Course registration is done before each semester on WebAdvisor. Based on your expected graduation date, you will receive a designated time to register on WebAdvisor.
Registration assignments can also be seen by clicking selecting the “My Registration Time” link under WebAdvisor’s Registration menu. A student cannot register for courses before this time, but can pre-register in order to save time and effort in the official registration process, using the “Register for Previously Selected Sections” link under the Registration menu. You can check course availability as well as additional course offerings or cancellations, not included in the print course announcement, on WebAdvisor as well. Select you first choice course and several alternatives in rank (choice) order, bearing in mind your degree requirements and personal interests.
When a student’s assigned registration time arrives, courses previously selected or newly selected can be registered, removed from the list, or waitlisted via the dropdown menu next to each course under the” Register and Drop Sections” link. Web registration is limited to 15 credits. Waitlisted students will be notified if room in the class opens up before the class begins. When done registering, check “My Class Schedule” to make sure your course selection was processed by WebAdvisor. Then, print out your schedule.
* In late summer, incoming graduate students and undergraduate transfers who were not fully registered by their departments may complete their registration for fall electives on-line using WebAdvisor. Passwords to access WebAdvisor were sent earlier to your RISD email account by the Office for Information Technology (OIT).
In June/July, an email with the information will be sent to students with registration information.
Registration Confirmation
Once you have successfully submitted your course request, WebAdvisor will immediately send a confirmation to your RISD email. Since you can view or print your class schedule at any time, paper confirmation forms will not be sent to your campus box. Check your schedule on-line immediately to make sure you are registered properly.
Special Circumstances
You cannot register on WebAdvisor for classes that need written instructor or department permission. For these classes, you must contact the faculty and/or department head who will approve or deny entrance into the course. Students who are unable to reach faculty or department heads should attend the first day of that course and ask for permission at that time. If permission is granted, an Add/Drop form must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office before the end of the Add/Drop period.
For Independent Studies or Collaborative/ Interdisciplinary Studies, students must fill out the interactive pdf found on the Registrar’s website under Frequently Requested Forms. The pdf is emailed to the faculty independent study advisor. Paper copies are no longer used. Also, you cannot register for an Independent Study or Collaborative/ Interdisciplinary Study via WebAdvisor.
Credit Limits When Registering on WebAdvisor
Students may sign up for no more than 15 credits on WebAdvisor. To take 18 credits, which is the maximum allowed for a term, the student must come to the Registrar’s Office to be have the class added or they can email registrar@risd.edu to request registration. Another option is to wait until the Add/Drop period at the start of classes. At that point, the student may get an Add Form signed by the instructor and bring it to the Registrar to add a class in order to go up to the 18 credit limit.
Another WebAdvisor rule during registration is that you may take only 2 liberal arts classes. If you need to take three classes, you must wait until all student registration appointments are finished. A couple of days after that, the restriction on WebAdvisor limiting you to 2 liberal arts classes will be lifted and you will be able to sign up for a 3rd liberal arts class, provided that you don’t exceed 15 credits.
Students may not register for courses if they have a hold on their account. If this applies to you, you should contact the Student Accounts Office at 401-454-6442.
Travel Courses (Wintersession)
If you are registering for an off-campus study course, that is, a travel course, you must receive permission to register from the instructor. The instructor of the travel course will give you permission to register by signing the paper Add Form. Bring the signed Add Form to the Registrar’s Office to register, sometime between October 10, 2012 and October 31, 2012. Course seats are limited and registration is on a first-come, first-in basis, AND you must be prepared to pay in full for the course at the time your register for it. The Student Accounts Office is where you pay and it is in the same office suite as the Registrar’s Office. You will be notified by email before regular Wintersession course selection if your travel course will be cancelled due to low enrollment or other reasons.
