Course Credit

Graduate Credit. A student earns graduate credit by registering in a graduate course, paying fees, and by being enrolled in the Graduate School when the course is completed. Students registered in other enrollment units such as the professional colleges, the undergraduate colleges, or continuing education do not earn graduate credit for any course completed while in one of those enrollment units. For graduate credit, the course must be listed at 6000-level or above, at 5000-level with appropriate instruction, or 4000 to 4999-level if the course is listed outside of the student’s home program and is taught by a non-graduate student course instructor. These courses may not be counted toward a graduate degree until the student has been admitted to the Graduate School and until the Graduate Studies Committee accepts them and notifies the Graduate School of course acceptance. If approved, the hours are counted in the student’s graduate earned and cumulative credit hours, and the grades are counted in the student’s graduate cumulative grade-point average (cGPA). The level of instruction and the work required in courses numbered 6000 and above is of a highly advanced nature, and therefore these courses are available only for graduate credit. Enrollment in these courses is restricted to graduate students, combined program students, undergraduate students taking courses under Senior Petition, and honors students by petition. A graduate student serving as a Graduate Teaching Associate (GTA) may not be enrolled in the course in which they are also the course instructor. 

Senior Petition. An undergraduate may submit the senior petition o take courses for graduate credit provided that: the student is a senior, the credit for the course is not used to meet baccalaureate degree requirements, the student’s cumulative grade-point average is 3.3 or above in their current undergraduate program of study, and the student secures permission by the end of the first day of classes from the instructor in charge of the course, the secretary of the student’s college which the course is offered for graduate credit or the Graduate School. No more than nine graduate credit hours may be completed under Senior Petition unless the student is seeking a combined degree. For more information about combined programs, see Section 8.1. Please note that only one course (typically three to four graduate credit hours) may count toward the completion of a graduate certificate. 

Graduate Bridge Program. Graduate students enrolled in the Graduate Bridge Program (Appendix G) that continue as graduate students within a Graduate Program may roll credits from the GBP into their Graduate Program with approval by the advisor and Graduate Studies Committee Chair.

Non-Graduate Credit. A student enrolled in the Graduate School does not earn graduate credit for any of the following reasons: the course is numbered at the 3999-level or below; the course is numbered at the 4000-4999 level in the student’s own academic unit; the course is one of the following foreign language courses: German 6101 or 6102, Russian 6171 or 6172, French 6571 or 6572; the course is one of the following ESL courses: EDUTL 5901, 5902, 5050, or 5060; the course is designated “non-graduate credit” (undergraduate “UG” option) by the student’s advisor at the time the student registers or adds the course; or the course is taught by a graduate student enrolled at this university. A student registered for a non-graduate credit course must complete the course requirements. A grade is reported by the instructor. The course title, credit hours, and grade appear on the student’s official permanent record. The credit hours are not included in the cumulative or earned graduate credit hours, and the credit points are not included in the cumulative points. The Course Enrollment Permission form or change ticket is marked with a “UG” to indicate that the course is a non-graduate credit course.