The following are topics you may encounter during your initial freshman registration/advisement:
Add/Drop
Advanced Placement Credit
Advisor Handbook
Classics Language Placement
College Courses in High School
Core Requirements
Declaring Majors
Honors Program
International Baccalaureate Exams
Modern Language Placement
One Credit Hour Courses
Prerequisites
Student-Athletes
Withdrawal from a Course
Withdrawal from the College
Add/Drop
Students may make changes to their registration without penalty through the first Saturday of the semester. In the case that classes start on Tuesday, students have until 11:59 the following Monday to make changes to their schedule.
In order for a student to add a closed class, the student must complete a registration permit form and get permission from the course instructor.
back to top
Classics Language Placement
Placement in:
| Latin 101-102 | Students with two years of HS Latin Students who have more than two years of HS Latin, but have not taken Latin during the senior year |
| Latin 201 | Exceptional students with two years of HS Latin Exceptional students with two years of HS Latin that did not take Latin during the senior year Students who have had three years of HS Latin and did take Latin during the senior year |
| Greek 101 | Almost all high school students interested in Greek |
Questions about placement in Latin or Greek courses should be directed to Dr. Tom Banchich (ext. 2724).
back to top
College Courses in High School
Courses at Other Colleges while in High School:
Students must have official transcripts sent directly to the Student Records office. Canisius will accept these courses for free elective, field or major credit, depending on the particular course, and only for grades of "C-" or higher.
Courses offered by Canisius while in High School:
Students may receive free elective or field credit for these courses provided that they achieve a grade of "C-" or higher.
back to top
Declaring Majors
A student declares a major upon entrance to the College by filling out the "Academic Areas" section of the Admissions application. If the student wishes to change the major, he or she must complete a Change of Major form at the Student Records Office.
A student may declare a Dual Major or Minor by completing a form available in the Student Advisement Center. The form must be signed by both chairpersons and by the Associate Dean of the school (both Associate Deans if the majors are in different schools). The Associate Dean sends the form to the Student Records Office.
back to top
Honors Program
Freshmen who are eligible for the Honors Program should take the following courses during the first year:
| HON 101 | English |
| HON 110 | Western Tradition I |
| HON 111 | Western Tradition II |
back to top
Modern Language Placement
Placement into modern language courses is based upon years of high school experience. Current offerings are French, German, Italian, Spanish, Arabic and American Sign Language.
Placement in:
| 103-104 (introductory) sequence with the 299 language lab | If a student has never studied the language |
| 115-116 (advanced introductory) sequence with the 299 language lab | If the student has had one year of a high school language. However, if the last year studied was junior year or prior and the student received a "C" or lower they will be placed in 103. |
| 215-216 (intermediate) sequence (no language lab) | If the student has had two-three years of a high school language. However, if the last year studied was junior year or prior and the student received a "C" or lower they will be placed in 115. |
| 300 level | If the student has had four or more years of a high school language |
A student should not be placed in a language course in the Spring semester if the student did not take the prior sequential course in the Fall.
back to top
One Credit Hour Courses:
Music performance courses
Use of 1- & 2-credit music courses as free electives by non-Music majors & minors:
The old rule stated that students could use certain permitted combinations of 1- & 2-credit music courses to equal two 3-credit free electives (maximum of 6 credits). A further restriction was that only one free elective could be earned in any one performance (music lessons) or ensemble (chorale, jazz ensemble, chamber orchestra or concert band) area.
The new policy allows students to use a maximum of 8 credits of music courses in free electives. Students can mix & match 1- & 2-credit courses and performance & ensemble courses for up to 8 credits. The only restriction is that a maximum of 6 credits earned in performance courses may count toward needed free elective hours.
Use of 1- & 2-credit music courses as free electives by Music Majors:
Music majors are required to take:
•8 semesters of the same ensemble (chorale, jazz ensemble, chamber orchestra or concert band)
•4 semesters of 2-credit lessons (FAM 225) in the same performance area
Music majors electing the performance sequence to fulfill their music elective requirement take an additional 4 semesters of 2-credit lessons in the same performance area previously studied.
None of this involves a change in policy. What is new however, is that now Music majors who accumulate credits for music courses over and above those required for their degree program may use a maximum of 8 credits of these excess music courses toward needed free elective hours under the same rules established for non-Music majors & minors.
Use of 1- & 2-credit music courses as minor electives & free electives by Music Minors:
Music minors are required to complete 2 FAM courses (6 credits) as electives. In the past, students were permitted to use performance courses to satisfy required elective hours in the minor, with the restriction that only 3 credit hours could be accumulated in any performance area. Under the new policy, Music minors may now accumulate all 6 hours in the same performance area. In addition, Music minors who accumulate credits for music courses over and above those required for their minor may use a maximum of 8 credits of these excess music courses toward needed free elective hours under the same rules established for non-Music majors & minors.
Please note that these changes in policy are applicable to all current students and not just to those entering under the new (2009-2011) catalog.
BIO 300 Research is a one-credit course. When students have accumulated three one credit BIO300 credits, they can count them as a BIO lab.
back to top
Prerequisites
General Studies:
- FYS 101 & ENG 101 must be passed before taking any literature course in Field 3. Students may take, however, designated Field 3 Art History, Studio Art, or Music Courses before completion of these two General Studies courses.
- RST 101 must be passed before taking any course designated as Field 1.
- PHI 101 must be passed before taking any course designated as Field 2 (except for PHI 215-Logic).
Student-Athletes
Any questions concerning eligibility should be directed to Lynsey Miller, Athletic Academic Advisor, at ext. 8463. All student-athletes must be registered full-time during each semester (fall and spring) in order to practice with a varsity sport. All freshmen student-athletes must register with the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse and be certified as a qualifier in order to practice and compete for any varsity sport during their freshman year. Students in the C.O.P.E. program are not eligible to play in their freshman year.
back to top
Withdrawal from a Course
All students must pick up a withdrawal form from the Student Records Office and have it signed by the instructor of the course, an academic advisor, and a financial aid counselor before withdrawing from a course. Both the Student Records Office and the Bursar's Office use the date of the instructor's signature as the effective date of withdrawing from a course.
Any questions concerning eligibility should be directed to Lynsey Miller, Athletic Academic Advisor, at ext. 8463. All student-athletes must be registered full-time during each semester (fall and spring) in order to practice with a varsity sport. All freshmen student-athletes must register with the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse and be certified as a qualifier in order to practice and compete for any varsity sport during their freshman year. Students in the C.O.P.E. program are not eligible to play in their freshman year.
back to top
Withdrawal from a Course
All students must pick up a withdrawal form from the Student Records Office and have it signed by the instructor of the course, an academic advisor, and a financial aid counselor before withdrawing from a course. Both the Student Records Office and the Bursar's Office use the date of the instructor's signature as the effective date of withdrawing from a course.
Consult the College Catalog under "Academic Policies" for further information.
back to top
Withdrawal from the College
In order to withdraw from all courses, students must complete a form in the Office of Student Success & Retention. The signature of a parent is required for Freshmen. It is not necessary for the student to fill out the regular Withdrawal form for each course.
The effective date of withdrawal from the College is the date on which the appropriate Associate Dean approves the withdrawal. If a student withdraws from all courses, the student is responsible for tuition and "W" is recorded for all classes on the transcript.
back to top