- In cases where the term of degree conferral is after the term of the final oral examination, the registration requirement is met during the term of the final oral exam.
Once registered, the graduate student is responsible for all tuition and fees. Tuition and fee schedules for the current year are published on the Registrar’s website. For more information on fee payment options and other concerns, browse the Account Receivables website.
2.2.1 Required Registration for Preliminary and Final Oral Exams
Doctoral students must register during the term of the preliminary oral examination, and all graduate students must register during the term of the final oral examination for a minimum of one credit or for Examination Only (GR ST 6810B) if no course work is needed. Examination Only (GR ST 6810B) requires payment for one credit hour tuition and fees and is not allowed on the Academic Plan (AP). If students take the final oral examination between terms (including the first day of classes), registration can be either for the term before or the term after the examination. A student who fails to register as specified above must complete the appropriate registrations before the Graduate Student Approval Request is signed by the Graduate College.
Graduate students who are not required to take a final oral examination should complete all required coursework on the AP before or during the term of graduation. Any transfer credits must be completed the term before the graduation term and follow transfer course rules outlined in Ch.6.3.8. of the Graduate College Handbook.
2.2.2 Doctoral Post-Prelim Continuous Enrollment
Doctoral students who have completed coursework and passed (full or conditional) the preliminary oral examination are required to register for a minimum of one credit each fall and spring term, regardless of whether university facilities, equipment, or staff time are used in person or in absentia.
Continuous registration may be maintained by taking 1) a minimum of one credit of required and/or elective courses or research hours to complete the Academic Plan or 2) Doctoral Continuous Registration (GR ST 6810A). Doctoral Continuous Registration (GR ST 6810A) requires a one credit hour tuition and fees payment and is not allowed on the Academic Plan (AP). Registration for GR ST 6810A is required only in the fall and spring terms.
2.2.3 Required Registration During Graduate Assistantships
The Graduate College requires that graduate assistants register for a minimum of one credit each term that they hold an appointment.
If an appointment encompasses fewer than five class days, no registration is required. Assistants who do not register by midterm of the current term will be registered by the Graduate College; applicable tuition and late fees will be added to their university bill. The minimum registration requirement for a graduate assistant is one credit (GR ST 6810B or 6810C meets this one credit requirement).
2.2.4 Registration After Graduation
Upon conferral of a graduate degree, there will be a hold on future registration. A graduate student must be actively pursuing a Program of Study, or be classified as a nondegree graduate student or undeclared graduate student, to enroll in graduate classification. The student must apply to pursue an additional Program of Study if they wish to continue graduate enrollment. Several options are available to students who wish to continue taking classes.
2.2.5 Registration/Schedule Changes
After a student has enrolled for classes, registration is completed for the semester unless the student wishes to change the class schedule. Changes must be processed before the deadlines printed in the University Academic Calendar. Students who fail to attend class are not dropped automatically; they must withdraw from their courses. Consult the Office of the Registrar for instructions on withdrawing from and adding classes during the three periods of the term.
2.2.6 Audit Registration
Audit registration means taking courses without receiving formal credit. The audit policy provisions are as follows:
- Instructors must approve ALL audits..
- Students must register for audits by day 10 of the semester.
- Changes to or from an audit must be made in the first 10 days of the semester.
- Students are assessed tuition and fees as though they were taking the course for credit.
- The course DOES NOT count in determining full-time student status.
Audited courses do not appear on the student’s permanent record unless the Audit(s) to Appear on Transcript form is completed and signed by the student, course instructor, and major professor. After the fifth class day, if a student changes a regular course to an audit, that course will appear on their permanent record as a withdrawal. Audits are not acceptable as registration for loan deferments.
Audits may be listed on the Academic Plan (AP), but do not carry credit.
2.2.7 Off-campus Registration
Students who take off-campus or online courses taught by members of the graduate faculty must register for credit. Only students who are enrolled in graduate online degree programs and who register for research credit (5990 or 6990) as part of the program will be allowed to register in an online section of the research course.
However, if an off-campus student is enrolled only in research credits, they must be registered for the Graduate College minimum of one credit. Registration in these sections will be restricted to students who are in the online programs. Thus, graduate students in on-campus programs will not be allowed to register for an online section as a mechanism to avoid or lower tuition and/or fees. Instructions for registering for online courses are available from the Iowa State Online website.
2.2.8 Reentry Registration
Reentering graduate students with active status do not need to complete a reentry application, but they should contact their major professor(s) to select courses. Students with inactive status must undergo a reinstatement process. Students enter inactive status when they have not been registered for 24 months or more.
