What courses are considered graduate courses?

Graduate-level courses are those that have course numbers ranging from 50000-60000, such as ECE59500 or ECE60200.” Courses that have numbers ranging from 10000-40000 are undergraduate courses.

Can I take undergraduate courses?

Graduate students may take undergraduate courses if space allows, but these may be included on your plan of study only in special situations. Use the Scheduling Assistant in myPurdue to request to add these courses; request must be approved by both the ECE Graduate Office and the Undergraduate Office.  

Do I have to meet the prerequisites listed for graduate-level courses?

As a graduate student, you will not be prevented from registering for a course if you have not completed the listed Purdue undergraduate prerequisites. However, you should verify that you have the needed prior knowledge to successfully complete the course (see the course descriptions). Additionally, graduate-level prerequisites (500- or 600-level courses) do need to be met.

Can I take courses from outside ECE?

You can take courses outside of ECE, such as graduate-level courses from CS, STATS, ME, etc.  Before you register for any of these courses, check the curriculum requirements for your ECE program to ensure the courses will work on your plan of study.

You can also take undergraduate courses from other departments, but these courses will not count towards your degree requirements. 

How do I register for CS courses?

See this webpage for information on registering for CS courses.

Can I take a course that is not on my plan of study?

Yes. Be aware that some courses have space limits that may not allow you to register or that may require the approval of the instructor or department.

How many credit hours do I need to register for to be considered a full-time graduate student?

A full-time course load for graduate students is 8 credit hours for Fall and Spring and 6 hours for Summer.

International students with a TA or RA may register for as few as 6 credit hours and be considered full-time for visa purposes.

What are exam-only and degree-only registrations?

Exam Only is a registration for students whose only remaining requirement is to defend and deposit their thesis.

Degree Only is registration for students who have completed all the requirements for their degree (except possibly depositing their thesis), but have not graduated.

Both these registrations have a mid-semester deadline to complete the final exam/defense and thesis deposit. If a student fails to meet these deadlines, their registration is converted to research.

These registrations are a flat fee. If you plan on graduating and wish to register for exam/degree only, contact Elisheba (vanwinke@purdue.edu) for additional information.  

What is the deadline for registration?

We do not have an official deadline in ECE. However, if you fail to register by a specific date each semester, you will be charged a $200 late registration fee by the Bursar. Additionally, some instructors may not allow students to register for courses (not research) after the first or second week.  We recommend that you register early to ensure that you get the courses you want. 

The University does have registration deadlines; see the Registrar’s Registration Calendar.

How late can I add a course?

During the first week of courses, you can add courses on your own through myPurdue.

After that, you must use the Scheduling Assistant in myPurdue to submit a request to add a course.

Note that late registration fees are assessed starting at a certain date each semester, typically starting in the second week of fall/spring courses. Summer has different deadlines.

Contact Elisheba Van Winkle (vanwinke@purdue.edu) if you have questions.  

How do I drop a course?

See this webpage for instructions on how to drop a course.

When do I need signatures for registration?

You always need the approval from your professor for these research courses:

• ECE69200, Introduction to Graduate Research
• ECE68900, Research MS Thesis
• ECE69600, Advanced EE Projects
• ECE69700, Directed Reading EE

See this webpage for more information on registering for research.

How do I register for the Pass/No Pass or Audit option?

Once you register for a course, you can submit a request to change the grade mode using the Scheduling Assistant in myPurdue. Additional information is here.

These courses cannot be used toward your degree requirements.

The deadline to request to audit a course is very early in the semester, typically at the end of the second week of classes. See the registration calendars for details.

How do I register for ENGL 621 to meet the department written English requirement?

Register for the course through myPurdue. 

What happens if my registration is cancelled?

If you do not confirm your enrollment by the due date, your registration will be cancelled, and you will need to register again. You might have to pay fees in advance of re-registering and pay a late registration fee. You may also be required to have signatures of instructors to re-enter your registration

How many credits can a TA register for in a semester?

A TA can register for up to 9 credit hours of coursework; they can also register for research in addition to this.  

How many credits can a RA register for in a semester?

A half-time RA may register for up to 12 credit hours of research and classes.

How do I receive my staff classification for the tuition waiver?

The Engineering Employment Center will communicate your staff classification with the Bursar. Tuition waivers usually take one to two days to process. If you have questions reach out to engremployment@purdue.edu.

When am I required to pay my tuition and fees?

You can monitor your fees and invoices through myPurdue or by contacting the Office of the Bursar. If registration is not confirmed by early in the second week your courses could be cancelled and you will have to pay a $200 late registration fee to re-register. 

How do I let you know I plan to graduate?

ECE will send out a candidate survey each semester to students by email.  If you plan to graduate that semester, you must be registered and complete the survey by the deadline provided in the email. Graduate School deadlines related to graduate are here: Graduate School Calendar

Per the Purdue Graduate School, if you are registered for the third semester in a row as a candidate, you will have to pay a $200 graduation fee.