ESM Graduate Student Guide - Department of Engineering Science ...

3. Provisional admission may be granted in special circumstances, i.e.; baccalaureate degree not yet
conferred, grades for the current semester not yet available, etc. Provisional admission is a temporary
classification in which an applicant may remain for a period no longer than the first semester
following admission, or the time it takes to accrue 15 credits, whichever comes first. Such admission is
subject to cancellation if, upon arrival of the outstanding documents, the credentials do not meet the
requirements for admission.
4. In some instances, credits may be transferred from a Penn State bachelor’s program or from an
external institution. Questions concerning credit transfers should be addressed to the graduate officer.
* Computed by the Penn State System: A=4, B=3, C=2, D (pass)=1
1. 2 —Scholarship
Grades are assigned solely on the basis of the instructor’s judgment of the student’s scholarly attainment.
A “D” grade is considered as a fail in a course for graduate students. While a “C” grade is
considered as a pass, it is indicative of barely acceptable performance.
A minimum grade-point average of 3.00 for graduate work done at this University is required for
graduation.
Students must maintain a minimum grade-point average of 3.00 to be eligible for a graduate assistantship
or an instructorship. A graduate student with a grade-point average less than 3.00 is automatically
put on academic probation and is required to meet the ESM Graduate Officer within the next
two weeks.
Full-time master’s degree students (including students receiving half-time support) should earn their
degrees within two years. Financial support is ordinarily limited to three semesters.
Full-time Ph.D. students (including students receiving half-time support) should earn their degrees in
three years or less after successful completion of the candidacy examination. If they exceed this time
period, financial support may be terminated.
1. 3 —Registration
Continuous registration is required for all graduate students.
601/611—This special registration may be used only by Ph.D. students starting with the semester
after the comprehensive examination is passed. If a student must maintain full-time status for an assistantship,
fellowship, bank loan, deferment, etc., 601 would be an appropriate registration. Students in
601 must devote their efforts entirely to thesis research and writing (i.e., no courses). Students registered
for 601 may take up to three credits for audit with no additional charge or three credits for
credit with an additional flat fee.
600/610—If the student does not need to maintain full-time status, he/she should register for the
appropriate number of thesis credits that accurately reflect the amount of research being done on the
thesis (number of credits are to be determined in consultation with the student’s adviser).
Graduate students may not drop a course without the approval of the academic adviser and the graduate
officer. Students must satisfy the minimum course credit requirement to retain their assistantship
as detailed on the “Terms of Offer.”
See Section III-10 for additional information
General Information 3