2.3 - Special Populations
2.3.1 ISU Staff Members and Credit Load Limit
Any full-time member of the research, instructional, or extension staff at the rank of instructor, research associate, or assistant scientist may carry up to six course credits per semester and three credits per summer session, subject to the approval of the head of the department or section and provided it does not interfere with other duties. This privilege may be extended to members of the research, instructional, or extension staffs at the rank of assistant professor with approval of the college dean and the Dean of the Graduate College. Staff members at the rank of associate professor or professor cannot become candidates for graduate degrees from ISU.
2.3.2 International Students Taking CPT or OPT
International students may be required or may choose to supplement their regular coursework with Curricular Practical Training (CPT), or they may wish to engage in Optional Practical Training (OPT) after completing their programs at ISU.
CPT is an academic learning experience (sometimes an internship) related to the major field of study that allows students to apply the knowledge that they gained through their coursework in a business environment. Students can engage in CPT while they are still completing their programs at ISU. Participation in CPT is authorized by the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) after a student submits an electronic application. A student needs to be enrolled in a CPT-related course each semester they engage in CPT. Some students may use internship coursework credits. If no formal instruction is included as a part of CPT activities, an international graduate student may opt to take an internship/practicum course for R credit. If an internship course is not available in the student’s discipline, they may take GR ST 6970 for R credits. However, GR ST 697 is acceptable only for students engaging in full-time CPT. Similarly, departmental courses like this cannot be used for part-time CPT. The internship R credits may not be used to meet the registration requirement for the term of the preliminary or final oral examination. If the CPT is related to a student’s research, they may use research credit registration for CPT.
OPT, authorized by the U.S. Federal Government, allows a student to work in the U.S. in a job related to the student’s major for up to 12 months after completing their program at ISU. Note that a student is considered to have completed their program at the end of the semester in which they have defended the dissertation/thesis/creative component. Students should apply for OPT well in advance of completing their programs, as the OPT authorization process can take more than three months. Furthermore, students who pursued a STEM major are eligible to apply for a 24-month extension of their OPT. There are additional requirements which should be reviewed when considering the STEM OPT extension.
The complete information about CPT and OPT is available on the ISSO website. The International Student Advisers at the ISSO will also be able to answer any questions about the specifics of CPT and OPT
2.4 - Leave of Absence and Cancelations
2.4.1 Leave of Absence
A Leave of Absence from the university means that you are dropping ALL your classes on or after the first day of the term. A Leave of Absence is not permanent for graduate students; it always applies to a specific term. Reentry is activated when registration for a future term occurs. Follow this how-to article to Temporarily Separate from ISU.. For questions, reach out to the Office of the Registrar.
Students who wish to permanently separate from ISU should initiate the Request for Student Separation process and select that they would like to perform an Institutional Withdrawal. Instructions can be found in this how-to article: Permanently Withdraw from ISU.
For questions on either of these Leave of Absence (LOA) processes, reach out to the Office of the Registrar.
2.4.2 Cancelation of Registration
Cancellation of registration occurs before classes start when a student indicates they will not be attending the upcoming semester and wants to drop all their course registrations. Follow the Cancel Upcoming Semester Attendance and Registration process to cancel your registration. Beginning the first day of classes, students must complete a Leave of Absence to terminate their registration. For questions, reach out to the Office of the Registrar.
2.4.3 Doctoral Post Prelim Continuous Registration During Leave of Absence
If a temporary lapse in a student’s academic program is required due to military service, medical leave, maternity leave, or personal/family leave, a doctoral student may petition the Graduate College to be allowed to register for Doctoral Post Prelim Registration (GR ST 6800) through the Petition for Doctoral Post Prelim Registration GR ST 6800. This process allows for the assessment of a special minimum fee only. Note that registration in GR ST 6800 1) is not allowed after the completion of the final oral examination, 2) not sufficient registration for the term the preliminary or final oral examination is taken, 3) does not defer student loans, 4) needs to be requested each term, and 5) is required only in the fall and spring terms.
Chapter 3 - Graduate Student Financial Support
3.1 - Graduate Assistantships
A graduate assistant (GA) performs duties that contribute significantly to their graduate education. Students holding assistantships are considered to be in training, and the graduate assistantship is a form of student aid that combines training with a stipend. The standard appointment is half time, and the university guideline suggests 20 hours per week should be spent on half-time assistantship duties, but this expectation varies depending on the nature of the assistantship. Three types of GAs are available, teaching, research, and administrative. Students who will teach, perform research, or carry out administrative duties as part of their educational program should be appointed as GAs.
