Doctoral Program Structure and GC Policies

The Graduate Center Bulletin: Levels - Doctoral Students

Doctoral tuition charges are based on a student’s “level,” which is determined by a combination of the number of graduate credits completed (including, in the case of transfer students, credits accepted by the student’s degree program and the Office of the Registrar) and specific academic accomplishments.

GC Policy and Procedure: Doctoral Levels

Doctoral levels are determined by completion of credits, examinations, and advancement to candidacy. 

Note that once you have completed 45 credits and have passed the First Doctoral Exam you will be automatically advanced to Level II by the Registrar's Office. No form is required.

The Graduate Center Bulletin: New York State Residency (p. 36)

For the purposes of determining tuition charges, a student is considered a resident of the state of New York if he or she has his or her principal place of abode in the state of New York for a period of at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes for the semester with respect to which the residency determination is made, states an intention to permanently live and maintain a principal place of abode in New York State, and is not in the United States on any temporary visa. International students cannot qualify for resident tuition because the U.S. government requires an international student to maintain a permanent home overseas to which he or she intends to return.

Petition for change of residency:

• Residency

For information on registration please see the registrar's website here

The Graduate Center Bulletin: Registration (p. 23)

All Graduate Center students, regardless of where they are studying, register through The Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016 (seventh floor). All students are required to be in status each semester. This means that students must either be registered or be on an approved leave of absence.

Information regarding registration procedures will be emailed to eligible students. The student will be advised on curriculum by his or her Executive Officer or academic advisor. Specific offerings to be given in a particular semester are listed in the Class Schedule, available online here.

Students delinquent in their financial accounts (or library obligations) will be denied the opportunity to register as well as the issuance of their transcripts or their degree diplomas. In addition, students who fail to meet satisfactory progress requirements, who have not fulfilled New York State immunization laws, or who have outstanding obligations to the Offices of Financial Aid, Admissions, or Residence Life may be denied the opportunity to register.

• Program Change Period
• Information on Policy and Tuition Refund Schedule (PDF)

When and how to register on record with Weighted Instructional Units (WIU) for Ph.D. students:

Students must either be registered as a full time matriculated student with 7 or more credits, or be on an approved leave of absence. Individuals who are not in status will be considered Withdrawn from the Graduate Center.

WIUs and ROR are used by Level I or Level II students to ensure they maintain full time status.

Common Scenarios:

You are not planning to take any courses for the semester, you will need to register for Register on Record (ROR) and Weighted Instructional Units (WIU 7) to maintain your full time status. This will certify you as full time and will not affect any funding you will be receiving.

• NOTE: If you only register for 7 WIU, you will not be registered as a full time.
• NOTE: If you only register for Register on Record (ROR 1), you will not be registered as full time.

You must register for both (ROR 1  and WIU 7 )  to be officially Registered on Record and to maintain full time status.

OR

 If you are taking courses that add up to less than 7 credits, you will need to register for the appropriate number of Weighted Instructional Units (WIU 1 - WIU 6) along with the courses you are taking to equal 7 credits in order to maintain your full time status.

• You must be registered for at least a total of combined credits / WIUs to be considered a full time student.

For example: You are taking course(s) that are worth 3 credits. To maintain full time status you must register for 4WIU. (3credits+ 4WIU= 7)

More important information on WIUs/ROR:

• Weighted Instructional Units are billable if you are not paying a flat tuition rate.
• WIUs are used by Level I and Level II students only.
• Level III students do not register for WIUs. They should register for Dissertation Supervision only.
• The WIU CRN # changes every semester.
• No ROR is needed when you use WIUs 1 through 6 and are also registered for a course.

E-Permit

• CUNYfirst Requirements and Instructions on the e-permit process

• Complete e-Permit Information and CUNY Policy

NOTE: New students cannot file for an e-permit until Fall grades are submitted and recorded. 

Reminder: In addition to filing the e-permit with the GC, students must enroll in the course at the designated CUNY Campus as well.

IUDC

• Inter-University Doctoral Consortium (IUDC) Permits

• Permit Out Consortium Form

For Psychology Students

Graduate Center students interested in taking a course at a consortium school can fill out part one of the Permit Out Consortium Form (found on the GC Consortium web page). For your reference, we have a SAMPLE Permit Out Consortium Form.

The above form requires the Department Executive Officer and the VP of Student Affairs approval. 

Please send the completed form and the instructor’s permission to take the course as email attachments to the APO at bkasinitz@gc.cuny.edu. The APO will get the EO’s signature and will forward the paperwork on to the Office of Student Affairs. 

Once students have part one of the Permit Out Consortium form filled out, they will be notified by Sheila Berman, sberman@gc.cuny.edu, if the form is approved by the Vice President of Student Affairs. Upon approval, the student will be given part two of the Permit out Consortium form, the Inter-University Doctoral Consortium Registration Form. This form requires the IUDC Coordinator and the instructor signature from the host school and the program Executive Director and the Registrar's signature from the home school. 

