Current Student

Please review pg. 11 of the English graduate booklet. Forms for Directed/Independent Study registration can be found on the Directed Study, MA Thesis, & Consortium Courses webpage.

The Registrar’s Office posts an academic calendar on their website each year. Please refer to this calendar for all important registration dates.

“I” Grade Contracts are required of all graduate students who receive an Incomplete, or “I” grade, from an instructor. Students should submit their completed contracts to the Graduate Office (413 Lake Hall) before the end of the semester. “I” Grade Contracts can be found on the Registrar’s webpage.

Information about the Teaching Practicum can be found on the Professional Development webpage.

Information about transferring credit can be found on the Transferring Credit webpage.

Please review the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences’ General Regulations booklet.

The Graduate Studies Committee, in conjunction with the Graduate School, oversees students’ progress toward the degree. At a minimum, satisfactory progress includes meeting deadlines for completing coursework, taking examinations, and completing the dissertation set by the English department and the graduate school. These deadlines are described in the section of the English graduate booklet that describes the Doctor of Philosophy Degree as well as in the General Regulations booklet. The student is responsible for being aware of these deadlines and should consult immediately with the advisor or the Graduate Chair in the event of difficulty in making progress at any stage. Satisfactory progress also includes the expectation that students will demonstrate continuing and appropriate activity (e.g., by submitting dissertation chapters in draft regularly to the dissertation committee).

Failure to maintain satisfactory progress can lead to the withdrawal of the teaching assistantship or other financial support administered by the GS or the English department or to withdrawal from the program.

ENGL 6960: Exam Preparation – Master’s

Registration for ENGL 6960 is exclusive to MA students. PhD students, please see ENGG 8960 below.

The MA student can register for ENGL 6960 only once if s/he…

• Has fewer than 6 s.h. of required coursework remaining;
• Needs to be registered full-time to remain eligible for tuition waiver, financial aid, or other program; and
• Will complete the Master’s Comprehensive Exam during the term.

ENGL 8960: Exam Preparation – Doctoral

The PhD student can register for ENGL 8960 only once if s/he…

• Has not registered for ENGL 8960 in the past;
• Has 3 s.h. or fewer of required coursework remaining;
• Needs to be registered full-time to remain eligible for tuition waiver, financial aid, or other program; and
• Is beginning preparation for PhD Comprehensive Examinations, according to the PhD Comprehensive Exam Guide.

ENGL 9986: Doctoral Research

A PhD student may register for Doctoral Research if s/he:

• Has enrolled once in ENGL 8960; and
• Is actively working on PhD Comprehensive Exams during the term, according to the PhD Comprehensive Exam Guide.

Upon completion of coursework, the PhD student has one calendar year to finish the Comprehensive Exams (e.g. completed coursework end of Fall 2006 – must complete exams by end of Fall 2007). During that time, you must be continuously registered, according to the Graduate School’s policy outlined in the General Regulations booklet (pg. 12).

ENGL 9990: Dissertation & ENGL 9996: Dissertation Continuation

After a PhD student reaches degree candidacy,

• The student must register twice for ENGL 9990.
• Thereafter, until the completion of the dissertation, the student must register for ENGL 9996.

Please familiarize yourself with the Graduate School’s policy on Continuity of Registration.

Exam Prep, Doctoral Research, and Dissertation Continuation are charged at the equivalent rate of one semester hour of credit. Dissertation/Ph.D. Thesis is charged at a different rate which can be found on the financial aid website.

MA students

1st semester:

• ENGL 5103: Proseminar and
• 1-2 core courses or electives in compliance with minimum enrollment requirements

Thereafter, students take a mix of core courses and electives according to MA program requirements and in compliance with minimum enrollment requirements.

Related FAQ: “How many courses should I take?”

BA-to-PhD students (students entering the PhD program with a BA or equivalent and holding the TA award):

1st semester:

• ENGL 5103: Proseminar and
• ENGL 7392: Writing and the Teaching of Writing

Thereafter, students take a mix of core courses and electives according to program requirements and in compliance with minimum enrollment requirements. BA-to-PhD students must complete MA program requirements within the first two years of study.

Related FAQ: “How many courses should I take?”

MA-to-PhD students (students entering the PhD program with a MA in English or equivalent):

1st semester:

• ENGL 5103: Proseminar and
• ENGL 7392: Writing and the Teaching of Writing

Thereafter, students are encouraged to take:

•  2 electives during the second and third semesters of study, and
• 1 elective plus ENGL 8960: Exam Preparation during the fourth semester of study.

Note: MA-to-PhD students do not generally take ENGL 5103: Proseminar. Consult your advisor.

PhD students who have completed coursework requirements

• One zero-credit course each term until commencement.
  (Related FAQ: I’ve finished my required coursework. What should I register for now?)

Part-time MA students

Enroll in at least one course per semester to maintain satisfactory progress toward the degree (General Regulations, pg 5).

Notes: A part-time MA who does not enroll in courses for a period of one year may be asked to reapply (General Regulations, pg 15). All students must be registered in the last semester of their program (General Regulations, pg 15).

Full-time MA students

Enroll in three courses each term  (General Regulations, pg 5).

Since only 10 courses are required, the final term will include a zero-credit enrollment (ENGL 6960: Masters Exam Prep), indicating, to the Registrar and financial aid offices, that the student has completed as much coursework as he/she can and is considered full-time.

Note: All students must be registered in the last semester of their program (General Regulations, pg 15).

BA-to-PhD students (students entering the PhD program with a BA or equivalent)

Years 1 & 2: Enroll in two to three courses each semester (General Regulations, pg 5). It’s generally recommended that BA-to-PhD students with assistantships enroll in two courses during the first semester of study (ENGL 5103 and ENGL 7392), three courses during the second and third semesters, and two courses during the fourth semester.

Year 3: Enroll in four courses (two per semester) to complete PhD coursework requirements.

Thereafter: See “PhD students who have completed their coursework” below.

MA-to-PhD students (students entering the PhD program with a MA in English or equivalent)

Enroll in two courses during the first three semesters of study (General Regulations, pg 5). It’s generally recommended that PhD students enroll in ENGL 5103 and ENGL 7392 during their first semester. During the fourth semester, enroll in one course plus ENGL 8960: Exam Preparation.

PhD students who have completed their coursework

Enroll in one zero-credit course each term until commencement.

Related FAQ: I’ve finished my required coursework. What should I register for now?

PhD students who plan to defend during the Summer

Enroll in ENGL 9996: Dissertation Continuation during that semester (General Regulations, pgs 12-13).

Specific program requirements can be found in the graduate booklet, and general graduate policies can be found in the General Regulations booklet, both published by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

LOA information can be found on the Graduate School’s website.

The answer to this question can be found on the Travel Reimbursement webpage.

You will need to show official name-change paperwork to the Registrar and submit a copy of the official paperwork to the Graduate School. You may fax the copy to GS, 617-373-7281.

Update your myNEU account information via the link provided under the “Self Services” tab.

Information about the graduate language requirements can be found on the Language Requirement webpage.

Information about the internal application process can be found on the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences’ Current Student Forms webpage.

Loans are distributed during the first week of the semester, and they are automatically applied to any outstanding balance in your account. Since TAs and GSS recipients are asked not to pay the full balance of their bill, they need to request a cash release. These students may request the cash release via MyNeu. Here’s the Financial Aid Office’s policy about cash releases: http://www.northeastern.edu/financialaid/policies/cashrelease.html.

Many students opt to personally visit the Student Accounts Office with a copy of their award letters in hand. Students should tell the front desk person to look both in the Financial Aid and in the Student Account systems for their award information.