Prior to registering, all students must consult with their advisors regarding their course selection. The advisor must approve the student's course selection before the student will be allowed to register.

Registering online requires that the advisor release the registration hold that has been placed on the student's record. Therefore, only students who have made arrangements for their advisor to release this hold will be able to register online. Students who wish to register in the M Center must have a registration form signed by their advisor.

Refer to the Academic Calendar for registration dates and deadlines.

Continuing Student Registration

Continuing students will have access to online registration on the days designated for their class level during Continuing Student Registration, which takes place in mid-April for the following summer (not all programs have summer courses) and fall semesters and in mid-November for the subsequent spring semester. Exact dates for registration are included on the Academic Calendar. Continuing students, including those studying off campus or on a leave of absence, must register by the end of Continuing Student Registration or incur a $250 late registration fee.

Entering and Readmitted Student Registration

Entering and readmitted students register during pre-registration days and during Final Registration at the beginning of the term. Exact dates are available on the Academic Calendar.

Late Registration

Students who register after the published registration deadline may be assessed a $250 late registration fee. Late registration does not excuse a student from the regular assigned work of a course. Students wishing to register after the add deadline must petition the Academic Standing Committee (ASC). Students who do not register by the add deadline, even if they have confirmed their semester attendance, will be considered as having withdrawn without notifying the College.

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Course Selection

The spring course schedule is available on the Mills website beginning in early November; the summer and fall course schedules are available beginning in late March. The online course schedule reflects any changes in course offerings approved after the publication of the catalog.

Before students can register online, they must consult with their assigned advisor to finalize their schedule and obtain approval of their course selection. Students may access Student Records/View Student Information in their myMILLS account via the Mills Resource Portal to confirm their advising assignment.

Course Levels

Graduate students should enroll for classes at the appropriate level for their degree program:

100 level: Advanced undergraduate courses (restrictions apply)

200 level: Master's

300 level: Credential

400 level: Doctorate

Class Meeting Times

Classes that meet three days per week are scheduled for 50 minutes, or a total of 150 minutes of instruction per week. Classes that meet two days per week are scheduled for 75 minutes, for a total of 150 minutes of instruction per week. Seminars are scheduled for one class meeting per week for 150 minutes. Evening classes are generally scheduled for one meeting per week for 150 minutes, although occasionally a class may meet for 75 minutes, two evenings per week.

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Adding a Course

During the period of time that they have access, students may add courses online. Students who wish to add a course to their schedule after registration may do so without penalty up to the add deadline, which is the end of the first two weeks of classes. Exact dates are available on the Academic Calendar. Students wishing to add a class after their online access has expired must complete an Add/Drop form and secure the signature of the advisor and, if the course is closed, the signature of the instructor. After the add deadline, students may add a course only with the approval of the Academic Standing Committee. If the petition is approved, the course will be added to the student's schedule and a late add fee of $150 will be charged to the student's account. Add/Drop forms are available in the M Center and online.

Dropping a Course

During the period of time that they have access, students may drop courses online. Once their access has expired, students who wish to drop a course must complete an Add/Drop form and secure the signature of their advisor, and, beginning the third week of classes, the signature of the instructor. Students may drop courses at any time during the first eight weeks of the semester and these courses will not appear on their transcript. Exact dates are available on the Academic Calendar. Students are advised to refer to the Tuition and Fees Adjustment Policy if the drop will change their enrollment status to part time. Part-time students and auditors who reduce credits or drop courses after the first day of the term should also refer to the Tuition and Fees Adjustment Policy.

After the first eight weeks of the semester, students may drop a course only with the approval of the Academic Standing Committee. If the petition is approved, the course will be dropped from the student's schedule and a late drop fee of $150 will be charged to the student's account. Add/Drop forms are available in the M Center and online.

Withdrawing from a Course

During the ninth and tenth weeks of the semester, students may withdraw from a course by completing an Add/Drop form, securing the signatures of the advisor and instructor, and submitting the form to the M Center. Courses from which a student has withdrawn will appear on the transcript with a "W" grade, which is not calculated in the student's GPA. After the first 10 weeks of the semester but not beyond the final day of instruction, students may withdraw from a course only with the approval of the Academic Standing Committee. If the petition is approved, a late withdrawal fee of $150 will be charged to the student's account. Add/Drop forms are available in the M Center and online.

Students should refer to the Academic Calendar for the exact add, drop, and withdrawal deadlines.

Unofficial Withdrawal

Students who do not formally drop a course and who have not attended the course may receive either an "F" grade or a "UW" ("Unofficial Withdrawal") at the discretion of the instructor.

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Changing Grade Options

Students who wish to change the grading option of a course may do so online during the period of time they have access or by completing an Add/Drop form and securing the signatures of the advisor and instructor. The course with the original grading option is listed as a drop and the same course with the new grading option is listed as an add. Beginning the ninth week of the term, students may change the grading option of a course only with the approval of the Academic Standing Committee. Students should refer to the Academic Calendar for the exact deadline.

