The academic calendar lists the dates classes begin and end, dates on which the university is closed for holidays, deadline dates for registration and withdrawal and other dates of interest to the academic community. It may also be accessed at https://www.njit.edu/registrar/calendars/.

Registration for Courses at NJIT

Registration is required each semester (after receiving advice from the academic advisor in the student's academic program). The Registrar's office is located in the Student Mall, on the ground floor of the parking deck. NJIT has an advance self-registration system that obligates all students currently enrolled in graduate degree programs to register in advance for their courses. All admitted students register online via the Registrar's website at www.njit.edu/registrar/.

Currently Enrolled Students

Currently enrolled students are informed of registration procedures for the fall and spring semesters by the Office of the Registrar during April and October, respectively, and must then register during the advance registration period. Instructions for the summer session are provided separately and mailed to students. Priority registration is provided to Veteran and service member students. Please contact the Office of Military/Veteran Students to confirm eligibility. Priority registration is provided to Veteran and service member students. Please contact the Office of Military/Veteran Students to confirm eligibility.

New and Readmitted Students

The Office of University Admissions informs prospective and readmitted students of registration procedures.

International Students

New international students are only permitted to register after attending the required international student orientation program. International students who register appropriately for full-time study will be reported in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) administered by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency.

Non-Matriculated Students

Non-matriculated students should contact the Office of University Admissions for details of admission and registration procedures at least one month before the date of intended enrollment.

Non-Matriculated Studies of NJIT Alumni
NJIT students awarded a degree in Fall 2020 or later, including students previously approved for program acceleration, can register within seven years after graduation as non-matriculated students to take up to two graduate courses without paying an application fee or having their academic record evaluated as long as these courses are in the same discipline with their prior degree and they satisfy course prerequisite requirements. This policy applies to alumni having upon graduation a minimum CGPA of 2.8 for their undergraduate, 3.3 for their master’s or certificate, or 3.5 for their Ph.D. studies at NJIT.

Approval of Initial Registration

Students are required to arrange a conference with their graduate advisor, as soon as possible after notification of admission, to formulate a course of study that meets the requirements of the particular degree program, and reflects the interests and aspirations of the individual student. New students are required to obtain advisor approval for initial course registration. Graduate advisors are normally available for new international students during the international student orientation program.

Auditing a Course

Students who wish to audit a course must state their intention to do so at the time of registration. Change in auditing status is not permitted once a semester has begun. Students who audit are required to pay full tuition and fees for the course. Financial awards are not applicable to audited courses. Audited courses are not counted in determining full-time status. Students on probation are not permitted to audit. Students who wish to attend a course must have an authorized reason for attendance and a registration in that course (regular or audit) and cannot merely "sit in" at their own discretion.

Policy on Midterm and Final Exams

NJIT policy requires that all midterm and final exams must be proctored, regardless of delivery mode, in order to increase academic integrity. Note that this does not apply to essay or authentic based assessments.  Effective beginning Fall semester 2019, students registered for a fully online course section (e.g., online or Hyflex mode) must be given the option to take their exam in a completely online format, with appropriate proctoring. 

Undergraduate Registration in Graduate Courses

Matriculated undergraduate students may register for graduate courses only in the final two semesters of their anticipated undergraduate degree completion, unless they are pursuing an accelerated baccalaureate/graduate dual degree program.  Specifics are given in the below.

Undergraduate Registration in Graduate Courses as part of a Baccalaureate/Master’s or Baccalaureate/PhD accelerated dual degree program 

Undergraduate students who wish to take graduate level courses as part of a Baccalaureate/Master’s or Baccalaureate/PhD accelerated dual degree program must formally apply through the Office of Admissions into one of the B.S./M.S, B.S./M.B.A., B.S./M.I.P, B.S./M.A.R, B.Arch./M.S., B.Arch./M.Arch., B.A./M.S., B.A./M.A. or B.S./Ph.D. Admission into an accelerated dual degree program is required before a student can enroll for a graduate course to be used as part of the program. If a student, admitted into an accelerated dual degree program, takes a graduate course as per the accepted application into the program and passes it with a grade of B or better, then the course applies towards both the undergraduate and graduate degree requirements.  If a student admitted into an accelerated dual program takes a graduate course and passes it with a grade lower than B, then the course counts only towards fulfillment of the undergraduate degree requirements; this course – if required in the graduate program – will have to be repeated when the student is formally admitted to the graduate program.  

