Override Policy
HUM courses are usually capped at 18-21 students, and it is the general policy of the HUM Program, as well as a general UNC Asheville policy, not to grant Closed Class Overrides. Please do not contact instructors to get a Closed Class Override – we cannot grant them. Students seeking to enroll in a closed class should choose the Waitlist option.
Sections are made available based on perceived need and on the availability of faculty to teach them. We try to offer enough classes to allow all students to graduate in a timely way, and in some cases we can open new sections based on need. The only guarantee that you will be able to take a HUM course at a particular time, or during a particular semester, is that you register as soon as you are able to do so. Please work with your advisor on your schedule in advance to get the courses that you need and to be aware of other options if you register later than you are eligible to do so and find all HUM sections full.
Preregistration
During preregistration, especially in the spring, the course caps are lowered to allow entering transfer students and freshmen to find seats when they register during summer orientations. If all sections are filled during preregistration, it does not mean that you will not be able to take a HUM course the following semester. New sections may be opened in the summer, and occasionally in the winter break, and seats will open in current sections as students make other decisions. You should wait until registration reopens before the next semester, and check frequently to see when new sections and seats become available. It is possible but unlikely that new sections will be added in the week or two before a new semester. At that time you will have to check frequently for seats to open in current sections as students make other decisions. General requests for an override into a full course will not be granted.
Waitlist
Students seeking a seat in a course that is full should choose the Waitlist option. When you sign up for the Waitlist option and a seat becomes available, the 1st student on the Waitlist will receive an email notifying them that they have 24 HOURS from the date/time of the email to register for the class in OnePort. If the student does not register in the 24 hour period, their ability to register expires and the next student on the Waitlist is notified. Students should check their email daily for possible notification that they may register for a Waitlisted class. Students on the Waitlist are not automatically registered for the class – they must log in to OnePort and register themselves for the class.
Given the high rate of turnover just before a new semester and during drop/add, we encourage you to keep looking for opportunities. Remember that HUM courses are also offered during the summer and in Study Abroad.
Override Petition
If you regard your situation as an emergency, you may submit a request through the override petition form. (Please note that poor planning, being dropped from a course for failure to pay tuition or failing a course, instructor preference, or a restricted work schedule, do not constitute emergencies—but if you are senior needing a capstone course to graduate and all sections are full, submit a request.) In most cases I will want you to work with your advisor, so be sure to include her or him in the space on the form.
Summer Humanities Courses
The HUM Program offers 20-30 sections of HUM and LA courses during the summer. These sections, however, are dependent on faculty availability and willingness to teach, and there is no guarantee that a course will be offered during a particular term or at a particular time. The program will not offer more sections than are anticipated to fill, so it is important for students to register for summer HUM courses during preregistration; if there is particular need, the director may be able to open additional sections. Summer HUM courses also observe the course caps, and overrides into closed courses will not be given.
Summer HUM courses are 4 credit hours and not simplified or easier versions of the HUM curriculum offered during the full semesters. In addition to the 2.5 hours in class each day, students should allot at least the same amount of time outside of class each day to prepare for the next class and complete assignments. Combining another summer course with a HUM course will result in a very demanding load, and students should register intentionally and structure their schedules accordingly in order to gain the most.
If during preregistration you try to register for two HUM courses in successive summer terms, e.g. HUM 214 in term 1 and HUM 324 in term 2, make sure to register for them in order so the system recognizes the prerequisite.
Course Transfer Credit Policy
For Transfer Students
UNC Asheville’s core curriculum was designed with the humanities courses at its core, and we want you to take them. The courses in the HUM sequence at UNCA are interdisciplinary and do not represent a single department or discipline; they were created and are evaluated by our own faculty on a continuous basis. It is unlikely that a course taken elsewhere will be exactly like a HUM course at UNCA.
However, some courses taken at other schools automatically receive HUM credit. History courses, such as World Civilizations or Ancient History, for example, will receive credit for HUM 124 or HUM 214, depending on the specific content of the course. Only those two courses are regularly eligible for transfer credit. HUM 324 rarely receives transfer credit, and you are required to take the capstone course, HUM 414 or LA 478, at UNCA.
If you wish for a course that you took at another university to be considered for transfer credit for HUM 124 or 214, you may petition the registrar. Information about transfer credit and the petition process may be found at the Registrar’s site.
For UNC Asheville Students
If you are a current UNCA student and you wish to take a course at another school over the summer that will qualify for HUM credit, please be sure to establish that equivalency before you enroll. You can check on those equivalencies in OneStop or at the Registrar’s site.
AP/IB credit
There is no AP or IB credit awarded for HUM courses.
Taking Courses Out of Order or Concurrently
The HUM sequence is meant to be taken in order, and for that reason each course after HUM 124 has the course before it as a prerequisite. (There is also the hope that you take these courses throughout your undergraduate career, but there is a minimum hour requirement, 75 hours, only for the senior capstone course.)
Some exceptions to this policy can be made. For example, students on study abroad may have opportunity to take two HUM courses at the same time, or to take a course out of the usual sequence. Transfer students attempting to graduate in a shortened time may also need to take courses concurrently. Taking courses out of order or concurrently requires an override of prerequisite, which is granted by the director.
If you want to make such a request, send an email to the director, Reid Chapman (rchapman@unca.edu), with your request. Please copy your advisor on the email.
Study Abroad Policy
Some UNC Asheville Study Abroad programs offer HUM courses as one or more of their choices, so if you are interested in a particular Study Abroad program, especially one that is outside of your major or minor area of study, ask the faculty representatives or the Study Abroad counselors about HUM opportunities. Some courses taken at other schools during semesters or years abroad may receive HUM credit. In every case, it is best to check on transfer equivalencies before you leave. The Study Abroad counselors can help you determine whether a course qualifies for HUM credit before you register for courses.
If you do not establish equivalencies before you leave and you think a course you took may qualify for transfer credit for HUM 124, 214 or 324, you may seek approval from the registrar. Information about transfer credit and the petition process may be found at the Registrar’s site.
Senior Capstone Courses
HUM 414 vs. LA 478: Which is right for you?
Please remember that you must have 75 earned hours to register for a Senior Capstone course.