The university has set limits on the number of credit hours students can take in one semester. Review Academic Load in the University Catalog. In order to be considered for an overload, students must fulfill all of the following criteria:
- Be in good academic standing
- Have a minimum GPA of:
- Undergraduates: prior semester and cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher
- Graduate students: prior semester and cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Have demonstrated, in prior semesters at Mason, the ability to handle an increased and demanding course load while maintaining high performance
- Have no remaining incomplete grades (IN) from a previous semester
Students in their first semesters are not given permission for overloads as they have not yet established an academic record at Mason.
Steps for requesting a credit overload
- Print and complete the Credit Overload form found on the Registrar’s website.
- Attach a detailed explanation of your reason for requesting an overload and provide an explanation of employment and other commitments for the semester of the overload.
- Submit the form and attachments to your academic advisor prior to the beginning of the semester. No requests for overloads will be considered after the ADD deadline of any semester.
- If approved for an overload, the student is responsible for adding the additional class(es) via Patriot Web and paying for the related tuition by the official university deadlines.