Students enrolled in a baccalaureate/masters or baccalaureate/PhD accelerated dual degree program are billed at the undergraduate tuition rate for the classes allowed to fulfill accelerated dual degree requirements, irrespective of the grade received for the course. Graduate tuition rates will apply for additional graduate courses taken before completion of the undergraduate degree requirements.  A graduate course cannot be repeated before the student completes the undergraduate degree requirements.  

Once admitted into an accelerated dual degree program students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of either 3.0 (for BS/MS and all variations) or 3.5 (for BS/PhD and all variations) and achieve a grade of B or better in all graduate courses taken; failure to meet the foregoing conditions leads to the students losing admission into the dual program and they continue pursuing their undergraduate degree only.  Additional provisions for the various accelerated dual degrees are given in the below.

Students admitted in accelerated dual degree programs still need to apply separately at a later time to get formal admission into the respective graduate program.  Graduate courses are valid for up to seven years after having taken them as an undergraduate student in an accelerated dual degree program. For admission to the graduate program, the NJIT GER or GMAT requirements must be met as well.

BS/MS and BA/MA Criteria:

• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better for taking up to two courses in the BA/MA or BS/MS program

• Cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better for taking up to three courses in the BA/MA or BS/MS program

Before admission into an accelerated dual program, students must have at least junior standing or at least two full time semesters (24 credits) left before graduation, and at least five (5) major courses in the baccalaureate program completed

BArch/MS and BS/MBA Criteria:

• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better for taking up to four courses in the BArch/MS or BS/MBA program

Before admission into an accelerated dual program, students must have at least junior standing or at least two full time semesters (24 credits) left before graduation, and at least five (5) major courses in the baccalaureate program completed

BS/PhD and BA/PhD Criteria:

• Cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better for taking up to four courses in the BS/PhD or BA/PhD program

• Students must meet with the Vice Provost for Graduate Studies (go to the Contact Us page to request an appointment) after receiving approval from the PhD academic advisor

Before admission into a BS/PhD or BA/PhD program, students must have at least junior standing or at least two full time semesters (24 credits) left before graduation, and at least five (5) major courses in the baccalaureate program completed

Accelerated dual degree program students who wish to take 500-level courses (500-G for Architecture) or 600-level courses must obtain written approval of the graduate advisor for the program that offers the course, their undergraduate advisor, and the Vice Provost for Graduate Studies via submission an UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS TAKING GRADUATE COURSES AS PART OF A JOINT DEGREE form.

Undergraduates are not permitted to take 700-level courses, except in rare cases requiring explicit approval with justification from the Vice Provost for Graduate Studies.

The courses taken as part of an accelerated dual program will be considered as undergraduate credits for billing and financial aid purposes.  

Undergraduate Registration in Graduate Courses (not part of a joint Baccalaureate/Master’s or Baccalaureate/PhD accelerated dual degree program)

Undergraduate (not in an accelerated dual degree) students in the final two semesters of their anticipated degree completion may opt to take up to three graduate courses, provided their cumulative GPA is at least 2.8.  Successful completion of these graduate courses will not count towards their undergraduate degree requirements, will be billed at the graduate tuition rate, and cannot be covered by either an undergraduate scholarship award or financial aid.  

Permission to take graduate credits as an undergraduate student cannot be viewed as guaranteeing admission into the graduate program.  A student (not in an accelerated dual program) is allowed to take only a maximum of nine graduate credits (3 courses) before completion of their undergraduate degree.

Undergraduate students in an accelerated dual degree program, who have successfully completed the graduate courses allowed to be counted towards both their undergraduate and graduate degree, may in the last semester of their anticipated baccalaureate degree completion take up to three additional graduate courses.  Successful completion of these additional graduate courses will not count towards their undergraduate degree requirements, will be billed at the graduate tuition rate, and cannot be covered by either an undergraduate scholarship award or financial aid. Before completion of the undergraduate portion of their dual degree, students cannot take more than three graduate courses beyond what their accelerated dual degree program allows for.

Undergraduate students who wish to take 500-level courses (500-G courses for Architecture) or 600-level courses must obtain written approval of the graduate advisor for the program that offers the course and their undergraduate advisor via submission of an "Approval for Undergraduates Taking Graduate Courses" form.

Undergraduate students should be aware that need-based financial aid may not be sustainable for registration in graduate courses.

