Updated January 2025

• I. Course Registration
• II. Drop/Request
• III. Executive Education M.S.Ed. Thesis/Fieldwork Seminar (EDUC9901) And Executive Education Ed.D. Dissertation Seminar (EDUC9905)
• IV. Master’s/Doctoral Degree Completion (EDUC9900)
• V. Doctoral Student Registration After Coursework Completion
• VI. Dissertation Status
• VII. Continuous Registration
• VIII. Auditing
• IX. Interschool Courtesy
• X. Application For Graduation
• XI. Course Load Per Term

I. Course Registration

Students must register for approved courses listed on their program’s catalog page.  If a student would like to deviate from the approved curriculum, the student must obtain approval from program management and an exception will be placed on the student’s degree audit to reflect the substitution or exception. 

Most residential students register for courses using Path@Penn. New students should contact their program management to confirm how to register for courses before their first term. Current students register in advance during the advance registration period noted on the academic calendar for each semester. 

Advance Registration is a two-week period in which students enter requests for the courses they would like to enroll. Students enter their course preferences in priority order anytime during the advanced registration period. This is not a first come first served process, so there is no advantage to registering early and no guarantee that students will be enrolled in all their requested courses.

At the end of the advance registration period, the system will then register all students’ requests based on availability. Depending on course demand, the system may not be able to enroll a student in all the courses requested. Approximately two weeks after the advanced registration period closes, enrollments are posted in Path@Penn.  If a student does not receive a full schedule, or if they wish to change their course selections, they may begin revising their schedule when the course selection reopens. The dates for these registration periods will be on the GSE Academic Calendar.

Advance Registration Tips:

1. Since advance registration is a priority registration system, not first come first served, give courses that you know you are competing for a seat in (i.e. elective courses) your highest priority.

2. Courses that require a permit should be given low priority (if you have secured a permit!). If you get a permit, you are guaranteed a seat. There is no need to waste a higher priority spot for a class you are guaranteed to get into. Remember: You still need to submit a registration request for courses you have secured a permit for. Please refer to Courses By Division page for contact information.

To register:

1. Students should check with their program to verify if they should register themselves or if the program will register them for classes. Review the Registration Tips and Tricks

2. Meet with your advisor or consult your program curriculum and degree audit to determine which courses to take.

3. From Path@Penn, click Search & Register for classes under Academic Planning & Registration

4. Request a permit for courses designated with "permission needed from department" on the course roster from the appropriate division

• Request Permission to Take a Class

II. Drop/Request 

There is a designated Drop/Request period each term during which time students may make changes to their course schedule without penalty. The Drop/Request period is published on the GSE academic calendar. Within the dates posted on the GSE academic calendar, students may drop or register for courses through Path@Penn. Course registration changes made after the published deadline will be subject to the refund schedule published in the GSE academic calendar. If there is a problem with a registration/drop, students should contact the Student Records Office immediately. If students need to drop or register for a course after the drop period has ended:

1. They provide written permission of the instructor and program management to the Student Records Office, where they will be manually registered or dropped and their bill will be adjusted per the partial refund schedule (50% refunds during the 2 weeks after the last day to add a course).

2. Once an instructor and program management’s written permission to drop/add a course has been obtained, withdrawal from a course after the Drop/Request period will be permitted.

3. A course may not be added or dropped after the term in which that course was offered has concluded.

4. Please consult with the Student Records Office before dropping a course after the drop/request period has ended. 

The following drop policy applies to these Penn GSE programs: 

• Executive Doctorate in Higher Education Management  

• Executive Program in School and Mental Health Counseling  

• Education Entrepreneurship  

• Penn Chief Learning Officer 

• Medical Education 

• Mid-Career Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership 

• School Leadership 

• Independent School Teaching Residency

 Courses dropped prior to the first in-person class session of the term: 

• Refund policy: 100% refund of tuition and fees.

