Registration Policies and Procedures

Academic Exceptions

Students may petition the Dean of their respective School for exceptions to academic policy or to make changes to their program of study. Depending on the request, the Dean may act on the petition or refer the request to the Academic Affairs Committee. The appropriate form for academic exception is located on the Richmont website or may be requested from the Records Office.

Adding, Dropping, or Withdrawing from Coursework

The add/drop/withdrawal fee is $10 per transaction effective the first day of classes for the semester. The student has the responsibility of submitting the electronic form to the Records Office for processing and is responsible for fees and penalties incurred for late submission. Students who drop all their coursework during add/drop week will be refunded student fees for that semester. Please see the Financial Information section for more information on fees related to registration changes.

Students who drop/withdraw from all coursework within a given semester will be considered withdrawn for financial aid purposes and their student enrollment status will be reported as withdrawn to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) to reflect the enrollment change. Students who have an incomplete in any coursework and do not enroll in the subsequent semester will be also be considered withdrawn for financial aid purposes although students can still complete their incomplete, be awarded a grade, and graduate. Students enrolled in the second online half-term of any fall and spring semester are able to drop coursework with only a $10 fee until half-term 2 begins. Students dropping courses in any second half-term of a semester should be in touch with the financial aid office to see how changes impact the ability to receive financial aid.

Adding, Dropping, or Withdrawing from Intensives

Registration for intensive courses follows the same process and timeline as regular courses for degree-seeking students. Intensive courses may be dropped prior to the close of business on the day before the first day of the course. Courses from which the student withdraws on or after the first day of the course receive a WP or WF as determined by the instructor.

Adding, Dropping, or Withdrawing from Online and Weekly Courses

Weekly, online, and independent studies may be added or dropped during the first week of the semester. For half-term courses, students may only add classes during the first week of the semester's first half-term. However, half-term courses may be dropped during the first week of their respective terms. Courses dropped during these initial periods will be removed from the student’s transcript.

For full-semester courses, withdrawals occurring during the second, third, or fourth week of the term will result in a grade of W. For half-term courses, the W grade period is limited to the second and third week of that term.

Following the initial withdrawal period, grades of WP or WF will be assigned at the instructor's discretion. This applies to full-semester courses from the fifth through the twelfth week, and to half-term courses from the fourth through the sixth week. Please note that WF grades are calculated into the GPA as F grades. Any withdrawal occurring after the twelfth week of a semester, or after the sixth week of a half-term, will result in an automatic grade of F.

Clinical courses are subject to specific oversight. If a student withdraws from a clinical course while carrying an IP or X grade from a previous term, that grade will be reconciled to a W, WF, or WP. Furthermore, the Office of Clinical Training may retroactively award a WP or WF if a withdrawal is triggered by significant dispositional or clinical skill concerns raised by the faculty or the clinical site.

During the abbreviated summer semester, on-ground weekly courses follow a quarterly schedule. Withdrawals during the first quarter receive a W; the second and third quarters result in a WP or WF; and the final quarter results in an F. Online weekly classes during the summer follow the standard half-term withdrawal schedule used in the fall and spring. All specific deadlines are published in the official Academic Calendar.

Course Changes and Cancellations

All tuition and fees paid, excluding nonrefundable fees, will be fully refunded should a cancellation request be made within 72 hours of signing the enrollment agreement. If the institution changes or cancels a program of study or course (time or location) in such a way that a student who has started the program or course is unable to continue, the institution will make arrangements in a timely manner to accommodate the needs of each student enrolled in the program, or refunds all money paid by the student for the program of study or course if alternative arrangements determined by Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission (GNPEC) and/or the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) to be equitable to both the institution and the student are not possible.

Independent Studies

Students may earn a limited amount of credit through independent directed study when circumstances prevent them from completing the class during the regular schedule or when they have special interest in a subject and wish to complete advanced study.

Note: School of Counseling students should be aware that some state licensure boards do not accept courses earned by independent study for licensure requirements. Students who take independent studies for licensure courses do so at their own risk. Please make every effort to take the required courses in the traditional format.

Students may take no more than two independent directed studies per academic year (Fall, Spring, Summer), no more than one per semester, and no more than four total within the degree program. Students who apply for independent studies must be self-motivated and capable of achieving high academic standards while working independently.

Students are not guaranteed the approval of independent study proposals.

