Courses and Registration

Registration

As a graduate student, all of your class registration will be done through the MyRecords portal. You can view the MyRecords registration procedures for a more comprehensive look at enrolling. Keep in mind that there are important add/drop dates for registering.

If you are a Graduate Research Assistant and/or a Graduate Assistant receiving a stipend from your department or Graduate Studies, you must be enrolled as a full-time student each semester.

Register for Courses

• Course Descriptions: View a list of all graduate level courses.
• Course Search: Find which courses will be offered by term.
• View Important Deadlines

Full-Time Status

To be certified as a full-time graduate student, you must be enrolled for at least 9 credit hours during fall or spring and at least 4 credits during summer sessions, regardless of whether you hold an assistantship. In the last semester of a master's or doctoral degree program, you can register for less than full-time but still be granted full-time status with permission from the Dean for Graduate Studies, provided you aren't employed more than 20 hours per week.

No classes or hours may be added to your registration after the final date to add classes.

Graduate Assistants

You’re required to maintain full-time enrollment in order to keep your assistantship stipend, student health insurance, and other benefits. Make sure to register as early as possible, finalizing any changes before deadlines arrive.

After the final add date passes, you are unable to make changes to your registration that would either reduce you to less than full-time or make you regain full-time status. This is why it is very important to ensure you’re meeting the required hours.

PhD Candidacy

If you have achieved PhD Candidacy (e.g. completed your Comprehensive Exam and been recommended to Candidacy), you are not required to register for 9 credit hours to maintain full-time student status. You only need to register for one Dissertation credit hour (999) plus any other departmentally required courses (Seminar, etc.).

Drops, Adds, and Withdrawals

During the first 7 calendar days of the Fall & Spring semesters:

• You may drop a course with a full refund of tuition through the MyRecords portal. The Drop Course Fee will not apply and the course will not appear on your transcript.
• You may add courses during this timeframe only. The Add Course Fee will apply.
• If admitted to a degree program after the term begins, you must register for class within 7 calendar days after admission. In this situation, the Add Course Fee will not apply.

After the first week of the semester, but before 70% of the course has been completed:

• You may not add new courses or adjust the number of credits for a variable credit course in which you’re already enrolled.
• You may drop a course, or switch from a graded course to an audit of the same course, only if you are able to show that conditions unforeseen at the time of registration (e.g., illness) prevent you from continuing. (These unforeseen conditions cannot include unsatisfactory scholarship). You will be assessed a Drop Course Fee and a grade of W will appear on the your transcript. A refund will be processed as specified in the Tuition Refund Schedule (found in the UNMC Catalog).

Steps to Request Drop

1. Discuss the Drop with your Advisor/Supervisor.
2. Fill out the Drop - Add form.
3. Obtain the Course Instructors approval, the Course Instructor will signify his/her approval by initialing in the "Instructor's OK" column.
4. Submit the Drop-Add form to the Office of Graduate Studies for approval by the Dean.

After 70% of a course has been completed:

• Under no circumstance may a student drop a course after 70% of the course has been completed. A grade other than W must be assigned.

Withdrawal from the University

If withdrawing from the University, you’re required to initiate your withdrawal in the Office of Academic Records. You’ll be given a grade on the date of withdrawal. A grade of WP is given if you’re considered to be doing passable work and a grade of WF is given if you’re considered to be doing failing work at the time. The withdrawal form must be completed with appropriate signatures to insure appropriate entries for the permanent record.

Be sure to review UNMC's Drop/Add policy.

Intercampus Registration

If you’re in good standing and wish to register for courses at a different University of Nebraska campus, complete an Intercampus Form. After the form is processed, you'll be contacted by the host campus with further instructions.

Be sure to check the registration deadlines of each campus. In addition, UNMC Graduate Assistants who receive tuition remission from the Graduate College must report their intercampus registration every semester in order to have their non-UNMC tuition remitted. If you need to maintain full-time enrollment, report all intercampus registration to avoid losing any full-time student benefits such as student health insurance and access to the Student Health Clinic.

If you are a UNO, UNK or UNL student wanting to take a course at UNMC, you will need to register by our registration deadline.

Auditing a Class

If you choose to audit a class, you’ll need the permission of the instructor and the Dean for Graduate Studies, as well as be academically qualified for the class. It’s also good to consult your Advisor in the process. Then, you’ll submit the Permit to Audit form to the Office of Graduate Studies no less than three business days prior to the first day of class for processing. Auditing a course costs one-half of current resident tuition.

Veteran Benefits

If you're eligible for education benefits through the Veterans Administration, contact the Financial Aid Office before registering to ensure you've completed all the required steps.

Employment and Registration

If you're not employed, or are a graduate research assistant performing only thesis/dissertation related tasks, there are some limits on the amount of credit hours you may take. No more than:

• 15 credits during the fall/spring semester.
• 6 credits during a five-week summer session.
• 9 credits during an eight-week summer session.
• 3 credits during a pre-session.

If you’re holding a major fellowship, assistantship, or traineeship, you're expected to be enrolled full-time. You won't be allowed to partake in other remunerative employment without permission from the Dean for Graduate Studies.

If you are either employed, holding a teaching assistantship, or holding a non thesis/dissertation related research assistantship, there are registration limitations. This is because we expect graduate students to devote plenty of time to independent study and laboratory research, going beyond minimum credit hour requirements.