Adding Courses
Note: All holds must be cleared prior to adding a course.
Adding courses during the Add week requires you to get the approval of the instructor using the online form below.
The deadline for adding classes is 11:59 p.m. on the last day of the Add week. Exception: Music ensembles (MUAP classes) can be added on BearPAWS until 4:00 p.m. on the last day of the second week of classes.
Getting a Course Override—Prerequisite or other Course-Related Registration Errors
If you are trying to enroll in a course for which you do not meet the prerequisite or are receiving any other course-related registration errors, you may be eligible for an override.
Consult with your academic advisor about the registration error that you are getting, to confirm that the course is something you should try to complete now.
Submit an email request to the instructor of the course in which you are trying to enroll, except for music courses. Your email should include: your name, P#, course name, section, CRN and reason that you need an override (course is full, you don’t meet the pre-requisite, major restriction, etc.)
For music courses, students should use this override form.
If the instructor approves the override, please forward the email to the Registrar's office the academic department secretary, or Crane School of Music Office for processing; you will receive notification from the instructor/Crane Staff if the request is denied.
If you have trouble reaching the instructor or your advisor in a timely fashion, please email the department secretary (search "Find an Office/Department" in Campus Directory.
Dropping Courses
Note: You CANNOT drop online if there is a hold on your account. You must either clear the hold or contact the Registrar's office to see if you are eligible to drop a course.
Students can drop courses on BearPAWS through day 21 of the semester. This feature will be shut off at 11:59 p.m. on September 15.
Important! If you are planning to drop and you receive financial aid, it's advisable to consult with a financial aid counselor first. You can email finaid@potsdam.edu or go to One Stop (4th floor Raymond Hall).
Certain courses cannot be web dropped via BearPAWS:
- Pre-Scheduled Crane Courses can only be changed or dropped by Crane using this form (PDF).
- Internships require approval from the Center for Applied Learning.
- Tutorials/Independent Study require the approval of the instructor
- Cross-Registration courses require the notification of the Registrar's office
ONLY use the online request form (below) to drop the following courses:
- a WAYS course
- a component of a linked course (for example, a linked Lecture/Lab); you should drop via BearPAWS if dropping both linked courses.
- a course within an Education Block
The special drop form is available until September 15 (11:59 p.m.).
Special Drop
Late Add Request
Only under special circumstances may students apply to add classes after the Add deadline. Acceptable reasons for late add are:
- For classes with start dates after the start of the semester (e.g., partial term courses such as a 2nd half PE class).
- Circumstances that prevented you from adding/dropping ahead of the deadline.
If you missed the Add deadline due to special circumstances, complete this form.
Instructor Drops & Attendance Policy
Students must attend the first meeting of each of their registered classes or contact the instructor within 48 hours of the beginning of the first meeting. If a student misses the first meeting without an explanation, the instructor may choose to drop the student from the section.
Instructors are not obligated to drop students from classes for non-attendance. It is the student's responsibility to drop sections which they do not plan to attend.
Applying for an Overload (taking more than 19 credits)
Crane School of Music
Undergraduate students in the Crane School of Music who wish to register for more than 19 hours (including P.E. experiences) in any semester, must fill out this form (PDF).
Additional Requirements
Students must be a Sophomore or higher and have a 3.0 GPA to qualify for an overload.
Students are not allowed to take more than 21 credits. (The Dean sometimes makes exceptions to the GPA or credit limit requirements if the student has very compelling reasons.)
Approved overload hours maybe added only after the end of the initial period of registration.
Please note: Even if approved for the overload, you’ll only be able to register for 19 credits during your registration time. You can register for the additional credits after that time.
School of Arts & Sciences
Students must be a Sophomore or higher and have a 3.0 GPA to qualify for an overload. Students are not allowed to take more than 21 credits. (The Dean sometimes makes exceptions to the GPA or credit limit requirements if the student has very compelling reasons.)
If you need to overload for the upcoming semester, please follow the steps below.
- Compose an email from your SUNY Potsdam email account containing the following:
- your full name
- the total number of credits you want to take
- a list of all the courses you plan to take
- a detailed explanation of why you need the overload
- Send this email to Assistant Dean Medo.
Please note: Even if approved for the overload, you’ll only be able to register for 19 credits during your registration time. You can register for the additional credits after the final day of registration.
School of Education & Professional Studies
Undergraduate students in the School of Education & Professional Studies who wish to register for more than 19 hours (including P.E. experiences) in any semester, must fill out this form (PDF).
Additional Requirements
- Students must be a Sophomore or higher and have a 3.0 GPA to qualify for an overload.
- Students are not allowed to take more than 21 credits. (The Dean sometimes makes exceptions to the GPA or credit limit requirements if the student has very compelling reasons.)
- Approved overload hours maybe added only after the end of the initial period of registration.
Please note: Even if approved for the overload, you’ll only be able to register for 19 credits during your registration time. You can register for the additional credits after that time.