Pass/No Pass (P/NP) Grading Option
Graduate students may elect to register for a course on a "Pass/No Pass" basis, but no course graded in this manner may be applied toward the degree (with the exception of EdD students who take their Directed Reading for Dissertation (EDUC 497) and Dissertation Research (EDUC 450) courses for "P/NP"). Students select this option when they register or may change to or from this grading option within the first eight weeks of the semester. Beginning the ninth week of the term, students may change the grading option of a course only with the approval of the Academic Standing Committee. Students should refer to the Academic Calendar for the exact deadline.

Auditing a Course
Students may formally audit a course with permission from the instructor and faculty advisor. Auditors do not participate in class work, take examinations, or receive credit, and they may not subsequently request to receive credit by examination. Full-time students do not pay an additional fee to audit a course; part-time students may refer to the Tuition and Fees section of this catalog for information regarding the costs associated with auditing courses. Students who audit a course cannot take the course later for credit. Full-time students do not pay an additional fee to audit a course; part-time students pay one-half the regular per-course-credit rate.

Students who choose to audit a course after registration but before the add deadline may register for the course or change the grading option of a course online during the period of time they have access or by completing an Add/Drop form, securing the appropriate signatures, and submitting it to the M Center no later than the add deadline. Under no circumstances will a student be allowed to enroll to audit a course after the add deadline. In addition, students will not be allowed to change a grading option to or from "Audit" after the add deadline. Students who drop all course work except an audited course must complete an Application for Auditor Status, available online and in the M Center (see Auditors).

Auditors

Individuals who are not regular degree-seeking Mills students are welcome to audit Mills courses. An Application for Auditor Status is available online and in the M Center and requires the signatures of the student, the instructor, and the head of the applicable department. Once these signatures are obtained, the form is submitted to the M Center and the student will be enrolled in the course(s). The auditor may attend the class only after the form is submitted and the fee has been paid. Refer to the Tuition and Fees section of this catalog for information regarding the costs associated with auditing courses. Mills does not provide transcripts for auditors.

Variable Credit

Courses that are listed in the catalog with a range of credit give the student the option to choose the amount of credit they wish when registering. Changing the amount of credit after registration is done through the Add/Drop process. Requests for adding credit for these courses must be done by the add deadline; requests for reducing credit must be done by the drop deadline. Refer to the Academic Calendar for exact dates.

Cancelled Courses

Courses may be cancelled at the College's discretion. In the case of a course cancellation, students will be dropped from the class and notified by email.

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Special Courses

Advanced Teaching Practica
These courses cover a variety of directed and supervised experiences in classroom teaching. They are restricted to students who have appropriate background and proven ability, as determined by the faculty supervisor, and require approval of the head of the department in which they are undertaken. Students enrolled in advanced teaching practica are not permitted course overloads. Advanced teaching practica are numbered 277 in the department concerned. Students must submit an Advanced Teaching Practicum Enrollment form, available in their graduate department. These courses are "P/NP" only.

Directed Research
Some graduate programs offer an opportunity for students in the program to assist a faculty member with advanced research. Directed research is offered for 1 credit and may be taken twice. Directed research may be undertaken only upon the recommendation of the faculty research supervisor and the head of the department after departmental discussion. Courses are numbered 279 in the department concerned. Directed Research Application forms are available in the M Center and online. These courses are "P/NP" only.

Individual Music Instruction
These courses, open to all students, are available for individual instruction in composition, voice, and a number of instruments. Placement in these courses requires an audition with the Music Department. The generic course is numbered MUS 225 and is graded for students in the Music Program or "P/NP" for others.

Students who wish to enroll in individual instrument or voice instruction should register for the generic course as listed in the Course Schedule. The student must then contact the Music Department for an audition in order to be placed with an instructor. Once placements are confirmed by the Music Department, the specific course and instructor will be added to the student's schedule and the generic course removed. Since auditions are a part of the process, students should not assume that they will be enrolled in the class.

Students who have registered for the generic music instruction course and are not placed with an instructor will be responsible for dropping the course.

Independent Study
Students with proven ability and sufficient background in a given subject may apply for an independent study course in that subject area. Independent study courses are offered for a maximum of 1 credit and are officially numbered 295, 395, and 495 on the graduate level. Independent study may be undertaken only upon the recommendation of the head of the department concerned after departmental discussion. Independent Study forms are available online and in the M Center. These courses can be taken for a letter grade or as "P/NP."

Internships
Graduate students typically do not enroll for internships. Field practica and field-based experience for credit is under the guidance of the department in which the student is receiving a graduate degree. Such practica are usually directly related to the student's career goals and academic program, are arranged by the faculty in the department, and are awarded credit and taken for a letter grade. Before arranging an internship through Career Services, students should check with their advisor about department policy regarding community work or field experience. Internships must be approved in advance by a faculty supervisor, the faculty advisor, and the Academic Standing Committee; therefore, retroactive approval is not permitted.

Cross-Registration

Students who wish to participate in Mills' cross-registration program must complete the Cross-Registration Permit, which requires approval of each institution's registrar, the student's advisor, and the instructor of the course. The student attends the first class session at the host institution to secure the instructor’s signature. (See the cross-registration program webpage for eligibility requirements, participating schools, deadlines, and procedures for enrolling.)

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