Students may not take an independent study in the following courses:

• CED6113: Helping Relationships
• CED6913: Applied Practicum and Treatment Planning Lab
• CED6922: Counseling Practicum
• CED7123: Group Counseling Theory and Practice
• CED7932: Counseling Internship I
• CED7942: Counseling Internship II

Independent directed studies include reading, writing, and research projects done under the direction of a Richmont faculty member, unless special permission is granted from the Dean of the student’s corresponding School to work with an adjunct faculty member. Students desiring independent directed study should first contact the Records Office to obtain independent study proposal instructions or download the packet from the Richmont website. Using the instructions provided, the student must submit a written proposal for the planned course directly to the professor who will direct the study for approval.

Students first contact the professor who normally teaches the class to request an independent study unless that person is an adjunct professor. In that situation, the student should first contact the Dean to ask who may lead the independent study.

Once the professor approves the proposal, he or she will send it to the Dean for final approval. The entire process, including approval by the professor, the Dean, and submission of the approval form to the Records Office, must be completed by the end of registration the semester before the proposed independent study will occur. A copy of the proposal will become part of the student’s permanent file. A minimum of three individual contact hours with the professor during the independent study is required. Students are responsible to provide the professor with updates of assignments and to initiate contact with the professor. Independent study assignments are due at the end of the semester as determined by the professor. Students must verify and substantiate that the work for the independent study will be a minimum of 135 combined hours for a three-credit class and 90 combined hours for a two-credit class.

Students should submit the proposal for an independent directed study during the regular preregistration period for the semester during which the independent study will occur. The actual registration for the course is completed by the Records Office upon approval of the proposal by the Dean of the corresponding School. Students should NOT register for the same class if it is offered in a traditional setting. Failure to register for an approved independent directed study by the registration deadline will result in additional fees. If a student is approved to register for an independent study after the regular registration period, he or she must pay a late registration fee or add/drop fee, whichever applies. Independent study proposals will not be approved past the add/drop deadline for any semester. Deadlines will be strictly enforced.

Fees for an independent directed study are not included in the student’s regular tuition fees. The fees include the current tuition fee for one course and an instructional fee of $100 per credit hour. Fees must be paid at the time of registration for the course. See the section on student fees in this Catalog for current independent study fees.

The course identification or prefix for an independent directed study is as follows:

• School of Counseling – CEDI
• School of Ministry – MINI

The prefix is followed by the same course number used for the regular course. The course number for original independent studies will be assigned by the Records Office.

Institutional Withdrawal

Any currently enrolled student who does not register for classes by the end of the third week of the semester and does not request a Leave of Absence (excluding summer term) will be considered to have withdrawn from Richmont for non- attendance. Students who wish to withdraw from Richmont during an academic term must meet with their academic advisor and complete an Institutional Withdrawal form, which is then submitted to the Records Office. All students who wish to withdraw are asked to complete a withdrawal survey with the Records Office. Failure to submit an Institutional Withdrawal Form to the Records Office will result in the student being withdrawn from the institution for non-attendance.

Withdrawals before the first day of classes or during the first week of a semester or half-term will not appear on the transcript. During the second, third, and fourth weeks of the semester, a W grade will be recorded on the transcript. During the first and second week of a half-term, a W grade will be recorded on the transcript. Beyond these two time periods, a grade of WP or WF will be recorded as determined by the instructor. Students withdrawing from Richmont, both for the semester, half-term, or indefinitely, are responsible for their outstanding financial obligations. Student refunds are based on the same refund schedule as individual course withdrawals. Withdrawal from Richmont results in the automatic forfeiture of any scholarships that Richmont may have granted. Requests for exceptions may be addressed with the Business Office. Withdrawn students will have their Richmont email deleted two weeks following their withdrawal date, and their access to all Richmont-related systems will be removed.

Clinical Withdrawal

This policy governs the process for students withdrawing from clinical courses (CED6922: Practicum, CED7932: Internship I, and CED7942: Internship II). Clinical course withdrawal carries unique ethical, legal, and professional implications distinct from non-clinical courses due to the obligation of direct client care.

A clinical withdrawal involves ending both course enrollment and responsibilities at the assigned site. This policy is separate and distinct from a site-only transfer (changing placement while remaining in the course). Students seeking a site transfer should consult the Director of Clinical Training (DCT) directly.

Clinical Withdrawal Categories

• Voluntary Withdrawal: Initiated by the student due to personal, medical, or financial circumstances. Re-enrollment in a future semester is not guaranteed and is strictly dependent on the student’s adherence to the ethical transition procedures below.
• Administrative Withdrawal: Initiated by Richmont or the clinical site due to ethical violations, failure to meet site standards, or academic/dispositional deficiency. This may result in a mandatory student development plan or dismissal from the program.

