Course Withdrawal Policy and Procedure for Mobility Students

Introduction

Purpose

1. The purpose of this document is to establish a clear and fair process for Mobility students to withdraw from a course in order that their experience at Northeastern University London (the University) aligns with their broader experience of their programme based in a US network campus. 

Scope

2. This Policy applies to undergraduate students registered on US mobility programmes attending the University for one or two semesters.
3. This Policy is not applicable to students registered on London undergraduate degree programmes, postgraduate taught degree programmes or degree apprenticeships.

Definitions

4. Mobility Students: Students registered in Northeastern Boston GEO programmes in London. 
5. Add/Drop Period: The initial first weeks of the semester during which students on any programme can add or drop courses. The Add/Drop period will be notified to students at the start of each semester.
6. Course Withdrawal: The process by which a student formally removes themselves from a course after the Add/Drop period.

Policy

7. Students are very strongly encouraged to utilise the Add/Drop period (as stipulated in the add/drop policy) at the beginning of each semester to request adjustments to their course registrations.
8. Only students on a mobility programme have the option to withdraw from a course after the Add/Drop period but before the end of the last week of formal teaching.
9. Students on mobility programmes must remain registered on a sufficient number of courses to remain registered as a full-time student. In order to be considered as full-time, students must be registered on courses totalling more than 30 credits in each semester. 
10. It is a student’s responsibility to correctly complete and submit the Course Withdrawal Request Form should they wish to withdraw from a course after the end of the published Add/Drop period.
11. Not attending classes or failing to submit assessments does not constitute a withdrawal. Students will remain registered in courses and will be responsible for all associated attendance and assessments until such time as the course withdrawal procedure outlined below is completed and the withdrawal is approved.
12. Utilisation of this course withdrawal policy and procedure will not change a student’s fee liability. No rebates, refunds or other adjustments will be made to programme fees as a result of a course withdrawal under this policy.
13. Registry has the authority to reject a request for a course withdrawal where the requested course withdrawal would result in a breach of the terms of this Policy, the Academic Quality Framework or other relevant policies.
14. Withdrawal from a course under this Policy will not stop the investigation of an allegation of academic misconduct or breach of the Disciplinary Procedure for Students. Where these procedures have been started, they will be concluded regardless of whether or not the student has withdrawn from the course. Where a student is found to have committed misconduct, the outcome of the procedure will be retained in the student’s record and may be considered when applying penalties in future procedures, even though it may no longer be possible to apply a course mark penalty in the withdrawn course.

Procedure

15. Students must request to withdraw from courses using the following procedure:
    1. Students may request to withdraw from a course via submission of a Course Withdrawal Request Form to the Academic Advising team to be actioned in the student records system. 
    2. Students must note that dropping a required or prerequisite course may result in a delay in their progression towards their degree. 
    3. Students must submit their application to withdraw from a course between the fourth week and the last day of the last week of formal teaching. 
    4. Requests for course withdrawals made after the last day of teaching will not be accepted. In such cases, the student will remain registered, and the final mark will be reported to Northeastern University Boston in the normal manner.
16. Applications for withdrawal will be reviewed and approved by the Lead Academic Advisor/Head of Academic Support, and Global Experience Office (GEO). Once approved, Registry (Student Records) will be notified to process the withdrawal.

Reporting, Monitoring and Reviewing

17. Reports will be provided to Academic Board in London, to the GEO (Global Experience Office) and the Provost at Northeastern University Boston at the end of each semester with a final grade.

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