Course Load

Fall and Spring Semesters

A full-time graduate course load is nine to 15 credits per semester. Graduate students holding assistantships, however, have additional course load restrictions 

Summer Sessions

Graduate students are not required to be registered in summer sessions. If they are full time in the previous spring semester and are continuing their graduate study in the following fall semester, they are considered to be full time in the summer. If a student needs to be registered, one credit hour is considered full time. 

International Students

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requires international students on F-1 and J-1 visas to carry a full-time course of study to remain in status. 

Course loads and assistantships

Graduate students holding assistantship appointments are restricted to 9 hours per semester if they hold an appointment of one-half-time or greater and 12 hours per semester if they hold a one-quarter-time appointment. With advance written permission from the Graduate School, a student may take more than the maximum semester course load during a particular semester if the total credit hours do not exceed the maximum for the term of the appointment.