Students not admitted to a degree program may be admitted under non‑degree or provisional status. Non‑degree is for applicants who wish to take graduate classes, but do not wish to pursue a degree program. A student may be admitted under the provisional status for one semester or for one course in each of two semesters. To remain on provisional status, a student must receive permission from the Graduate School to register for a second or succeeding semester. Admission to the non‑degree or degree status requires a minimum of a 3.00 GPA in all course work taken while in provisional status, including at least 6 hours of graduate work.
Under non‑degree admission, there is no specific limit on the number of courses taken, but before accumulating 15 hours of graduate course work in this status, a non‑degree student must apply for and be admitted to a specific program or file a Plan of Study form with the Associate Dean of the Graduate School for approval to continue taking courses. The form must include educational objectives and a list of proposed courses. A maximum of 15 hours taken before acceptance into a degree program may be applied toward a graduate degree, if approved by the student’s graduate committee. Courses must be taken within the 6‑year time limit specified for the degree. Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA. International students on a non‑immigrant visa may not enroll under provisional or non‑degree status. Only in exceptional situations, with prior approval from the School, are students admitted to the School of Natural Resources under provisional status. Admission as non‑degree is more common, but not routine.