Graduate Registration in Undergraduate Courses

To improve their background, graduate students may be asked by their advisor to register in undergraduate bridge courses before they start taking graduate courses. These courses do not count toward the required credits in their program of study. Enrollment in other undergraduate courses requires the approval of the graduate advisor, and the undergraduate department offering the course. Tuition for these courses is assessed at the graduate rate. Grades will follow the undergraduate grading system.

Multiple Program Registrations

A student cannot be matriculated in more than one degree program at a time. This also applies to programs run cooperatively with Rutgers-Newark and RBHS. Currently enrolled graduate students who wish to enroll in a subsequent graduate degree program should not file an application for admission to the new program until they are in the final semester of their initial program. 

Policies for Online Courses

In any given semester, there are two types of online courses, Virtual Campus and Newark Campus:

• Enrollment in Virtual Campus courses is restricted to Virtual Campus students.
• Enrollment in Newark Campus online courses is restricted to Newark Campus students.  

Virtual Campus Online Courses

Enrollment in Virtual Campus courses is restricted to Virtual Campus students. Virtual Campus students are those who are accepted, at the time of admission, to a fully online program (the program is what matters, not whether a student has been taking all online courses). 

Virtual Campus students (in-state, out-of-state, international attending from abroad) are eligible for eTuition provided that all of their courses, in a given semester, are offered online through the Virtual Campus.

Virtual Campus students who wish to register for courses that are not part of the Virtual Campus will need to either: 

1. Officially apply for a change of campus (this can only be completed once), or 
2. Obtain special permission from the home department.

Please note that Virtual Campus students who take courses that are not part of the Virtual Campus, will lose their eligibility for eTuition for that semester and for all courses they take.

• For more information about NJIT’s online programs, please visit online.njit.edu.
• Questions on changing campus should be addressed to the Registrar’s Office

Newark Campus Online Courses

NJIT offers a number of online courses that can be taken by students who are normally enrolled in face-to-face courses offered on the main Newark campus. These online courses are identified as Newark Campus courses on the course schedule.

Newark Campus students are those who are accepted, at the time of admission, to a program that requires in-person attendance. Newark Campus students are not eligible to register for Virtual Campus courses.

Online courses that are identified as Newark Campus are not eligible for eTuition. eTuition is only available to Virtual Campus students.

International students who have been admitted to Newark Campusprograms can take as many Newark Campus online courses as the federal policies allow for. The Office of Global Initiatives can be consulted about the allowed number.

Graduate Program Change

Graduate students are admitted to one degree program and not to the university as a whole. Master’s students who wish to change major must file the Graduate Change of Program Form. Interested students are expected to submit the program change form close to the end of the first semester in their current program. There is no guarantee or requirement that the program change will be approved. Those on financial support are liable to loss of support from the original department and cancellation of a current award. Program changes require the approval of two academic advisors (for the current and future programs). Also, international students may require approval of the Global Initiatives Office. 

Ph.D. students cannot apply for program change using the aforementioned form. Ph.D. program changes must be approved by the Vice Provost of Graduate Studies who consults with the graduate advisors.

Adding Courses

Students who add a course to their program will be charged the full tuition and fee for the course added; however, the flat rate (12-19 credits) may still apply. All schedule changes are completed via Highlander Pipeline and a schedule change fee will be assessed during late registration as determined by the Registrar.

Students cannot receive credit for courses if they are not registered. Attendance in a class without proper registration for that class is not permitted.

Withdrawal from Courses

Students who wish to withdraw from one or more courses should first determine if the withdrawal would have an impact on their full-time status, financial support, immigration status, or academic standing and progress. They should consult with their advisor. Sometimes their advisor may contact the Office of Graduate Studies to appeal on their behalf (e.g., appeal for late withdrawal due to extenuating circumstances). International students must consult with the Global Initiatives Office because of the possible impact on their status reported in SEVIS. Withdrawals before the deadline set by the Registrar are completed through Highlander Pipeline. Failure to withdraw by the deadline will result in a final grade other than W.

Discontinued attendance, or verbal approval alone to withdraw, will not result in a W and most likely will instead result in an undesirable final grade, generally an F or U.

Withdrawing from courses does not necessarily lead to a refund and students should consult with their academic and financial aid advisor on the issue before they actually withdraw.

