Catalogue Years and University Studies

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a catalogue year?

The official UNCW catalogue is a binding contract between the University and the student. It explains the regulations, policies, and the degree requirements the student is held to. Catalogues are effective for one academic year, beginning with the fall term and expiring at the end of the summer term. They expire after six years. A student's catalogue year is the academic year they matriculate into UNCW.

2. Can students change their catalogue year?

Students can change their catalogue year under the following conditions:

• they were enrolled at UNCW during their catalogue year,
• the catalogue year has not expired (they expire after 6 years), or
• the preferred major or minor existed in that catalogue year.

Please note: Re-enrollees have special rules regarding catalogue year changes. Please see below for more information.

3. Why would a student want to change their catalogue year?

There are various reasons to change catalogue year. Some include wanting to declare a major or a minor that was not offered until a certain catalogue in the future. Perhaps another catalogue year's degree requirements are more suitable for the course the student has to take, and the advisor recommends a catalogue year change.

4. Why is a catalogue year important? Can't a student just follow the same one as their friend?

Catalogue year is critical for degree requirements and any regulations the student is held to. For example, one catalogue year may have a different repeat policy. Another may have new courses required in the curricula.

Be aware that worksheets from departmental websites should clearly display the catalogue year at the top - be careful to check that you are referencing the correct catalogue year's major requirements. Although they can be very helpful, worksheets and departmental websites are not the official lists used for graduation requirements. The Degree Audit is the official tool to reference your requirements.

The Degree Audit is used by the University to graduate students. It lists the student's official catalogue year. It should be run before and after registering for courses, after grades post, and other critical times of the year to see a student's progress towards a degree.

5. How do students and their advisors know which catalogue year a student is in?

The Degree Audit will display the catalogue year in the upper right-hand corner.

Our system lists the catalogue year in abbreviated language, by academic year, so please use the following to translate:

2015 - 2016 Catalogue Year

• 201610 = Fall
• 201620 = Spring
• 201660 = Summer

2016 - 2017 Catalogue Year

• 201710 = Fall
• 201720 = Spring
• 201760 = Summer

2017 - 2018 Catalogue Year

• 201810 = Fall
• 201820 = Spring
• 201860 = Summer

2018 - 2019 Catalogue Year

• 201910 = Fall
• 201920 = Spring
• 201960 = Summer

2019 - 2020 Catalogue Year

• 202010 = Fall
• 202020 = Spring
• 202060 = Summer

6. How can a student or advisor see the different requirements for another catalogue year?

In SeaNet, run a "What If" Degree Audit, selecting the major and the new catalogue year. Note how the University Studies and major requirements may have changed.

General Information and Policies

• Freshmen and Re-enrollees do not fall under the umbrella that Transfer students do, with regards to a General Education exception, even if they attended a North Carolina Community College. Only Transfers are affected.
• Only Transfers can receive the exception back one-level for General Education Requirements, and only for 2011 - 2012 and 2012 - 2013 catalogue years. The idea was that they would have been advised what transfers a year earlier received on the existing UNCW General Education Requirements.
• Any transfer or continuing student may change their catalogue year back under the following conditions:
  • They were enrolled at UNCW during that catalogue year,
  • Their catalogue year has not expired, and
  • The major they want to declare existed in that catalogue year.

Re-enrollees

A continuing student or a student returning from "on-leave" status who enrolls at UNCW during any academic year, and who earns credit for work done during the year, may graduate under the provisions of the entering catalogue or under any subsequent catalogue, provided all graduation requirements are completed within six years of the expiration date of the catalogue chosen.

• Re-enrolling students are placed into the catalogue year in which they re-enroll. For instance, a student may have been under the Fall 2009 catalogue when they last attended UNCW. If re-enrolling for Fall 2013, they would be placed in the Fall 2013 catalogue.
• Re-enrolling students who attended a North Carolina Community College are not given the exception for University Studies. Re-enrollees are held to the catalogue requirements for the year they re-enrolled, unless they are eligible for a catalogue year change.
• Re-enrollees can change their catalogue year back under the following conditions:
  • Re-enrolling students who were academically eligible or had earned at least 89 credit hours when they left UNCW, provided all graduation requirements are completed within six years of the expiration date of the catalogue chosen.
  • Re-enrolling students who were academically dismissed or were academically ineligible, and had earned 88 or fewer credit hours must enroll under the catalogue in effect.

For more information regarding Re-enrollees, contact Susan Thornhill, Office of the Registrar, at (910) 962-2145 or thornhills@uncw.edu.

University Studies and Catalogue Years

2011 - 2012 Catalogue: University Studies began. To ease the transition, it began in phases. For this catalogue year, students were held to Phase I or "The Core Curriculum," which included the requirements I.A. Composition through II.F. Living in a Global Society.

Please note: Transfer students in the 2011-2012 catalogue year who attended a North Carolina Community College were given an exception back to Basic Studies.

2012 - 2013 Catalogue: University Studies Phase II began. This year included IV. Building Competencies, V. Explorations Beyond the Classroom, VI. Capstone Courses, and Thematic Transdisciplinary Clusters.

Please note: Transfer students in the 2012-2013 catalogue year who attended a North Carolina Community College were given an exception back to University Studies Phase I.

2013 - 2014 Catalogue: All students are held to University Studies general education requirements in its entirety.