Students who needto add or drop a course after the published academic deadlines may submit an Add/Drop for Extraordinary Reasons petition for consideration. 

This petition is intended for students who have experienced extraordinary circumstances that prevented them from meeting the standard add or drop deadlines published in the Academic Calendar. Requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and approval is not guaranteed. 

To submit a request, complete the Add/Drop for Extraordinary Reasons form through DocuSign and obtain all required signatures. Students must also upload a written statement explaining the circumstances surrounding their request, why it was not submitted by the original deadline, and include any supporting documentation. 

Once all required signatures have been collected, the completed form will automatically be routed to the Office of the Registrar for review. Please allow 3–5 business days for the Registrar's Office to review your completed petition. 

What is an extenuating circumstance? 

Extenuating circumstance* occurs, prohibiting the student from academic success and/or applying for a withdrawal in a timely manner during the semester in question 

Extenuating circumstances are those which significantly limit a student's ability to function successfully or safely in their role at MSU. For a extraordinary reasons, these can be situations that either forced the student to be removed from a course at the University abruptly without completing a leave of absence due to health, safety, or personal/family emergency; or a physical or mental illness or injury that significantly limited their capacity to withdraw in a timely manner. These can include: 

  • Significant mental or physical illness, injury, or other extraordinary circumstance that significantly limits their capacity to function successfully or safely in their role as a student (this extraordinary circumstance may include the birth/adoption of a child) 
  • Family emergency such as severe illness or death within their immediate family including an individual whose close association with the student is the equivalent of a family relationship 

Add for Extraordinary Reason

A student who is wanting to add between the 10th - 59thday of courses for that term must submit an add for extraordinary reasons form via DocuSign

Students must provide a written statement that explains: 

  • Why the course could not be added before the published add deadline.  
  • The extraordinary circumstances that prevented timely registration.  
  • How they plan to be successful joining the course after instruction has begun. 

Please include any supporting documentation that may assist in the review of your request. 

Drop for Extraordinary Reason

A student who is wanting to appeal dropping until the 71stday of courses (Friday before finals week) for a term must submit a drop for extraordinary reasons form via DocuSign. 

*All drops will be sent to the GARC committee for review of requests.  

Students must provide a written statement explaining: 

  • Why the request could not be submitted during the appropriate deadline established in the Academic Calendar.  
  • Whether they are requesting the course to be dropped with or without a "W" on their transcript.  
  • The extraordinary circumstances that support their request. 

Please note that "Assistant Dean of College" refers to the Assistant Dean of your Academic College, not the Dean of Students. Please note that add/drops via DocuSign take 3-5 business days to process once the DocuSign form has been completed. 

Add/Drop for Extraordinary Reasons

 

Questions?

If you have questions about the Excess Credit Petition process, please contact the Office of the Registrar.