is it at all possible to take some graduate level classes while still finishing up your undergrad degree here?

this is my scenario:

i will have 22 hours left next academic year. I am definately continuing on to grad school after graduation. I figure i would split up the remaining (undergrad) hours to take 16 in the fall and 6 in the spring. I'd like to maintain full-time status if at all possible in the spring. would it at all be possible to take 6 undergrad hours, 6 grad hours, and be considered full-time still?

3/22/2006 1:08:18 AM

I'm in ECE and according to Mrs. Townsend you are allowed to take up to 2 grad courses as an undergrad. Of course I'm not sure about your department.

3/22/2006 1:14:03 AM

i know of someone who has taken grad classes as part of their total hours for the semester while in undergrad, but it was also an interinstitutional thing which could be a whole different animal

3/22/2006 1:14:18 AM

I've known plenty of people who've done that, in several different majors. Talk to the folks in your department to make sure it's kosher, but shouldn't be a problem.

3/22/2006 1:53:24 AM

The answer is "it depends":

- You most likely can take a combination of as many graduate and undergraduate as you'd like, so long as the graduate courses are allowed in the degree audit.
- If you are looking to receive graduate AND undergraduate credit for the graduate courses, that most likely will NOT happen. Only accelerated bachelor's/master's degrees typically can do that.
- The department may restrict certain courses to graduate students only if the courses are known to fill up.
- You'll need to talk with individual professors for courses and get their OK as well. Go during their office hours the semester before. Most are fine by it ... however, there are a few that take it be offensive to have an undergraduate enrolled in their graduate course.
- Also, "full-time" status is defined differently your final senior semester:
http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/academic_affairs/pols_regs/REG205.00.8.php

Quote :

"The minimum course load for full-time undergraduate degree students is 12 credit hours, except in their final semester when a lesser number may be taken if that is all the student needs to fulfill the requirements for a degree. In order to receive financial aid a student must meet the minimum course load requirements of the appropriate funding agency."

I knew a couple people in CSC who really enjoyed the advanced material offered in the 500 level graduate courses that didn't have an undergraduate equivalent. Talk to your advisor first ... check on the things I listed above ... and go for it. Also fair warning, your final two semester are usually a lot busier than you think ... lots of little things eat up your time.

[Edited on March 22, 2006 at 5:38 AM. Reason : .]

3/22/2006 5:37:44 AM

I replaced one of my CE design electives with a graduate level class... all I had to do was get approval from the dept. to do so.

3/22/2006 12:24:02 PM

I took a grad level class last semester (start of junior year) and one now. I have a few planned for my remaining few semesters. DEFINITELY do it - I've thoroughly enjoyed my grad courses, possibly more than my undergrad courses. The material is much more in depth and interesting, and it looks really good for grad school.

3/22/2006 12:37:00 PM

I took several 500 level classes as an undergraduate.


FYI: Graduate level classes that count towards your undergraduate class total, cannot be use for graduate credit. I learned this the hard way.

[Edited on March 22, 2006 at 12:56 PM. Reason : more info]

3/22/2006 12:53:26 PM

What area are you applying to grad school in?

I took a grad level science writing class in the fall and took a lot out of it. It also took a lot out of me, and grad school applications, for me, were due basically Dec. 1-15 (2 were due Jan. 1).

This semester, I'm taking 9 hours and with all the traveling I did for grad school interviews, those nine hours have been horrific.

3/22/2006 8:20:09 PM

i am a history major. however, according to that rule for seniors in their final semester, it looks like i can still have full time status while only taking 6 hours.

i would want these classes to transfer to whereever i do grad school. i figure i might as well get a jump on things, that is, if they transfer. I had a friend do this at Campbell, wasnt sure if theyd allow it here.

3/22/2006 8:56:08 PM

ok, idealy ill do this:

16 hours in the fall

9 in the spring

with one grad class in the spring to get a jump on grad school

3/22/2006 11:40:52 PM