Course Information and Policies
Courses offered during University of Rochester Summer Sessions vary by type, grading basis, and academic level. Please review the course information and policies below before registering.
Credit vs. audit
The University of Rochester offers all Summer Sessions courses to be taken for credit and some courses to be audited. You can find the tuition for credit courses and the fee for audited courses on the Tuition, Fees, and Payment page.
Please note that not all Summer Sessions courses are available for auditing. To find out whether or not a course is available to audit, please follow the instructions below:
- If you are a current matriculated student: view the Course Section detail page in UR Student
- If you are a non-matriculated (or visiting) student: contact the Office of Summer and Continuing Studies at oscs@rochester.edu
- If you are an incoming first-year or transfer student: ask the academic advisor about auditing the course during your registration process
Current University of Rochester undergraduate students can count Summer Sessions courses toward their degree. However, you may not use this credit to accelerate your graduation by more than one semester. Visiting students should check with their home institutions to make sure that the credits will transfer.
Course audits
Auditing a course means that you can attend class meetings and have access to course materials, but you will not receive credit for the course. Individual instructors may have specific requirements for auditors, so you are expected to follow any guidelines the instructor may have regarding class attendance and participation.
In some instances, permission from the instructor may be required in order to audit a Summer Sessions course. Instructors may decline to give their permission.
Please note: you may not change your grading basis from credit to audit for Summer Sessions courses after the add/drop deadline for each session. If you withdraw from a course you are auditing after the add/drop deadline, it will result in a "W" on your transcript.
Courses types
University of Rochester Summer Sessions offers a variety of types of courses. Please review the details below to ensure that you are eligible to enroll in a course before registering:
| Course type | Credit hours | Audits permitted? | Student eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discussion (lecture) | Usually 4.0 | By instructor permission only | Open to all students |
| Lab | Varies | By instructor permission only | Open to all students |
| Workshop | Varies | No | Open to all students |
| Recitation | Varies | No | Open to all students |
| Internship | Varies | No | Open to matriculated University of Rochester students only |
| Independent Study | Varies | No | Open to matriculated University of Rochester students only |
Course numbering system
Arts, Sciences & Engineering courses use the following number system to indicate their academic level and credit options:
| Course number | Academic level |
|---|---|
| 001-099 | Noncredit courses |
| 100–199 | Introductory courses (usually at the first- and second-year level) that do not carry any graduate credit |
| 200–299 | Courses at the third- and fourth-year level that may also carry graduate credit |
| 300 | Study abroad courses |
| 301–399 | Experimental courses, independent courses, courses toward degree with distinction or honors |
| 400–489 | Graduate courses at the master’s level or the first year of graduate study; open to undergraduates by instructor permission only |
| 490–499 | Master-level reading or research courses |
| 500–589 | Advanced or specialized graduate courses (usually at the doctoral level) |
Course policies
Academic comments and concerns
If you wish to praise an instructor, comment on a course, or raise an academic concern, we encourage you to submit the online complaint or comment form. If you wish to submit a complaint about a grade in a course, please follow the grade appeal procedure.
Prior to submitting the form, we encourage you to first discuss the matter with the individual(s) most directly responsible. Your form will be reviewed by a member of the Office of the Dean of the College, who will share the form directly with the head of the relevant department or program and request a response in writing. Occasionally, other University faculty and staff will be consulted to assure that your form is reviewed in the most appropriate way. If you wish that your name not be forwarded to the person or office complained about, please submit a comment form only. Staff will remove your name and contact information from the form prior to forwarding it to the relevant individual. You will receive a response in writing, usually within two weeks of successful form submission.
If you wish to report a nonacademic concern or matter, and it is unclear how to report this information, you can submit a complaint or comment form and staff will be sure that it reaches the proper University department. Specialized processes Specialized processes exist to make discrimination complaints, which can be raised with the Title IX coordinators, the University Ombuds, or by submitting a bias-related incident report. For a comprehensive list of helpful offices and individuals, see the CARE resource center.
Attendance policy
Each instructor sets the regulations regarding attendance for each class and consistent absence from class may determine whether or not you pass a course. When it is necessary to be absent because of travel or illness, you are expected to make arrangements with instructors for catching up on coursework that you miss.
If you are seen by a medical provider for an illness or injury, you can ask for documentation that verifies the date of your visit(s) without mention of the reason for the visit. If your doctor determines you should curtail activities in the coming days or weeks, they will give you written instructions with specific recommendations.
If you are absent from class due to illness, family emergency, or other circumstances, we encourage you to contact the Office of Summer and Continuing Studies at oscs@rochester.edu if you need assistance in communicating with your professors or making up the work that you miss.
Course cancellations and schedule changes
The University reserves the right to cancel courses due to insufficient enrollment or for other reasons that it deems valid. Course enrollments will be evaluated prior to the first day of classes. If a course you are enrolled in does not meet sufficient enrollment, you will be notified.
If you must drop a course due to a schedule change, your tuition will be refunded in full, as long as you successfully drop the course before the 100% tuition refund deadline.
Credit overloads (matriculated students only)
If you are enrolled (full- or part-time) in a University of Rochester degree program, you can enroll in up to 12 credits total across all five summer sessions (May 20-August 9, 2024). If you wish to enroll in more than 12 credits total, you will need to complete both a Petition Form and a Drop/Add Form (pdf) with the total number of credits you wish to take and email the Drop/Add Form to the University Registrar (registrar@rochester.edu) for approval.
Time conflicts
If you wish to register for two Summer Session courses that have overlapping meeting days and times, you need to complete a Time Conflict Resolution Form (pdf) and email it with your completed Drop/Add Form (pdf)to the Registrar (registrar@rochester.edu) for approval.