• Action required by student: Continuing students must submit a Leave of Absence or Withdrawal form prior to first in-person session of the term. If a student submits the form after the first in-person session of the term, they are responsible for 50% of tuition and fees. This applies even if they did not physically attend.

 Courses dropped during the first in-person session of the term:  

• Refund policy: 50% refund of tuition for course drop request submitted by the last day of the first in-person session of the term (for instance, if program’s first in-person session is Thursday-Sunday, student has until Sunday at 11:59PM ET to submit Leave of Absence/Withdrawal form). Program fees will NOT be refunded.  

• Action required by student: Continuing students must submit a Leave of Absence or Withdrawal form by 11:59PM ET of last day of in-person session. If a student does not submit form by this timeline, no refund of tuition and fees will be given.

 Courses dropped after 1st in-person session of the term: 

• Refund policy: 0% refund of tuition and fees for a course drop request submitted after the last day of the first in-person session of the term (for instance, if a program’s first in-person session is Thursday-Sunday, any request submitted after Sunday @ 11:59PM ET is after the first in-person session).

• Action required by student: Student must submit a Leave of Absence or Withdrawal form. 

It is the student’s responsibility to submit the Leave of Absence or Withdrawal forms located in the online student forms library in a timely fashion. If the student fails to submit the appropriate form on time, they will be subjected to the fees or reduction in refund per the date the form is submitted, NOT the date the student expresses a desire to request a leave or withdrawal. Students should consult with their programs before submitting form. Note that the enrollment deposit fee is non-refundable. 

III. Executive Education M.S.Ed. Thesis/Fieldwork Seminar (EDUC9901) and Executive Education Ed.D. Dissertation Seminar (EDUC9905)

Penn establishes that fieldwork, dissertation, master’s thesis or equivalents, and other work outside the boundaries of coursework are full-time academic pursuits. Typically, these pursuits are conducted after completion of coursework and graduate students are placed in either a 0 CU 9900 or 9950 course that articulates this academic engagement.  

Penn GSE’s executive education programs require students to conduct this independent work simultaneously with coursework. To articulate this work, students are enrolled in EDUC 9901 or 9905 each term they are pursuing coursework to reflect this academic engagement beyond their curriculum. Enrollment in this 0 CU course is considered full-time status. Executive-format education students will be enrolled in this course each term they are taking coursework. Once they have completed coursework, they will either graduate or enroll in EDUC 9900 or EDUC 9950 (with no other associated coursework).

Master’s or executive-format Ed.D. students should always be enrolled in 9901 or 9905 while they are taking their courses.

IV. Master’s/Doctoral Degree Completion (EDUC 9900) 

Master’s degree candidates or doctoral candidates (Ph.D. or Ed.D.) who have enrolled for all required coursework but still have incompletes or courses with no grade recorded must be registered for Master’s/Doctoral Degree Completion (EDUC 9900).  The only exception to this is students in the Executive Doctorate in Higher Education, the Penn Chief Learning Officer Program, or the Mid-Career Doctorate in Educational Leadership who have completed their oral proposal but still have incomplete coursework (see Section V below for more specific information).  

This registration designates the student as an active full-time master’s or doctoral degree student and allows the student to meet with his/her advisor, sit for the master’s comprehensive exam, use University facilities, complete the required cumulative project, fulfill the necessary requirements to rectify an incomplete, and/or graduate. EDUC 9900 carries no course units. All master’s degree candidates must be registered each term for coursework or Master’s/Doctoral Degree Completion until they graduate (unless a leave of absence has been submitted and approved in writing). The student must be registered for coursework or Master’s/Doctoral Degree Completion in the term when the student takes the comprehensive exam/final project/thesis and in the term the student intends to graduate. Any master’s student who fails to register each semester for coursework or Master’s/Doctoral Degree Completion or is not on an approved leave of absence will be withdrawn from candidacy for the degree. Master’s/Doctoral Degree Completion is considered full-time status which requires mandatory enrollment in student health insurance unless students have proof of their own health insurance. To be registered for EDUC 9900, the student must submit the online EDUC 990 form. EDUC 9900 is intended as a stand-alone course designating full-time status for the specific circumstances noted above and cannot be paired with another course. Exceptions to this policy must go through the Committee on Degrees.