Detailed information on Withdrawal policies can be found at the following link:

https://www.njit.edu/registrar/registration/

Master’s Project, Master’s Thesis and Ph.D. Dissertation

Students should not register for master's project, master's thesis or Ph.D. dissertation credits until they arrange for a department or program-approved faculty advisor to supervise their work. Continued registration for additional thesis or dissertation credits within the overall time limits for completion may be allowed with approval of the academic and research advisors. A master's project registration is only for one semester and the incomplete (I) grade cannot be assigned. Credits for which a U (unsatisfactory) grade is given are not counted as degree credits toward completion of the thesis, project or dissertation. Master's project and master's thesis registration must be at least 3 credits during a semester. Summer session registration, if needed to allow completion for the August 31st degree date, must be at least 3 credits of project or thesis. A procedure is available to determine full-time academic status for master's students.

Students who were already enrolled in the Ph.D. program before August 2015 must register for at least three credits of dissertation research each semester in order to accumulate 24 pre-doctoral and doctoral dissertation research credits (20 credits for YWCC students). A student may then register for one dissertation research credit each semester until graduation; a minimum of 36 credits in pre-doctoral and doctoral research courses is needed to meet degree program requirements. The required doctoral dissertation research credits for students who entered the Ph.D. program after August 2015 are based on program milestones.  A procedure is available to determine full-time academic status for Ph.D. students.

Maximum credit registration each semester is 12 credits for the doctoral dissertation (this large number of credits may be needed only for students with first Ph.D. program enrollment before Fall 2015), six credits for the master's thesis and three credits for the master's project. Additional credit registrations will require the approval of the Vice Provost for Graduate Studies. It is highly recommended that the Master's thesis registration be only three credits in a semester unless a single semester completion is anticipated.

With permission of their research advisor, in some MS programs students intending to do an MS thesis may first register in the 700B MS Project course; the curriculum of the academic program must explicitly show that this project-thesis combination is allowed. They must receive a satisfactory (S) grade in 700B before 701B MS Thesis registration in the immediate following semester with the same advisor. The MS thesis topic should be continuation of the work done in 700B. (Thesis work undertaken by MS students in federated departments and joint programs with other universities are exempt from this policy.)

Once a student has begun master's thesis or doctoral dissertation work, the student must register for the respective courses each semester until the thesis or dissertation is completed. Unapproved interruptions in thesis or dissertation registrations are subject to billing for omitted credits.

Students must be registered in project, thesis or dissertation in any semester or summer session in which completion is expected. The Graduate Studies Office assigns the final grade of P in thesis/dissertation courses after receipt of all thesis/dissertation documents in final and approved form.

Approval by the graduate program advisor and the Office of Graduate Studies must be obtained if, for extenuating circumstances, the student wishes to interrupt the thesis, project or dissertation for a semester or more. Students may neither maintain registration, nor fail to register without notifying and getting approval from the graduate program advisor and the Office of Graduate Studies. If a master's project is not completed after two semesters of registration (with prior approval of the Graduate Studies Office to repeat the project course), a final grade of U is given. Failure to complete a master's project by students who received financial support to do the project may result in academic dismissal. The university complies with all state and federal laws related to military service.

Although up to two semesters of master’s thesis registration is allowed, additional registration requires an appeal of the academic and research advisors to the Vice Provost for Graduate Studies. A similar appeal is also required if a master’s thesis registration follows a master’s project registration. However, no more than four semesters and two summers of registration in master's thesis (and project for programs allowing a project registration to be followed by a thesis registration) are permitted. Failure to complete a master's thesis within this period will result in a final grade of U and may result in academic dismissal.

No more than six years of registration for pre-doctoral and doctoral dissertation research is permitted. Failure to complete a doctoral dissertation in this period will result in a final grade of U and dismissal from the program.

All students must have the program advisor's approval and appropriate section identification each time they register for project, thesis, dissertation, pre-doctoral research, co-op, or Independent Study. Students must register within the deadlines established by the Registrar.

Continuous Registration Requirement, Programs

Once admitted to a degree program, students must be continuously registered for credit each semester until they complete all degree requirements, unless they have been approved for a leave of absence.

Continuous Registration Requirement, Thesis/Dissertation

Once a thesis or dissertation has begun, students must register in MS thesis or dissertation research each semester until completion. Maintaining registration is not permitted in place of a credit registration for thesis or dissertation work. The grade of I is not permitted for the MS thesis or doctoral dissertation courses.

Students who complete work for thesis or dissertation over several semesters receive a final grade in the semester in which the work is completed, and after approval of the final document by the Graduate Studies Office.

