REG 02.20.04 – Audits
Authority: Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost
History: First Issued: 1966. Last Revised: October 4, 2022.
Additional References:
Student Classifications
Undergraduate Audit Request Form
Graduate Audit Request Form
Contact Info: Department of Registration and Records (919-515-2572)
1. Regulation
1.1 Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate students wishing to audit a course before or after taking it for credit must have approval of their adviser and of the department offering the course. Auditors are expected to attend class regularly. The degree to which an auditor must participate in class beyond regular attendance is at the discretion of the instructor; any such requirements should be clearly explained in writing to the auditor at the beginning of the semester. Should the instructor conclude that poor attendance has resulted in an auditor’s gaining little from the course, the instructor should mark NR (no recognition given for an audit) on the final grade report. Students who have taken a course for audit may, with their adviser’s approval, enroll in the course for credit during a subsequent semester or summer session. For tuition cost purposes, audits are treated at full credit value; the fee to audit a course is the same as if the course was taken for credit. For all other purposes, however, audits will not be counted in calculating undergraduate course loads.
1.2 Graduate Students
Graduate students wishing to audit a course must have the approval of their adviser and of the department offering the course. While auditors receive no course credit, they are expected to attend class regularly. The degree to which an auditor must participate in class beyond regular attendance is at the discretion of the instructor; any such requirements should be clearly explained in writing to the auditor at the beginning of the semester. The grade, AU, is marked for students who meet the stipulated requirements. Should an instructor conclude that an auditor has failed to fulfill the stipulated requirements, the instructor is justified in marking NR (no recognition given for an audit) on the final grade report.
Audits in subjects in which the graduate student has had no previous experience will be evaluated at full credit value in determining course loads. Audits taken as repetition of work previously accomplished are considered at one- half their credit value in calculating course loads. With the single exception of foreign language audits, all audit registration must fall within the maximum permissible course loads. Audits are not permitted for students registering for courses carrying a GR prefix.
Audit registrations are evaluated for purposes of determining permissible course loads in terms of the regulations of the Graduate School. One on-campus audit course is available at no charge when graduate students are registering during the fall or spring semester and are paying for other on-campus coursework (e.g., not distance education courses). Any additional audited courses will have the same rates as credit courses. Courses changed to Audit after the Census Date are not eligible for the free audit, and new audit courses added after the Census Date are not eligible for the free audit. There are no free audits in summer sessions.
1.3 Postdoctoral Scholars/Researchers
Postdoctoral Scholars/Researchers (“Postdocs”) also have the ability to audit courses at no cost. However, they are limited to auditing one 3-hour course per semester. At the discretion of the instructor and where classroom space is available, postdocs may submit a request to audit after the first class meeting of a given course but prior to the Census Date. Postdocs will be required to submit a course audit form, which will require the signature of the instructor and the Postdoc adviser, to the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.
2. PROCEDURE
The last day for changing credit to AU status is the Drop/Revisions Deadline, which appears on the NC State Academic Calendar. Exceptions to this deadline may be approved by the dean of the student’s college only on the grounds established for exceptions to the course drop deadline.
At the end of each semester or summer session, the Department of Registration and Records will indicate to each instructor on the Grade Report Roll if the course is being taken for audit. The teacher will mark an Au (Audit) or NR (No Recognition given for an audit) for those students.