Only degree-seeking students (doctoral and master’s degrees) may be appointed to a GA. An assistantship awarded to a graduate student on probation must be approved by the Dean of the Graduate College term-by-term (each semester or each summer session). The GA on probation will be assessed full resident tuition but will not receive a graduate tuition scholarship without special approval. The Graduate College requires that GAs register for a minimum of one credit each term they are appointed.
3.1.1 Types of Assistantships
Graduate Teaching Assistantships
As the title implies, graduate teaching assistants (TAs) share the faculty’s responsibility for undergraduate teaching. TAs are not permitted to teach graduate-level courses. Responsibilities may include instruction, grading, course development, and proctoring exams. The TA’s teaching load will necessarily vary from program to program but should be consistent with the teaching load carried by faculty in the department. Since a teaching assistantship is an apprentice position in teaching, the TA should expect careful guidance from the department. This guidance may take the form of seminars, conferences, observations by experienced teachers, or other methods designed to develop teaching skills. The official university guideline for time spent should be viewed as maximal for a teaching assistantship.
Responsibilities may include instruction, grading, course development, and proctoring exams. Graduate students may be instructor of record for undergraduate-level courses only.
These university-wide services help to make the job of new TAs easier and more effective:
- Teaching and cross-cultural workshops are organized by the Graduate College, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, and the Graduate and Professional Student Senate to provide general training for new TAs during the week before fall semester begins.
All international students who are nonnative English speakers and have teaching responsibilities are required to take the Oral English Certification Test (OECT) before they may be assigned duties. Students not reaching Level-1 (full certification) are required to take English 180, Communication Skills for International Teaching Assistants.
Graduate Research Assistantships
A research assistant (RA) conducts research that contributes directly to their graduate education. Supervision is by the professorial staff, and appropriate research projects foster originality, imagination, judgment, and patience—the traits of an independent scholar. Often, a research project to which the research assistant (RA) is assigned eventually leads to a dissertation or thesis topic but is not guaranteed. Although a research supervisor cannot guarantee that a particular project will be suitable dissertation or thesis material, the supervisor can offer a professional judgment as to whether the project is suitable, and they should offer this judgment to the RA as soon as possible. The final decision on the acceptability of a research topic for the dissertation or thesis rests with the student’s Academic Plan Committee (APC). Because of the widely varying demands of research duties, and because most research projects become part of a student’s dissertation or thesis, it is nearly impossible to set a specific workweek. The official university guideline for time spent should be viewed as minimal for a research assistantship.
Graduate Administrative Assistantships
An administrative assistant (AA) performs duties that contribute indirectly to a student’s education. Duties vary widely from gathering, organizing, and analyzing information to working with students and performing routine research support activities. It is expected that AA duties will contribute in a general way to a student’s education and that these positions will draw upon a student’s disciplinary expertise. An AA’s duties will generally not lead to a dissertation or thesis. Because most AA’s work in a structured environment, the AA may be required to appear at specified times and coordinate their work with the appointing unit. Any graduate assistantship that is not an TA or a RA is an AA.
3.1.2 Assistantship Policies and Procedures
Tenure of Appointment
Assistantship appointments are made fiscal year by fiscal year. Because of this, each appointment is made for one year or less. Appointments may be terminated for two reasons only: 1) for cause, or 2) loss of funding. Termination for cause is discussed in Chapter 8. Non-immigrant international students must abide by the terms of their visa status and immigration guidelines according to total hours worked. For visa questions, contact the International Students and Scholars Office. The satisfactory completion of one appointment, plus satisfactory academic performance, will ordinarily make a student eligible for reappointment. However, departments have the discretion not to reappoint. Failure to reappoint is not termination and is not subject to formal appeal. Departments do have an obligation to provide reasonable notice if reappointment is not to be made. Also, programs may make commitments to support students for periods longer than one year. Such commitments are not formally treated as appointments. Students should obtain the terms of such commitments in writing. Assistantship support for more than seven or eight years is strongly discouraged, and departments may set limits on the number of years a student is eligible for assistantship support.
Letters of Intent
The department or other administrative unit offers graduate assistantships using the “Graduate Assistantship Letter of Intent” form, which contains a description of the position offered, stipend, and length of appointment.
