Frequently Asked Questions

Detailed information on the CAPP (Curriculum Advising and Program Planning) Report is found on the CAPP Reports section of the Office of the Registrar website.

The General Education Program at PLU is made up of seven elements totaling 48 semester hours.

• Embracing the Life of the Mind: First Year Experience
• Engaging Arts and Performance
• Interpreting Living traditions for a Humane Future
• Exploring Nature and Number
• Investigating Human Behavior, Culture, and Institutions
• Encountering Perspectives on Diversity
• Producing and Presenting Culminating Scholarship: Senior Seminar/Project

For details about the elements see the PLU Catalog.

The Academic Advising Office or a faculty advisor will assist a student in completing the General Education Program Elements. Once a major is declared, the faculty advisor in that department will continue to assist a student in pursuit of the degree.

Both of these perspectives are required to fulfill the Encountering Perspectives on Diversity General Education Program element. Classes that qualify for cross cultural and alternative perspective are listed in the catalog. The title of a course will either reflect an “A” for Alternative Perspective or a “C” for Cross-Cultural Perspective in the class schedule.

Alternative Perspective courses create an awareness and understanding of diversity in the United States, directly addressing issues such as ethnicity, gender, disability, racism, or poverty.

Cross-Cultural Perspective courses enhance cross-cultural understandings through examination of other cultures.

Double dipping applies only to the Encountering Perspectives on Diversity component of the General Education Program.

Students who entered PLU prior to Fall 2009 with fewer than 60 semester hours are permitted to double dip one time between the Diversity element and other General Education Program areas. An example would be MUSIC 120, which could satisfy the Art, Music, and Theatre (AR) element and the Cross-Cultural (C) Perspective.

Students who entered PLU as of Fall 2009 with fewer than 60 semester hours are permitted to double dip two times between the Diversity element and other General Education Program areas.

Students who entered PLU with 60 or more semester hours are not permitted to double dip and must complete one Encountering Perspectives Diversity Course at PLU.

All students must complete two unique physical education activity courses (referred to as Fitness & Wellness), one of which must be FTWL 100.

First year students who enter PLU with fewer than 30 semester hours must take a 4-hour course in the J-Term of their freshman year as part of the First-Year Experience. The First-Year Experience does not pertain to transfer students.

Candidates for degrees from the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science (B.A., B.S.) degrees must meet Option I, II, or III below. Candidates for the B.A. with a major in English and for the B.A. in global studies must meet Option I. Candidates for a B.A. with majors in music must meet Option I or II of the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science requirement. Music majors take a non-music arts elective in either visual art, theatre, or dance.

• Option I

Completion of one world language through the second year of college level. This option may also be met by completion of four years of high school study in one world language with grades of C or higher, or by satisfactory scores on a proficiency examination administered by the PLU Department of Languages and Literatures.

• Option II

Completion of one world language through the first year of college level. This option may also be met by satisfactory scores on a proficiency examination administered by the PLU Department of Languages and Literatures.

• Option III

Completion of four semester hours in history, literature, or language in addition to courses applied to the general education elements, and four semester hours in symbolic logic, mathematics (courses numbered 100 or above), computer science, or statistics in addition to courses applied to the general education elements. Courses used to satisfy either category of Option III of the BA/BS requirement may not also be used to satisfy general education program requirements.

It is the student’s responsibility to inform Student Financial Services of any changes to personal information. The type of changes include billing and mailing addresses or name changes.

Occasionally non-IHON classes are approved to fulfill an IHON requirement. A student must complete the IHON On Campus Alternative Course Authorization Form, obtain the necessary signature(s) and return the form to the Registrar’s Office for processing. Once the form is received the change will be reflected on the student’s CAPP report.

Students who wish to transfer from the International Honors (IHON) Program to the General Education Program must complete the IHON Credit Transfer form. Once the form has been completed, an appointment with the chair of International Honors Program must be requested for equivalency information and approval. Once approved, the signed, completed form must be brought to the Office of the Registrar for processing. Once the form is received the student’s CAPP report is changed to reflect the new program.

To receive credit by examination, students must complete the Credit By Examination Form. Signatures are required from the respective department dean or chair plus the instructor for the course. The student must arrange the examination time with the instructor of the course. The completed form must be returned to the Office of the Registrar by the add/drop deadline for the appropriate term.

