Auditing (taking a course without receiving credit) enables a student to sit in on a class which would be valuable but in which the student does not wish to enroll because of weak background, a desire to reduce course load, etc. An audit does count as academic load. That is, if an overload is incurred, the student must meet the minimum GPA requirements and will be charged accordingly.
A student's registration may be changed from credit to audit or from audit to credit, but may not do so later than the fifth day of classes in the term. To audit a course, the student must pick up an Audit Approval Form from the Registrar's Office and check with the instructor who will determine if an Audit is permitted, what the criteria for 'successful completion' are, and what degree of participation will be expected or permitted. Then the student should consult the adviser and return the signed form to the registrar's office.
A course successfully completed on an Audit basis does appear on the student's permanent record. It does not count toward graduation requirements, since no credit is given. It is assigned an "AU" rather than a credit grade, and if the instructor decides that the audit has been 'unsuccessful,' the instructor may direct that the "AU" not be awarded and the Audit will be removed from the student's record.
(A friendly note: many students who sign up to Audit a course later drop it or petition, unsuccessfully, to receive credit. Think twice before auditing).
Exceptions & Questions: Contact Admissions and Standing Committee