Overload Approval

A normal course load at Washington and Lee University is 12-15 credits for each fall and winter terms. A course load above 15 credits is an overload. Overloads are not approved for Spring Term.

Students are encouraged to consider carefully whether the added work and stress that accompanies an overload is advisable. Students should consult their academic adviser(s) and should not make academic course plans that require multiple terms with overloads.

Overload applications for 16 credits are reviewed by academic advisers and an academic dean. Applications to overload with 17 or more credits will be reviewed by the Faculty Executive Committee. Approval of course overloads is not guaranteed. The overload application is available on the Overload Approval portal.

Students must meet the following criteria to be eligible for an overload: 

• a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.000,
• a minimum term grade-point average of 3.000 during the last fall or winter term attempted.

Most approved overloads also meet one of the following:

• one-time effort to retake a failed course after re-establishing a positive academic trajectory;
• one-time effort to regain on-time graduation status due to changed plans;
• multiple four-credit courses within a normal four-course load, such as two or three four-credit lab science or language courses in combination with one or two three-credit courses, along with additional corequisites;
• one-credit ensemble, applied lesson, performance, studio, PE, or other experiential coursework that pushes students above 15 credits;
• independent research supervised by a professor;
• fields that require more than 120 credits to sit for a field-specific certification exam or to become a certified professional in that field (like the CPA exam).

Overloads are not approved until after all students have had the ability to register for a full-time course load. First-year students applying for winter term overloads will only be considered after final fall term grades are received.

Students will receive email notification once the requests are reviewed.

• If approved, the University Registrar’s office will be notified of the new maximum number of credits for which you may register. Students are responsible for registering for courses after receiving approval.
• If denied, the decision may be appealed by emailing the Faculty Executive Committee at FEC@wlu.edu. The process for the appeal is available on the Petitioning the FEC webpage. Appeals are approved only in exceptional circumstances.