Non-Degree Options

There are two ways to take graduate courses without admission to candidacy for a degree:

Student Non-Candidate for a Degree 
(SNCD)
Admission may be granted to qualified students who hold a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent, who wish to enroll in graduate courses on a non-degree basis, and who receive approval from a degree program. Examples include international exchange students who are studying at the University for a limited duration, students in good standing at other graduate schools, and students who wish to test their capabilities in a graduate setting. Students in this category are assigned faculty advisors and are accorded the same privileges as degree candidates. Applicants for SNCD study in the Office of Graduate Studies should follow all application procedures outlined in the Application Process. Continuation as a Student, Non-Candidate for a Degree, is subject to the same academic and other standards that apply to degree candidates. SNCD may, upon recommendation by the admissions committee of a graduate program and approval by the vice dean of the Office of Graduate Studies, be subsequently advanced to degree status without formal reapplication. In special cases, SNCD might be eligible for financial aid.

Unclassified Graduate Student
(Non-Degree)
A student who wishes to enroll for selected graduate-level courses without admission to the Office of Graduate Studies is generally permitted to do so by registering as an Unclassified Graduate Student with the Registrar of the Office of Graduate Studies. Application for admission is not required for such registration, and permission to register as an Unclassified Graduate Student does not constitute admission. Permission to take more than 6 hours of graduate credit in any one program requires the signature of that program’s Director of Graduate Studies. Unclassified students are not eligible for student services, including financial aid.

Those who wish to enroll as an unclassified (non-degree) student must fill out an Unclassified (Non-Degree) Application for Registration form and submit it to the Office of Graduate Studies Registrar.