doctoral_programsregistration

Registration Policies and Procedures

Course Registration

Students register for courses on-line with Penn In Touch. New students register for courses at the beginning of their first term. Current students register in advance during the Advance Registration Period noted on the academic calendar for each semester. To register, you should:

Review the course roster and the registration instructions available in the Student Records Office, or on the registrar website http://www.upenn.edu/registrar ;
Meet with your advisor, or consult your planned program of study to determine which courses you will take;
Obtain from the appropriate division a Permit for those courses designated with a "P" on the course roster;
Go to http://www.upenn.edu. Click on Current Students. Using your PennKey ID and password sign in to Penn Portal. Click on Penn In Touch. Then click Registration and follow the directions on the screen to register for courses.

Once the registration process is completed, you are officially registered and are responsible for payment of tuition and fees upon receipt of a bill from the University.

Drop/Request

The current course register of undergraduate and graduate courses is available on-line.

To register for courses, to confirm your registration, to Drop/Add (through the first TWO weeks of the semester only) and to check your grades -- use Penn in touch. You will need your Pennkey and password to access this site.

Students should consult their PhD Coordinator and for answers to academic questions. For help with registration problems, contact the Doctoral Office Link to Penn in Touch to view your current course schedule as well as your transcript.

Students may not drop a course retroactively, that is, after the last week of the semester in which the course has been taught.

Registration Deadlines

Deadlines for registering for comprehensive exams, submitting doctoral dissertations and applying for graduation are listed on the SAS Graduate Division academic calendar.

Course Load

The maximum course load per term is four course units per term for doctoral students. A doctoral student may register for a fifth course unit as AUDIT ONLY with permission of the Vice Dean of the Doctoral Programs.

Full-time/Part-time Status

Coursework: Registration for three or more course units in a semester is considered full-time student status. Registration for .5 to 2.5 course units is considered half-time status. An exception to this policy is made in the case of internships. Degree candidates or certification students who are on full-time, program-required internships are considered to be full-time enrolled students. 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. The registration must be approved by the division. The current facilities fee rate will be charged for tuition
Dissertation Status: Dissertation status signifies that you have completed all requirements for the doctoral degree except for the dissertation—that is, all coursework and examination requirements. Dissertation status begins with the first term in which you register for dissertation supervision (DEPT 995) after having completed all coursework and examination requirements for graduation. All students who have completed the proposal hearing for the dissertation are considered to be on dissertation status. Dissertation students are ineligible to take a leave of absence except for the reasons described under Leave of Absence. 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. Refer to the policy on Half-time Status for Dissertation Students.

Dissertation Supervision Registration

Doctoral students who have completed all coursework register for Dissertation Supervision (DEPT 995). This registration designates you as an active doctoral student and allows you to meet with your advisor, sit for exams, use University facilities and work on your dissertation. When you register for Dissertation Supervision you are considered a full-time student for financial aid purposes. Full-time status converts to part-time status after ten semesters. You must register for a section number of DEPT 995. Each faculty member has an assigned section number. You register for the section number used by your faculty advisor or dissertation advisor. The section number of your advisor may be obtained in the Student Records Office. Once you have registered for Dissertation Supervision, the University automatically re-registers you each fall and spring semester in the same section. If you change advisors, notify the Student Records Office so they can change the section number for you. Registering for Dissertation Supervision does not necessarily mean that you are on Dissertation Status. Dissertation Status is attained once you complete all coursework and the Preliminary Examination. See the section on Dissertation Status for more information.

Auditing

Students who wish to attend the class sessions for a course without completing the assignments or taking examinations may audit the course. Auditing a course requires permission of the instructor. Auditors are subject to the normal course tuition and fees. To audit a course, you register in the usual way, but indicate audit as the grade type. You will not receive credit for the course, but it will appear on your transcript with "aud" in the grade column.

Interschool Courtesy

Students of the Wharton School are encouraged to take courses in other divisions of the University, and students registered as candidates for degrees in other divisions of the University are encouraged to take courses in the Wharton School. To qualify for interschool courtesy, you must have the consent of your academic advisor and the instructor of the course in which you wish to enroll.