Such matters as the specific nature of the graduate assistant’s responsibilities, requirements concerning office hours and staff meetings, particular conditions for re-appointment, benefits, and pertinent department requirements are established at the beginning of the appointment. All assistantship appointments are subject to the continuing availability of funds.
Conditions of Appointment
The University provides services and equipment essential to the performance of an assistant’s duties, within the limitations established by departmental and university resources.
During an appointment period, the academic program or administrative department may evaluate the quality of the assistant’s performance in teaching, research, or administrative duties. The program should make evaluation of the graduate assistant an educational experience.
Consequently, the graduate assistant’s evaluation is usually discussed with them; if the program does not initiate a discussion, the assistant may request one. A graduate assistant who feels unfairly evaluated has recourse through the procedures for grievances related to scholarly and professional competence. See also appointment termination procedures in Chapter 8.
Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, ethnicity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. veteran. Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies may be directed to the Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity, Title IX Coordinator, 3410 Beardshear Hall, Ames, Iowa 50011, Tel. (515) 294-7612, email eooffice@iastate.edu. Additional information can be found on the Office of Equal Opportunity website.
If an assistant resigns their appointment, resulting in an appointment of less than 3 months during the fall or spring terms, eligibility for resident tuition, tuition award, and medical insurance will be affected. See Chapter 2 for more information.
Stipends
The usual graduate assistantship is a 1/2-time appointment with a stipend sufficient to cover modest living expenses. The university establishes a minimum and maximum monthly stipend for 1/2-time teaching, research, and administrative assistantships. Stipends for other fractional appointments are scaled proportionally. The guidelines and procedures for setting stipends used by the graduate assistant’s department are filed in the department office, where they are available to a graduate assistant upon request.
Hourly Work
U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are on graduate assistantships may also work on an hourly basis provided that the additional work is approved by the unit awarding the assistantship and that the hourly work is not related to the students' educational program. Total hours (assistantship and hourly work) cannot exceed 30 hours per week. Non-immigrant international students must abide by the terms of their visa status and immigration guidelines according to total hours worked. For visa questions, contact the International Students and Scholars Office.
Predoctoral Associate Positions
Predoctoral associates are appointed at least half-time to serve in a role that furthers their education. Their appointments are term appointments and must be renewed annually. The benefits and stipend scale associated with these appointments are the same as those of postdoctoral associates. A predoctoral associate must have completed oral and written preliminary examinations or possess a D.V.M. (or equivalent) or M.D. degree and must be registered for at least one graduate credit (minimum) each semester. The predoctoral scholar appointment time is counted towards the five-year maximum postdoctoral appointment. International students appointed to predoctoral associates must follow the immigration regulations concerning work.
For more detailed information on postdoctoral scholars at ISU, consult the Graduate College website.
Tax Liability for Graduate Assistantships
All assistantship monthly stipends are subject to income tax withholding.
3.1.3 Graduate Assistant Appointment Types
Full-Time Appointments
Effective May 1, 2011, full-time summer appointments are no longer permitted.
Three-Quarter-Time Assistantships
Graduate assistantships up to ¾-time are permitted at any time for domestic students and only during the summer term for international students. International students with approved Curricular Practical Training (CPT) at Iowa State University may hold assistantships up to ¾-time during the fall and spring semesters. The CPT must be approved by the International Students & Scholars Office (ISSO) before the assistantship may be increased to ¾-time. For effort determinations, graduate assistants appointed at ¾-time are presumed to expend 30 hours of effort per week.
Half-Time Assistantships
For effort determinations, graduate assistants appointed at ½-time are presumed to expend 20 hours of effort per week. During the fall and spring semesters, maximum weekly effort is 20 hours for most international students. International students with approved CPT at Iowa State University may hold assistantships up to ¾-time during the fall and spring semesters. The CPT must be approved by ISSO before the assistantship may be increased to ¾-time.
40 Percent-Time Assistantships
For effort determinations, graduate assistants appointed at 40 percent-time are presumed to expend 16 hours of effort per week.
One-Quarter-Time Assistantships
For effort determinations, graduate assistants appointed at ¼-time are presumed to expend 10 hours of effort per week.
3.1.4 Benefits for Graduate Assistants
Benefits in addition to stipend support accrue to the graduate assistant during the appointment period. A full explanation of these benefits appears in the Policy Library; the following shortened description omits references to forms and approvals. Graduate Assistants are responsible for making sure they review and understand the benefit information.
Benefit information is also available from the Student & Scholar Health Insurance Program.
