Academic Journey at UB

UB uses a semester-based calendar, meaning:

• Most courses last for one semester (typically 16 weeks).
• Credit hours are assigned on a per-semester basis. Most students are allowed to enroll in up to 18 credit hours per semester, although this may vary depending on the program. If you wish to take more than 18 credits, this is considered overloading, and you’ll need to apply for approval. 
• Registration, payment deadlines, and course offerings follow the academic calendar.

Each academic program at UB follows a structured course sequence, a semester-by-semester guide showing which courses you should take and in what order.

Why this matters:

• Many courses have prerequisites, you must complete earlier courses before advancing. For example, you need to pass College English I before taking College English II, or Introduction to Databases before Advanced Databases.
• Falling out of sequence (e.g., failing, skipping, or delaying a course) can mean waiting until the course is offered again, sometimes until the following year.

Some programs at UB require you to take certain general core courses and professional core courses at specific points in your studies.

• General core courses (like English, Math, or History) are usually taken early in your program. They help build important skills that all students need, no matter their major.
• Professional core courses are directly related to your program (like Programming for IT or Accounting for Business). These are often taken in a specific order to help you build knowledge step by step.

If you go out of sequence, you may:

• Need to delay graduation
• Request special approval to take a course outside its assigned semester, this can be achieved using the Out of Sequence form.
• Incur extra costs (out-of-sequence incur a higher cost and requests may not be guaranteed due to lecturer availability)

At UB, not all courses are the same. Knowing the difference helps you plan better and avoid mistakes during registration.

General Core Courses
These are required courses like English, Math, History, and Ethics, taken by all students, no matter their program.

Professional Core Courses
These are courses specific to your field of study (like Accounting for Business majors or Programming for IT students).

Electives
Courses you choose based on your interest or program requirements. They give you flexibility and exposure to new ideas.

Prerequisite
A course you must pass first before taking another course.
Example: You must pass College English I before taking College English II.

Co-requisite
A course you need to take at the same time as another.
(These are less common, but your program sequence or advisor will tell you if one is required.)

PUED / Developmental Courses
These are Pre-University Education courses for students who need to build their skills before starting college-level work.

They are usually required if:

• You didn’t take ATLIB or didn’t meet the required scores
• You partially meet program requirements

These courses do not count toward your degree, but they are important if you're placed in them. Once completed, you’ll move on to general or professional core courses.

Important: PUED courses must be taken in order. If you're placed at a lower level, you’ll need to successfully complete each stage before moving on to college level courses in that subject.

• Understanding your program sequence
• Choosing and registering for your Semester 1 courses
• Reviewing your placement exam results
• Knowing if you need to take PUED courses
• Answering questions about prerequisites, credit load, or course planning

For New Students only, meeting with your advisor is required before registering but don’t wait until the last minute. The better you understand your journey ahead of time, the more you’ll benefit from your advising session.

While your advisor is your first point of contact, you can always ask other staff or faculty if you need clarification. Support is a team effort.

At UB, you can change your program but it’s important to understand the process.

For new students, current policy states that you must spend at least one full semester in your current program before requesting a change. If you wish to switch before that, you’ll need to reapply by submitting a Readmission Form, which will be reviewed by the Admissions Office to determine your eligibility for the new program.

If you’re unsure about the process or your eligibility, feel free to contact the Admissions Office or Records Department for guidance.

If you’ve been accepted to UB but need to delay your start, you may request to defer your entry for up to two semesters.

However, please keep in mind:

• Not all programs accept new students every semester. So even if you defer for one semester, your chosen program may not be available in the next intake cycle.
• All deferment requests are subject to university policy and program availability.

Before deferring, we strongly recommend contacting the Admissions Office to understand how it may affect your academic plans.

If you need to take time away from your studies, it’s important to formally notify the University to protect your student status.

• To take a semester off, you must submit a Semester Off Form. This lets the University know you intend to return and keeps your records active.
• If you interrupt your studies for more than two consecutive semesters, you’ll be required to reapply through the Readmission process.

UB strongly encourages students to maintain communication with the University if they are planning to interrupt their studies, even temporarily. This helps ensure a smooth return and avoids delays in resuming your academic journey.

All newly admitted students are strongly encouraged to attend New Student Orientation. This session provides valuable information to help you transition successfully into university life.

However, if you’re unable to attend, key resources and policies are available online. It’s especially important to familiarize yourself with the duration of study policy. Each program at UB has a maximum time limit for completion typically 8 years for Associate Degrees and 10 years for Bachelor’s Degrees (subject to official policy updates).

Failing to complete your program within the allowed timeframe may result in having to start over, so it’s essential to stay informed.

To learn more about important policies that can have an impact on your academic journey:
View Orientation Resources and Academic Policies

Once registered, you’ll receive a Student Invoice through the UB Student Portal. It outlines your total charges, payment deadlines, and any scholarships or financial aid applied.

To complete your registration, an administrative fee of $425 must be paid. This fee confirms your enrollment and secures your access to university services.

UB offers a flexible payment plan to support students in managing their tuition.

It’s important to stay in good financial standing with the University. UB provides flexibility but students are expected to be proactive and responsible in meeting their financial obligations.

If you tried to register for a course but it’s already full, you might still have a chance to join but only under specific circumstances.

Here’s how it works:

• You must speak directly with the lecturer assigned to that course (not just anyone from the department).
• Ask the lecturer if they are willing to accept you as an extra student in their class. This is called over enrollment.
• If the lecturer agrees, they will either:
  • Add you themselves or
  • Ask the Records Office to manually register you.

Please note that over enrollment is not guaranteed. It’s a flexibility that some lecturers may offer, but they are not required to do so. Factors like classroom space, course design, or teaching load may prevent them from taking on more students.

No other lecturer or staff member can approve or add you to a full course. Only the lecturer teaching that section has the authority to make that decision.

To request records services (such as transcripts, or graduation clearance), you must be in good financial standing with UB.

If you have an outstanding balance, any payment made toward a specific service will be automatically applied to your oldest unpaid bill. This may delay the service you intended to receive.

UB is actively working on modernizing and streamlining these processes to improve transparency and communication. In the meantime, we encourage you to stay up to date with your payments and reach out if you need support.

At UB, a block is a restriction placed on your student account that may prevent you from registering for courses or accessing certain services. While some blocks are financial, such as outstanding payments owed to the university, not all blocks are related to money. For example, new students may have a block that requires them to meet with an academic advisor before registering for classes. Other blocks may be placed for administrative reasons, such as missing documents or pending approvals.

If you encounter a block, don’t panic. Information on non-financial blocks will be available on the student portal. Always check your UB email or student portal regularly, as important block notices may be sent there.

The Office of Student Affairs is here to support your student life outside academics. Whether you’re looking for housing information, transportation information, career counseling, wellness support, or want to get involved in sports and student life, they’ve got you covered.

Discover everything Student Affairs offers by visiting Student Life and exploring your options.