University policies, as mandated by the Tennessee Board of Regents, permit students either to drop courses or withdraw from the University after the last date specified in the University calendar for that term. However, as stated in the Graduate Catalog, late drops or withdrawals may be approved "only when circumstances beyond the student's control make it impossible to complete the semester." Two examples of such circumstances would be: extended personal illness or job relocation, both of which are identified as legitimate grounds for action. Also, late and retroactive drops or withdrawals will be processed for students for which a clerical error has been made (e.g., wrong section number) and for students who change from a thesis to a non-thesis master's degree program (thesis courses 7996 or 7999). These cases must be verified by the departmental graduate coordinator. Late drops or withdrawals will not be approved in a situation in which a student might simply wish to avoid receiving an unsatisfactory grade.

The Director of Graduate Studies for each student's respective college or school processes all late/retroactive drops or withdrawals. The procedure is outlined below:

1. The student must provide a typed letter explaining the circumstances of the request. All requests must be fully documented, i.e., a medical situation must include appropriate documentation from a doctor and/or hospital; job relocation or work schedule change requires a notarized letter from the employer with pertinent details, etc. Requests lacking external verification will not be considered.
2. The student should bring the form together with a completed "Schedule Adjustment Form" (available from the Registrar's web site) to the College Director of Graduate Studies, who will contact the instructor or other appropriate person. 
3. If the request is approved by the college director, the student needs to make arrangements to submit the signed Schedule Adjustment Form to Student and Faculty Services in Wilder Tower, Room 003.