Course Add/Drop Policies
A student's transcript should be an accurate representation of the student's actual
academic performance. MSU may, in its discretion, make an exception to this general
policy in the event of an extraordinary circumstance beyond the control of the student,
such as illness, injury, or death in the family.
The table below summarizes MSU's add/drop deadlines and how to add or drop a class
depending on the timing of the request.
Action |
How To |
Add class prior to 5th class day |
Add online via CatCourse |
Add class between 5th-10th class day |
Contact instructor for add through MyInfo |
Add class after 10th class day |
Use DocuSign form with signature of instructor, advisor* and Assistant Dean (Brenda Truman) |
Drop without a grade or W prior to 10th class day |
Drop online via CatCourse |
Drop without a grade or W between 10th-15th class day |
Contact Office of Student Services for drop through MyInfo |
Drop with a W between 15th -45th class day |
Contact Office of Student Services for withdrawal (W) through MyInfo |
Drop with a W after 45th class day but before end of semester |
Complete DocuSign form with signature of instructor, advisor*, and Assistant Dean (Brenda Truman). Requires demonstration that the student was prevented from dropping the course before the 45th class day due to extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control, such as illness, injury, or death in the family. |
Drop without a grade or W between 15th-45th class day |
Complete DocuSign form with signature of instructor, advisor*, and Assistant Dean (Brenda Truman). Requires demonstration that the student was prevented from dropping the course before the 15th class day due to extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control, such as illness, injury, or death in the family. |
Drop without a grade or W after 45th class day |
Petition MSU's Graduation and Admission Requirements Committee (GARC). See process at http://www.montana.edu/registrar/CERCandGARC.html |
Drop with or without a grade or W after the end of the semester |
Petition MSU's Graduation and Admission Requirements Committee (GARC). See process at http://www.montana.edu/registrar/CERCandGARC.html |
*The Office of Student Services in Jabs Hall 124 can sign for an advisor if the advisor is unavailable.
General Guidelines
- The Assistant Dean will not sign an add/drop form unless the instructor has signed the form or has provided written consent of the drop via email documentation.
- Requests for a drop with a W after the 45th class day, and requests for a drop without a grade or W after the 15th class day, are only granted with extenuating circumstances that prevented the student from dropping the course by the deadline. Examples of such circumstances can be found on the Registrar's website: https://www.montana.edu/registrar/adddropcourse.html. Forgetting to drop the course, or waiting to drop the course until after receipt of a grade on a test, is not an extraordinary circumstance justifying a retroactive withdrawal or drop.
- A student wishing to drop all of his/her classes should seek a University Withdrawal
through the Dean of Students Office. Please call (406) 994-2826 or visit the Dean of Students withdrawal webpage for more information.