Health Records
The University requires that all graduate students file a personal health and immunization record with the Student Health Center at the time of first enrollment. Appropriate forms are sent directly to newly enrolled graduate students. Forms are also available at the Student Health Center.

Registration
Graduate students register for courses at the time specified on the Academic Calendar. After the schedule is approved by the advisor, a student receives a pin number and is then allowed to web register. Course lists are published each semester by the Registrar’s Office and are available for viewing at the student services web site at http://www.desu.edu.

All charges, such as tuition and applicable fees for the ensuing semester, must be paid at the time of registration, or arrangements made with the Office of Student Accounts, before registration is official.

Graduate students not officially registered for a course will not be permitted to attend the course and will not receive credit at the end of the semester.

Delaware State University regularly mails schedule/bills to students, but cannot assume responsibility for their receipt. If students do not receive a bill on or before the beginning of each semester, it is the students' responsibility to contact the Office of Student Accounts or to go on-line to obtain information relative to their bill.

Graduate Course Levels
Courses which may apply towards a graduate program are numbered 500 and above.

Course Loads
Full-time graduate enrollment is defined at DSU as a minimum of 6 credit hours. Students enrolled in less than 6 credit hours per semester hours are considered part-time students, with those enrolled for 3 credit hours defined as half-time students.

Auditing Classes
Courses may be taken for audit by graduate or non-degree students with the permission of the instructor and the student’s advisor. No credits are earned for auditing courses. The deadline for designating a course as an Audit is at the end of the first week of each semester. A grade of "AU" is entered on the graduate student's record for the course. Graduate students are charged tuition for the credit hours.

Add/Drop
Courses may be added or dropped online or by using a drop/add slip during the periods prescribed in the Academic Calendar. Courses dropped during the official drop/add period will not appear on the student’s transcript.

From the end of the late registration period through the last day to drop courses, graduate students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete the drop/add form, consult with their advisor, and submit the form to the instructor for signature. The graduate student is then responsible for delivering the form to the Registrar’s Office no later than 4:00 p.m. of the Last Day to Drop Courses (as prescribed in the Academic Calendar). The graduate student will be assigned a grade of “W” for the course by the Registrar’s Office.

For courses offered on a schedule different from the regular fall, spring, and summer terms, the add period is the shorter of one week or the calendar equivalent of 13% of the instructional time. For such courses that meet only once per week, the add period ends on the day before the second meeting of the class. The last day to drop such a course is prior to completion of 60% of the instructional time.

To add or drop a course, the student must complete a “Notice of Class Change” form, and submit it to the Records office, signed by the student, the student’s advisor, and the instructor of the course. The department Chairperson may sign on behalf of the instructor, if the instructor is not available. To add a course after the late registration fee requires in addition the signature of the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research or designee.

Withdrawal from Courses or University
After the last day to drop courses, withdrawal from a course requires a graduate student to obtain the advisor’s approval and then to petition the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research, explaining that they are interested in withdrawing from the course due to extenuating circumstances beyond their control. Such a petition must contain conclusive evidence, properly documented, of the situation that prevents completion of the course. Acceptable reasons do not include dissatisfaction with performance in a course, with instruction, or with an expected grade. If the petition is approved, the graduate student will receive a grade of “WA” (Administrative Withdrawal) in the course.

A graduate student who wishes to withdraw from all courses or the graduate program must obtain and complete a Withdrawal Form for Graduate Students from the Registrar’s Office. Withdrawal is complete when all necessary signatures have been obtained and the form has been received in and processed by the Registrar’s Office. A student who withdraws from the University will receive a grade of “W” in each course enrolled that term. All withdrawals must be completed on or before the last day to withdraw from the University as indicated on the Academic Calendar for the term.

For graduate courses offered on a schedule different from the standard academic terms, the last day to withdraw from a course is prior to completion of 60% of the instructional time. The last day to withdraw from the University is prior to the final week of the student’s classes.

To re-enter the graduate program after withdrawing from the University a graduate student must reapply for admission.

Administrative Withdrawal from the University
A student with a compelling reason (such as documented extreme personal difficulty or documented medical reason) may request to be administratively withdrawn from the University for a previous term. Administrative withdrawal is rarely granted, but it may be warranted in some circumstances. Only the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs may authorize such withdrawal, and the following procedure must be followed.

1. The student must submit a written request for administrative withdrawal from the University, to the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research. The request must state the compelling reason, specify the term to be withdrawn, and be accompanied by documentation of the validity of the reason.
2. The Dean of Graduate Studies and Research reviews the request and submits his or her recommendation in writing to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, along with the request and documentation from the student.
3. If the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs approves the request, the student is reported to the Registrar’s Office as “Administratively Withdrawn,” and a grade of “WA” is assigned for all courses taken during that semester. The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs also informs the student in writing of the decision.

The student must reapply, in order to reenter the graduate program for a subsequent term.

Grading Policies
Graduate students are issued grades at the end of each term. For each course in which the graduate student was enrolled, either a letter grade or a symbol will be entered on the graduate student's academic record. Only courses completed with a grade of "A," "B," or "C" can be used toward fulfilling the graduation requirements for a graduate degree.

The following letter designations are used to indicate the quality of achievement in a graduate course:

*A grade of “Q” is to be used when thesis or dissertation research is in progress and proceeding satisfactorily. If the thesis or dissertation is not proceeding satisfactorily, a U grade is given. The Q grade can be used for several semesters. At the time the thesis or dissertation is presented, defended, and graded, the thesis/dissertation advisor will submit the appropriate quality grade (A, B, C, D, F, S, or U) for the final term, and use grade change forms to convert a sufficient number of prior to the final grade that the number of graded thesis/dissertation credits is equal to the number required for the degree.

An "I" will automatically convert to an "F" if not removed within the first six (6) weeks of the following term. An Incomplete Documentation Form must be submitted by the course instructor to the respective Graduate Program Director.

Academic Probation
Graduate students who receive a grade of “U” in a graduate course or thesis/dissertation or do not achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or greater at the end of a semester are placed on academic probation for the following term.

Dismissal
Any of the following situations will result in the academic dismissal of a graduate student working toward a graduate degree:

• Receiving a grade of "D" or "F" in a graduate course;
• Failure to achieve a term grade point average of 3.0 or greater while on academic probation;
• Being placed on academic probation for more than two terms; or
• Receiving three (3) grades of “C.”

Veterans in Continuing Education Programs
All eligible persons desiring to receive educational assistance through the Veterans Administration are required to apply for admission to the University as a degree candidate.

Change of Major or Personal Data
Changes in major and personal data (address or telephone number) must be submitted to the Office of Records and Registration on the appropriate forms. Graduate students changing to a different program must be accepted by the new program.

Automobile Registration and Parking Regulations
Graduate students must register their vehicles with the University Police Department in order to park on the Dover campus. Official car registration, proof of insurance, and the appropriate parking fee are required at the time of registration. Graduate students will receive a parking decal that must be displayed on their vehicle as directed at all times to avoid being towed or ticketed.