared, you are required to
schedule a meeting with the Director of the Advising Center
for Undeclared Students; 119 Stratton Administration Center,
610-683-4735 to review the advantages and disadvantages of
your decision to change your major to undeclared.
Grades and GPA’s
How does my GPA affect my academic status
at KU?
To be in
good academic standing
and
graduate from Kutztown University (KU), all students must maintain a minimum
GPA of
a 2.0. If you earn a cumulative GPA below a 2.0, you are
considered to be a student in jeopardy. Click on the
following link for information on the
Academic Jeopardy
Program.
How does repeating a course affect my GPA?
A very good strategy for improving your
GPA is to repeat courses in which you
received a grade of “F”. Your new grade in the course will
replace the old grade in calculating your GPA. You must
repeat the class at KU in order to improve your GPA.
In some cases, it may be advantageous for
you to repeat courses in which you earned a grade of “D”or
higher. These courses must be repeated at KU, in order to
impact your GPA. It is important for you to understand that
repeating courses in which you received a grade of “D”or
higher will not add new credits toward the 24 new credits
required each year to meet Financial Aid progress
requirements.
Can I repeat a course at another school?
If you would like to repeat a course in
order to improve your
GPA, you must
repeat the course at KU. When you repeat a course, you must
repeat the same course, with the same prefix, and the same
course number. If you wish, you may take another professor
for the repeated course (if available).
You should be advised that while you may
take new classes at another college, you must contact the
Registrar’s Office, 610-683-4485 to complete a Request for
Permission to Study at Another College form. Only
credits, not grades, are transferred in from another
institution.
How does my GPA affect my Financial Aid?
To remain eligible for financial aid you
must earn a 2.0
GPA
by the beginning of
your 5th semester, and maintain a 2.0 each semester
thereafter. You also must complete 24 NEW credits each
academic year. If you are denied aid
because you have not met either the GPA or
credit requirements, you have the right to appeal that
decision. Please contact the Financial Aid Office for
further information and appeal procedures.
Course
Registration
When do I register for courses?
You will be assigned a specific date and
time that is determined by the number of credits you have completed. Your date and time will be
posted on
Online Student Services.
Registration for the following semester generally starts at or
about the 10th week of classes.
How do I register for classes using Online
Student Services?
Click the following link to access
Online Student Services.
Where do I get my PIN to access Online
Student Services?
Your PIN is printed on your confirmation
letter for the Advanced Registration Deposit.
If you do not have your
confirmation letter, you can obtain your PIN from the
Registrar’s Office using one of the following means:
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In person, go to the Registrar’s Office, 115 Stratton
Administration Building, Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Please bring your valid Kutztown University (KU) photo ID.
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By telephone, you may call the Registrar’s
Office at 610-683-4485 during normal business hours.
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By E-mail, you may email a Registrar’s
Office staff member.
Do I need to meet with my advisor before
registering for classes?
Yes. If you are an undeclared student a
“block” is placed on your
registration until you meet with an
Advisor or a
Faculty Volunteer Advisor from the
Advising Center for Undeclared Students. We encourage you to
review the Undergraduate Catalog and Undergraduate Master
Schedule prior to meeting with your Advisor so that you will
have information on courses that you are interested in
scheduling for the next semester.
Contact
us to schedule an appointment
with your Advisor well before your assigned registration
date and time.
When should I meet with my advisor?
You are encouraged to meet with your
Advisor frequently during the
semester to discuss any questions, and/or concerns
that you may have about your academic performance. You are
required to meet with your advisor prior to
registration, so you will want to
contact
us to schedule an
appointment a few weeks prior to your scheduled registration
time. Your registration date and time will be posted on
Online Student Services, well in advance of the registration
period.
How many classes/credit hours/semester
hours should I take each semester?
To complete the 120 credits required for
graduation in four years, you will have to earn 30 new
credits each
academic year.
So, we suggest that you take 15-18 credits each
semester.
What if classes I need or want to take are
closed?
You have several options if the classes
you want to take are closed when you attempt to register.
First, you can contact the Department Chair, or Professor,
since in some circumstances you may be able to get approval
to register for a closed course. Be prepared to explain why
you want to take the class so the Professor has a better
understanding of your needs since the allotted number of
seats in any class may depend on the
major,
prerequisites, classroom size, or the
type of class e.g. a computer class and number of computers
available. You are also encouraged to contact your
Advisor in the Advising Center for Undeclared
Students to review your schedule and determine whether there
is another course available that would meet your needs.
Also, during the first week of each semester there
are
Drop and Add Days when you can revise your course schedule
through
Online Student Services or Advisors in the
Advising Center for Undeclared Students are available to
assist you with schedule changes on a
first-come-first-served basis.
Financial Aid
As a full-time student, how does repeating
a course affect my financial aid?
As a full-time student (12+
credits/semester), you will need to earn twenty-four (24)
new credits in the current academic year to retain financial
aid for the following academic year. If you are considering
repeating a course, we encourage you to contact the
Financial Aid Office, 610-683-4077 to learn how and when
repeating a course affects your financial aid for the
current and/or next
academic
year. It is important for
you to understand that repeating courses in which you
received a grade of “D” or higher will not add new credits
toward the twenty-four (24) new credits required each year
to meet
Financial Aid
Progress Requirements.
How does dropping a class affect my
financial aid?
As a full-time student (12+
credits/semester), you will need to earn twenty-four (24)
NEW credits during the
academic
year to retain financial
aid for the following academic year. If you are considering
dropping a course we encourage you to contact the Financial Aid
Office, 610- 683-4077 to learn how and when dropping a
course affects your financial aid for the current semester and/or next academic year.
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