The following information explains general Graduate School policy regarding satisfactory progress. Students are responsible for staying informed about individual departmental regulations.
Enrollment
Unless on-leave status has been approved, a student enrolled in an advanced degree or graduate certificate program must attend the university continuously until all program requirements have been completed. The student must register for at least 3 graduate credits each term, excluding summer session, to be continuously enrolled.
Students living elsewhere while writing a thesis or dissertation and sending chapters to an adviser for review must register for a minimum of 3 graduate credits a term; they should register for thesis or dissertation credits.
Graduate students who are required to maintain full-time enrollment must register for and satisfactorily complete at least 9 graduate credits each term.
Various on- and off-campus agencies and offices have their own course-load requirements. For example, some agencies that offer student loans set registration requirements. The Office of the Registrar can certify a student's registration only for the credits indicated in the student information system. Because the minimum registration requirements for the Graduate School may not satisfy some agency requirements, it is the student's responsibility to register for the required number of credits.
Examples of minimum enrollment requirements:
- GTF: 9 graduate credits toward the degree
- International Student Visa holders: 9 credits
- Federal Financial Aid: 9 credits for full-time; 5 credits for half-time
- Federal loan repayment deferrals: 5 credits for half-time
Grade Requirements
Graduate students must maintain at least a 3.00 grade point average (GPA) in graduate courses taken in the degree program. Grades of D+ or lower for graduate courses are not accepted for graduate credit but are computed in the GPA. Similarly, the grade of N (no pass) is not accepted for graduate credit. A grade of pass (P) must be equal to or better than a B-.
A GPA below 3.00 at any time during a graduate student's studies or the accumulation of more than 5 credits of N or F grades -- regardless of the GPA -- is considered unsatisfactory. The dean of the Graduate School, after consultation with the student's home department, may drop the student from the Graduate School, thus terminating the student's degree program.
Time Limit, Master's
The Graduate School requires students to complete all degree requirements for the master's degree within seven years, including transferred credits, M.A. language requirement, thesis, and all examinations. Individual departments may require the student to complete the degree in less time. Students are responsible for staying informed about individual departmental regulations.
Time Limit, Doctoral
The required year of residency spent on the Eugene campus, the passing of the comprehensive examinations required for advancement to candidacy, and the completion of the doctoral dissertation must all be accomplished within a seven-year period. If this period is exceeded, a block will be placed on future registration. A petition for an extension of time must be submitted for review to the dean of the Graduate School. In some cases, if the dean approves an extension request, either a second year of residency or a new set of comprehensive examinations or both may be required. Some departments may require that the dissertation be completed earlier than the seven year maximum deadline, requiring completion within a certain number of years after advancement to candidacy (e.g., three years) to ensure currency of knowledge. Students are responsible for staying informed about individual departmental regulations.