Clinical Withdrawal Procedures

To avoid charges of client abandonment, students must complete this sequence before a withdrawal is finalized:

1. Mandatory Consultation: The student must first meet with the DCT to discuss the transition. No further steps can be taken regarding a withdrawal without the direction of the Director of Clinical Training.
2. Formal Request: The student must submit a Request for Clinical Course Discontinuation form (available from the Office of Clinical Affairs) documenting the circumstances of the request.
3. Site Supervisor Assessment: The DCT will contact the site supervisor to complete a final Supervisor Assessment of the student’s clinical and professional disposition.
4. Clinical Department Review: The DCT will review all documentation to ensure the student has fulfilled all site-related obligations, including:
• Appropriate transfer or termination of the client caseload.
• Completion of all outstanding clinical documentation (notes, discharge summaries, etc.).
• Satisfaction of any remaining site-specific requirements.
5. Final Approval & Submission: Upon receiving formal approval from the Director of Clinical Training regarding your transition or withdrawal, you are required to submit an Add/Drop/Withdrawal Form to the Records Office. It is essential that you submit this form alongside your discontinuation paperwork, as any changes to your enrollment status may directly impact your financial aid eligibility.

Please be aware that the Records Office will not process your Add/Drop/Withdrawal form until they have received confirmation of approval from the DCT.

Note: Because this process requires verifying site obligations, finalization may take several weeks.

Academic and Financial Implications

• Withdrawals after the Add/Drop period result in a grade of W, WP, or WF. A WF may be assigned if the withdrawal is triggered by significant dispositional or clinical skill concerns raised by the site or faculty.
• Any clinical hours accrued during the withdrawal semester are forfeited and do not carry over. Competency must be demonstrated within a single, continuous academic term.
• If a student carries an IP or X grade from a previous term in a clinical course, that grade will be reconciled (converted to W, WF, or WP) simultaneously with the current withdrawal.
• Withdrawals are governed by Richmont’s standard refund schedule.

Withdrawal does not guarantee future placement. Students may be required to wait until the next academic cycle or undergo a formal review by the Student Progress and Discipline Review (SPDR) committee and faculty before being cleared for a new site application.

Leave of Absence

Official Registration

To become officially registered or to register for future semesters, students must have cleared all relevant holds. Possible Holds Are:

• PREPAY Hold: The student has not paid for the semester.
• ADMISS Hold: The student is missing a piece of their academic application that would complete their academic file. An example of a missing item would be a transcript.
• RECORDS Hold: The student is missing a Program of Study or other related Records documentation.
• ADVISEMENT Hold: The Student has not met with their advisor as required.
• DELINQUENT Hold: The Student is no longer attending but still owes the institution fees and tuition.

Registration for Continuing Students

Continuing students (students who have been at Richmont for at least one semester) are able to register themselves via CAMS once registration opens every semester unless they have not met with their advisor or have other holds.

Continuing students must clear financial and all other holds every semester in order to register for future semesters. Students who are not officially registered on the first day of the semester due to account hold obligations will be charged a late registration fee of $50. If students need to drop classes before the semester begins, they can do so until the Wednesday before the semester begins in their CAMS student portal. After that date, they must contact the Records Office and submit an add/drop form.

Registration for New Students

All new School of Counseling degree-seeking students meet with the Director of Student Success to create a Program of Study and register online via Richmont’s student information system (CAMS). Students in the School of Ministry are required to meet with their advisor to gain access to the registration system and create a Program of Study. 

All students are also required to meet with their advisors each fall and spring semester to review their Program of Study. If a student does not meet with the advisor, the student will be prevented from registering for future semesters. For all subsequent registrations, students will be able to register themselves via CAMS, once the student has met with his or her advisor and cleared all appropriate holds from his/her account.

 

Transfer of Credit

Students should be aware that requests for transfer of credit are always the responsibility of the student and evaluated by Richmont, as the receiving institution. Whether or not credits transfer is solely up to Richmont. Any student interested in transferring credit hours should check with the Richmont directly to determine to what extent, if any, credit hours can be transferred.

Students with coursework from another regionally accredited graduate institution may apply for transfer of credit to a Richmont degree program. The number of credit hours and the specific course credits that may be transferred from other institutions are limited to protect the student’s best interest as well as the integrity of Richmont’s programs.

Current Richmont students who wish to take coursework at another institution for transfer into their degree program at Richmont are strongly encouraged to have the course(s) pre-approved by the Dean of the School for which the credit is being considered. Richmont does not guarantee the transfer of any courses which are not pre-approved and/or do not meet the standards which follow.

The evaluation of credits considered for transfer is conducted by the Records Office with final determination by the Dean of the School of Counseling or Ministry. The following policies will be applied to evaluate all requests for transfer of credit. The student will be notified in writing by the Records Office regarding the decision, and the transfer of credit will be documented in the student’s file once the student has matriculated.