Discontinuance

Domestic students enrolled in graduate programs who find it necessary to temporarily discontinue their studies may either maintain registration, request a leave of absence, or voluntarily discontinue. A discontinuance form must be filed with the Office of Graduate Studies. International students may not discontinue studies without approval from the Office of Global Initiatives, but should seek approval for a leave of absence at which time maintaining registration may be authorized. PhD students may maintain registration only by permission of the Office of Graduate Studies. Students who have discontinued must follow procedures defined by the offices of University Admissions and Graduate Studies to resume their studies.

Leave of Absence

Ph.D. students who anticipate a protracted absence from the university may request a leave of absence from the Office of Graduate Studies. Students requesting a leave of absence for medical reasons will be required to consult with the Dean of Students office first. Leaves are granted for up to one year and may be extended for a second year. Leaves of absence are not counted toward the time limit in which the degree must be completed, but rules regarding expiration of credit do apply for course work, MS project, MS thesis and doctoral dissertation research. Ph.D. students returning on-time from an approved leave of absence are generally not required to apply for readmission, but are required to inform the Office of Graduate Studies on their return. International students may be required to apply for readmission and file new financial documents. They also are required to consult with their graduate advisor. The university complies with all state and federal laws related to military service.

To All Students, Advisors and Faculty

The university continues to make every effort to protect student's academic and personal information. Moreover, maintaining the confidentiality of student's medical information is a legal and ethical duty, as defined by federal and state laws and regulations, and by the courts. Whenever students have a personal situation that affects their academic standing, it should be brought to the Dean of Students. This includes medical or psychological documentation to support a student's claim. Students should not bring such information to their instructors, nor should it be requested by a faculty member. The Dean of Students has staff to evaluate such information to verify its legitimacy. The Dean of Students will then notify the faculty member(s) if a student has a legitimate absence and will ask that the student receive consideration in making up any missed course work or exam. This process ensures student privacy and, just as important, consistency in dealing with such matters.

Readmission After Voluntary Discontinuance

Students who have voluntarily discontinued their studies without receiving a leave of absence, and who have not been dismissed from an NJIT graduate program, must apply for readmission to the Office of University Admissions by the application deadline. A non-refundable application fee must accompany applications. Applicants are subject to all probationary and unmet conditions in force at the time they discontinued their studies. Program requirements at the time of readmission will apply in addition to satisfaction of any prior unmet conditions. 

Maintenance of Registration

Students enrolled in a degree program who find it necessary to temporarily discontinue their studies are permitted to maintain registration with approvals as noted above, for a fee for each semester they do not register. Master’s students may maintain registration for a maximum of two consecutive semesters per leave. Ph.D. students may maintain registration for up to four semesters (consecutive or not) with appropriate justification. Registration holds are placed on students who reach or exceed these limits. Continuation of financial support for Ph.D. students after their return from maintaining registration is not guaranteed so they should contact their department before deciding to maintain registration. Students working on a MS project, MS thesis or doctoral dissertation are generally not permitted to register for maintaining registration. International students on F-1 and J-1 visa status may not maintain registration unless they have obtained prior written permission from the Office of Global Initiatives.

Students who maintain registration are mailed registration notices for the following semester and are not required to apply for readmission. After receiving approval to maintain registration, students must register for "Maintaining Registration" on the course registration website.

Each semester in which registration is officially maintained is not counted in the total time period allotted to complete degree requirements.

Responsibility for Registration

NJIT emails notices in advance, but cannot guarantee delivery. Regardless, students are expected to obtain all necessary information and comply with all registration procedures on time.

Scheduling of Classes

Graduate courses are, in general, scheduled for late afternoon and evening hours. Special programs, such as the Executive Management and some online programs, have their own schedules.

Course Cancellations

The university does not guarantee offering all or any of the courses listed in this catalog. When there is inadequate registration, a course may be canceled without notice. The Registrar will attempt to notify all students of course cancellations before the first meeting of the semester.

Room Changes

Room and laboratory changes are in the online schedule maintained by the Registrar via Highlander Pipeline.

Courses Taken at Other Colleges

Cross-Registration Procedures

Students may take courses at Rutgers-Newark provided that the:

• Course is used toward a degree.
• Course is not offered at NJIT, or, because of a conflict in schedule, cannot be taken at NJIT.
• Approval is obtained, in advance, from the student's advisor.
• Approved cross-registration form is submitted by the student to the host school. The course must also be included on the NJIT registration form.

