School of Graduate Studies - Western Illinois University

Top 10 Facts You Should Know

Pre-registration is available to currently enrolled students. Each semester, enrolled students are given the opportunity to register approximately two months prior to the beginning of the semester. Schedule books are usually available in October for the Spring semester and March for the Summer and Fall Semester. Registration instructions are included in the class schedule book.
You have ten days at the beginning of the semester to withdraw from a regularly scheduled class without being assessed tuition. You are allowed nine weeks into the semester to withdraw from a course without academic penalty (you will receive a "W").
Nine semester hours is considered full-time enrollment for a graduate student. A full-time load in the summer is six semester hours.
Non-degree students are not eligible for financial aid nor are they eligible to hold a graduate assistantship.
You must notify the Graduate Office if you wish to apply to a degree program or if you wish to change degree programs.
Degree candidates are allowed a maximum number of hours at the "C" level or below. A graduate degree will not be awarded to a student who earns grades of C or lower in more than six semester hours of graduate level work in a program requiring 30 to 46 semester hours, or more than nine semester hours of such work in a program which requires 47 or more hours. No course for which a student has received a grade of D or less may be used to satisfy degree requirements.
Degree candidates must file a degree plan after at least nine semester hours and before the completion of fifteen semester hours.
The work required for a graduate degree must be completed within six consecutive calendar years.
The student applies for graduation by the following dates:

Spring semester - March 10
Summer semester - June 10
Fall semester - October 10
Plagiarism is serious business. Graduate programs require a great deal of reading and writing. Please be aware that the University has strict policies concerning academic dishonesty and plagiarism.