Academic Procedures and Services for Undergraduate Students

 
The Load Revision Form (LRF)
 
The Load Revision Form is the official record that documents the changes requested by the student after he/she has been officially enrolled.
 
General Guidelines
 
1.    The Load Revision Form is obtained from the Cashier’s Office.  The student fills this up and states the nature of the request.
 
2.    The student obtains the signatures indicated in the form.  Depending on the requests, they must STRICTLY obtain the signatures in proper sequence.
a.    Chair of Home Department/Program
b.    Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
c.     Accounting
d.    Cashier
e.    Registrar
 
3.    After all the signatures are secured, the corresponding copies are submitted to the following:
a.    White copy     –        Registrar
b.    Pink copy       –        ADAA
c.     Yellow copy    –        Accounting Department
d.    Blue copy       –        Student’s Copy (c/o his/her home department)
 
4.    While the request is pending, all classes should be attended.
 
 
Different Uses of the Load Revision Form
 
Each academic procedure or request is discussed by first enumerating the conditions that allow it, and second, by noting the steps undertaken to effect such a request.
 
The following actions require the Load Revision:
 
1.    Addition of course/s
2.    Change of course/s
3.    Change of concentration
4.    Change of section/s
5.    Change of status from credit to audit
6.    Change of status from audit to credit
7.    Honorable dismissal
8.    Leave of absence
9.    Taking a Minor or Specialization
10.  Overloading course/s or the permission to do so
11.  Taking a/n advanced/deferred final exam
12.  Withdrawal of course/s
 
Addition of Course/s
 
Conditions:
 
1.    Addition of course/s must be done within the period prescribed by the Office of the ADAA or the Office of the Registrar.  (The dates are also indicated in the Academic Calendar of the Loyola Schools.)
2.    For each concentration, there is an official CHED-approved curriculum for every semester, indicating the courses and the corresponding units.  (Copies of the approved curriculum are available at the home departments.)  The total units in the curriculum correspond to the maximum load for that semester.  The student becomes irregular if he/she missed or took courses ahead of schedule, allowing him/her to take courses other than the one/s prescribed in the set program.
3.    Observe the maximum unit load assigned per concentration.  The student may have less than the maximum unit load assigned per concentration.  The student may have less than the maximum unit load during registration and he/she can add a course/s so long as his/her load remains within the maximum unit load required.  Such addition/s may be processed within the first week of classes.
4.    An honor student (one who got a QPI of at least 3.35 in the previous semester), or a graduating student, will be automatically granted the permission to carry an overload.  (Please refer to the section on Overloading.)
 
Note:  If the student is enrolled in at least 12 units but no more than the maximum load, he/she is said to be carrying a “full load”.  If he/she is carrying less than the maximum load, that is an “underload.”  One who carries more than the maximum load is said to be carrying an “overload”.
 
 
Change of Course/s
 
Procedure:
 
1.     Accomplish the Load Revision Form immediately and submit the completed form on or before the deadline prescribed by the Office of the ADAA or the Office of the Registrar.
 
 
Change of Concentration
 
Conditions:
 
1.     A change of concentration that the department requested can be processed anytime.  However, a voluntary change of concentration must be done within the period prescribed by the Office of the ADAA and the Office of the Registrar.  The student should continue attending all his/her classes even if these are not in his/her new concentration.  Should the student decide to withdraw from any class, he/she must first consult with his/her new Department Chair and accomplish the appropriate form.
2.    The student should also have the qualifications needed to fulfill the department requirements, such as QPI above the required college QPI and the minimum grades for specific major subjects that the department may require.
3.    Since the student changed concentration, he/she will normally be on an irregular status, with some back or advanced courses.  It will therefore be practical for him/her to draw up a program schedule based on his/her new concentration.
4.    This can be done at the time he/she is accepted into the program or shortly thereafter.  In the following semesters, he/she will have to adhere to his/her schedule to graduate on time and to avoid unnecessary inconveniences.  In general, a student is advised to prepare a new schedule until graduation every time he/she alters his/her program.
 
Procedure:
 
1.    The student should consult the LS Office of Guidance and Counseling about the matter.  A counselor will help the student arrive at a good decision based on his/her abilities and interests.
a.    The Guidance Office requires students who are shifting to attend a seminar called the Career Exploration Workshop (CEW).
2.    The student should approach the Chair of the department he/she wishes to enter and tell him/her about his/her intention.
3.    Upon securing the accepting Chair’s approval, the student should notify the department he/she is leaving of his/her decision.
4.    The student should accomplish the Load Revision Form.
 
Note:  There are two reasons for changing concentration:
1.    The student wants to shift.
2.    The student is requested by his/her department to do so.
 
 
Change of Section
 
Procedure:
 
1.    The student should inquire from the Department Secretary concerned if the class to be entered is still open.
2.    The student should consult the teacher of the class he/she wishes to enter before accomplishing the form.
3.    The student should accomplish and submit the completed Load Revision Form to the Registrar within the period prescribed by the Office of the ADAA or the Office of the Registrar.
 

Change of Status from Credit to Audit or Audit to Credit
 
Conditions:
 
1.    The change of course status from credit to audit or vice versa should be done within the period prescribed by the Office of the ADAA or the Office of the Registrar.  (Check with either offices regarding the actual deadline.)
 
Procedure:
 
1.     The student should accomplish the Load Revision Form.
 
Note:  Audit courses do not have any bearing on the computation of the QPI.
 
 
Honorable Dismissal
 
Conditions:
 
1.    If a student withdraws voluntarily from the college, he/she is entitled to transfer his/her credentials (honorable dismissal) provided that the dismissal is not due to disciplinary reasons.
 