Health Insurance Plan
Graduate assistants with an appointment of one quarter time or more for at least 3 months of the fall or spring terms receive self-only health insurance coverage as a benefit for the term at no cost.
Dental Insurance Plan
Graduate assistants with an appointment of one-quarter time or more for at least 3 months of the fall or spring term are eligible for the dental insurance plan which is partially subsidized by the university and the monthly premium will be deducted from the graduate assistant’s paycheck.
Dependents
Graduate assistants may also enroll their lawful spouse or domestic partner, and unmarried dependent children under age 26. A portion of the monthly premium will be deducted from the graduate assistant’s paycheck when adding coverage for dependents. Dependents must be added within 30 days of your appointment date or with a qualifying event.
Note: Once you and your dependents are added to the plan, you will be required to remain on the plan until the end of the policy year or until your appointment ends.
For plan specifics, costs, open enrollment dates and benefits details for the health and dental insurance plans, please refer to the Student & Scholar Health Insurance Program.
Leave
Arrangement for a leave of absence is made between the graduate assistant and that assistant’s supervisor adhering to all grant and other funding source restrictions. When a graduate assistant needs to be absent for personal reasons or illness, the supervisor should understand and accommodate that need. At the same time, the graduate assistant should attempt to plan personal leave so that it does not interfere with, or cause neglect of, the duties associated with their appointment. Supervisors of graduate assistants are responsible for ensuring that their assistants do not exceed reasonable limits for leave.
It is recommended for the assistant and supervisor discuss leave expectations within their first meeting. When a conflict arises between the graduate assistant and that assistant’s supervisor regarding leave of absence use, refer to Chapter 8 to review conflict resolution process.
Benefits Available Through Worker’s Compensation
Any injury sustained by a graduate student while performing duties directly related to their Graduate Assistantship appointment should be reported immediately to University Human Resources by the supervisor, instructor, and/or department head using the “First Report of Injury” form.
Benefits available through the Iowa Workers’ Compensation system may or may not apply, depending on the facts and circumstances surrounding the injury. Injuries sustained in the pursuit of educational objectives typically are not considered work related and are not covered by the worker’s compensation system. University Human Resources can provide guidance on the claims process. ISU has a third-party claims administrator, who determines compensability of claims and eligibility for benefits. Refer to Human Resources for further information.
Resident Tuition
Graduate assistants with an appointment of ¼-time or more for at least 3 months of the fall or spring terms are assessed full-time, resident tuition. Graduate assistants with an appointment of ¼-time or more for at least 4 weeks of the summer term are assessed resident tuition at the per credit rate with a maximum assessment of 5 credits.
3.2 - Fellowships
The term fellowship is usually associated with a named funding source. When this source is outside the University or from an endowment, the fellowship may pay tuition and fees and is not considered a graduate assistantship. When the funding source is the university, the fellowship is considered a research assistantship. Generally, these awards are made prior to a student enrolling in Iowa State as a recruiting inducement.
3.3 - Tuition Award and Fee Award
Disciplinary colleges and units appointing graduate assistants administer funds that provide tuition scholarships for eligible graduate assistants. The various programs are described below.
3.3.1 Graduate Assistantship Tuition Awards
For fall and spring semesters, a graduate student must be on appointment for at least three months to qualify for a tuition scholarship. For summer session, a student must be on appointment for at least four weeks during the term to qualify for a tuition scholarship. For all terms, appointments must have been processed by the Graduate College before the end of the first full month of classes (i.e., usually around the fifth week of the fall or spring semesters). Graduate tuition scholarships not used by the due date of the second fee payment installment will be forfeited. Students who will not be on appointment for the summer session may still be eligible for the resident (GA) tuition rate.
This tuition rate is restricted to a summer session following a nine-month appointment. No action is required to receive the resident tuition rate in the summer for students who held assistantships the prior fall and spring terms. The tuition scholarship awards are:
For a master’s student:
- 75% of full-time tuition per semester for each student on an assistantship appointment of 1/2- time or more or
- 37.5% of full-time tuition per semester for each student on assistantship appointment of 1/4- time or more, but less than 1/2-time
For a doctoral (and terminal master’s program) student:
- 100% of full-time tuition per semester for each student on an assistantship appointment of 1/2-time or more or
- 50% of full-time tuition per semester for each student on an assistantship appointment of 1/4-time or more, but less than 1/2-time.
The master's programs below are considered terminal:
- M.F.A. in Creative Writing and Environment
- Master of Architecture (M.Arch.)
- M.F.A. in Graphic Design
- Master of Industrial Design (M.I.D.)
