How to Get Special Registration Permissions

Courses that are Full

Last Day to Join a Waitlist

Many courses have a waitlist. If a course has a waitlist, you can join it up until the semester's deadline:

• Last day to join a waitlist for a Full Summer or Summer Session 1 course: Friday, May 9
• Last day to join a waitlist for a Summer Session 2 course: Monday, June 30
• Last day to join a waitlist for a Fall ELA course: Tuesday, August 26
• Last day to join a waitlist for a Fall Boston course: Tuesday, September 2

Waitlists Dissolve After Classes Start

Summer waitlists are dissolved a few days after the semester starts (see Summer Registration for exact dates). 

In the fall, throughout the first week of classes, seats that become available will first be offered to waitlisted students. Fall waitlists are dissolved after the first week of classes:

• Boston courses waitlists will be dissolved Tuesday, September 9, at 11:59 p.m. (ET). Starting Wednesday, September 10, students studying in Boston may petition Department Chairs for permission to over-enroll into classes.
• ELA course waitlists are dissolved Tuesday, September 2, at 8:59 p.m. (PT). Starting Wednesday, September 3, students studying in LA may petition the course's professor to over-enroll into classes.

Petitioning to Over Enroll

You must wait until course waitlists are dissolved to petition to over-enroll. View Upcoming Registration and Summer Registration to look up when waitlists will dissolve.

If a course does not have a waitlist, or that waitlist is empty, you can petition to over-enroll when the semester starts. Courses may only be over-enrolled if the classroom can accommodate the additional seat.

• If a fall course does not have a waitlist, or that waitlist is empty, you can petition to over-enroll starting Wednesday, September 3.
• If a summer course does not have a waitlist, or that waitlist is empty, you can petition to over-enroll starting Monday, May 12.

Prerequisites and Major/Program Restrictions

If you receive a course prerequisite error or a major/program restriction error, you may appeal for a registration override.

• Email the appropriate permission granter:
  • Undergraduate Students: If the course is restricted to specific majors, classes (e.g., Senior only), or you do not meet the course prerequisites, email the course's Department Chair.
  • Graduate Students: If the course is restricted to specific majors, you should discuss your registration with your Graduate Program Director.

Duplicate Section Errors

If you are trying to register for two sections of the same course (e.g., multiple Topics courses), email the department associates.

Late Registration

If you only need to register for a course after the add/drop period (and the course is NOT full), email the course professor.

Late Registration for Special Programs

• Speech@Emerson: The last day to add or drop a Spring 2025 Speech@Emerson course is Sunday, September 7. See the 2025-2026 Speech@Emerson Academic Calendar for more information.
• Kasteel Well: The last day to add or drop a Fall 2025 Kasteel Well course is Friday, August 29, 2025. See the Fall 2025 Kasteel Well Calendar.
• Los Angeles: The last day to add or drop a Fall 2025 Emerson Los Angeles course is Tuesday, September 2, 8:59 p.m. PT. The last day to drop a course (or add, with permission) is Tuesday, September 9, 8:59 p.m. PT. See the Fall 2025 Emerson Los Angeles Academic Calendar for more information.

Late Registration Boston Courses

The last day to add all other courses and credits, including regular Boston campus courses, for the Fall 2025 semester is Tuesday, September 16:

Unrestricted Add/Drop

During the first week of Boston campus classes, you may add and drop courses online. The last day to add a class without instructor permission is Tuesday, September 9, at 11:59 p.m. (ET).

Restricted Add/Drop

Starting Wednesday, September 10, you must have instructor permission added to your account to add a class online. You may still drop classes online without permission until Tuesday, September 16, at 11:59 p.m. (ET).

You do not need permission to drop a course online during the first two weeks of the semester. A course withdrawal is required starting the third week of classes.

Registering After September 16, 2025

Course registration additions after September 16, 2025 will be assessed a $50 late registration fee.

If you are already attending classes for the Fall 2025 semester and need to add a course, contact the course instructor for their late registration permission. Once permission is added to your account by a Department Associate, you must email registrar [at] emerson.edu (registrar[at]emerson[dot]edu) or visit the Registrar's Office to finalize your registration. After September 16 you will not be able to add classes at register.emerson.edu (DUO SSO Required), even with permission added to your account.

Finalizing your Registration

If permission is granted, it will be added to your account, and you'll receive a confirmation email. Once received, visit your registration page (register.emerson.edu - DUO SSO Required) to complete your registration. Courses are NOT automatically added to your schedule!

Department Associates

Los Angeles Courses

ela_academics [at] emerson.edu (Abigail O'Neall)

Business of Creative Enterprises

hannah_mceachern [at] emerson.edu (Hannah McEachern)

Comedic Arts

c.griswoldjenkins [at] emerson.edu (Christopher Griswold-Jenkins)

Communication Disorders

terry.obrien [at] emerson.edu (Terry O'Brien)

Communication Studies

shepard_vargo [at] emerson.edu (Shepard Vargo)

Marlboro Institute for Liberal Arts

kendra.howard [at] emerson.edu (Kendra Howard)

Journalism

briana.hampton [at] emerson.edu (Briana Hampton)

Marketing Communication

jaramie.cataldo [at] emerson.edu (Jaramie Cataldo)

Performing Arts

sophie_sinclair [at] emerson.edu (Sophie Sinclair)

Visual & Media Arts

john_albert_moseley [at] emerson.edu (John-Albert Moseley)

Writing, Literature & Publishing

dylan_hearn [at] emerson.edu (Dylan Hearn)

Department Chairs

Communication Disorders

nydia_bou [at] emerson.edu (Nydia Bou)

Communication Studies

gregory_payne [at] emerson.edu (Gregory Payne)

Marlboro Institute for Liberal Arts & Interdisciplinary Studies

amy_ansell [at] emerson.edu (Amy Ansell)

Journalism

lu_ann_reeb [at] emerson.edu (Lu Ann Reeb)

Marketing Communication

nejem_raheem [at] emerson.edu (Nejem Raheem)

Performing Arts

brenda_foley [at] emerson.edu (Brenda Foley)

Visual & Media Arts

shaun_clarke [at] emerson.edu (Shaun Clarke)

Writing, Literature & Publishing

lisa_diercks [at] emerson.edu (Lisa Diercks)