Student Responsibility
Each student is ultimately responsible for knowledge of, and adherence to, all University requirements and regulations, including all degree and graduation requirements. All students are strongly encouraged to meet with an academic advisor each semester, and to seek information and assistance from appropriate staff should they have any questions regarding requirements or regulations.
The Academic Year
The academic year consists of a Fall Semester, encompassing three terms of varying lengths, a Winter Session, a Spring Semester, encompassing three terms of varying lengths, and a Summer semester, encompassing three terms of varying lengths. Specific dates for the Fall through Summer semesters can be found in the Academic Calendar section of the Academic Catalog.
Registration Procedures
Currently enrolled students and students admitted or readmitted prior to the beginning of Advance Registration are eligible to participate in the Advance Registration process. This allows students to register for upcoming semesters based upon their student classification (master's, senior, junior, etc.) and the number of credit hours completed. Students register online via NEIUport (http://neiuport.neiu.edu). Detailed information regarding online registration procedures and registration dates can be found in the online Schedule of Classes.
Northeastern provides priority registration to veterans, active duty military, reservists, and dependents using benefits by permitting these students to register for classes on the first day of the Advance Registration period in support of Section 303 of the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017.
Any eligible student who does not advance register may register online for classes during the Open Registration and Change of Registration periods. Students are responsible for viewing and/or printing their student schedule and registration fee assessment (bill) via NEIUport. Students must register for all classes before the last day of the Change of Registration period.
Students who fail to complete all admissions requirements, have outstanding tuition/fees or other financial obligations, receive academic dismissal or disciplinary notices, or have other holds that prevent registration must resolve the issue(s) before being permitted to register.
Undergraduate Students Enrolling in Graduate Courses
An undergraduate student must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered for enrollment in a graduate course, in addition to meeting all prerequisites for the course (except the prerequisite of graduate standing): 1) student must have completed one semester in residency at Northeastern, 2) student must be in the final year of undergraduate study, 3) student must currently have a minimum 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA.
Some undergraduate students may elect to count the graduate course toward undergraduate degree requirements. If so, the course will carry an undergraduate course-level classification and cannot be used in the future to fulfill graduate requirements. All students enrolled in the course will do the same work, regardless of course-level classification.
*Students participating in an Accelerated Pathways program of study will have specified coursework fulfill both undergraduate and graduate requirements. Please click here to find more information on this program.
Students must submit the Undergraduate Students Enrolling in a Graduate Course form to the Graduate Records Office no later than the end of the Change of Registration period, which is published in the online Schedule of Classes. After the end of the Change of Registration period, the student’s decision about the course-level classification cannot be changed.
Course Numbers
A general guideline to Northeastern's course numbering system is:
- 000-099: Developmental courses. Credit does not apply towards graduation. Effective Fall 2010, grades earned in developmental courses will not be counted in the hours earned nor in the grade point average.
- 100-199: Lower-division courses usually taken during the freshman year.
- 200-299: Lower-division courses usually taken by sophomores.
- 300-399: Upper-division courses which are for advanced undergraduates and, under some conditions, graduate students.
- 400-499: Graduate-level courses only for graduate students.
- 500-599: Graduate-level courses only for graduate students.
Undergraduate students must complete a minimum of 40 semester hours at the upper-division level (i.e., courses number 300 to 499).
Student Classification
Total Hours Earned:
| Freshman | 0 - 29 hours |
| Sophomore | 30 - 59 hours |
| Junior | 60 - 89 hours |
| Senior | 90+ hours |
| Graduate | Admitted to a graduate degree program |
| Student-at-Large | Not admitted to a degree program |
| Student-at-Large Seeking Licensure | Admitted to a licensure program |
| Second Bachelor’s Degree | Admitted to an undergraduate degree program |