Registration

University Policy

School of Theology Policy

All degree students must register every semester for the duration of their program, unless they obtain an approved leave of absence. An officially registered student is one who has selected courses and registered for them on the MyBU Student Portal, obtained the necessary approvals, and settled all charges with Student Accounting Services. Failure to register each semester will result in withdrawal from the degree program.

To be eligible to register for coursework at Boston University School of Theology, students must be admitted to a degree program or approved for special student status. All students must seek permission to register from their advisor and the School of Theology registrar. Permission is secured by submitting the Electronic STH Registration Form to the Registration & Financial Aid office. The School of Theology registrar will determine who is eligible to register within the guidelines of admissions requirements, academic progress, and curricular requirements. Students who lack proper documentation may not be permitted to register until the documentation is supplied.

Candidates for admission to degree programs may not register until they receive a formal statement of acceptance. Once accepted to the University, students register according to instructions provided by their school or college. If the registration occurs before the billing deadline, Student Accounting Services will mail an invoice (statement of charges). If the registration is not processed by the billing deadline, the student will not receive a second invoice in the mail and will have to complete the payment process in person.

Continuing students register for courses for the semester using the MyBU Student Portal (a web-based system). An invoice is prepared on the basis of the student’s status and class selections. Official registration is complete when Student Accounting Services receives full payment. A late settlement fee may be assessed to those students who do not complete official registration by University published deadlines.

The following guidelines must be followed to register properly for coursework each semester:

Semester Course Schedule

The semester course schedule is available for viewing online through the MyBU Student Portal before the commencement of the registration period, in October or November and March or April.

Advising/Permission to Register Form

The School of Theology registrar will electronically distribute information about registration materials to eligible students prior to the commencement of the registration period. Before registering, students indicate their selected courses and their application to the student’s program of study on their Registration Form and either on a Degree Plan of Study or in Degree Advice. Students must discuss their selections with their faculty advisor who approves electronic forms by email to the registrar. If approved, the registrar will email the student’s individual six-digit access number (AAC code) that students must use to officially register themselves online via the MyBU Student Portal.

Adjustments to Course Registration

After the initial course selection has been made, adjustments can be made to the schedule using the registration functionality on the MyBU Student Portal. Please note that deadlines for adjustments are strictly enforced.

Students should consult with their advisors before adding or dropping a course. No course may be added after the first two weeks of classes.

Each semester, the University posts a schedule with registration, settlement, and course adjustment dates. Students are responsible for adhering to these strict deadlines.

Auditing a Course

Audit status cannot be changed after the fifth week of class. Faculty signatures are required on the Course Adjustment Form. An audited course will be charged at the normal School of Theology tuition rate. No credit is awarded for an audited course; an audited course therefore does not accumulate as credit for requirements toward the completion of a degree program.

Semester Course Overload

If a student desires to take 15 credits or more in one semester, it will be considered a course overloaded semester. Students must use the “Semester Course Overload petition” on the Academic Forms and Petitions page to request approval. The student must obtain approval from the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.

Pass/Fail Option

Each MDiv, MSM, and MTS student may enroll in one free elective course at STH (this excludes any BTI or outside STH courses) during the program on a Pass/Fail basis, provided an official petition, complete with appropriate signatures, is filed with the registrar within the first two weeks of the semester in which the course is taught. This option is understood to be in addition to any course offered only on a Pass/Fail basis. A grade of C or higher constitutes passing by School of Theology (but not necessarily University) standards; a grade of C– or lower constitutes failing by School of Theology (but not necessarily University) standards.

Core courses and courses taken to fulfill the requirements of certificates or ordination may not be taken Pass/Fail.

STM, PhD, and DMin students may not enroll for courses on a Pass/Fail basis, unless they are courses that, by faculty action, give only Pass/Fail grades.

Requirements to Register: Compliance

Boston University students must be compliant with four components in order to register for courses at the School of Theology. These components are:

  • Safe: Send Word Now Emergency Contact Information
  • Settled: Pay Tuition and Fees in Full Every Semester
  • Healthy: Up-to-date Immunization Records
  • Aware & Knowledgeable: MA Motor Vehicle Law

For more information about compliance, please visit the STH Compliance website.

STH Childbirth and Adoption Accommodation for Full-Time Master’s Students

 Policy Details

The childbirth and adoption accommodation policy for full-time or certified full-time master’s students in good academic standing provides for extensions for academic coursework and other requirements to the primary caregiver of an infant or adopted child. It also provides for a continuation of support for funded students during the accommodation period.

  • When possible, students giving birth or adopting are encouraged to request a leave of absence during the semester in which either of those events take place by communicating with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and petitioning that leave through the school’s online form. This leave is routinely granted in those situations.
  • A student taking an accommodation due to the birth of a child should notify the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and the student’s supervisor if employed by the School of Theology in writing no later than 30 days prior to the start of the semester during which the birth is expected. In the case of adoption, notification should be made once the student becomes reasonably certain of the expected date of the adoption. The notification should indicate the start and end dates of the accommodation consistent with the allowable time frame below. The Associate Dean shall acknowledge receipt in writing. Forms for this purpose are available from the Associate Dean’s office.
  • The period of accommodation is 60 days and must end no later than six months from the date in which the child is born or the newly adopted child is placed. A student may elect a shorter period of accommodation, at the sole discretion of the student, and should inform the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in writing.
  • If both parents are eligible graduate students at Boston University, the accommodation is available to both by individual, separate petitions.
  • The student will remain registered as a full-time or certified full-time student during the period of accommodation.
  • The student should make arrangements with each instructor to complete any assignments or exams missed during the period of accommodation, and without grading penalty.
  • Other requirements outside of formal coursework, such as degree assessments, should be rescheduled as appropriate to provide reasonable time for preparation and completion.
  • If the student is serving or was to serve as a graduate assistant at the School of Theology during the period of the accommodation, the student will be relieved of any responsibilities directly related to the project during the period of accommodation with pay.
  • In consultation with the student’s work supervisor, the School of Theology may provide funding to hire an additional graduate assistant for the same number of hours the student was scheduled to work to cover their responsibilities during the accommodation period when needed.

Notification Procedures

Please include the following information in an email with the subject: “STH Childbirth and Adoption Accommodation” to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, copying your advisor, the STH Financial Aid Coordinator at kgo@bu.edu, and if a graduate assistant, the supervisor for the assistantship on which you are working:

  • Your name
  • BU ID number
  • Program
  • Expected date of birth or adoption
  • The start and end dates of the 60-day accommodation period if known, or approximate dates if not

The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs must acknowledge receipt of this email via a reply to all parties initially included.