Course Registration

Two students, one in a light purple shirt and one in a yellow jumpsuit, are working together with a large clamp and pieces of wood.

From signing up for classes to understanding your credit requirements, we’re here to support you through the registration process at RISD.

At RISD, all students must register for classes for both fall and spring semesters. Additionally—all first-year, graduate and Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) students are required to register for Wintersession—which is optional for the rest of the undergraduate student body.

If you cannot attend classes during any required term, you must request a leave of absence.

Credit requirements

To maintain full-time student status, you must register for at least 12 credits each semester. You can take up to 15 or 16 credits depending on when you entered RISD before needing to submit a credit overload request. The maximum credit load is 18 credits. If you need fewer than 12 credits to complete your degree, you may petition for reduced credit through the academic exception form in etrieve.

If you have a documented disability or demonstrated medial need, you can request a reduced course load accommodation through Disability Support Services (DSS).

Please note that, in order to meet financial aid requirements, at least 12 credits per semester must count towards your degree requirements. To view your degree requirements, refer to the course catalog that corresponds to the year you started at RISD, or check your Workday academic progress report.

Full-time enrollment policy

Registration process

First-year students are pre-registered for the fall and spring semesters through the Experimental Foundation Studies (EFS) program. For Wintersession, first-year students can register for a class of your choice via Workday.

Sophomore, upperclass and graduate students register for classes each semester by following the process below. Your academic department may place you in required classes ahead of registration. Dropping classes to which you are pre-registered by your department could jeopardize your graduation.

When it’s time for you to register, we will email you with your registration appointment information. To register for classes, complete the following steps.

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As the time to register approaches, we will let you know by email your registration appointment information. Sign up for classes via Workday.

By employing an appointment system, we aim to give students equal registration opportunities over the course of your time at RISD. The appointment order is set according to faculty and provost governance. You cannot appeal your place in the appointment order.

Undergraduate appointment times are assigned by class (first-year, sophomore, etc.). Students are grouped together as a class and then assigned a time within that group. Appointment orders for each semester are:

Fall semester

rising seniors, rising fifth-year students and continuing graduate students
rising juniors
rising sophomores
transfer students and new graduate students (appointment is in summer)

Wintersession

current first-year students, new transfer students and first-year graduate students except Industrial Design (MID); students in the second year of the MID 2.5-year program are included in this order placement.
seniors
juniors
sophomores
fifth-year seniors and continuing graduate students

Spring semester

seniors, fifth-year seniors and graduate students
juniors
sophomores
first-year students who aren’t fully pre-registered by the Experimental and Foundation Studies (EFS) and Liberal Arts divisions; most students who started in the preceding fall will be registered for all their classes by EFS and Liberal Arts.

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The timeframe for adding and/or dropping courses without penalty is open for the first seven days of a semester. If you add or drop a course during the permitted timeframe, check your schedule in Workday to confirm that your registration and schedule have been finalized.

How to add a course

Search for the course in Workday.
Contact the instructor and attend the first class meeting.
Once you have connected with the instructor, fill out the course add request form in etrieve. After you submit the form, the course instructor will receive it for approval. Indicate on the form the reason why you want to add the course. If, upon approval to add the course, you need to drop a course in order for the add to process (due either to a time conflict, or because you have exceeded the semester credit limit), indicate as such in the space provided.
Check your email for confirmation that your request has been approved or denied.

How to drop a course

If you registered for the course in Workday, you can drop the course in Workday directly. View the job aid below for complete Workday instructions.

How to add, drop or swap a class in Workday

Add/drop policy

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To add a course after the conclusion of the add/drop period, you must contact the instructor for approval to join their class, and then submit a late add request. You must submit the request during the semester. We do not accept retroactive late add requests following the conclusion of the course semester.

Please note that the late add request cannot be used to cross-register for a Brown University course or for an Independent Study Plan (ISP).

Submit the late add request form in etrieve

Course withdrawal

If you need to leave a class after the add/drop period has ended, you may withdraw with a grade of "W" during the course withdrawal period. A "W" grade has no effect on your GPA. After withdrawing, the course does not count towards the 12 credit minimum to maintain your full-time enrollment status. For more information, refer to the course withdrawal policy.

How to withdraw from a class in Workday

Cross-register at Brown University

Students at RISD and their peers at Brown University benefit by cross-registering for classes at their respective institutions, at no extra cost. RISD students can take classes at Brown in math, science, foreign language and other areas, and Brown students can take studios and tap into RISD’s creative expertise.

Learn more about cross-registration

Independent study options

RISD’s curriculum supports two independent study options: the Independent Study Project (ISP) and the Collaborative Study Project (CSP). Through these study options you can complete a faculty-supervised project for credit in an area of interest not covered by regularly offered courses. For eligibility, you must be a sophomore, upperclass or graduate student with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

ISPs and CSPs can count for a maximum of three credits per project. For undergraduate students, you can only count nine ISP/CSP credits towards your degree.

Learn more about project options and how to apply

Liberal Arts ISP guidelines

Internships

Student internships are available through ArtWorks—the Career Center’s online platform for RISD students and alumni to find internships, jobs and artist opportunities.

You must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and have completed your first year at RISD to be eligible for an internship.

Undergraduate students may take a maximum of six internship credits towards your degree. Graduate students may take a maximum of three internship credits, unless your major department requires more. Please contact your department to confirm if your internship can count for credits towards your degree. Visit Coursedog to read the full internship policy.

Find instructions and deadlines below for registering for an internship through the Career Center.

Career Center internship guidelines

Quick links

Credit overload request form

How to add, drop or swap a class in Workday

Late add request form

Workday academic progress report

Credit overload request form

How to add, drop or swap a class in Workday

Late add request form

Workday academic progress report

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Registration

Faculty Resources

Academic Calendar

Forms

Contact

Course Registration

Credit requirements

Registration process

Register for classes at your appointment time

Refine your course load during the add/drop period (as applicable)

Submit a late add request (if necessary)

Course withdrawal

Cross-register at Brown University

Independent study options

Internships

Quick links