RESOURCES

Graduate Students

COURSE PLANNING | REGISTRATION | ADDITIONAL REGISTRATION POLICIES | TRANSFER CREDIT

This page contains links to key information designed to help students along their journey in completing a Mason Gross degree.

Course Planning

The foundation for a successful academic career is making sure you have a clear plan for completing all the courses required for your major and degree. Your advisor serves as the navigator on your ship sailing towards graduation. Although there are many tools at Rutgers to help you navigate your degree program on your own, at times you may need the help of your advisor to keep you on track. It is highly recommended that you meet with your advisor at least once a year, if not once a semester to confirm you are on the right path to graduate on time.

There are many tools available to help you plan your semester courses in advance. We recommend students become familiar with these tools to assist in their discussions with advisors and mapping out their degree progress:

 

How to use the Schedule of Classes

How to use the Course Schedule Planner

How to use the Degree Navigator

Registration

Students are responsible for monitoring the accuracy of their registration throughout each semester. For more information on registration and tutorials please refer to the online Rutgers Student Success “How To” guides, including how to use Webreg, an online system for matriculating students to register, change, or add/drop courses to your class schedule.

 

Registration access will vary depending on a student’s matriculation status.

NEW GRADUATE STUDENT REGISTRATION

If you are a new graduate student, you should work with your advisor for assistance with registration. They will be able to guide you through the Webreg system and help you register for your first semester of courses.

CONTINUING GRADUATE STUDENT REGISTRATION

Students continuing their graduate studies will gain access to Webreg on the first day of pre-registration to register for classes. Please work with your advisor if you have questions about what courses you should take.

 

 

Additional Registration Policies

ADD/DROP PERIOD

The add/drop period generally occurs during the first two weeks of the semester. During this time, students may add and drop courses to finalize their registrations. Add/drop dates are determined by the University Senate prior to the beginning of the semester, and it can vary each semester. Also, the Senate’s decision supersedes any previously advertised add/drop dates. Therefore, students must check their campus-specific website at the beginning of each semester to determine the latest registration information available.

COURSE LOAD (Full-Time and Part-Time Status)

A full-time graduate student is defined as one who is taking at least 9 credits per semester, depending on departmental requirements. A part-time student is one taking fewer than 9 credits per semester. All courses, including those taken not-for-credit, are counted in computing credits taken. Full-time Master’s Degree candidates are charged a flat tuition rate and permitted to take additional credits (up to the maximum credit limit) at no additional cost. If students are taking a credit load less than full-time, they will be charged tuition by the credit. 

 

MAXIMUM CREDIT HOUR LIMITS

Mason Gross graduate students may register for up to 20 credits in any given term.  School of Graduate Studies students may register for up to 16 credits in any given term.

SINGLE COURSE WITHDRAWALS AFTER ADD/DROP

After the add/drop period, the only registration changes that are routinely permissible are withdrawals from individual courses or withdrawal from all courses. Both procedures are allowed without academic penalty until the end of the eighth week, and either may be accomplished by a form that is available from the graduate registrar.

Students withdrawing from a course after the eighth week need the approval from the Mason Gross Dean’s Office. They also are required to provide a letter from the instructor indicating their academic status in the course, and they are subject to receiving a failing grade at the discretion of the instructor. A student who stops attending a course without notifying the registrar will receive a grade of F in that course.

No refunds of tuition are given for individual course withdrawals after the second week of classes.

COMPLETE WITHDRAWAL/LEAVE OF ABSENCE

At times, students may experience personal circumstances or hardships preventing them from completing a semester. When this happens, students should meet with an advisor to determine the best course of action. Students may be advised or elect to take a full withdrawal from all classes.

Students withdrawing from all courses with the intent to return to their program in the future will be initiating a leave of absence.

Students withdrawing from all courses who do not intend on returning to complete their degree are withdrawing from the university.

A student who withdraws from all courses, may receive a partial refund according to the rules described on the Student Accounting website.

Withdrawal is not permitted during the last two weeks of classes.

More information on withdrawing from all courses can be found on the Scarlet Hub website.

MATRICULATION CONTINUED

Graduate students enrolled in MGSA degree programs who have completed all credit-bearing curricular requirements may register for matriculation continued in order to maintain continuous enrollment as well as retain access to university facilities. Students who register for matriculation continued are permitted to progress on non-credit degree requirements (e.g. exams, recitals, etc.).  

Students are permitted to register for matriculation continued only after they have satisfied all credit-bearing curricular requirements. In Music, DMA Students who have not completed the Lecture-Recital requirement may register for matriculation continued only if their Lecture-Recital paper has been fully approved by their advisor before the start of the semester in question.  

No more than two semesters of matriculation continued are permitted for each student.  If these two semesters are exhausted, students must take a formal leave of absence or register for at least one credit. There will be no exceptions to this policy. 

While matriculation continued is 0-credit and carries no tuition costs, students who register for matriculation continued must pay registration fees as established by the university and the school. Students are responsible for checking their health insurance eligibility while registered as matriculated continued. Information on that process can be found here.  

If a student has completed their coursework and intends to progress on degree requirements, but has already exhausted their two semesters of matriculation continued, they must register for one credit of Independent Study to maintain good standing in their program.  

Students on F-1 visas may not register for matriculation continued. If there is a medical concern or other issue, students on F-1 visas must speak with their graduate advisor/director and Rutgers Global. Students on temporary visas who interrupt their studies must in most cases leave the United States during such periods; students in this position are strongly advised to consult with Rutgers Global at the earliest opportunity. 

Transfer Credit

Approval of transfer credit is determined by each department, respectively. Typically, transfer-of-credit requests may be considered if the following items are submitted to the Graduate Director or Advisor to which the student is assigned.

  • Official final transcript from the institution from which the credit transfer is requested
  • Materials from the original courses being transferred, including, as possible, syllabi, assignments, course materials, etc.

Additional transfer credit requirements can be found in department and degree program handbooks and through consultation with an advisor or program director.

For additional policies not included here, please refer to the appropriate university catalog online, as well as the graduate handbook of the department in which you are enrolled.