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The University of Tennessee

Graduate School

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Registration for Course 600 and Continuous Registration

This continuous registration of 600 policy is designed to encourage graduate students to focus on each step of the doctoral degree and successfully complete it before moving on to the next step or to stop and start the process without making progress. Dissertation research should not be overwhelming to graduate students, but it does take focus and commitment. Continuous registration of 600 dissertation hours should establish a relationship with the major professor and the doctoral student so that each one is committed to making progress and analyzing the challenges in the research process. Doctoral students should realistically plan for the dissertation process and communicate with the major professor often about that plan.

The following policy is printed in the Graduate Catalog. ( PDF | HTML )

Course 600 is reserved for doctoral research and dissertation hours. Initial registration for 600 should be determined by each department and generally corresponds to the time at which a student begins work actively on dissertation research. From this time on, students are required to register continuously for at least 3 hours of 600 each semester, including summer term. A minimum total of 24 hours of course 600 is required.

A student who will not be using faculty services and/or university facilities for a period of time may request leaves of absence from dissertation research up to a maximum of six terms (including summer terms). The request, approved by the major professor, will be submitted by the student and filed in the Office of the University Registrar.

 

 

I received an email from my graduation specialist and was told to contact the Graduate School for help with a problem because I have not continuously registered for 600 - dissertation hours. What does this mean?

Before you can be advised about what you need to do concerning the lack of continuous registration for 600, review why you were not registered for 600.

  1. Were you on campus working as a graduate assistant and a fee waiver was available in that term?
  2. Were you actively working on your dissertation during that term and working with your advisor on your research?

REQUEST FOR RETROACTIVE LEAVE OF ABSENCE FROM CONTINUOUS REGISTRATION

If you answered no to both questions, then you may talk to your major professor and check on the possibility of requesting a retroactive leave of absence. Your major professor would have to write to the Graduate School requesting the retroactive leave of absence and include your student name, student identification number, and a justification statement about why you should not have to register for 600 in that term.

BACK REGISTRATION

If you answered yes to either one of those questions, then you are not eligible for a leave of absence from continuous registration for 600. You must back register for 600.

A back registration usually requires three documents:

  1. A Late Change of Registration Request form completed by student, signed by major advisor. This document indicates that the student understands that a registration will be performed and registration fees will be assessed, including a final registration fee since this is done beyond the normal registration period. This registration should have occurred during the regular term since a leave of absence from continuous registration was not justified.
  2. A supplementary grade form should be submitted with the late change of registration request so that the registration and a grade are added into the student's academic history/transcript. See the major advisor for this form.
  3. IF A FEE WAIVER WAS AVAILABLE: A letter from the department head or person responsible for the graduate assistantship funding to indicate that the student was eligible for a fee waiver. The letter should include the student's name, student identification number, the date of employment making the fee waiver possible, and the account number to charge the fee waiver.

These documents should come to the Graduate School at P105 Andy Holt Tower in one package. It is best if the student brings them to the office and meets with Dr. Kay Reed to discuss any questions.