Frequently Asked Questions

You might be coming to see your advisor with a specific question about your degree requirements, graduation timeline, your major/minor, etc. If you are coming to see your advisor to discuss next semester’s class registration, please come prepared with a completed Course Plan on MyRecords. You can watch this video to learn how to make a Course Plan.

Reference your Grad Plan through MyDegreeWorks, which will display the classes that your advisor has planned for you for each semester (please note that your Grad Plan is often just a rough guide). You will also meet with your advisor once a semester to plan out which classes you will enroll in for the following semester.

A good guide is:15 units each semester x 8 semesters (4 years) = 120 units

Depending on your major/minor/program and catalog year, you may be required to take more than 15 units per semester. Each student is required to complete at least 120 total units in their undergraduate degree.

Your registration date depends on your class standing; seniors enroll on the first night, juniors the next night, and so forth. Please check My Degree Works to view your class standing.

HOLDS are posted on MyRecords prior to registration and will prevent you from registering. Check with the following departments if you have a HOLD:

• Bursar / Student Accounts: Grimm Hall, 1st floor (Edgar Lopez)
• Registrar's Office: Grimm Hall, 1st floor
• Wellness Center: Grimm Student Union, lower level
• Student Conduct: Administration, 3rd floor
• Campus Safety: Administration 103

Full-time students must enroll in at least 12 units.

Speak with an Academic Advisor if you wish to attend part-time.

Overload is a course load of over 18 units in one semester. You must complete an Application for Overload and have a 3.0 GPA to be approved. Please see an Academic Advisor if you wish to apply for overload. Additional fees may apply- please see Bursar/Student Accounts for details.

I’m having issues with Canvas. What do I do?” ↓ Answer: “Your professor is the point-person for your class Canvas page. Please consult them if you are having trouble viewing a class or navigating a class page.

Electives are courses that do not pertain to your major or to General Education requirements, but help you complete graduation requirements such as earning 120 or 128 units or 33 upper division units.

• Ask yourself:
  • Which courses will help me achieve my academic/career goals?
  • What classes will help me prepare for my career and/or graduate school?
  • Which courses do I find interesting?
  • Who are my favorite instructors?
• Check for prerequisites

Please utilize your advisor in selecting courses to take off campus. See Concordia's Articulation Agreement for pre-approved courses for transfer.

If you drop a course after the last day to drop without record of enrollment, you will receive a "W" on your transcript. This will not affect your GPA. Refer to the Academic Calendar for "Drop" dates.

Please inform an Academic Advisor if you wish to change your major, minor, and/or program, and complete the "Change of Major" form. See an Academic Advisor for a Change of Major form.

If your GPA is lower than 2.0, you are placed on Academic Probation and limited to taking 13 units for the following semester. Students who are on Academic Probation for two consecutive semesters and whose institutional GPA is less than a 2.0 will be academically dismissed. Students whose GPA is less than 1.00 in a single semester will be academically dismissed.

Students must follow the requirements for their degree along with Concordia University Irvine Academic Policies. You might get an error message while registering if you aren’t meeting a requirement. We always recommend students speak with their advisor before making course changes in order to avoid error messages.

• Look for open sections of the same course
• Choose other General Ed/major courses
• Check MyRecords DAILY to see if a seat becomes available
• Attend the first class session. Speak to the professor (to enroll in the class, an Add/Drop form is required with the instructor’s signature)

Concordia University Irvine offers a selection of classes that you can enroll in over the summer. Summer course registration will open at the same time as fall. See the Bursar’s page for information about summer tuition. If you’d like to take a summer class off-campus, please utilize Concordia University Irvine's Articulation Agreement for pre-approved transfer courses or speak with your advisor about getting a class approved.

A prerequisite is a requirement you must meet before taking a specific course. Prerequisites are listed in the course descriptions in the back of the catalog.

If you wish to take a course to meet a General Education requirement, please ask an Academic Advisor to verify the course will transfer. A Department Chair must approve courses taken for your major or minor using a “Substitution Form”. See an Academic Advisor for a Substitution Form.

Students may utilize cui.edu/articulation to identify courses already approved for transfer at California Community Colleges.

Substitution forms are used to approve a course from another college/university to meet a requirement course at Concordia University Irvine.