The Graduate College Handbook for Students, Faculty and Staff
Chapter IV: General Graduate Degree Requirements
F. Research Credit and 599
Most graduate degrees require a research component that culminates in the defense and subsequent deposit of a thesis or dissertation. Graduate students should register for research credit during semesters when they are working on the thesis. A student who has no record of registration in research credit courses cannot deposit a thesis. Most departments use the course designation “599” to indicate research registration for both master’s and doctoral students. Many departments will not allow students to register in research credit (599) until they have passed certain milestones. Registration in research credit must always be done with the approval of the student’s adviser.
The grade of DFR (deferred) is reported for research credit until the thesis has been completed, defended if required, and successfully deposited in the Graduate College. When a thesis is successfully defended and deposited, the DFR grades will be changed to S (satisfactory). If the student fails the final defense the grade becomes U (unsatisfactory), and the thesis cannot be deposited.
If research credit is taken but thesis work is not completed, the 599 registration cannot be removed from the record. If the work will not be completed, and the student wishes to receive a degree, the grades will permanently remain as deferred (DFR).
Graduate students who have completed all degree requirements except the thesis or dissertation and do not have a tuition and fee waiver may consider registering for zero hours of research credit. It is important for such students to consider the implications of not being a full-time student (see chapter III.C.1 for more information).
Graduate College (GC) 599 is a registration option for advanced doctoral students who do not have tuition waivers but must maintain full-time enrollment to defer student loans. To be eligible to register for GC 599, a student must:
- have a guaranteed student loan that would require immediate repayment if the student were not registered for the minimum credit required by the lender to defer the loan,
- have passed the preliminary examination prior to the term in which he or she wishes to register for GC 599,
- have completed all Graduate College and departmental requirements for the degree except for completing the dissertation, defending, and depositing,
- not have any financial assistance that would cover tuition and fees, and
- complete and submit the appropriate form to the Graduate College.
Students who are required to complete a mandatory internship as part of their degree requirements may also register for GC 599 provided they comply with the all but the third bullet point listed above.
