Graduate School Rules

The University of Minnesota Graduate School has clear guidelines on enrollment for graduate programs. The three policies listed below provide an overview of enrollment expectations.

Continuous Enrollment

As mentioned above, students must enroll in at least one credit hour per semester until they have completed all necessary coursework requirements for their degree. If they have taken all required coursework, but have not completed the program, the One Stop Student Services website contains current information and policies regarding registration to maintain “active” status. Even students who have completed all required coursework or their final paper must continuously register until they are ready to graduate.

Students who do not register by the last day of the registration period in Fall or Spring Semester will be automatically discontinued from the program and will no longer be considered active in the program. They will have to reapply for admission, and readmission is never guaranteed.

Registration Exceptions

The University has specified deadlines each semester for adding or dropping courses. If you wish to request a change to your registration (for example, to add or drop a course, or to change your grade basis for a course) after a deadline or if you wish to register for more than 18 credits,  an online registration exception request form must be completed. Note that University policy explicitly prohibits changes in grade basis (such as switching from A-F to S/N) after the second week of class.

Leaves of Absence (LOA)

The University of Minnesota’s Graduate School Leave of Absence policy allows students to interrupt their enrollment for up to two years for reasons they cannot control (e.g., family emergencies, changes in employment, etc.) and return under the rules and policies in effect when they left.  

OLPD grants leaves of absence for up to one year at a time. Leave requests must be reviewed after one year to be continued. Per the policy described above, a student may apply for a second year, if necessary, but the student must submit a separate application.

When considering a leave of absence:

• Students should consult with their advisor prior to requesting a leave of absence. Being approved for a leave of absence does not guarantee the preservation of any financial aid or assistantship appointment the student may be currently holding.

• Except for emergency situations, leave-of-absence requests must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the beginning of the term in which the leave will begin.

• Students on a leave of absence will not have access to any University resources that are exclusive to students (including library privileges, access to faculty, and so on). Students will, however, have access to their university email.

• Students returning from a leave of absence must fill out a leave-of-absence re-entry form before the semester in which they wish to re-enter.

• Students should complete a reinstatement request when they plan to re-enter their program.

• Failure to return by the semester indicated on the leave-of-absence application will result in the student being discontinued from the program.

• International students should consult with International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) prior to requesting a leave of absence as such action could affect their visa status.  

Applying for Readmission

If students become "inactive" or “discontinued” they will automatically be withdrawn from the program and must apply for readmission if they wish to regain active student status.

Readmission of a discontinued student is never guaranteed.

Students applying for readmission to an OLPD master's program should consult the OLPD readmission website.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

All students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress to remain active in their program.  A student whose progress is found to be unsatisfactory is notified in writing of this status and is afforded an opportunity to demonstrate improvement. A registration hold may be placed on the student's record until the issue is resolved. The advisor and the Coordinator of Graduate Studies (on behalf of the Director of Graduate Studies) typically create a timeline by which conditions must be met, and a written agreement as to satisfactory terms for conditions may be made between the CGS and the student if the situation warrants it. Students are responsible for contacting their advisors to develop plans for making satisfactory progress by the deadlines.

Incomplete Grades

One aspect of maintaining good progress relates to incomplete grades. Course instructors are not obligated to assign incomplete ("I") grades when coursework has not been finished, but some do. It is always in your best interest to resolve all incomplete grades as soon as possible. The Department allows graduate students to carry a maximum of 8 non-reported ("NR") or "I" credits in the program at any given time before placing a hold on registration. 

Graduate School guidance requires instructors to establish conditions that a student must meet prior to assigning an "I" grade. An “I” grade will require a written agreement between the faculty member and student about work that needs to be submitted and a timeline for submission. 

Only an assigned instructor of a given course can assign a grade for that course. Only this instructor may update an "I” grade. If the course instructor leaves the University or too much time passes, it may not be possible to update the course grade, or the instructor may decide to assign a grade based on the coursework received to date from the student. If a given course does not have a specific assigned instructor of record, please contact the Coordinator of Graduate Studies for instructions.

In certain circumstances, instructors may also assign a “K” grade.  The symbol K may be used at the end of a session in courses where course activity (e.g., internships or capstone courses) has been approved to extend beyond the established end date. The K symbol indicates that course activity is still in progress. The instructor will submit a grade that will replace the K for each student when course activities are complete. Further information on grades can be found  at the University ‘s “Grading and Transcripts” guide.

Time to Completion

As noted above, students must complete their academic programs in five calendar years.  Whether a student is attending the master's program on a full- or part-time basis, all requirements for the master's degree must be completed and the degree awarded within five years after admission and matriculation to the graduate program. Applying the Graduate School's current interpretation of this rule, a student who enters a master's program in Fall 2023 must complete the degree by the end of Fall 2028.

Applying for a Time Extension

A student who, for legitimate reasons, is unable to complete the degree within the time limits indicated above may petition for an extension through the Coordinator of Graduate Studies office. It is important to note that time-extension requests are not automatically approved. 

By Department rules, the student may petition the Department and College for one extension of up to one year by submitting a Request for Extension to the Maximum Time Limit form. The student must obtain the approval of the advisor, the Director of Graduate Studies and the College. This petition must be submitted at least six months prior to the end of the time limit.

If a petition is approved, you will be notified in writing of the expectations for progress and of the deadline (month and year) for degree conferral. If the petition is denied, you will be notified in writing that you will be terminated from the graduate program upon expiration of the time limit.

Under extraordinary circumstances, students may file a second petition; however, such petitions after the initial extension must be reviewed and approved by the advisor, the Director of Graduate Studies, the CEHD Dean’s Office, and the Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Education for the University of Minnesota. Students who have been terminated under such circumstances may apply for readmission to the program at any time, but readmission is never guaranteed.