Students who wish to earn credit through the Credit By Examination process are charged the following (in addition to tuition if hours above the tuition block pricing):

1 credit: $300
2 credits: $500
3 credits: $700
4 credits: $900

To request a substitution or waiver of a general education requirement or other academic policy students must complete the Exception to Academic Requirements form. Instructions are provide on the form.

To request a waiver or substitution of a graduate school requirement, the student must complete the Graduate Studies Petition Form. The form must be signed by the instructor or advisor, concentration coordinator and program dean. Final approval for any waiver or substitution is through the dean of graduate studies.

The following are faculty-approved PLU grading options which are calculated into the grade point average (GPA):
A (4.00) C (2.00)
A- (3.67) C- (1.67)
B+ (3.33) D+ (1.33)
B (3.00) D (1.00)
B- (2.67) D- (0.67)
C+ (2.33) E (0.00) failing grade

The following grade options are not used in calculation of the grade point average. No grade points are earned under these designations:
Pass/Fail: P or F (only for courses set up with this option)
Incomplete: I
In Progress: IP (only for certain courses)
Audit: AU

Pass(P) and Fail (F) are grades for courses which have either been designated as Pass/Fail courses by the department or a student has chosen to designate a course for pass/fail by filling out the Pass/Fail option.
Faculty submit regular letter grades for students who completed and turned in the pass/fail form. The computer automatically converts the assigned grade to a pass or fail.

Grades are submitted via Banner Self-Service by instructors by 5:00 p.m. on the fifth working day after the end of the specific term. I&TS recommends the use of Edge or Chrome for the best Banner Self-Service experience. Enter grades as follows:

• Go to https://bss.plu.edu
• Click on Banner Self-Service
  
• Login with your PLU ePass
• Click on Faculty Services
• Click on Final Grades
• Select the term and submit, then select the CRN (Course Reference Number)
• Click on Submit. Click on the box with the check mark to see all CRNs
• Enter Grades
• Scroll down to the bottom and click Submit. After submitting the grades, you will get a message that states the changes you made were saved successfully.
• To enter grades for another course, click on CRN selection at the bottom of the screen, choose the CRN and click on submit, then click on final grades.
• Exit when all grades have been entered. After 30 minutes without hitting submit, you will be exited from the system and will need to re-login and re-enter grades.

Students may view grades through Banner Self-Service. Grades may be viewed approximately 24 hours after faculty submit grades. The deadline for faculty posting grades is available under the Deadlines and Important Dates section of the Office of the Registrar website.

To access Banner Self-Service to view grades, do the following:

• Go to https://bss.plu.edu
• Click on Banner Self-Service
  
• Login with your PLU ePass
• Click on Student Services
• Click on Student Records
• Click on Final Grades
• Choose the term in the drop down menu and click submit
• Grades will appear; scroll down to view all grades

If any grades are not posted or are incorrect, contact the faculty member directly.

Faculty may not change a grade once it has been recorded in the Registrar’s records unless an error was made in assigning the original grade. The error must be reported to the Registrar by the end of the following term after which it was entered (by the spring grade submission deadline for fall and J-term, and by the fall grade deadline for spring and summer).

Any grade change requested after the designated date must be approved by the respective department chair and dean. The Grade Change Policy does not apply to “I” or “IP” grades, which are subject to separate policies.

Grade changes may not be done through Banner Self-Service. To change a course grade, faculty may submit a Grade Change Form to the Registrar’s Office.

End-of-term grades are entered into Banner Self-Service by each faculty member. The grades are then processed by the Office of the Registrar.

Study abroad grades are processed by the Office of the Registrar when they are received from the Wang Center for Global and Community Engaged Education. Study abroad grades for courses taught by non-PLU faculty are listed as pass or fail (P/F) with the actual letter grade recorded as well (for example, PA-, PC+, or PE).

Pass or fail grades are not calculated in the PLU grade point average (GPA).

Grades of A through C- are regarded as passing and grades D+ through E as failing.

To pass/fail a course, a student must complete the Pass/Fail Agreement by the appropriate deadline.

