Overrides

There may be a time when you can’t register for a course because of a course restriction. These restrictions are put in place to maintain the integrity of the course and to prevent anyone from registering who shouldn’t be in the course. Most of the time the restrictions work as intended, but occasionally there will be an exception that needs to be made. If you think you should be able to register for a class but are getting a registration error, you may need to ask for permission to register, which is commonly known as requesting an override.

Keep in mind, you are not entitled to an override and an override is not guaranteed. By requesting an override, your record will be reviewed and the override will be granted, if possible. Note that you also may require multiple overrides for a single class depending on the specific issues.

To request an override, click on the appropriate link below and either complete the form  or provide the following information in email to the appropriate person. We can only accept and respond to override requests sent from your MSU email account.

• Full name
• MSU Nine-Digit ID number
• netid
• Course Symbol, Name, and Section
• Term and Part of Term (Spring-Winter Session, Spring-Full, Summer-1, etc.)
• Course Registration Number (CRN)
• Type of Override Requested (see below)
• Justification for request
• Attach any pertinent documents you may have.

Note that a separate request is required for each individual course.

When (and if) an override is approved and placed on your record, you will need to register for the course. Being given an override does not register you for the class.

There are several types of overrides, so be sure you request the appropriate override for your case, and that you request all overrides that you might need for each course. Some typical overrides are:

Type	Explanation	Submit Requests To:
Campus	Needed to register for a course at another MSU campus. For example, a Starkville campus student wanting to take a distance course (Campus 5)	Your Academic Advisor.
Class Capacity	Needed if a class has reached its maximum enrollment. Enrollment limits are set for specific reasons and these may not be granted even if there are physical seats in the classroom. If the enrollment is equal to the class capacity, then this override cannot be granted. Class capacities are determined by the Fire Marshall, not by how many seats can fit in the room. We are not permitted to add chairs or desk to increase room capacity. If the class has a waitlist, then capacity overrides cannot be given. You may contact the appropriate department and ask for a higher priority, but it may not be granted.	Department offering the course.
College	This is needed if you want to take a class that is normally restricted to students with a major in another college.	Your Academic Advisor.
Major	The course (or section) is restricted to particular majors. Note that in some cases a particular section has a major restriction, but the course doesn’t. This may done, for instance, with a Biology course that is open to everyone, but the department wants all Biology majors (and only Biology majors) to be in the same section of a course.	Department offering the course.
Prerequisite	This is perhaps the most common request. If you have not taken the prerequisite course, or its equivalent, then don’t request for an override. This is most often requested by transfer students who took a course elsewhere and while it satisfies the requirements of the prerequisite course, it does not have the same course symbol and number. For example, a student may have taken a four-hour Calculus or Physics course instead of a three-hour course. If this is the case, these overrides are typically granted. If you are planning to take a pre-requisite course off-campus, these overrides may not be given until you have completed the course and had official transcripts submitted to MSU.	Department offering the course.
Repeat Limit & Hours	If you have earned the minimum grade required but want to take a course again in hopes of learning more or earning a better grade, you may need this override. By policy, if you are currently in the course and are failing it, you cannot be granted this override. You will have to wait until you receive your final grade and then request the override if it’s still needed. This is necessary to prevent students from “holding” a seat just in case they need it, and to give students who are taking the course for the first time, an opportunity to register.	Department offering the course.
Student Classification	This is required if, for example, the student is a sophomore but wants to take a course that requires junior standing. Be sure to explain why you believe you should be able to register for the course. Just like prerequisite overrides, these may not always be approved.	Department offering the course.
Time Conflict	This is a rare override but is sometimes needed in cases where two classes overlap by a few minutes. To request this override you will need to note how many minutes the courses overlap, and you will need to provide documentation from the instructor of the course you will “miss” time in indicating they approve of the override.	Your Academic Advisor.

Keep in mind that you are asking that these overrides be granted, but they may not. You should not assume that you can or will be granted an override.