Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Registrar’s Office open?

Office hours are Monday through Friday 8:00-11:00 AM and 1:00-3:30 PM.  The office is generally closed for Thanksgiving (Wednesday through Friday), the week of Christmas, January 1st, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Memorial Day, and Independence Day.

What does the Registrar’s Office do?

Glad you asked.

The mission of the Registrar’s Office is to facilitate the official interactions among students, faculty, and staff through the execution and administration of academic policies and practices. In addition to the ongoing functions listed below, we strive to provide courteous and helpful service to those who request our assistance. Our goal is to help ensure that all students have a productive and successful academic experience before, during, and after attendance.

At Houghton University, students are equipped to “lead and labor as scholar-servants in a changing world,” and we strive to model that in our dealings with individuals. We join in the University's efforts to facilitate spiritual transformation in our students’ lives.

Primary Functions of the Registrar’s Office include:

• Administering academic policies
• Course selection and offerings
• Preparing the university catalog each year
• Degree audit and graduation certification
• Academic transcript evaluation and processing
• Custodial responsibility for academic records
• Data generation for agencies on and off campus
• Scheduling of courses and courses into classrooms

How do I add a class?

• Full-semester courses may be added only during the first  week of the semester (see Important Dates).
• Half-semester courses may be added only during the first week of the course.
• To add a course, please use the online Course Add/Drop Form found on the Forms for Students page.
• ALL ATHLETES must inform the Registrar’s Office that they are athletes whenever they wish to change their schedules so that we may check for continued eligibility.
• If the semester for the class you would like to add has not yet begun, you can select classes on Self-Service.

How do I drop/withdraw from a class?

• You can “drop” a class only during the first week of the semester. A dropped course does not appear on your permanent record and will not be counted when calculating tuition-free Mayterm.
• If you would like to remove a class from your schedule after the first week, it is considered a “withdrawal.” A withdrawn course will appear on your permanent record and will be counted when calculating tuition-free Mayterm.
• Remember: Students must maintain 12 hours each semester in order to be considered full-time.
• Dropping/Withdrawing from a course may affect athletic eligibility. Please ask!
• To drop a course, please use the Course Add/Drop Form found on the Forms for Students page.
• To withdraw from a course, please use the Course Withdrawal Form found on the Forms for Students page.
• ALL ATHLETES must inform the Registrar’s Office that they are athletes whenever they wish to change their schedules so that we may check for continued eligibility.
• If the semester for the class you would like to drop has not yet begun,  follow the instructions outlined below:
  • Instructions for Registering for Courses Online through Self-Service (PDF)

How do I find the textbooks I need for my classes?

• Please follow these instructions provided by the Highlander Shop

Can I improve my GPA by repeating a course?

• Yes, but students can only repeat courses in which they received a “D+” or lower. When a course is repeated at Houghton, only the higher grade will count in the calculation of the cumulative average. The hours count only once. Both courses and both grades remain on the transcript with an indication of which course is counted. Repeating a course may impact a student’s financial aid or sports eligibility. (Policy found in the Houghton University Catalog)

How can I access my final grades online?

• Sign into Self-Service
• Click on the “Grades” tab
• Select “Unofficial Transcript” or “Grade Report”

How do I figure my GPA in my major?

• Look at your unofficial transcript on Self-Service
• Add the Quality Points in your major courses
• Divide the Quality Points by the GPA credits in those courses
• Be sure that you do not count pre- or co-requisites when figuring out your GPA for your major

How do I have my grades sent to my parent/guardian?

• Incoming students should complete a FERPA Consent Form before they arrive on campus if they wish to have academic information, including grades, released to parents/guardians.
• Grades will not automatically be sent to parents/guardians at the end of each semester. Parents/guardians must email the Registrar’s Office to obtain a grade report.
• If you did not fill out the FERPA Consent Form, you can find it here. This form must be completed before any academic information, including grades, can be released to parents.

How do I declare a major?

• Major Declaration Form
  *BMus degree majors may use this form but must receive prior approval and acceptance into the Greatbatch School of Music.
• Once the Registrar’s Office has received all the necessary approvals through the form, your records will be updated and your major is declared.

