Graduate Student FAQ
1. How do I know if a 400 level class is for graduate credit or not?
Only some 400 level classes are for graduate credit. If they are not approved by Rackham they will not be counted toward your degree (indicated by NFC “Not For Credit on your transcript). If you want to take a 400 level class, please double check that it is graduate level. Here's how to check:
Please go to the site listed below and click on the program offering the class, then click on the "courses" link at the top of the page. If the course is listed there, it is a graduate level course approved by Rackham and the credits will count toward your degree.
http://www.rackham.umich.edu/Programs/alphadept.html
2. How do I do a late drop/add?
If you have to register for (or drop) classes late - after 3 weeks into the term, it cannot be accomplished in our office or on the web. Here’s what you need to do:
Obtain two forms, an Election Worksheet and a Class Permission Slip (a.k.a. Override). The Election Worksheet is available in OSS (first floor, Observatory Lodge) or in Eileen Brussolo's office, 3146 Observatory Lodge. The Class Permission slip is available from your instructor. Your instructor must sign both forms and the graduate chair, Dr. Dan Ferris, must sign the election worksheet after your instructor has signed it.
All forms must have the necessary signatures or you will be denied registration.
Here’s what to do with the Forms:
1. Signed Class Permission Slip (a.k.a. "override"). Turn it in to Charlene Ruloff, 2128 Observatory Lodge. She will enter the information into the system and you will receive an automated email indicating it has been submitted to the Registrar’s Office.
2. Election Worksheet (signed by the instructor and your academic advisor or the Graduate Chair). After your permission has been put in the system, take it and your photo I.D. to a Registrar’s Student Service Center for processing:
Student Services - Central Campus
U-M Office of the Registrar
1207 LS&A Building
500 S. State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1382
Phone: (734) 647-3507
Fax: (734) 763-9053
Student Services - North Campus
U-M Office of the Registrar
B430 LL North Pierpont Commons
2101 Bonisteel Boulevard
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2090
Phone: (734) 763-7650
Fax: (734) 763-7961
E-mail: ro.registration.questions@umich.edu
Office hours: 8:00am-5:00pm, Monday-Friday.
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3. I’m close to advancing to Candidacy, what should I know?
The first thing to know is that you must be registered during the term you advance to register and there is a deadline in that term as to when you should be done with your exams. IT FALLS VERY EARLY IN THE TERM. For example, Fall Term is usually two-three weeks into Fall Term and Winter Term is usually a few days into Winter Term. If you are not done with your exams by those dates, you will be billed regular tuition and your advancement to Candidacy will be effective for the following term. The deadlines vary each semester and you should check them on Rackham’s web site. http://www.rackham.umich.edu/OARD/candidacydeadlines.html
Students who will become candidates during a semester (e.g., Fall semester of their third year) should register for KIN990, which is Dissertation research /Pre-candidate. They will receive a full tuition bill, but as soon as candidacy is achieved (before the Rackham deadline), Rackham and the Registrar’s Office will automatically convert the 990 to 995, and will revise the tuition accordingly.
Also, here is a Rackham website with more information on advancing to candidacy:
http://www.rackham.umich.edu/StudentInfo/Publications/GSH/html/doctoral.html
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4. Once you are a candidate, you have an option to take a “Free Course”. What does “Free Course” mean?
Candidates are expected to be enrolled in 9 credits of KIN 995. In addition, you may elect one "free" course per full term without paying additional tuition. HOWEVER, any courses taken above and beyond 995 and the "free" course will raise tuition substantially (i.e., $855 for the first hour and $735 for each subsequent credit hour). Students who do not take a "free" course each semester may "bank" it, and take two "free" courses during a subsequent semester. No more than one course may be "banked" at any given time.
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5. I’m close to defending my Dissertation. What should I do?
If you are getting close to defending, here are the first four things you need to check:
- Make sure your undergraduate and master's degrees are on your U-M transcript.
- Make sure your advancement to candidacy is on your transcript.
- Make sure your dissertation committee is on your transcript and is listed correctly.
- Check the deadlines and make sure you understand how the grace period works.
Rackham will require:
(a) a minimum GPA of 5.0 (on the 9-point scale) of all graduate-level work completed.
(b) completion of at least 18 credits of coursework on the Ann Arbor campus
(c) completion of at least 4 credits of cognate work with a grade of C- or better
(d) accumulation of at least 36 credits of Rackham Fee Totals (You may earn a maximum of 9 RFTs per term based on how many credits you are registered for and cannot earn more than 9 even if you are registered for more.)
RFTs are the number of fee hours that doctoral students accumulate when they register for coursework, or pre-candidacy (990) and candidacy (995) enrollment.
Sixty-eight (68) RFTs are needed to receive a doctoral degree. Doctoral students need to be registered the semester in which they defend even if they have already accumulated enough RFTs.
(e) successful completion of preliminary examinations
If there are any problems with any of the above, please contact Eileen Brussolo immediately at kingradcomm@umich.edu or (734) 764-1343.
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