Full- and Half-time Equivalency

Full Time Equivalency for PhD and EdD Programs

Full time status in the PhD and EdD programs is 12 credits per semester. In the second semester of the second year of study, most full-time doctoral students complete their coursework except for Dissertation Proposal Seminar which is usually taken in the semester following Candidacy. Beginning in the third year of study, students must either register for at least one credit per semester or they must maintain matriculation by registering for MAINT-GE 4747. Fully-funded students in their first four years of study (while they are still receiving funding) are required to maintain full-time status. Additionally, students may need full- or half-time status for financial aid or visa purposes.

International students on an F-1 or J-1 visa must also have full-time status (12 credits or full-time equivalency) regardless of year in the program.

U.S. citizens or permanent residents who want to get and/or defer student loans must have at least half-time status (6 credits or half-time equivalency). Some scholarships and fellowships may also require full-time status.

In order to be eligible for full-time equivalency status, you are expected to spend no less than 40 hours per week on a combination of course work and/or the relevant items which appear below; half-time students, a minimum of 20 hours per week.

Candidacy Examination (3 credits of equivalency - granted for one semester only): Three credits of equivalency may be granted during the semester in which you are completing the departmental candidacy examination and/or paper. The appropriate application for the examination must be filed with the Office of Doctoral Studies in order to be eligible for equivalency based on this category.
Candidates working on the topic for the dissertation (3 credits of equivalency - granted for one semester only): This category may be used by students who have been admitted to degree candidacy, but have not yet officially appointed a dissertation committee chairperson.
Teaching Fellow, Research or Graduate Assistant (6 credits of equivalency): This category may be used only by students with official University appointments as teaching fellows, research assistants or graduate assistants working a minimum of 20 hours per week. This category will only apply to students with these official appointments in the Music Technology Program.
Candidates working on the dissertation proposal (maximum of two consecutive years including the respective summer sessions): Students who have officially appointed a dissertation committee chairperson may request up to full-time equivalency status while working on the dissertation proposal. The approval of the dissertation committee chairperson is required (as indicated by signature on the equivalency form) in order to be eligible for this category.
Supervised research on the dissertation: Students who have successfully completed the dissertation proposal review process may request up to full-time equivalency while working on the dissertation. The approval of the dissertation committee chairperson is required (as indicated by signature on the equivalency form) in order to be eligible for this category.

All requests for equivalency status must be approved by the academic advisor (or dissertation committee chairperson if required), as well as the Dean's representative in the Office of Doctoral Studies. No student's application for equivalency status will be considered unless that student is registered for credit-bearing coursework or Maintenance of Matriculation.

The Office of Graduate Studies receives and processes these requests and can answer questions. You can access the form at the Steinhardt Doctoral Forms Website, listed as Doctoral Full- or Half-time Equivalency Form.

Full Time Equivalency for the DMA Program

NYU requires a minimum of 9 credits to be considered full-time.

Candidacy Examination (3 credits of equivalency - granted for one semester only): In the second semester of the second year of study, three credits of equivalency may be granted during the semester in which you are completing the departmental candidacy examination and/or paper. The appropriate application for the examination must be filed with the Office of Doctoral Studies in order to be eligible for equivalency based on this category.
Supervised research on the capstone project: Beginning in the third year of study, students who have successfully completed the capstone proposal review process may request up to full-time equivalency while working on the capstone project.

All requests for equivalency status must be approved by the DMA Coordinator as well as the Dean's representative in the Office of Doctoral Studies. No student's application for equivalency status will be considered unless that student is registered for credit-bearing coursework or Maintenance of Matriculation.