Registration policies are summarized below. More detailed explanations of the policies appear in the Graduate School Bulletin.

General Registration Requirements

Full-time registration for graduate students is 9 credit hours per term. Special cases outlined below include first-year international students who must receive special instruction to improve their language skills, and students who have completed most of their credit-hour requirements and are working full time on their thesis.

Full-time graduate students may register for an overload of up to 6 credit hours (up to 15 credit hours total) per term at no increase in tuition. Subject to written approval by their advisor and department head or division director, students may register for more than 15 credit hours per term by paying additional tuition at the regular part-time rate for all hours over 15. The maximum number of credits for which a student can register during the summer is 12.

Students may register at less than the required full-time registration, subject to the minimum registration requirements defined below, except for students meeting any of the following conditions.

• International students subject to immigration requirements. This applies to international students holding J-1 and F-1 visas.
• Students receiving financial assistance in the form of graduate teaching assistantships, research assistantships, fellowships or hourly contracts.
• Students enrolled in academic programs that require full-time registration. Refer to the degree program sections of the bulletin to see if this applies to your particular program.

Students for whom any one of these conditions apply must register at the appropriate full-time credit hour requirement.

If not required to register full-time, to remain in good standing, students must register continuously each fall and spring semester. Summer registration is not required for non-thesis students to remain in good standing.

Research Registration

In addition to completing prescribed course work and defending a thesis, students in thesis-based degree programs must complete a research or engineering design experience under the direct supervision of their faculty advisor. Master students must complete a minimum of 6 hours of research credit, and doctoral students must complete a minimum of 24 hours of research credit at CSM. While completing this experience, students will register for research credit under course numbers 705 (M.S.) or 706 (Ph.D.) as appropriate. Faculty will assign grades indicating satisfactory or unsatisfactory progress based on their evaluation of the student’s work.

Eligibility for Thesis Registration

Students enrolled in thesis-based degree programs who have completed the minimum course and research requirements for their degree will be considered to be pursuing their graduate program full time at a reduced registration level. In order to be eligible for this reduced full-time registration consideration, students must satisfy the following requirements:

1. For M.S. students, completion of 36 hours of course and research credits combined.
2. For Ph.D. students, completion of 72 hours of course and research credits combined.
3. For all students, having approved Admission to Candidacy forms on file in the Graduate Office, within the first week of the semester you are applying for reduced thesis registration.
4. Candidates for thesis-based degrees may not use more than 12 credit hours per semester in determining eligibility for thesis registration.

Transfer credits that have been accepted toward the degree count toward the 36 or 72 hour requirement. Students who are eligible for thesis registration will be considered full time if they are registered for 4 credit hours of research under course numbers 701 (M.S.) or 703 (Ph.D.) as appropriate. Faculty will assign thesis grades indicating satisfactory or unsatisfactory progress based on their evaluation of the student’s work.