Graduate Student Policies

« Return to Academic Policies 

Please note that unless indicated below, graduate students are bound by the policies and practices that apply to all UArts students, especially as noted elsewhere in this catalog.

Full-time Status

Graduate students are considered full time if enrolled in at least nine credits per semester, with the exception of students enrolled in the MFA Studio Art program who are considered full time if enrolled in at least 4.5 credits during the fall and spring semesters as per their program requirements. Tuition for part-time graduate students is charged on a per-credit basis.

Graduate Transfer Credit

A maximum of six credits of graduate credit may be transferred from accredited institutions outside of the University and applied toward the graduate degree requirements upon approval of the program director. All transfer credits must be graduate-level classes or upper-level undergraduate classes taken for graduate credit at an accredited college or university, approved by the Registrar and the Graduate Program Director, and the student must have earned a grade of  B- or higher grade.

Graduate Independent Study

Independent study by graduate students is governed by the policies listed above with the following exception:

The course number for graduate independent study is the department code (the course advisor’s department) and course number, e.g., GRPR 690.

Student Classification and Course Load

A student’s class status is determined by the number of credits earned, regardless of the number of semesters of enrollment or the student’s standing in his or her major program. Class status is a factor in determining financial aid eligibility and is one indicator of academic progress. Class standing is also used to prioritize scheduling during registration.

Graduate status is determined as follows:

G1: Completion of up to 17.5 credits
G2: Completion of 18 or more credits

Graduate Students Enrolled in an Undergraduate Course

Graduate students may register for undergraduate liberal arts courses or studio courses (with permission of the graduate program director and Dean of Liberal Arts) for graduate credit through the Graduate Topics mechanism. In order to register, students choose one of the graduate-level course numbers from the list below or, if the course is not listed complete a Graduate Topics form, available on registrar.uarts.edu or in person at the Office of the Registrar. Students are welcome to select an area of study that broadens or intensifies their background in the arts, education, and related disciplines. Often this work contributes directly to preparation of the graduate project or thesis proposal.

Graduate Topics Course numbers and departments

When no graduate number exists for an undergraduate course graduate students should use the Graduate Topics numbers below.  Choose the course number based on its department.

Thesis Grading

The grade of IP (“In Progress”) signifies that the student is making satisfactory progress toward completing the graduate thesis. This grade will apply only to graduate thesis courses where the student’s thesis is still in progress.

An IP grade acknowledges the fact that the final course product (thesis) may require some period of time past the semester of registration to complete. The IP grade will remain on the student’s record until a final thesis grade is submitted by the instructor. In some cases, a student will be registered for thesis courses as a sequence (e.g., MSEM 781). When the final grade is submitted by the instructor, it will replace the IP grade. The IP grade is not computed in the grade point average.

In order to remain in good standing while the thesis is “in progress,” the student must register for the thesis continuation fee for each semester he or she is not enrolled in coursework.

Graduate Project/Thesis Continuation Fee

A student who has completed all the course requirements for the master’s degree and is currently working on the graduate thesis, either on or off-campus, must register and pay the appropriate fee for thesis continuation (0.5 credits per semester calculated at the per-credit cost for each semester of non-attendance) until the thesis is completed and accepted. This registration, through the Office of the Registrar, is required in each succeeding semester, excluding the summer sessions, until all degree requirements are met. Students completing a degree in the summer must pay the thesis fee in the final summer semester.

Multiple Degrees

A student who has completed one degree and wishes to matriculate in another does so by applying to the new program through the Office of Admission.

Graduate Leave of Absence

A graduate student may take a leave of absence prior to the completion of all coursework, subject to approval by his/her program director, and in accordance with the policy described above. Graduate students may take a maximum of two one-semester, non-consecutive leaves of absence during their course of study. Once the thesis or Master of Music graduate project has begun and all coursework has been completed, graduate students are not eligible for a leave of absence. Students must register and pay the appropriate fee for thesis continuation for successive semesters.