Michigan State University does not have a university-wide attendance requirement. However, attendance is an essential and intrinsic element of the educational process.
Attendance is defined as physical attendance or participation in an academically-related activity, including but not limited to:
- The submission of an assignment.
- An examination.
- Student-initiated correspondence related to class topics.
- Participation in a study group or online discussion.
Instructors who do not take attendance may utilize key assessment points (e.g., projects, papers, mid-term exams, and discussions) as benchmarks for participation.
In courses where attendance is necessary to achieve course objectives, attendance may be considered when determining a student’s grade. Each instructor is responsible for communicating attendance expectations and any attendance-related grading policies at the beginning of the course.
Only students who are officially enrolled in a course may attend the course. Students who attend or participate in a course without being officially enrolled will not receive academic credit for their work.
Attendance Taking Programs
The following programs are recorded as attendance taking programs.
College of Human Medicine, Doctor of Medicine
College of Law, Juris Doctor
College of Nursing, Bachelor of Science in Nursing
College of Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing clinical years only
College of Nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice clinical years only
College of Osteopathic Medicine, Doctor of Osteopathy OMS-I and OMS-II years only (preclerkship)
College of Osteopathic Medicine, PA Medicine, Master of Science
College of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Nursing Bachelor of Science and Certificate
College of Veterinary Medicine, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
Non-Attendance
Federal regulations require the university to identify students who never attend a course or who stop attending during the term. Students who do not attend a course may be dropped after the fourth class meeting or the end of the add period, whichever occurs first. Instructors who identify a non-attending student should notify their departmental office. Upon receiving a report of non-attendance, departmental representatives are encouraged to initiate a Drop for Non-Attendance.
Class Notes and University Supplied Materials
As a condition of continued course enrollment and allowed class attendance, a student will refrain from commercializing notes of class lectures and university-supplied materials, by direct sale or by contract with a third party or otherwise, without the express written permission of the instructor. Students may be removed from a class only after a hearing in the department or school, as described in the Student Rights and Responsibilities at Michigan State University.
Field Trips
Dates and times of all required field trips must be included in the class meeting information made available to students during the enrollment process.
Field trips that require students to miss other classes must be approved in advance by the dean of the college offering the course. Students are responsible for the cost of field trips that are part of a course unless otherwise stated. Field trip expenses are in addition to regular tuition and fees.