Graduate Registration and Enrollment
CONTINUOUS ENROLLMENT
All graduate students are expected to enroll and pay tuition and fees by the required deadline of the fall and spring semester or module of each academic year until graduation.
ENROLLMENT IN DOCTORAL COURSES
Registration in an independent studies, independent research or similar courses implies an expected level of effort on the part of the student comparable to that associated with non-independent courses of the same credit value.
Once a student registers for dissertation, he/she must continue to enroll in the appropriate dissertation course each succeeding semester (except summer sessions unless the student is graduating in the summer) until the dissertation is completed.
A doctoral student who is required to register solely for the purpose of satisfying a continuous enrollment requirement shall be required to register for no more than three hours during each long semester (fall and spring).
Only in unusual circumstances shall a doctoral student register for more than 12 hours in a given semester or summer session and then only if approved in advance by the Dean of the College and the Dean of the Graduate College.
ENROLLMENT IN THESIS COURSES/CAPSTONE REQUIREMENTS
When the student reaches the thesis/research paper/project stage of their graduate program, enrollment in thesis courses or other capstone requirement coursework is required each fall and spring semester until completion. Students are expected to enroll and pay tuition and fees by the required deadline of the fall and spring semester or module of each academic year until graduation.
Once a student registers for thesis, he/she/they must continue to enroll in the appropriate course each succeeding semester (except summer sessions unless the student is graduating in the summer) until the thesis is completed.
SUMMER GRADUATION
Students applying for summer graduation must be enrolled in the dissertation/ thesis/ project course during the summer session in which he or she intends to graduate. Departments can determine the number of hours required each semester to accomplish continuous enrollment. The only alternative to continuous enrollment is a leave of absence (see Leave of Absence policy below).
If the student who is not approved for a leave of absence fails to enroll by the required deadline for enrollment, she/he may not return to the University without applying for readmission. The student must apply for readmission to the Graduate College and must pay the application fee if absent for more than one year. The student may be accepted for readmission, or the student may be denied readmission by either the Graduate College or graduate program.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE
A Leave of Absence (LOA) is a temporary cessation of degree-seeking study and may be granted for no more than two (2) consecutive long semesters or four (4) consecutive modules up to one (1) year for documented medical reasons or other unavoidable circumstances (e.g., active military duty, etc.).
Students enrolled in Accelerated Online Programs (AOP) are not required to submit an LOA for leaves of 1 module; however, AOP students who anticipate leave of 2 or more modules should submit.
Students requesting a leave of absence must be enrolled and in good academic standing at the time of the request. Leave requests must be approved in advance of the start date by the thesis/dissertation chair (if applicable), the Graduate Program Coordinator, Department Chair or Director, Dean of the Academic College, and the Dean of the Graduate College.
During a leave of absence, students may not participate in student employment or other activities and services that require enrollment. During a leave of absence, students may not take any UTRGV courses without terminating their leave.
The student on leave may be required to reapply for admission to return to the University, but readmission during the approved period of leave is automatic and any application fees are waived.
A leave of absence does not change the time limit for completion of the student’s graduate program of study.