| Policy Category | Policy Owner | Version Effective Date | Review Cycle | Policy Contact |
| III. Academic Affairs | SVP, Chief Academic Officer | September 25, 2024 | Every 2 years | Registrar's Office |
- Introduction
- Students are advised to limit their course loads to conform with the demands of their employment and the time they have to prepare for courses.
- Academic Operations provides the official certification of a student's enrollment status. Statements of enrollment issued by any other office are unofficial.
- Enrollment Status for Graduate Students in Programs that Operate on a Three-Term Calendar (Fall, Spring, Summer)
- Given the time commitment required for graduate study, six (6) credit hours per term is the maximum recommended load for graduate students.
- Graduate students in three-term programs are considered full-time when enrolled in nine (9) credit hours, half-time when enrolled in six (6) credit hours, and less than half-time when enrolled in three (3) credit hours.
- Students who have a compelling need to take more than six (6) credit hours per term (and are enrolled in a program that allows course overloads) may submit a written request to their advisor or success coach to take up to six (6) additional credit hours, for a maximum total of twelve (12) credits per term. All requests must meet the specific criteria outlined in the current UMGC catalog, including the necessary academic standards and acknowledgment of the associated academic risks.
- Enrollment Status for Doctoral Students and Graduate Students in Programs that Operate on a Four-Term Calendar (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer)
- Doctoral and Graduate students in four-term programs are considered full-time when enrolled in six (6) credit hours.
- These programs follow a specific sequence, with each course building on competencies developed in previous courses. Students enrolled in these programs are limited to six (6) credit hours maximum per term, with no exceptions to this policy.
- Enrollment Status for Undergraduate Students
- Full-time status for undergraduate students is defined as enrollment in twelve (12) or more credit hours per term.
- Half-time status for undergraduate students is defined as enrollment in six (6) to eleven (11) credit hours per term.
- Students may not register for more than eighteen (18) credit hours in a 17-week period without written permission from the Office of the Dean of their school. For detailed information on the permission process, including eligibility criteria, students should refer to the current UMGC catalog.