The pass/fail option is limited to eight credit hours regardless of repeats, pass or fail.

Only one course may be taken pass/fail in fulfillment of general university or core requirements or of the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science (BA/BS) requirement.

The pass/fail option may not be applied to a course taken for fulfillment of a major or minor program. An exception to this is allowed for one course in the major or minor field if it was taken before the major or minor was declared. Students must file their intention to exercise the pass/fail option with Student Financial Services by the deadline listed in the academic calendar.

The pass/fail option is limited to undergraduate students only. IHON students may not pass/fail an International Honors course.

No. The “P” or “F” grade is not calculated in the PLU grade point average (GPA). However, the hours will be counted toward total credits.

A final grade for an incomplete course may not be submitted through Banner Self-Service. To assign a final grade for a course with an incomplete, faculty may submit a Grade Change Form to the Registrar’s Office.

The incomplete grade is granted by the faculty member only for extraordinary circumstances beyond the student’s control. A student must consult with his/her faculty member to see if it is possible to be granted an incomplete grade. If the faculty member determines the incomplete is justified, an Incomplete Contract Form may be completed, signed by both the faculty member and the student, and returned to the Office of the Registrar. The “I” grade is submitted with the faculty member’s regular grades.

To receive credit, the student must complete all required coursework and a passing grade must be reported from the faculty member. An incomplete does not entitle a student to attend the class again without re-enrollment and payment of tuition.

Incomplete grades from spring or summer terms are due six weeks into the following fall semester. Fall and J-Term incomplete grades are due six weeks into the following spring semester. Instructors may assign an alternate, shorter deadline.

The “I” in front of any grade designates that an incomplete has been converted to a grade. The “I” remains on the student transcript. It will show as “IA” for an incomplete converted to an A grade. The “IPA” designates that an incomplete has converted to a pass (P) grade.

A student should directly contact the instructor of the class which shows a grade not posted or in error.

To audit a course requires the permission of the instructor and enrollment is on a non-credit basis. An auditor is not held accountable for examinations or other written work and does not receive a grade. If the instructor approves, the course grade will be entered on the transcript as audit (AU). Auditing a class is the same price as regular tuition.  Contact the Office of the Registrar to complete the audit registration process.

A Dean’s List (applicable to undergraduate level only) is created at the end of fall and spring semesters. To be eligible, a student must have attained a semester grade average of 3.50 with a minimum of twelve-graded semester hours.

Students must work directly with an instructor to arrange an independent study.  To register, the Independent Study Registration form is completed by the instructor on behalf of the student.

Independent Study (IS) registrations and supporting approvals must be submitted by the ‘Last Day to Add’ for the term in which the course will be taken (late submissions will be charged the $100 Late Registration Change fee).

A printed emergency roster is provided to faculty for each course being taught after the census date of each term/semester. This roster is used to take attendance in case of an emergency or for an emergency drill. Emergency rosters are replaced for only those classes affected by a specific drill.

Class rosters can be accessed online through Banner Self-Service. The following instructions detail how to access the rosters for any class.

• Go to https://bss.plu.edu
• Select: Banner Self-Service
  
• Log in with PLU ePass
• Select: Faculty Services
• Select: Summary Class List
• Choose the term and click Submit
• Select the CRN (course reference number) and click Submit
• Scroll down to view the roster
• Click on the print icon to print

If you have another course roster to print, simply scroll down to the bottom of the screen and click “CRN Selection” (if the course is in the same term).

The choices for selection in the legend at the bottom of the screen are: Term Selection, CRN selection, Detail Class List, Mid Term Grades, Final Grades, Faculty Detail Schedule, Detail Waitlist, Summary Waitlist.

When finished, scroll back to top and click on “Exit.”

Note: If not the instructor of record, a faculty member may still view any other class roster by clicking on “Term Selection” and choosing the desired term from the Faculty Services menu.

Then choose “CRN Selection” from the Faculty Services menu and click on “Enter Section Identifier (CRN) Directly” at the bottom of the “Select CRN” screen.

Enter the desired CRN and submit your entry. Once done, all class list options will use this term and CRN combination.

To select another combination, follow the steps above to change to a different term and CRN. If the CRN is not known, please use the Interactive Class Schedule application to look up the desired class. This application always displays for the current term or terms for which registration is open.

