General Information
Graduate Academic Course Load
Graduate students may register for a maximum of 15 credits in a semester, 6 credits in a five-week summer term, and 12 credits for the combined summer terms. Some departments may have lower maximums for graduate assistants.
A full-time graduate student, as defined for the purpose of classification for financial aid or veterans’ benefits, is a student registered for 9 or more credits in any semester. A half-time load, as defined for the purpose of classification for financial aid or veterans’ benefits, would consist of 5 to 6 credits.
All requests for overloads or exceptions to the established minimum course load must be accompanied by a written statement from the student’s advisor, committee chairperson, or department chairperson justifying the request based on academic considerations only. Requests will be acted on by the dean of the Graduate School.
Course Numbering
Courses numbered 500 and above are for graduate students; graduate-level “taught-with” courses—graduate course sections taught along with a corresponding 400-level undergraduate course section—are represented by 500-level numbers. Exceptions to this rule, where certain course numberings at the 500-level may be necessary to differentiate specific progressions in a program, will reviewed for approval by GEC. Undergraduate courses at the 100-, 200-, and 300-level can not be taught/with a 500-level course. Six hundred-level numbers are used for graduate courses; and 700-level numbers are for doctoral courses. Enrollment in 700-level courses requires doctoral-level standing or permission from the department chairperson and the dean of the Graduate School.
Undergraduate courses of similar content may not be repeated at the graduate level for credit. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that courses that are not available for variable credit are not repeated as they can apply only once to a degree or certificate.
Credit for Prior Learning
Ball State University offers opportunities to earn credit toward a degree for knowledge students have acquired independently, at work, in the military, through workshops and special classes, and in other ways. Most of these opportunities require that students take an examination prepared by an academic unit to “test out” of a course or group of courses or to submit a portfolio assessed by the academic unit. Credit earned in this way counts toward graduation requirements, but students do not receive a grade for it. Students cannot receive credit of this type for courses for which they have already received credit. Students can earn up to 9 credits through this program.
The opportunities for earning advanced standing are:
- Credit by departmental examination
- Credit by departmental authorization
- Credit by departmental portfolio
Before offering credit in this manner, departments must submit a proposal to their college dean for approval that outlines the classes available for prior learning credit and how prior learning will be assessed, including the standards that students must meet in order to receive credit. All credits for prior learning for individual students must be approved by graduate program director, department chair, and college dean.
Students who earn credit for prior learning will be granted credit for the courses. Prior learning credit will not be awarded to students who have been enrolled or are currently enrolled in the courses for credit or audit.
Statement on Demonstrated Proficiency in English
Proficiency in the use of the English language is expected of all students who graduate with advanced degrees from Ball State University. Proficiency depends not so much on the ability to pass examinations—although the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or GRE may be required—as it does on the habitual use of acceptable English in spoken or written work. Each department will judge the qualifications of its advanced students in the use of English. Reports, examinations, and speech may be used in evaluating students’ proficiency. Students found deficient in English will be offered an opportunity to remedy the deficiency and will be encouraged to seek the assistance the university provides for this purpose.
Veterans Residency Policy
The following individuals shall be charged a rate of tuition not to exceed the in-state rate for tuition and fees purposes:
- A Veteran using educational assistance under either chapter 30 (Montgomery G.I. Bill – Active Duty Program), chapter 31 (Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment) or chapter 33 (Post-9/11 G.I. Bill), of title 38, United States Code, who lives in Indiana while attending a school located in Indiana (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of discharge or release from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more.
- Anyone using transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits (38 U.S.C. § 3319) who lives in Indiana while attending a school located in Indiana (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of the transferor's discharge or release from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more.
- Anyone described above while he or she remains continuously enrolled (other than during regularly scheduled breaks between courses, semesters, or terms) at the same school. The person so described must have enrolled in the school prior to the expiration of the three year period following discharge or release as described above and must be using educational benefits under either chapter 30, chapter 31, or chapter 33, of title 38, United States Code.
- Anyone using benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (38 U.S.C. § 3311(b)(9)) who lives in Indiana while attending a school located in Indiana (regardless of his/her formal State of residence).
- Anyone using transferred Post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefits (38 U.S.C. § 3319) who lives in Indiana while attending a school located in Indiana (regardless of his/her formal state of residence) and the transfer or is a member of the uniformed service who is serving on active duty.
Application for Graduation
Each graduate-degree-seeking student should file an application for graduation before the start of the semester in which the degree is to be granted. Check the Graduate School website for the deadline to apply for graduation.
Commencement Ceremonies
Degrees are awarded at the end of each semester. Formal public ceremonies are held at spring, summer, and fall commencements. All candidates are welcome to attend commencement exercises, where graduate degrees are conferred individually.