Dropping a Class: Rules for Graduate Students

With the required approvals, a graduate student may drop a class through the last class day of the semester or summer term; after the twelfth class day of the semester or the fourth class day of the summer term, the graduate dean’s approval is also required. If the student drops the class by the twelfth class day of the semester or the fourth class day of the summer term, the class is deleted from the student’s academic record. After this time, delete drops (which remove all indications of the course registration from a student's academic record) may be requested only in the cases of University error or in response to rare and extenuating circumstances. The form requesting the delete drop must be signed by the graduate dean, the associate dean for student services, or the director of student services in the Office of Graduate Studies.

If the student drops the class from the thirteenth through the twentieth class day of the long-session semester or from the fifth through the tenth class day of the summer term, the symbol Q appears on his or her academic record to indicate a drop without academic penalty. After these dates, if the student is registered on the letter-grade basis, the class instructor assigns the symbol Q or a grade of F; if the student is registered on the credit/no credit basis, the symbol NC is recorded.

A student who is in warning status for failing to maintain a 3.00 grade point average may not drop a class without the recommendation of his or her graduate adviser and the approval of the graduate dean.

International students, in addition to obtaining the required approvals, must be advised by the International Office before dropping a class if their remaining course load will be fewer than nine hours.

Students appointed as graduate student academic employees may not reduce their course load to fewer than nine hours during a long-session semester or fewer than three hours in a summer session (in any combination of summer session terms) without the written recommendation of the graduate adviser and the approval of the graduate dean.