A special note for international students: The I-20 visa can only be renewed for a one-term extension. Extensions beyond one term must be approved by ISSS and Ronika Money Adams, Director of Student Success.

V. Doctoral Student Registration After Coursework Completion 

For Ph.D. and traditional Ed.D. students: After a doctoral student finishes coursework, they are registered for a section of EDUC 9950. Before the oral proposal hearing, students will be registered for EDUC 9950 section 001.  Registering for a section of 9950 does not imply that a student has entered dissertation status, which is not granted until after coursework, the preliminary or candidacy examination, and oral proposal hearing are completed. The student or program manager must request first-time registration for EDUC 9950.  Note that students who have outstanding coursework or have incompletes on their record will not be permitted to register for EDUC 9950, but rather will register for EDUC 9900. EDUC 9950 registration designates the student as an active full-time student for university purposes and allows them to meet with their advisors, use University facilities, and eventually work on the dissertation. 

Once a student has successfully defended the oral proposal, the student will be enrolled in the following term in EDUC 9950 with a section number identifying their dissertation chair. 

For the students in the Executive Doctorate in Higher Education Management, Mid-Career Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership, Penn Chief Learning Officer:

• A student who has not defended their oral proposal but has finished all coursework will be registered in EDUC 9950 section 001.

• Because an executive format doctoral student works on the dissertation proposal while also being enrolled in courses, it is possible that they might defend their proposal before completing all coursework.  In that scenario, a student will be registered for EDUC 9950 with a section number identifying their dissertation chair.  This will allow them to move forward with their dissertation work even without having completed all coursework.  However, the student will not be able to defend their dissertation until all coursework is complete. 

• As with all other Ph.D. and Ed.D. students, a student who has not completed all required coursework (i.e., has incompletes or courses with no grade recorded) and has not defended the proposal will be registered for EDUC 9900.

Note for all doctoral students: Once students have registered for EDUC 9950, Penn automatically re-registers them each fall and spring semester in the same section so long as there are no registration holds on the student’s account and their expected graduation hasn’t passed.  If students change committee chairs or switch from section, they must submit the Change of Dissertation Committee form. Upon receipt of the form, Student Records will change the section number on the registration.  It is the student’s responsibility to check their registration in Path every term to ensure that they have been successfully enrolled.  A student who has not maintained active status by registering each term, or who has not been granted an official leave of absence, will be withdrawn.

VI. Dissertation Status 

Dissertation status for our Ph.D. and traditional Ed.D. programs signifies that doctoral students have completed all coursework for the doctoral degree, taken the preliminary exam, and successfully defended the proposal at a hearing. 

Dissertation status students are ineligible to take a leave of absence except for the reasons described in the Leave of Absence Policy. In keeping with the school's continuous registration requirements, dissertation students who fail to register each semester will be charged tuition for past semesters, if they seek to re-register, to a maximum of six terms. 

Tuition is waived for one and only one semester after the student successfully passes the dissertation defense and will still be enrolled in EDUC 9950.

VII. Continuous Registration 

All degree students in the Graduate School of Education must be registered during each fall and spring term until all degree requirements have been met unless a leave of absence has been granted. To satisfy the continuous registration requirement, students must be registered for coursework, Master’s/Doctoral Degree Completion, or dissertation status. Students are not required to register for the summer unless they will sit for an examination, hold an oral proposal or defense, or graduate during the summer. Please refer to Penn GSE’s tuition and fees page for current tuition for master’s registration and dissertation status. A degree student who has not maintained active status by registering each term, or who has not been granted an official leave of absence, will be withdrawn. Withdrawn students who would like to rejoin a GSE program will need to reapply for admission. 

