Student Handbook 2023-2024

Registrar’s Office FAQs

What we do…. Registration & schedule changes, address or name changes, enrollment certification (for insurance purposes, good student discounts, etc.), transcripts, declaration of major/minor, transfer credits (this includes AP, IB, other prior credits), grades. Further information can be found on our webpage at www.piedmont.edu/registrar. The Registrar also sets the academic calendar: www.piedmont.edu/registrar/academic-calendars/. Grading policies can be found here: undergraduate, graduate.  The Academic Integrity policy can be found here: undergraduate, graduate. 

FERPA… The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 is a Federal law that sets forth requirements regarding the privacy of student records: Student Academic Records –Undergraduate and Graduate

Semester length… The regular semester is divided into fall and spring semesters, each approximately 16 weeks in length. Summer session is made up of an 8-week evening session or two 4-week day sessions.

Class level… Thirty semester hours is the normal amount of academic work completed in each of the freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior years. A student must have completed 30 semester hours to be classified as a sophomore, 60 to be a junior, and 90 to be a senior.

Course load… The normal study load is five courses or 15 semester hours per semester (fall, spring) for students attending day classes. Students taking a minimum of 12 semester hours are considered full time. Students who wish to take more than 18 semester hours must have a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 and must complete the Registration Overload Request form, available in the Registrar’s Office. A student may take no more than 21 hours during any semester. Residential freshman may not register for evening classes.

Academic Advisor… Upon entering the University, a student is assigned either a freshman advisor or a major advisor, depending on class status and declaration of a major. The advisor works with the student to help in the choice of courses and with academic matters, as well as, to ensure a rich and rewarding educational experience that will lead to the fullest realization of a student’s potential as an individual.

PilgrimNet  PilgrimNet is the student information portal for Piedmont University. You may locate forms relevant to your academic record on PilgrimNet (e.g., Major Change and Withdrawal form). On Self-Service you may register for classes, find your advisor, and access your unofficial transcript.

How to register… The Registrar’s Office provides an Academic Calendar online that provides students with registration dates. Before registration, a student should meet with their advisor to agree upon a proposed schedule. If you wish, you may enter the proposed schedule in Self-Service. Once you are eligible for registration, you may submit your classes for registration on Self-Service.

When do classes meet... After you register, your schedule information will be available on Self-Service. This will include dates/times/locations of your classes.

Drop/Add/Withdrawal… The drop/add period is typically the first five days after registration for fall/spring semesters. Drop/Add forms are available in our office. You must submit a Drop/Add form after the drop/add period has ended. You must have your advisor's signature in order to drop, add or withdraw from a course after classes begin. If you drop a course, it is as if you never registered for the course. It will not show on your transcript. Withdrawals occur after the drop/add period has ended. Withdrawals require your advisor's signature on the form. The drop/add form is also used for withdrawals. A grade of “W” (withdrawn) appears on your transcript if you withdraw prior to the deadline published on the academic calendar. A “W” is a non-punitive grade, which is not included when figuring the term or cumulative GPA. If a withdrawal is processed after the last day to withdraw without academic penalty, a “W” is posted if the student was passing at the time of the withdrawal or a grade of “WF” is given if the student is failing at the time of the withdrawal. A “WF” grade is considered a failing grade and has a negative effect on the term and cumulative GPA. In both cases, tuition is charged from which a student withdraws.

We highly recommend that students meet with the Financial Aid Office and Business Office before dropping, adding, or withdrawing from a class. Each change can have an effect on tuition and/or aid. Student athletes should also meet with coaches to discuss eligibility if they are dropping or withdrawing from a class. If you are withdrawing from all of your classes, you will also need to fill out the withdrawal checklist, which is available in the Registrar’s Office.

Grades… At the end of each term, grades are available on Self-Service. Grades are not mailed home, nor will they be given over the phone.

Declaration of Major/Change of Major… A Change of Major/Minor form is available in the Registrar's Office, and it is available on Self-Service.