It is vital that the university is aware of any student who is not enrolled at PLU at the beginning, middle, or at the end of the term. Faculty members should report to the Office of the Registrar any student who is not in attendance.

Please report students who have never attended, stopped attending, and anyone who is not currently on a class roster. Students will be contacted so PLU can determine if the student plans to withdraw or if there is another problem. When contacting the Office of the Registrar about attendance please include the student’s name, ID# and dates of attendance (if applicable).

To order a duplicate diploma complete the Duplicate Diploma Request Form and submit it along with payment to the Office of the Registrar. Duplicate diplomas take 2-4 weeks for processing once the order form and payment are received.

All students seeking a degree from Pacific Lutheran University must apply for graduation. The application for graduation is completed online via Banner Self-Service. For application deadlines and instructions see the Graduation section of the Office of the Registrar’s website.

Participation in a PLU commencement ceremony does not signify that a student has been or will be awarded a degree. Commencement is a celebration of one’s PLU experience, participation in a ceremony does not indicate a student has graduated. In addition, regardless of when a student participates in commencement, degrees are awarded for the term when all requirements are completed.

• Go to https://bss.plu.edu
• Click on Banner Self-Service
  
• Login with your PLU ePass
• Click on Student Services
• Click on Registration
• Click on Detailed Student Schedule
• Select the term you are referencing from the drop-down box
• Click on Submit.

The screen shows you a detailed summary of your classes for the chosen term.  At the top of the screen, to the left, you will see the total number of hours for which you are registered.  Each course is headed by an italicized line; that is its title.  Under the “Scheduled Meeting Times” header, Banner lists when and where your class will meet.

With the exception of first-year and transfer students (see description below), students register for their courses through Banner Self-Service on their scheduled registration date. All students must meet with their academic advisor to receive their numeric passcode to register for courses on Banner Self-Service.

First-year students (those who are beginning at PLU) and transfer students must meet with a counselor from the Academic Advising Office either in person or over the phone. Students will be notified of the dates at which they may call the office to make an appointment to register. As Banner Self-Service is not yet available to these students until after they begin their first term at PLU, all registration activity is done through the Academic Advising Office. Students may reach the Academic Advising Office at 253.535.7459.

Online Access: Once a student is logged into Banner Self-Service, enter the Student Services & Financial Aid section of the site. Then click on the link Registration.

Seniority is the ruling principle of registration (students register in descending order starting with graduate students, then undergraduate students with senior-level hours, juniors, etc.). Students’ registration “windows” open at their specific time and remain open until the close of registration (normally the end of the current term).

The non-seniority exceptions to registration include:

• International Honors Program students – these students’ registration windows open at the beginning of their class-level cohort.
• Students with documented disabilities requiring early registration, as determined by the director of disability support services – these students’ registration windows open on the first day of registration if it is a needs-based accommodation for their disability.
• Study Away students enrolled in a semester-long study away program affiliated with the Wang Center – these students’ registration windows open at the beginning of their class-level cohort.
• Military Veterans using federal benefits as designated by a certifying official – these students’ registration windows open at the beginning of their class-level cohort.
• International students completing a Study Away from their home university at PLU and intending to transfer credits back – these students’ registration window opens at the beginning of the sophomore-level cohort.

Some restrictions limit registration, such as medical holds, academic holds, financial holds, etc. A student can check holds on Banner Web. For a complete listing and description of holds, see the Tuition, Fees, and Payment Information section of the PLU Catalog. Students may visit Student Financial Services to learn more about how to clear a hold.

The Late Registration Fee ($105) is charged to the student account for any registration change after the add/drop deadlines. See the Important Dates and Deadlines for each term for specific add/drop deadlines.

The maximum regular course load for undergraduate students during the fall and spring semesters is 17 credits. During J-term and each term in the summer session, the maximum is 5 credits. Students wishing to register for more than the maximum regular load in any semester or term must complete an Overload Request.

Graduate students may register for more than a regular load in consultation with a program advisor.

Non-Matriculated (not degree seeking students) can take a maximum of 9 credits without going through the admissions process.  Contact the Office of the Registrar for registration information.