- M.F.A. in Integrated Visual Arts
- M.F.A. in Interior Design
- Master of Landscape Architecture (M.L.A.)
3.3.2 Awards to Offset Mandatory Fees
Graduate students appointed to a graduate assistantship appointment of 1/4- time or more for at least 3 months in fall and spring terms and for 4 weeks in summer term receive a 50% award for the Technology Fee, Health Fee, and Health Facility Fee and 25% coverage of Activity, Services, Building & Recreation Fee.
3.3.3 Combinations of Tuition Awards
Some students may be eligible for more than one tuition award. In no case will a student receive more than full tuition funding from all sources of tuition awards.
3.4 - Other Financial Support
3.4.1 External Funding Sources
If a graduate student is unable to obtain graduate assistantship support through a department, other possibilities might be explored. The student’s Department Chair may have knowledge of special fellowships available.
Chapter 4 - Degree Programs and Requirements
Over 120 programs offer graduate study at ISU. To pursue a graduate degree at ISU, a student must be accepted by both a program and the University. Depending upon the field of study, students may apply for admission to a program leading to various master’s degrees, doctoral degrees, or graduate certificates. The Doctor of Veterinary Medicine is not considered a graduate degree.
The Graduate College establishes general requirements for the completion of a graduate degree or certificate at ISU. Faculty in each graduate program have the responsibility of establishing specific course offerings and research opportunities appropriate to their graduate programs. Individual programs may place additional requirements on graduate students beyond those established by the Graduate College. Departmental/program procedures for beginning, continuing, or discontinuing programs, majors, and program foci may be obtained from the Faculty and Staff Forms page on the Graduate College website.
4.1 - Graduate Administrative Components
4.1.1 Department
The department is the basic administrative unit of the academic colleges of the university. Departments report to colleges; colleges report to the Provost. All staff members engaged in teaching, research, and extension hold appointments in at least one department. Department responsibilities to graduate education include faculty appointments, offering of courses, and graduate student support.
4.1.2 Graduate Major
A major is an approved academic area of study leading to a graduate degree. Each major is offered by a group of qualified faculty who are responsible for the curricula, requirements, and standards that constitute a distinct program of study. The responsible faculty may be administratively located in a single department (departmental major) or may be located in several departments (interdepartmental major). At ISU every graduate student must either be enrolled in a major or be officially accepted as a nondegree or undeclared student. Opportunities also exist for majoring in more than one area of study (co-major, concurrent major, or double degree).
4.1.3 Interdepartmental Majors and Home Departments
Interdepartmental graduate majors and academic departments are in synergistic relationships. The majors gain from these relationships by placing their students in physical settings in which scholarship can thrive. Departments gain talented students who enrich the academic unit in various ways.
- Interdepartmental students contribute to the academic culture of their home departments by being highly qualified, prepared, and motivated to focus on a research subject through a broad lens.
- Interdepartmental students who enroll in courses in their home department bolster the student credit hours of the department.
- Many interdepartmental students co-major in departmental programs to enhance their credential base. In this manner, interdepartmental programs act as a recruiting channel for departmental majors.
- Interdepartmental students frequently have unique experience and training that enhance their effectiveness as teaching assistants for a home department’s courses.
Admission
Interdepartmental majors review applicants for admission to those majors based on university-wide and program standards. Cooperating departments do not influence the decision of whether to admit applicants to interdepartmental majors, but the departments do have the choice of whether to serve as the academic home for admissible applicants to interdepartmental majors. A department may elect not to serve as the academic home for reasons such as resource limitations, but declining home department status should not be based on prioritizing students based on major or admission standards. By affiliating with an interdepartmental major, the department agrees to defer to the major for decisions on admissibility. Interdepartmental majors may need to decline admission to a well-qualified applicant who seeks to work with a specific faculty member if that professor’s department will not serve as the student’s home. The choice of a major professor by students who rotate among labs immediately after admission may be based, at least in part, on which potential major professors are able to offer the student a home department.
Home Department Status
Students admitted to an interdepartmental major may begin their programs with confirmed major professors. In such cases, the department of the professor has agreed to be the home department for the new student. Students must officially appoint their major professor through the Manage Committee Membership process in Workday to establish their home department.
Some students begin a graduate program in an interdepartmental major without a major professor. For example, it is common for new students to have rotation experiences with multiple faculty members before settling on a major professor and permanent home department. In this case, the Director of Graduate Education (DOGE) of the interdepartmental major may provide a home as the student completes rotations, or each faculty member hosting a rotation may provide a temporary home for the student.