How do I declare or change a minor after I have declared a major?

• Follow the instructions listed on the Minor Declaration Form

• An official transcript is a paper copy, stamped and sealed, or an electronic copy, sent through National Student Clearinghouse. It cannot be photocopied. For pricing, see our transcript page.
• An unofficial transcript can be faxed or emailed. There is no cost. If you are a current student, you can retrieve an unofficial copy of your transcript from Self-Service (see How do I access my grades online?).
• Visit our transcript page to make a request.

How do I request a replacement diploma?

• Visit our Replacement Diploma page to make a request.

How many credits do I need to be considered a ... ?

• A full time student: 12 credits
• Sophomore: 28 credits
• Junior: 60 credits
• Senior: 90 credits

What are Houghton's graduation requirements?

• See our Graduation Information page.

What are Houghton's residency requirements?

• A student must complete at least 30 hours, one-half of the major and 18 of the last 24 credit hours at Houghton (except those under the senior-in-absentia privilege or those with special permission whose major or minor requires them to be off campus). Other cases require an academic petition.

When will I receive my diploma?

• Diplomas will be mailed to the address specified on the diploma order form after all grades have been received, the date of graduation has been set, and any outstanding student account balance has been paid.

Where can I find a graduation check list?

• On the Graduation Information page.

Who is eligible for graduation honors?

• The faculty will select for graduation honors undergraduate students of outstanding scholarship. Beginning with Commencement of 2010, a student must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 for the recognition of cum laude, at least 3.7 for magna cum laude and at least 3.9 for summa cum laude.
• Students transferring from other colleges must complete 62 hours at Houghton University in order to be eligible for graduation honors. 
• Graduation honors as published in the May Commencement bulletin are based on the cumulative GPA at the end of the fall semester prior to Commencement, including the valedictorian and salutatorian. To be eligible to be valedictorian or salutatorian, a student must be a main campus student, full-time in the spring, and a May graduate and must have earned a minimum of 90 Houghton University credits.

I need proof of enrollment for my parents' insurance company or a scholarship. Who should I need to contact?

• Email your request to registrarsoffice@houghton.edu.

How many credits do I need to be considered a ... ?

• Full time undergraduate student: at least 12 credits per semester
• Sophomore: 28 cumulative credits
• Junior: 60 cumulative credits
• Senior: 90 cumulative credits

How can I take more than 18 credits in a semester?

• Submit an Academic Petition

What are Houghton's residency requirements?

• A student must complete at least 30 hours, one-half of the major and 18 of the last 24 credit hours at Houghton (except those under the senior-in-absentia privilege or those with special permission whose major or minor requires them to be off campus). Other cases require a petition.

What are the procedures for taking an Independent Study?

• Read the guidelines outlined in the Independent Study Procedures
• Complete the Independent Study form with the necessary signatures, and submit it to the Registrar's Office.

What if I forgot who my advisor is?

• Log in to Self-Service
• Click on the "View Schedule" link under "Students" on main Self-Service page.
• Be sure the current semester is selected and click "submit"
• Your advisor is listed under credit information with your curriculum, status as part/full time, and class level

How can I look up my Student ID?

• Follow these instructions provided by the Technology Services Office.

What should I do if I want to take a course at another school?

• To receive prior approval for a non-Houghton course to transfer, please use the Non-Houghton Course Prior Approval Form found on the Forms for Students page.
• Remember:
  • Credits will only be transferred in for courses in which the student receives a C- or above.
  • When the course is completed and grades are posted, the student needs to request an official transcript to be sent to the Registrar's Office.
  • Eighteen of a student's last 24 credit hours must be completed at Houghton University in order to graduate.

When does the Registrar's Office audit my file?

• The Registrar's Office is committed to completing 2 file audit updates for each student: when the student enrolls at Houghton, and when the student is in their junior or early senior year.

What should I do if I need an additional file audit update?

• You can complete a self-audit, following the self-audit guidelines (PDF).

Contact Academic Support and Accessibility Services to discuss your withdrawal and complete a Withdraw from the University form.