Graduate Maximum Creditload

Current Graduate School Regulation Concerning Maximum Creditload

Students may not register for more than 12 graduate credits in a semester or 9 graduate credits in
the eight-week summer session or a total of 12 graduate credits in all sessions between the
conclusion of Semester II and the beginning of Semester I. Credits taken on an audit basis are
counted when determining a graduate student’s creditload.

Graduate students in good academic standing who are involved in taking undergraduate
certification coursework, in making up deficiencies, or those who have exceptional circumstances
resulting in special hardship, must appeal to the Graduate School Student Services for permission to
carry more than the maximum creditload. Only individual student appeals are reviewed; requests
for “blanket” approvals for groups of students are not considered. Each individual student appeal
must be submitted to the Graduate School Student Services prior to the beginning of the enrollment
period in which the student wishes to register for a credit overload. Each appeal must be
accompanied by recommendations from the major professor and/or the graduate program unit
explaining the reasons for the appeal and its justification.

Students who enroll for more than the maximum creditload without permission will have the
courses dropped by the Graduate School to reduce their courseload to the maximum allowed.

Summary of Proposed Change

• The proposed change will exclude the following courses from being counted in determining maximum creditload: audit, 928 Sport and Recreation courses, and 0-credit colloquium\seminar courses.
• It will also clarify criteria used for “good academic standing.”

Justification for the Proposed Change

• The proposed change will allow a more accurate reflection of a student’s graduate workload.
• Excluding courses taken for audit, 928 Sport and Recreation courses, and 0-credit
  colloquiums\seminars from the maximum course load determination will save students,
  faculty, and the Graduate School work in preparing and reviewing appeals for overload
  credits.
• A description of the “good academic standing” criteria will clarify who is eligible to appeal
  to carry more than the maximum creditload.
  University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Faculty Document No. 3190, September 20, 2018

Proposed Graduate School Regulation Concerning Maximum Creditload

Students may not register for more than 12 graduate credits in a semester or 9 graduate credits in
the eight-week summer session or a total of 12 graduate credits in all sessions between the
conclusion of Semester II and the beginning of Semester I. Courses taken on an audit basis, 0-
credit colloquia\seminars, or 928 Sport and Recreation courses are not taken into consideration
when determining a graduate student’s creditload.

Graduate students who are involved in taking undergraduate certification coursework, in making up
deficiencies, or those who have exceptional circumstances resulting in special hardship, must
appeal to Graduate School Student Services for permission to carry more than the maximum
creditload. Appeals will only be considered for students with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 and no
outstanding incompletes on their record. Only individual student appeals are reviewed; requests for
“blanket” approvals for groups of students are not considered. Each individual student appeal must
be submitted to the Graduate School Student Services prior to the beginning of the enrollment
period in which the student wishes to register for a credit overload. Each appeal must be
accompanied by recommendations from the major professor and/or the graduate program unit
explaining the reasons for the appeal and its justification.

Students who enroll for more than the maximum creditload without permission will have the
courses dropped by the Graduate School to reduce their courseload to the maximum allowed.

Recommendation for Action

The Committee on Regulations and Requirements recommends that the adoption of the above
changes concerning maximum creditload begin with the 1997-98 academic year.

April 21, 1997

Graduate Faculty Council Document No. 725 Approved