School of Counseling

• Transferred credit must be from another graduate institution accredited by an agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and must carry a grade of B or higher. Courses will not be considered with a grade of Pass (P). 
• If the graduate program is comparable in mission, content, and focus, a maximum of one-third of the total hours required for the respective Richmont graduate degree are allowed as transfer credit.
•  Students must complete the clinical course sequence (Practicum and Internship) at Richmont, along with any other course work required.
• Credits will be transferred only for students currently enrolled at Richmont. Prospective students may request a preliminary review and an informal response for transfer of credit by the Records Office, but credits are formally transferred upon actual matriculation at Richmont.
• Credits to be transferred may not have been earned more than seven years prior to the date of the request.
• Transfer credits may only be used toward one Richmont degree.
• All transfers of credit must be completed prior to the student’s preregistration for his or her final semester of attendance at Richmont.
• Coursework earned on the quarter system is normally calculated as two-thirds of the credit hours for courses offered on Richmont’s semester system.
• Transfer credit is not included in the computation of the GPA for the degree being sought at Richmont.
• Transfer credits are counted when measuring the maximum timeframe for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to complete the degree program but do not impact GPA.
• Any exceptions to these guidelines will be solely at the discretion of the Dean of the School of Counseling.
• Richmont reserves the right to assess competency and knowledge for any coursework for which students request transfer of credit.

Transfer Credit Process

1. 1. Current students should first consult with their advisor before requesting transfer of graduate credits earned and before taking additional graduate courses which they may want to transfer to Richmont.
2. 2. Prospective and current students must submit to the Records Office a transfer of credit application packet, including an official transcript showing the course(s) to be transferred, a syllabus of the course(s) in question, and a completed Request for Transfer of Credit form. This form is available from the Records Office and online.
3. 3. The Records Office will conduct an initial evaluation of the request and forward the packet to the Dean of that student’s respective School for final determination.
4. 4. The Dean will evaluate the request and submit the findings to the Records Office. The Records office will communicate the results of the transfer of credit.
5. 5. If a student does not enroll within one year of the transfer of credit evaluation, the evaluation expires and a new packet and evaluation are required.

School of Ministry

1. 1. Transfer credit must carry a grade of B or higher. Courses will not be considered with a grade of Pass (P). 
2. 2. If the graduate program is comparable in mission, content, and focus, a maximum of one-third of the total hours required for the respective Richmont graduate degree is allowed as transfer credit.
3. 3. Credits will be transferred only for students currently enrolled at Richmont. Prospective students may request a preliminary review and an informal response for transfer of credit by the Records Office. Credits are formally transferred upon actual enrollment at Richmont.
4. 4. Credits to be transferred may not have been earned more than seven years prior to the date of the request.
5. 5. Transfer credits may only be used toward one Richmont degree.
6. 6.  All transfers of credit must be completed prior to the student’s registration for his or her final semester of attendance at Richmont.
7. 7. Coursework earned on the quarter system is normally calculated as two-thirds of the credit hours for courses offered on Richmont’s semester system.
8. 8. Transfer credit is not included in the computation of the GPA for the degree being sought at Richmont.
9. 9. Transfer credits are counted when measuring the maximum timeframe for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to complete the degree but do not impact GPA.
10. 10. Any exceptions to these guidelines will be solely at the discretion of the Dean of the School of Ministry.
11. 11. Richmont reserves the right to assess competency and knowledge for any coursework for which students request transfer of credit.

Transfer of Credit Process

1. 1. Current and prospective students must submit a Request for Transfer of Credit form to the Dean of the School of Ministry. This form is available from the Records Office and online.
2. 2. Prospective students must submit a Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) for evaluation and approval by the Dean of the Richmont School of Ministry. The PLA requirements will be provided by the office of the Dean of the School of Ministry.
3. 3. The Dean of the School of Ministry will evaluate the request and submit the findings to the Records Office. The Records Office is responsible for communicating the transfer of credit results to the student.
4. 4. If a student does not enroll within one year of the transfer of credit evaluation, the evaluation expires and a new packet and evaluation are required.

Waitlists

If a course for which students are attempting to register is full, students can add themselves to the waitlist. If space becomes available in the course, students will be contacted by the Records Office and offered the spot. Should the student decide that a course is no longer wanted, they should drop it from their class schedule. In this way the course can be offered to someone else. By waitlisting for a course, students obligate themselves financially and academically to the course if a space opens.

Once the add/drop period for the semester has ended, students on waitlists will not be added to classes even if spaces become available.