The choice of a major professor for students who begin a graduate program without one may be based in part on which professors can provide a home department. If a student selects a major professor who holds joint appointments among departments, the home department of the student will be the primary rank department of the professor. Just as students who enter their program knowing who their major professor will be, those who choose a major professor later in their program will also use the Manage Committee Membership process in Workday to appoint their major professor. A major professor can be appointed and approved prior to the submission of the rest of the Academic Plan Committee (APC). If a student changes their major professor or a major professor notifies a student that they will no longer serve, the student must change their major professor in Workday immediately through the same committee membership process.
Tuition assessment and distribution for interdepartmental students is described below:
- Tuition assessment for students is based on the student’s major.
- Tuition revenue from interdepartmental students flows to the college of the student’s major professor’s primary rank department. Academic colleges of major professors award tuition awards for graduate students in interdepartmental majors to qualified students.
- When a student does not yet have a major professor, tuition is distributed to the primary rank department of the interdepartmental DOGE, and the college of the interdepartmental DOGE awards tuition awards to qualified students.
Provisions for Students
Home departments agree to provide space, facilities, and equipment to students in interdepartmental majors in a manner consistent with what is provided to other graduate students in the department. Typically, desk space is provided, and access to copy machines, common office supplies, and shared departmental equipment is offered. Depending on departmental policy, computers, printers, and other personal equipment may also be provided. Although what is provided to interdepartmental students may vary among departments, provisions within departments should not differ based on the major a student is pursuing unless specific funds have been donated to students in certain majors. It can be acceptable for a home department not to provide space and other support to all or some (e.g., those not on an assistantship or fellowship) students if that is the department’s policy regardless of a student’s major.
Requirements of Students
After admission and establishment in a home department, an interdepartmental student is required to meet the academic requirements of their major, not those of their home department unless those additional requirements are associated with a co-major program of study. Home departments may not impose requirements for coursework, seminars, teaching, internships, etc. beyond those of the major. Any department not wishing to abide by this policy may withdraw its affiliation with an interdepartmental major or may deny requests to serve as the home department for a student in an interdepartmental major. With encouragement from major professors, interdepartmental students should strive to become integrated in the culture of their home department and to build collegial relationships with others from within and outside of their major.
4.1.4 Graduate Minor
Minors are available in many disciplinary and interdepartmental graduate programs. Some programs offer only a minor. In other programs, students may declare either a major or a minor. Programs offering a major are not required to offer a minor. A student may not major and minor in the same discipline for a single degree or across multiple degrees. To illustrate, a student earning a Ph.D. in computer science may not minor in statistics for their Ph.D. program if they are also pursuing an M.S. in statistics
- The student must receive approval to pursue the minor from the offering program and the student's major DOGE.
- To complete the minor, the student must meet the requirements established by the program.
- The minor must be listed on the student’s Academics Overview tab in Workday to appear on a student’s transcript after graduation.
- A graduate minor must comprise graduate or undergraduate courses designated as appropriate by the program offering the minor.
- The student must have a minor representative on their Academic Plan Committee (APC).
- On that committee, the major professor and the representative from the minor field may not be the same person.
- For students pursuing a master’s degree, the minor representative on the student’s APC must evaluate the student’s competence in the subject area of the minor during the final oral examination, if a final oral exam is required by the program.
- For students pursuing a doctorate, the minor representative on the student’s APC must evaluate the student’s competence in the subject area of the minor during the preliminary and final oral examinations.
- If a doctoral student wishes to add a minor after the student is in candidacy status (preliminary examination passed), their program of study must be revised to declare the minor, a minor representative must be added to the Academic Plan Committee, and the preliminary oral examination must be retaken.
4.1.5 Graduate Program Foci
Subdivisions or program foci are defined within some graduate majors. When approved by the Graduate Curriculum and Catalog Committee and declared on a student’s program of study, such program foci are shown on official transcripts after graduation. (For a complete listing of graduate programs and program foci, see the Graduate College website).
4.1.6 Graduate Certificates
Students may earn graduate certificates in several departments and programs (for a specific list and other information, see the Graduate College website). Candidates for a graduate certificate must be recommended for admission to the desired graduate certificate program in the department or program administering the certificate. All courses for a graduate certificate must be acceptable for graduate credit and each graduate certificate must require at least 12 graduate credits. A graduate advisor will be appointed to oversee the certification for each graduate certificate. For departments wishing to establish a certificate program, more information is available Faculty & Staff Forms page under the “Graduate Curriculum Forms" heading.
