Guidelines Related to Registration in Doctoral Courses

1. Registration in an individual studies, research or similar course shall imply an expected level of effort on the part of the student comparable to that associated with the same credit value.
2. A doctoral student not on campus who is required to register solely for the purpose of satisfying a continuous enrollment requirement shall be required to register for no more than three hours during each long semester (fall and spring).
3. Only in unusual circumstances shall a doctoral student register for more than 12 hours in a given semester or summer session and then only if approved in advance by the dean of the college and the Dean of the Graduate College.

Maximum Period for Completion - Doctoral Degrees

A student has a maximum of 10 years from the date of first entry into doctoral-level courses to complete the degree. Under special circumstances, an extension for an additional year may be granted by the student’s Doctoral Dissertation Committee (DDC) with the approval of the Dean of the Graduate College. If the student surpasses the 10-year limit, his or her DDC will determine if the student will be permitted to continue in the program and what additional coursework or activities will be required to complete the degree.

For information on maximum period for completion for students pursuing a master’s degree, see the master’s degree requirements section.