Graduate Scholastic Load
The minimum credit hour load to be considered a full-time graduate student is nine semester hours during the fall, spring, or summer semester. These can be any combination of graduate or undergraduate courses. The maximum credit hour load permitted is 12 semester hours during the fall, spring, or summer semester. Students wishing to exceed the maximum credit hour load must obtain permission from the Dean of the College of their major. In the summer semester sessions, students may not exceed 3 credit hours in the Short Summer session, 6 credit hours in each of the Summer I or Summer II sessions, or 12 credit hours in the Long Summer or Nursing 14-Week sessions. In programs with registration in sessions in the fall and spring semesters, students may not exceed 6 credit hours in each of the 7-Week 1 or 7-Week 2 sessions. Enrollment status is defined in terms of semester credit hours.
Enrollment Status per Financial Aid regulations (minimum credits required):
| Full-Time |
3/4 Time |
Half-Time |
Less than Half |
| 9 |
7 |
6 |
5 or fewer
|
Military Experiential Hours
Graduate students who receive educational benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs and are enrolled in a course requiring experiential hours including clinical, practicum, or internship hours may have their hours added to their enrollment certification at their request. A student who is enrolled in a course requiring at least 40 hours per week will be considered full time for VA enrollment purposes only.
Students who have completed all required course work for their doctoral program and are enrolled in dissertation hours will be considered full time for VA enrollment purposes if they are enrolled in a minimum of 3 credit hours identified as dissertation coursework.
Students are still subject to the university’s provisions on graduate scholastic load and will be awarded financial aid based on the number of credits enrolled only.