4.2 - Changes in Graduate Program or Status
4.2.1 Changing Majors or Degrees
Most program of study changes will be completed through a new application for admission submitted by the applicant or previously-admitted student. The standard application fees and fee-payment options will apply. A new application is required because the new department or interdepartmental program needs the opportunity to review the student's information before deciding whether to accept the student in their desired program of study.
The Office of Admissions will include previously submitted transcripts, exam scores, and other materials from the prior application in the new application, completing any action items the student has already provided at the request of the program. The student will only need to provide additional information the new program requires, such as a new statement of purpose, a writing sample, portfolio, etc. In rare cases, a student can change the program of study after matriculation by contacting their graduate program for permission to make this change. For instructions on reapplying to the university or requesting a program change through your program, refer to the Graduate Program of Study Changes how-to article.
4.3 - Special Graduate Majors and Degree Programs
4.3.1 Co-Major Degree Program
A co-major is a program of study for a single degree in which the requirements for two separate majors are met. A single degree is granted when the student fulfills the requirements of both majors. The Academic Plan Committee will include co-major professors, each of whom represents one of the co-majors. Both co-major professors must be members of the graduate faculty. The same person, if a faculty member in both majors, will be allowed to serve as major professor for both majors. A preliminary oral examination and research work for the doctoral degree should be related to both majors. Students declaring co-majors must satisfy requirements established by each major as monitored by the representatives on the Academic Plan Committee and the DOGEs of the two majors. A co-major cannot be added after the preliminary oral examination has been taken.
4.3.2 Concurrent Degree Programs
Concurrent Master’s Degrees
Students may complete two degree programs that lead to two awarded master’s degrees. These degrees can be earned in the same semester or may be earned in different semesters since requirements for each are completed separately. Pursuing concurrent master’s degrees simply means that a student is pursuing more than one master’s degree at the same time. A student can become a concurrent master’s student by following these requirements:
- Apply to both graduate programs through the Office of Admissions.
- Create separate Academic Plans (APs) and Academic Plan Committees (APCs) for each degree and receive approval for both.
- File separate Applications for Program Completion for each degree.
- Complete separate projects or theses for each degree, if applicable.
- File separate Final Oral Exam Requests for each degree, if applicable, and
- Pass separate final oral examinations (if applicable) and complete a separate Graduate Student Approval request for each degree (KBA coming soon).
Two awarded master’s degrees require at least 22 hours of non-overlapping graduate credit in each major. If the two degrees are thesis or non-thesis degrees, they require two terminal projects (theses or creative components, respectively). Coursework-only degrees do not require a final project.
ISU Undergraduate Students in Concurrent Graduate Certificate or Graduate Degree Programs
Several graduate certificate and degree programs allow qualified ISU juniors and seniors to apply to pursue a bachelor’s and graduate credential concurrently. Students in concurrent undergraduate/graduate status must be making good progress toward a bachelor’s degree. The minimum requirements for admission to concurrent student status are the same as those required for admission to the Graduate College. Students must apply for the graduate program through the Office of Admissions application.
Other aspects of concurrent undergraduate/graduate status include:
- Official enrollment and fee payment will be as a graduate student.
- The graduate credential will be awarded at the same time or after the undergraduate degree is conferred.
- Students may be appointed to graduate research assistantships.
- With approval of a student’s Academic Plan Committee, up to 6 ISU credits taken while in concurrent status may be applied to a bachelor’s degree and a graduate credential that requires up to 41 credits. For master’s degree programs that require at least 42 credits, students may instead, with Academic Plan Committee approval, count up to 12 such ISU credits.
- For students pursuing a concurrent bachelor’s degree and graduate certificate, with POS committee approval, up to 3 or 6 credits may be double counted when the certificate requires 15 or 18 credits or more, respectively. No double counting is permitted for certificates that require fewer than 15 credits.
- A student in a bachelor's and master's concurrent degree program cannot be on a doctoral track during the concurrent program.
Transferring Concurrent Graduate Degree Credits
The student must submit the Internal Transfer of Courses Request and lists all courses that need to be articulated, or used, toward both degrees as well as all courses that need to be moved, or reassigned, from one degree to the other to meet program requirements at either the undergraduate or graduate level. This process is initiated in Workday and must be submitted to the Graduate College before the Academic Plan is submitted for approval. The transferred courses and grades will also appear on the graduate permanent record but will not be included in the graduate grade point average.
