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.