Registration FAQs

Many of our entering students are unsure of a major, and that's okay! There are only a handful of majors that require specific courses to be taken first semester, so being undecided won't put you behind. We will compose a schedule for you that reflects your area(s) of interest, fulfills general University/School core requirements, as well as provides you with exposure to a variety of academic disciplines.

All students who major in the College of Arts & Sciences take a foreign language or foreign culture (FC) course for at least one semester as a core requirement. Foreign language is not a core requirement of the Schools of Business Administration, Engineering & Applied Science, Education or Professional Studies (Nursing, Exercise Science). However, mastery of a foreign language is a significant enhancement to a well-rounded education, so students in all disciplines with interest in languages are encouraged to include language study in their program. Finally, feel free to take a language other than the one(s) you studied in high school. Introductory courses are available in all languages taught at GU with no expectation of previous study, so be adventurous!

All students must complete at least one semester of mathematics in order to graduate from Gonzaga. Many majors and/or areas of concentration require more extensive mathematics coursework as well. Depending on your chosen area of study, you will be placed in mathematics when and if it is necessary to the timely completion of your academic program. As a general rule, it is advisable to complete your mathematics requirement early in your college career so that material learned in high school is still fresh in your mind.

Part of our commitment to every entering student is that we will help you get on the right track for a four year graduation. An important part of this involves making sure that you are taking courses that will give you the foundation necessary to complete advanced undergraduate work. We, together with your academic advisor, will continue to work with you, to make sure that the courses you have chosen are the best ones for your academic program.

We assign academic advisors in August, AFTER all registration is complete. You will meet your academic advisor on Monday during the Academic Day of New Student Orientation. Details about this meeting will be provided in the packet you will receive when you arrive to campus in the fall.

In order to complete a degree, Gonzaga requires at least 128 semester credits. Students who wish to complete their degree in four years must average at least 32 credits per year, which means 16 credits a semester (or 14 in the first semester and 18 in the second, or 15 in the first and 17 in the second). Students in engineering and special education programs should anticipate semester averages of 17 credits, in order to complete those programs in four years. Each credit of in-class time generally requires at least 2 hours of out-of-class study per week, so a semester schedule of 16 credits will compose an average and balanced week of academic work. We will not permit most first-semester students to take more than 18 credits their first semester.

Yes, perhaps. Once you arrive on campus in late August, plan to drop by our office in College Hall (formerly AD) room 326 during Schedule Change Times (listed below). We will listen to your concerns and review your schedule with you to see if changes are necessary and/or possible. Our first priority is registering you for a first semester that sets you on a four-year path to graduation. If that requires schedule changes, we will gladly make them. Just visit the Office of Academic Services (Administration Building, room 326) during the following Schedule Change Times: Thursday, August 28, 8am-12noon, 12:30pm-4:30pm; Friday, August 29, am-12pm, 12:30pm -3:00pm; Saturday, August 30, 8am-12noon. Please read the Schedule Change Times page to get detailed information about making changes to your schedule. Please note: once classes begin, schedule changes require the permission of your academic advisor, who will consult with you as to the reason for your change. There is a period during the first week of classes known as "Add/Drop" during which all schedule changes are to be accomplished. Schedules are composed by the Office of Academic Services for all incoming first-semester students, which include all freshmen and any student directly out of high school, regardless of transfer credits.

Visit the Office of Academic Services to change your schedule (Schedule Change Times are listed above). Once classes begin, schedule changes require the permission of your Academic Advisor, who will consult with you as to the reason for your change. These changes must be made during the "ADD/DROP" period, in the first few days of classes. The last day to add or drop a course for fall semester 2008 is Wednesday, September 10th (advisor signature required). The last day to withdraw from a course is Friday, November 14th (advisor signature required). What is the difference between dropping and withdrawing? See our General FAQs for information.

English 101 (English Composition) is a University Core requirement. Students who have earned college level credit for English Composition, either at another college or through AP or IB test scores should have indicated this in the Online Registration Form. If you forgot to mention this, please send an e-mail to froshregistration@gonzaga.edu with this information as soon as possible. Also, English 101 is part of the "Thought & Expression" (T&E) block, a core group of courses that also includes Philosophy 101 (Critical Thinking) and Speech 101 (Speech Communication). All first year students should complete the T&E classes at some point during their first year; the courses do not have to be taken together. (For example, if English 101 and Speech 101 are taken in the fall, Philosophy 101 should then be taken in the spring.)

Your first-semester course schedule will be constructed for you by the Office of Academic Services, based on the information you provide in the Online Registration Form. This process is completely electronic, and will be e-mailed this spring to the e-mail account you provided the University with in your Admissions Application. (All students will have access to a GU e-mail account, which you will receive information on in early June; a letter will be sent to you by the Central Computing Department with instructions on how to access your new account.)

Yes! If you are thinking about going abroad, you should consider taking a modern language your first semester. Coursework at Gonzaga-in-Florence, as well as in London, Ireland or other English-speaking countries does not require language study other than the University Core requirement for foreign language, but language studies still may be a priority. During the fall, have a conversation with your advisor about long-range academic planning. Every studies abroad program calls for careful academic planning, including appropriate coursework in the target language. Please note: Italian 101 is not a requirement in the first semester for students planning to study in Florence junior year. This course is difficult to get into as a freshman and can wait until sophomore year, and could even be taken while studying in Florence.

Please contact us in Academic Services. If we're not in, or it's after hours, please leave a message or send us an e-mail, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

If you have decided not to attend GU, you need to inform the Admissions Office in writing of your decision. This letter can be sent to Gonzaga University Office of Admissions, 502 E Boone Ave, Spokane WA 99258. If you have already sent in your registration information, contact the Office of Academic Services by calling 800.965.9223.

All freshmen schedules will be mailed out via postal service in early August, after all schedules are complete. You will have the opportunity to make changes to your schedule when you arrive to campus in the fall, during the allotted Schedule Change Times.

Every student at Gonzaga University must complete the University Core, which consists of 31 credits. In addition, students must complete the School/College Core for the student's area of study, as well as the requirements for the academic major. Please visit the Core Courses section of the webpage for more information.