A. Graduate Course Levels

1. Graduate students typically enroll for courses at the 500 through 800 level.
2. Advanced undergraduate students may enroll in 500-level courses unless otherwise specified.
3. Only graduate or PBS students may enroll in 700- and 800-level courses.
4. A student may take up to 6 hours of 400-level courses for graduate credit provided that they are outside the student’s major and the program is not at the doctoral level. No more than one 400-level course of up to 4 credit hours may be used for a graduate certificate.
5. Students may not count 900-level courses toward a graduate degree program or graduate certificate.

B. Course-Load Requirements (see Section 3.14)

C. Maximum Course Load

The maximum course load for graduate degree students is 15 credit hours in a semester and six credit hours in a summer session, although students on assistantships may have lower limits imposed by their advisors or programs. Graduate students who wish to enroll for more than 15 hours must complete a Schedule Revision form that is approved at the departmental, college, and Graduate School levels.

D. Credit-Only Course Limitations

Courses at the 500 and 700 level are letter graded and cannot be taken for “credit only.”
Graduate students must take 400-level courses that are letter-graded if they intend for them to fulfill programmatic requirements.

E. Enrolling for Courses in MyPack Portal

After consulting with their advisor, students may register through MyPack Portal using their Unity ID and password. Students cannot register before their enrollment access is scheduled. If an advisor has not yet been appointed, the student should consult their DGP to determine appropriate coursework.

Course descriptions are available through the Registration and Records online Course Catalog.

Instructor consent is required for all practica, individual special topics or special problems courses, internships, and thesis or dissertation research.

F. Adding Courses

1. During the first week of a semester, students may add courses via MyPack Portal without permission; during the second week, course additions require instructor permission.
2. Summer courses can be added during the first two days of a session without permission and during the third and fourth days with instructor permission.
3. To add a student to a course after the Census date, a Schedule Revision Form is required.

G. Dropping Courses

All 500-800 level courses may be dropped through MyPack Portal without grades during the first eight weeks of a semester and during the first two weeks of a summer session. Tuition will not be refunded for any courses dropped after the Census date. Any course dropped after the Census date will receive a grade of W.

A Schedule Revision Form is required to drop a course after the deadline. Late dropping of courses requires documented medical reasons or other verified evidence of hardship. Courses may not be dropped after final grades have posted.

H. Dropping Non-Traditional Courses

For courses that deviate from the regular semester/session calendars, students should refer to their class syllabus and/or contact their instructor to verify the last day to drop a course without a grade.

I. Requirements for Auditing Courses

To audit a course, graduate students must have the approval of their advisor and the course instructor. While auditors receive no course credit, they are expected to attend class. Should an instructor conclude that an auditor has failed to attend, the instructor may assign a grade of “NR” (no recognition given for an audit). Graduate students may audit one course a semester tuition free; additional audits will require tuition payment.

J. Taking Courses for Credit at Other North Carolina Institutions

Interinstitutional Registration Program

• NC State participates in an Interinstitutional Registration program. Under this agreement, NC State graduate students are permitted to register for classes on one of the other campuses as approved by their advisory committees provided those courses are not offered at NC State.
• Even though taking a course on another campus, the student is exclusively under the administrative direction of the NC State Graduate School. Enrollment for courses on other campuses will take place on this campus following guidelines from Registration and Records. The Graduate School considers such courses part of the student’s normal load and the student will be billed for the courses through the NC State University Cashier’s Office. During the summer, the procedure is somewhat different in that a student must be enrolled in a least one course on the NC State campus during the same session as the requested interinstitutional registration.
• As the grading systems of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke differ from that of NC State, grades received under Interinstitutional Registration will be converted to the NC State system. For example, “H,” “P,” “L, and “F” grades earned at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and “E,” “G,” “S” and “F” grades earned at Duke University will be converted to “A,” “B,” “C” and “F” grades, respectively.

Cooperating Raleigh Colleges

• The Cooperating Raleigh Colleges (CRC) is a program organized for the purpose of developing and conducting cooperative educational activities among Raleigh institutions. Graduate students may enroll in courses not offered by NC State. Registration and Records maintains CRC registration procedures.
• Any NC State graduate degree student who is enrolled in at least three graduate credit hours on the NC State campus may take a course through the CRC during the Fall or Spring semester, provided that:
  • (a) the course is not taught on the NC State campus;
  • (b) the advisory committee considers the course essential; and
  • (c) the student receives prior approval from the Graduate School.
• NC State students may not register for more than a total of six credits. Grades from CRC are not used in computing a student’s NC State grade point average.
• Under this agreement, regular tuition and fees are paid to NC State. Students are responsible for any special fees.