Procedure:
 
1.    The student should accomplish a clearance form.
2.    The student should accomplish the Load Revision Form if student is currently enrolled.
3.    The student should obtain the Honorable Dismissal Card or Transfer Credentials from the Office of the Registrar.
 
 
Leave of Absence
 
A student may apply for leave of absence if he/she wishes to temporarily separate himself/ herself from the university for non-academic and non-disciplinary reasons.
 
Conditions:
 
1.    The student should be in good academic and disciplinary standing at the time when the request is made.
2.    Enrolling or studying in another school during the leave of absence is prohibited.
3.    The leave of absence is normally secured only once during a student’s entire stay in college.
4.    The time of leave normally does not exceed one academic year.
5.    If the student has not yet enrolled for a particular semester, and wishes to take a leave of absence (LOA) starting that semester, he/she should accomplish and submit his/her “LOA” paper work (letter of application and completed form) before the last day of registration.
 
Procedure:
 
1.    The student should submit a letter of request from his/her parents, attaching other pertinent documents, the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
2.    The student should accomplish the “LOA” form.
3.    The student should accomplish the Load Revision Form if the student is currently enrolled.
 
Note:  If a student is returning from an (official) Leave of Absence, it is best that the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (ADAA) is informed through a letter that he/she is re-enrolling.
 
The letter should be submitted to the Office of the ADAA before the registration period for the semester in which the student plans to re-enroll.
 
 
Taking a Minor or Specialization
 
A minor is a secondary area of specialized academic study, outside the major field, requiring fewer courses or credits than a major.
 
A specialization is a focused area of study within the major field, requiring, at least, 15 units of courses or credits.  This indicates the content emphasis.
 
Procedure:
 
1.    The student informs the Chair of the first concentration of his/her intention to do a minor or specialization.
2.    The student seeks the approval of the department he/she wishes to minor or specialize in.
3.    The completion of a Load Revision Form will be required either when the student starts taking classes for a minor or specialization.
4.    The approval of and signatures from the Chairs of the first concentration and the department offering the minor must be secured.
 
 
Overloading
 
Conditions:
 
1.    Only graduating seniors and honor students are allowed to overload.
2.    Graduating seniors may enroll a maximum of six (6) academic units beyond their regular load without exceeding twenty-four (24) units.  These units may be enlisted in during regular registration.
3.    In exceptional cases, graduating students may be allowed to enroll beyond twenty-four (24) units.
 
Procedure for Graduating Students:
 
1.    The student should secure a Request to Overload form from the Office of the Registrar at the Ground Floor, Social Sciences Building.
2.    The student fills up this form.  The subjects needed to be completed/enrolled in for two semesters and subjects wanted for overload should be properly indicated by checking and referring to the checklists given to the students by the Office of the Registrar.
3.    The student proceeds to the home department for the Chair’s endorsement.
4.    The student returns the overload form to the Office of the Registrar.  The Records Officers will check and sign the form and ask for the final approval of the Registrar and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
5.    The student goes to the Registrar’s Office on the specified date to get the approved Request to Overload Form and proceeds to the ADAA office to obtain a Load Revision Form (LRF) to officially add the subjects requested as overload.
 
Procedure for Honor Students:
 
1.    The student should obtain and accomplish a Load Revision Form within the period prescribed by the Office of the ADAA or the Office of the Registrar.
 
Note:  Honor students are those who received a semestral QPI of at least 3.35 with at least 15 academic units.  An additional amount will be requested depending on the number of additional units taken.
 
 
Taking an Advanced Final Exam
 
Conditions:
 
1.    Taking an advanced final exam is a privilege that is NOT AUTOMATICALLY GRANTED TO STUDENTS.  The conditions depend on the teacher concerned.
 
Procedure:
 
1.    The student should seek the permission of the teacher and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
2.    The student should accomplish and submit copies of the Load Revision Form to the respective departments.
3.    The arrangement for the exam depends on the teacher concerned.
 
 
Taking a Deferred Final Exam
 
Procedure:
 
1.     If the absence from the final exam was caused by grave circumstances, the student should apply for a deferred exam not later than the second day following the examination.
2.    The student should write a letter to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for approval of his/her request.  It is suggested that he/she bring along papers/documents that will support/testify to the validity of the reason for his/her failure to take the exam.
3.    If the reason for the request for deferment is medical in nature, the student should submit a medical certificate stating the reason signed by his/her attending physician.
4.    When, in the judgment of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, the reason for the absence has been sufficiently justified, the student will be granted a deferred final exam.
 
Note:
a.    The deferred final exam is a privilege that is not automatically granted to anyone who failed to take the Final Exam.
b.    The grade “NE” (No Exam) is reported to the Registrar for every subject in which a student was absent from the final exam.
 
 
Withdrawal from a Course with Permission
 
Conditions:
 
1.    Withdrawal from a course with permission should be completed with the period prescribed by the Office of the ADAA or the Office of the Registrar.  (Check with the ADAA or the Office of the Registrar for the actual deadline.  The dates are also indicated in the Academic Calendar of the Loyola Schools.)
2.    The student should not have exceeded the number of absences permitted by the school within the course.
 
Procedure:
 
1.    The student should accomplish a Load Revision Form and follow the due dates stated in the Academic Calendar of the Loyola Schools or in the notices of the Office of the ADAA or the Office of the Registrar.
2.    At the end of the semester, the student will get a “WP” mark (Withdrawn with Permission) for that particular course.  This “WP” mark has no bearing on the QPI computation.