Non-Topical Research

For tuition and fee assessment purposes, enrollment credits are classified as either regular credit, non-topical research, or audit. Students enrolled for non-topical credits, or non-topical research credits plus audit hours, are assessed tuition and fees under the classification of "research."

Each department has been assigned course numbers for four non-topical research seminars: 897 NON-TOPICAL RESEARCH (Preparation for Master’s Research, no thesis director), 898 NON-TOPICAL RESEARCH (For Master’s thesis, taken under the supervision of a thesis director), 997 NON-TOPICAL RESEARCH (Preparation for Doctoral Research, no dissertation director) 999 NON-TOPICAL RESEARCH (For Doctoral dissertation, taken under the supervision of a dissertation director).

Students working on a master’s degree will enroll in either 897 (if they have not selected thesis advisor) or 898 (if they have selected thesis advisor) and students working on a Ph.D. degree will enroll in either 997 (if they have not selected dissertation advisor) or 999 (if they have selected dissertation advisor).

The registration system requires that there be a faculty member associated with each course and an instructor number entered on ISIS . For courses 897 and 997, a faculty member has to be assigned for each student. For 898 and 999, the student’s research advisor would be the appropriate faculty member. Entering students must enroll for a 12 semester-hour course load and with no more than three hours of non-topical research.

All advanced students enrolling in less than 12 credit hours are advised that they must add the appropriate non-topical research hours to keep their enrollment at a full-time level (12 semester hours).