Registration

University Policy

An officially registered student is one who is registered for classes and who has settled all charges with Student Accounting Services.

Candidates for admission to degree programs may not register until they receive a formal statement of acceptance. Students accepted to the University register according to instructions provided by their school or college.

Continuing students register for courses in October or November for the spring semester and March or April for the fall semester. Eligible continuing students may access the Student Link (a Web-based system) to register for courses for the semester.

The student’s account is charged tuition and fees based on the student’s status and class selection. Students can view their student account and make payment online using the Student Link. Students may also give access to their student account details to their parents, guardian, or other third party by selecting the “Share-a-view” feature on the Student Link and following the instructions.

Official registration is complete when Student Accounting Services receives full payment. A late payment fee may be assessed to those students who do not complete official registration by August 5, 2011, for Fall 2011, and December 16, 2011, for Spring 2012.

School of Education Policy

Time Limits on Completion of a Graduate Degree/Certificate

Master of Education (EdM), Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT), Master of Mathematics for Teaching (MMT), and Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS) candidates are allowed six years from the date of acceptance to complete degree or CAGS requirements. Courses taken more than six years before the date of graduation are not counted toward the degree or CAGS.

Doctoral (EdD) candidates are allowed seven years from the date of acceptance to complete all degree requirements. Courses taken more than seven years before graduation do not count toward the degree. Consideration of extensions beyond the six-year limit for EdM, MAT, and CAGS students and the seven-year limit for EdD students is given only through a formal petition procedure. Leaves of absence do not extend the six- or seven-year limit.

Doctoral Candidate Registration Options

Doctoral (EdD) candidates must register each term until all degree requirements have been met, unless granted a leave of absence. Students must be registered during the semester in which the comprehensive exams, the dissertation proposal, and the final dissertation hearing are held.

Students who require full-time certification as a part-time student for loan or visa purposes should contact SED Student Records at 617-353-4235 to determine whether they meet the specific conditions under which such certification is possible.

There are four registration options:

Option 1: Registration in a Boston University course for a minimum of 3 credits. Tuition and fees are assessed at the rate of the school or college in which the course is offered.

Option 2: Registration for dissertation advisement for a minimum of 3 credits.

Option 3: Registration in an independent study course, with the approval of the instructor monitoring the study and department chairman, for a minimum of 3 credits. Students who wish to defer loans, see Option 4.

Option 4: Registration for the continuing study course SED ED 950. This noncredit course entitles the student to use libraries, research laboratories, academic staff, and academic facilities of the University for the purpose of completing examination, research, and thesis or dissertation work. This registration status may allow for the deferral of certain loans or obtain appropriate visa coding for international student status. (See “Student Loans” under the “SED Graduate Financial Aid”.)

Nondegree Graduate Students

All graduate students registering for courses who have not been accepted into a degree/certificate program at the University are considered nondegree students. Nondegree students are required to register through the SED Student Records office. Nondegree students may transfer a limited number of credit hours into a degree or certificate program (see: Transfer of Credit/Cross-Registration with Other Universities, above).