Student Disability Services reviews requests for a reduced course load as an academic accommodation for students with disabilities. Unlike part-time status, authorization for a reduced course load permits a student to register for a course load that is less than full-time, while still being considered a full-time student.
Students will only be billed for courses in which they are actually enrolled. Undergraduate students authorized for a reduced course load must be registered for a minimum of nine (9) hours and a maximum of eleven (11) hours; twelve hours is considered by the University to be a full-time course load. Graduate students authorized for a reduced course load must be registered for a minimum of six (6) hours and a maximum of eight (8) hours; nine hours is considered by the University to be a full-time course load.
Reduced course load requests will be considered until the last day to add a course for each term (typically the end of the first week of each term); requests submitted past this deadline will be considered for the following full semester.
Application Process
Student Disability Services works through an interactive process with students seeking authorization for a reduced course load. The decision to grant this accommodation is based upon several factors: disability condition (severity and duration), history of accommodation, academic record, and non-academic commitments.
- Register with Student Disability Services or make an appointment with your disability counselor.
- Provide documentation of the disabling condition and specific rationale which supports the accommodation of a reduced course load.
- Complete the Reduced Course Load Request Form and Student Disability Services will contact you upon receipt.
- SDS reviews the request, documentation, and other pertinent information and notifies the student of the decision.
Students that have been approved for the accommodation of a reduced course load need to understand that there are implications of this status.
- Students are advised to meet with their Student Financial Services advisor to discuss their student account and financial assistance.
- Students are advised to meet with their academic advisor to review academic progress.
If a student intends to register for a full-time course load in future semesters, the student must deactivate the accommodation of reduced course load by contacting Student Disability Services prior to registration.