Summer Classes – are processed at Summer Sessions-Graduate Programs and Continuing Education at www.plu.edu/summer/registration.

PLU awards credit for college-level courses that are equivalent to PLU courses or requirements. Vocational or technical courses, such as office technology, fashion, or career development, although valuable, are not considered transferable because there is no equivalent coursework at PLU. Equivalency Guides are found on the Office of the Registrar website.

To be considered ‘official’, transcripts (high school and college/university) must be sent directly from the institution to the Registrar’s Office or must be brought in to the Registrar’s office in a sealed envelope from the institution. If a sealed transcript is opened it is no longer official.

Admitted students who complete the Direct Transfer Associate degree (DTA) from an accredited Washington state community college, the Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer degree (AAOT) from an accredited Oregon community college, or the Associate of Arts-Transfer/Associate of Science-Transfer from an accredited California community college before matriculation at PLU will be granted junior standing and will have satisfied all General Education Program elements except for four semester hours in religion (from Christian Traditions); four semester hours in Perspectives on Diversity; the two to four semester hour senior seminar requirement; and the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science (BA/BS) requirement.

A student must meet with a department faculty advisor to discuss what classes on the transcript will be accepted toward the declared major.

PLU awards a maximum of 64 semester hours for all work completed at a two-year college. For work completed at a four-year institution, the maximum is 96 semester hours. PLU will accept a maximum of 96 transferable semester hours in total, which could include a combination of credit hours completed at community colleges and four-year institutions.

Transfer credits count toward the university’s requirements for graduation, but are not included in the semester hours used to determine the cumulative PLU grade point average (GPA) listed on the PLU transcript.

The minimum transfer grade PLU will accept is a C- or 1.5 quality grade points.

Religion: Transfer students entering PLU as juniors or seniors must take four semester hours from Christian Traditions (RC).

Global Religious Traditions (RG) courses will not fulfill the General Education Program element in religion if transferring into PLU with a junior or senior standing.

Encountering Perspectives on Diversity: Transfer students entering PLU as juniors or seniors must take one Encountering Perspectives on Diversity course (four semester hours) at PLU.

College-level, academic courses completed with a grade of C- or better at other accredited colleges or universities will normally be accepted for graduation credit. To have the credit evaluated and added to a student’s PLU record, an official transcript from the college or university you attended must be sent directly to PLU’s Office of the Registrar. If a student is entering the senior year, an advisor must be consulted with before taking any courses elsewhere. For additional information, contact the Office of the Registrar.

The university allows up to 20 semester hours of United States Armed Forces Institute (USAFI)/Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) credit, up to 20 semester hours for military credit, and up to 30 semester hours of College-level Examination Program (CLEP) credit, providing the total of the three does not exceed 30 semester hours. Official transcripts bearing American Council on Education (ACE) recommendations should be submitted for evaluation.

The university does not grant credit for college-level General Equivalency Diploma (GED) tests.

Students are entitled to withdraw honorably from the university if their record is satisfactory and all financial obligations are satisfied. Students must complete the Notification of Student Withdrawal form and submit it to the Office of the Registrar. Partial tuition refunds may be available depending on when the student withdraws. Refer to the Tuition and Fees section of the catalog for more information. Grades of W will appear on the student’s transcript for the term.

Students are strongly encouraged to consult with their instructor prior to withdrawing from a course. Tuition is not refunded and any additional tuition will be charged for adding any other classes. A grade of W is recorded on the student’s academic transcript. W grades do not impact the GPA and no credit is awarded. Course withdrawal is not reversible.

Students are required to notify PLU if they do not plan to return for the following term. Students are entitled to withdraw honorably from the university if their record is satisfactory and all financial obligations are satisfied. Students must complete the Notification of Student Withdrawal form.

Students may also petition to withdraw completely from the university for a term for medical reasons. The student must complete a Medical Withdrawal Petition, provide written evidence from a physician, and submit a personal explanation to the Dean of Students. This must be completed in a timely manner and in no case later than the last day of a class in any given term. If granted, the grade of WM will appear on the student’s transcript. Physician clearance is required prior to re-enrollment. For more information contact Student Life, Anderson University Center Room 161, 253.535.7200 or slif@plu.edu.