Freshwater and Marine Sciences Graduate Program Handbook-Enrollment

Enrollment Requirements

The Graduate School considers full-time enrollment to be 8-15 graded credits taken at 300 or above, excluding pass/fail and audit, during the fall and spring semesters, and 4-12 credits during the summer term. If students elect not to enroll as full-time students as defined by the Graduate School, they are responsible for knowing about possible obligations that may require full-time status. Such obligations may include visa eligibility, fellowships, assistantships, financial aid, external funding agencies, and program satisfactory progress requirements. For more information on minimum credit requirements visit: grad.wisc.edu/acadpolicy/#enrollmentrequirements

Residence for Tuition Purposes

Residency is used to determine tuition rates on campus. The details of the Graduate School Residency for Tuition Purposes can be found here as well as the full Registrar’s Office policy.

Transfer of Graduate Work from Other Institutions

Master’s Students- For those students with M.S. degree coursework from another institution, the committee may choose to count up to 14 credits of coursework from another institution. Typically, committees will choose to cap graduate coursework from another institution at a lower level than 14 credits, but this is a committee decision to be made on a case by case basis. Note that these courses will not appear on a UW transcript. Major advisors must sign off on credits and inform the Graduate Student Coordinator that outside credits intend to be used so the Graduate Coordinator can notify the Graduate School. Before you can transfer credits first you must complete the 16 credit residence requirements and any other requirement. Our program doesn't accept transfer credits from an undergraduate degree neither for MS or Ph.D. students.

PhD Students- With committee approval, students are allowed to count no more than 19 credits of graduate coursework from other institutions to complete their minimum PhD credit requirements. Coursework earned five or more years prior to admission to a master’s degree or earned ten years or more prior to admission to a doctoral degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements. Typically, committees will choose to cap coursework from another institution at a lower level than 19 credits, but this is a committee decision to be made on a case by case basis. Note that these courses will not appear on a UW transcript. Major advisors must sign off on credits and inform the Graduate Student Coordinator that outside credits intend to be used so the Graduate Coordinator can notify the Graduate School. Before transferring credits you first must complete the 32 credit residence requirements and any other major or minor requirements.

Graduate School policy on Transfer of Graduate Work from Other Institutions may be found at: https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/transfer-of-graduate-work-from-other-institutions/