Consortium Courses

Students taking courses at another university are subject, in those courses, to the registration and academic regulations of the host university, including the grading system, calendar, and academic honor system. It is the responsibility of the students to familiarize themselves with the pertinent regulations of the host university.

Graduate Center students pay tuition to The Graduate Center for any cross-registered courses they take.

There is a two-course limit per semester.

• GC Policy and Procedure: Auditing Courses

The Graduate Center Bulletin: Satisfactory Academic Progress
(p. 20)

Students must be making satisfactory progress toward the degree in order to maintain status at The Graduate Center and to be eligible for any student financial assistance. A student is deemed not to be making satisfactory progress if:

• he or she has a grade point average below 3.00,
• has accumulated more than two open grades (“INC,” “INP,” “NGR,” “ABS,” or “ABP”),
• has completed 45 credits without having passed the First Examination,
• has completed 10 semesters without having passed the Second Examination,
• has received two “NRP” grades in succession,
• or has exceeded the time limit for the degree.

The Graduate Center reviews each student’s record every semester. If formal standards have not been met, a student may register (and receive financial aid, if otherwise eligible) only upon petition of the student’s Executive Officer to the Vice President for Student Affairs. Students whose petitions are approved are considered to be making satisfactory progress toward the degree and are eligible to receive financial aid.

Please refer to the sections on “Incomplete Grades,” “Standards for Retention,” “Computation of Grade Point Average,” and “Time Limits for Degrees,” which appear in the Student Handbook’s section on “Academic Policies and Procedures” for additional information.

Students who are employed as graduate assistants on departmental adjunct lines, or as research assistants by individual grant holders, must show satisfactory performance in these activities. If this performance is found to be unsatisfactory, such employment may be terminated. This type of termination is independent of satisfactory academic progress.

• Registration - Non-degree Students or Permit Students

For Psychology students
Please use the form:  

• Psychology Non-Matriculated Student Approval Form

• SAMPLE Psychology Non-Matriculated Student Approval Form

Non-degree students interested in taking courses at The Graduate Center should consult the Office of the Registrar for registration eligibility. Enrollment in courses by students who have not been accepted for admission to The Graduate Center is at the discretion of each academic program. In no instance will anyone be permitted to accumulate a total of more than two courses or eight credits (whichever is less) as a nonmatriculant without written approval from the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs.

• The first step to become a non-degree student or to register as a Permit student from another CUNY College is to contact the Executive Officer of the program that you are interested in, noting the course/s and requesting signed written permission on that department's letterhead. In Psychology, please contact the APO at bkasinitz@gc.cuny.edu.
• After you receive the department's written permission, first time non-degree and audit applicants or first time Permit students from another CUNY College or Consortium School should contact the Office of the Registrar for the Application Form For Non-Matriculated/Auditor/Permit or Consortium Students.
• Forward both the department written permission and the completed application form back to the Office of the Registrar for review prior to the filing for readmission and non-degree application deadline. Further registration instructions will be provided. Incomplete applications will not be processed.

• Course Withdrawal (on Registrar's website)

For Psychology students
Please use the form:  

• Course Withdrawal Form

• SAMPLE Course Withdrawal Form

The completed form should be sent as an email attachment to the APO at bkasinitz@gc.cuny.edu, in the Psych Executive Office. The APO will get the EO’s Signature and forward the form to the Registrar’s office.

Regarding the CR/NC Policy and Incompletes
If a student receives a grade INC, the INC will remain on the transcript until the actual grade is earned and posted.

Please see the official incomplete grade policy (new policy effective Fall 2021)

Satisfactory Academic Progress
Students must maintain satisfactory progress toward degree.

• GC Policy and Procedure: Satisfactory Academic Progress

Standards for Retention
Students' record will be evaluated at the end of each semester, and matriculation may be terminated for unsatisfactory academic performance - generally considered less than a "B" average and/or failure to meet other program requirements.

• Grade Definitions at The Graduate Center 
• Incomplete Grade Policy
• How to Calculate GPA

• Transfer of Credit Form

• SAMPLE Transfer of Credit Form

• Quarter Hour Conversion Chart

• GC Policy and Procedure: Transfer of Academic Credits

If you are considering transferring credits:

• Read the GC Policy and Procedure: Transfer of Academic Credits.
• Please check the Student Handbook for your Training Area for specific Transfer Credit Requirements.
• Official Transcripts: If the Admissions Office received official transcripts in your admissions package, please attach a copy of the transcript to the Transfer Credit Form.
• If the there is no official transcript on file, students will need to order an official transcript from the appropriate school(s). (Keep the transcript and original envelope together – they will later be attached to the Transfer Credit Form.)
• Undergraduate courses taken in excess of baccalaureate requirements may not be offered as advanced standing; nor may Graduate courses taken to meet admission requirements.
• The final 30 credits for the PhD degree must be taken at The City University.
• For the PhD Degree, a student may transfer from other accredited universities not more than 30 credits approved by the Department (no grade below B accepted).
• The student’s faculty advisor reviews courses with their advisee – students should be prepared to show course descriptions and syllabus of proposed courses to be transferred.
• Faculty advisor completes the Transfer Credit Form with their advisee: