Handbook | Enrollment | Courses
b. Courses
1. University of Massachusetts Amherst Course Numbering System:
100 - 199 Introductory lower division (freshman)
200 - 299 Other lower division (sophomore)
300 - 399 Upper division (junior/senior)
400 - 499 Upper division (junior/senior);
graduate credit may be awarded only to candidates outside the department's own graduate program, when taught by a member of the Graduate Faculty.
500 - 599 Combined graduate/undergraduate
600 - 699 Master's or first-year graduate
700 - 899 Doctoral or advanced graduate
2. On-Campus:
Graduate students are eligible to enroll for any regularly scheduled University course, graduate or undergraduate, provided they meet all course prerequisites and space is available. Permission of the course instructor may be necessary. Courses which will be offered, with meeting times, places, and names of the instructors, are listed each semester on SPIRE. For course descriptions, refer to the current Graduate School Bulletin and/or department/school literature. The Bulletin is available from the Graduate School home page: www.umass.edu/gradschool under quick links.
3. Five College:
Graduate students enrolled in degree programs are eligible to register for most courses offered at Amherst, Smith, Mount Holyoke, and Hampshire colleges through the Five College Interchange Program. Each student must enroll for at least one three-credit University of Massachusetts Amherst course to be eligible to take courses at the cooperating colleges. Special registration forms for Five College courses are available in the Graduate Records Office. Course catalogs (schedules) are available on the Internet at www.fivecolleges.edu/sites/courses (Note: Most courses offered by the area colleges are undergraduate level and, therefore, are not necessarily applicable toward graduate degree credit at the University).
4. Division of Continuing Education:
Courses taken through the Division of Continuing Education (DCE), except during the Summer and Winter Sessions, are not considered part of a graduate student's program and must be handled as transfer credits (see Transfer Credit Policy). Any graduate student who registers solely for a DCE course must also maintain his/her Graduate School enrollment by registering for Continuous Enrollment and paying a Program Fee. Courses and programs can be reviewed at www.umass.ulearn.net.
5. Off-Campus/Online:
Students enrolled in an approved off-campus or online program will receive course and registration information through their program's off-campus office. An "off-campus" student is generally not permitted to register for on-campus courses without being formally admitted to the on-campus degree program; for further information, contact your off-campus program office or the Graduate Records Office.
6. Thesis/Dissertation:
Any student writing a master's thesis or doctoral dissertation must register for thesis (699) or dissertation (899) credits prior to filing for the degree. Most graduate programs require a minimum of six (6) thesis and eighteen (18) dissertation credits (refer to the course listing in the Graduate School Bulletin for any variance). There is no maximum number of thesis/dissertation credits for which a student can register; however, a student can only register for a maximum of ten (10) credits of master's thesis (699) per semester/summer session, or a maximum of nine (9) credits of doctoral dissertation (899) per semester/summer session (see also Degree Requirements).
7. Non-Degree:
A graduate student who enrolls in courses as a non-degree student and is later accepted into a degree program may only apply six (6) graduate credits toward that program, subject to approval by the student's Graduate Program Director and by the Graduate School (see Transfer Credit Policy).
8. Maximum Course/Credit Load:
A graduate student may routinely register for up to sixteen (16) credits each semester and nine (9) credits during the summer session. Any student who wishes to register for an additional course (maximum of 18 credits) must secure the endorsement of his/her Graduate Program Director.
9. Audited Courses:
A graduate student may audit any class; however, such a course cannot be used to complete any degree requirement. A student may register as an auditor through SPIRE. The deadline for registering as an auditor is the tenth class day of the semester. A student may convert an otherwise passing course to an audit up to the last day of classes. Students are assessed full tuition and fees for audited courses, and these courses do not count when calculating status for loan deferment purposes.
10. Course Changes:
A graduate student may make course changes (both add and drop) during the first ten class days of the semester without penalty or any indication on the transcript. Such changes are made using SPIRE. Courses may be dropped following that deadline; however, the grade of Drop (DR) will be recorded from the third to the sixth week of the semester. A grade of Withdraw Passing (WP) or Withdraw Failing (WF) will be recorded after the sixth week of the semester. Course changes from the third week until the end of the semester require the instructor's signature on the Add/Drop Form and the date last attended for any course withdrawal.
11. Independent Study/Special Problems:
Independent work may receive credit as Independent Study or Special Problems courses provided that the work is performed under the guidance of a graduate faculty member and the course is properly recorded as part of the student's registration. Grading of such courses follows the standard Graduate School Grading Policies. Students may register for whatever number of independent study courses their adviser recommends; however, a maximum of six (6) credits (12 credits for M.F.A. students) may be used to fulfill master's degree requirements if the student writes a thesis (see also Master's Degree Requirements).