Master’s degree students must register for Master’s/Doctoral Degree Completion (EDUC 9900) if they are rectifying incomplete coursework and/or will be taking the master’s comprehensive examination/final project/thesis that semester (including summer term) to graduate. Doctoral students, when finished with coursework, must register for dissertation (EDUC 9950) while working on the dissertation and completing exams. Registration is not required during the summer; however, students who plan to use University facilities, take comprehensive or preliminary examinations, hold dissertation hearings, or graduate must register and pay the tuition. Ph.D. students are charged the Ed.D. rate in the summer (please see Tuition & Fees for M.S.Ed. and Ed.D. Programs on the Financial Aid and Tuition page). Students on dissertation status who withdraw or fail to maintain continuous registration will be charged tuition for past semesters if they seek to re-register, to a maximum of six semesters.

VIII. Auditing 

Students who wish to attend a course without completing the assignments or taking examinations may request to audit the course. The students register in the usual way, but auditing a course requires the student to get permission from the instructor. This permission is then given to the Student Records Office to change the grade type to audit. Auditors are subject to the full course tuition and fees. They will not receive credit for the course, but it will appear on their transcript with “AUD” in the grade column.

IX. Interschool Courtesy 

Students at the Graduate School of Education are encouraged to take courses in other schools of the University, and students registered as candidates for degrees in other schools of the University are encouraged to take courses in the Graduate School of Education. To qualify for interschool courtesy, students must have the consent of their academic advisor and the instructor of the course in which they wish to enroll. Only courses 5000 level or above are considered graduate level. Courses below the 5000 level will not count toward degree requirements and will be charged at the GSE tuition rate. Any exception to this policy needs to go through the Committee on Degrees

X. Application for Graduation 

All degree candidates must apply to graduate. To apply to graduate, complete the online application for graduation before the deadline listed for the appropriate semester on the GSE academic calendar. Graduation applications are only valid for the term indicated in the application at the time it is submitted. If the degree is not granted for that term, for any reason, the student must submit a new graduation application for the term in which they anticipate graduation.

XI. Course Load Per Term 

The maximum course load per term is five course units for master’s degree students and four course units per term for doctoral students. Doctoral students wishing to exceed the four course unit maximum in a term, must submit the Request to Exceed 4.0 Course Units form. 

There is a maximum course load of four course units in the summer term, with a maximum of three course units permitted in either six-week session.

Enrollment Status 

• Half-time status: For the purpose of federal loan eligibility and in-school deferment eligibility, students must be registered in a degree granting program at least half-time. Half-time status is defined as registration for 2 or more course units in any term, including summer. Note that if you are registered for less than 2 course units in a term, you are not at half-time status and you will not qualify for federal loans or in-school eligibility. Please plan accordingly.

• Full-time status: Registration for 3 or more course units in a term is considered full-time status [Note that Master’s/Doctoral Degree Completion Registration (EDUC 9990) and Dissertation Status (EDUC 9995) are considered full time]. For executive master’s and executive doctoral programs, 9901 and 9905 are considered full-time status. Note that some doctoral funding packages require full-time status (please refer to your letter for full details).

• Part-time status: Registration for .5 to 2.5 course units is considered part-time status (an exception to this policy is made in the case of full-time, program-required internships. For an internship to be considered “program-required” and “full-time,” it must be approved by the division and must involve work of at least 15 weeks per semester at 40 hours per week. Registration must be approved by the division). Note that if you are registered for less than 2 course units in a term, you are not at half-time status and you will not qualify for federal loans or in-school eligibility. Please plan accordingly.

• A special note for international students: Federal Regulations limit your ability to enroll less than full-time. If you cannot meet the full-time requirement (at least 3 course units), you need to request a reduced course load (RCL) with the Office of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS). Dropping below full-time without an RCL is considered an unauthorized drop, which will endanger your immigration status.