Students in joint programs should register at the school that admitted them to their current degree program. Students from Rutgers-Newark must be matriculated in graduate programs at their home institution to cross-register for NJIT courses. Students from Rutgers-Newark who cross-register into NJIT are considered NJIT non-matriculated students and are therefore limited to 9 credits maximum. In order to take more than 9 credits, these students would have to apply and be admitted as matriculated students for an NJIT graduate degree program.

Summer course registration procedures, and inclusion of courses on NJIT transcripts for students wishing to take courses at Rutgers-Newark, are determined by the Transfer of Credits policy outlined below. In general, cross-registration cannot occur for summer sessions.

Registration at Another College

To take graduate courses at colleges other than those in the cross-registration program or during the summer sessions at Rutgers-Newark, students must obtain prior approval from their advisor and the Office of Graduate Studies. Students should review the section on "Transfer of Credits" if they wish to transfer these courses to an NJIT program. Tuition remission from NJIT is not available for courses taken at educational institutions not participating in NJIT's cross-registration program.

Transfer of Credits

Transfer credits are calculated by NJIT according to the total number of instructional minutes earned at the other institution. The equivalent instructional minutes of a maximum of 9 credits of graduate work, taken within seven years, from accredited US educational institutions may be transferred and applied to degree requirements at NJIT. Credits from educational institutions outside the United States (except Canada) cannot be transferred as individual courses.

In limited situations, assessment of a student’s prior learning may allow the transfer of up to six graduate credits in specific master-level programs (including 600-level courses for the Employer-Sponsored Collaborative Ph.D.) as credits by examination (CBE) or credits by portfolio assessment (CBP). Approval by the pertinent Dean (in consultation with the program director) is needed. CBE/CBP and courses transferred from other universities cannot account for more than nine credits total. Rigorous credit-by-exam (CBE) or credit-by-portfolio (CBP) administered by the student’s academic program assesses knowledge acquired professionally or through non-credit professional development courses. The transferred course(s) will not affect the student’s CGPA. The corresponding college dean will provide oversight of the CBE/CBP process to ensure consistency and integrity of the assessment process and criteria. CBP applies only to MTSM. A fee is charged for CBE/CBP examinations/assessment.

Groups of courses may sometimes be accepted as a block of credits toward some types of programs.  Subject to specific MBA program conditions, an equivalent block of 12 credits can be accepted from a graduate degree previously awarded by a US AACSB accredited management program or internationally from a program accredited by AACSB or an AACSB-affiliated accrediting agency.  For the MBA program, the proposed block must be based on courses with grades of B or better and on courses with equivalent credit values of 3 or more credits. Subject to approval, up to 15 credits from a previously completed NJIT MBA can be applied toward the completion of the 30-credit MS in Management program.

Credits are transferred only if the courses were taken for full academic credit, were never applied to any other degree, and a final grade of at least B (3.0 GPA equivalent) was attained. In addition, the student's graduate advisor and the Office of Graduate Studies must agree that such courses directly relate to the student's program of study at NJIT before they can be transferred.

Requests for transfer credit must be submitted on a form available from the Office of Graduate Studies, accompanied by course descriptions from the other educational institution. Students must also arrange for the other institution to send an official transcript to the Office of Graduate Studies at NJIT. Requests may be submitted and approved at any time but are not added to a student's record until matriculation is granted and one semester completed. Grades that are transferred will not be calculated in cumulative GPAs.

Transfer of Credits Within NJIT

A student may transfer credits from one program to another program within NJIT under certain circumstances. This type of transfer requires consultation of the advisor with the Office of Graduate Studies but does not require completion of a transfer credit form or submittal of NJIT transcripts. All graduate credits taken at NJIT, regardless of the major, appear on a general transcript.

Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) course

Academic Standing

Enrollment Status

Students registered for 9 credits or more in a semester are considered full-time. Also, PhD students and MS students completing an MS thesis may be considered full-time under certain conditions. Please, contact the Graduate Studies Office or visit its website for further details. International students must be in full-time status every semester. The Office of Global Initiatives will report, in SEVIS, international students who meet the full-time definition under F-1 regulation 8CFR 214(f)(6). Any international students unsure of their status should contact the office at 973-596-2451 or e-mail to global@njit.edu. Students who are not registered for 9 credits and do not meet the conditions for full-time certification are considered part-time for academic purposes. See the Financial Aid section of the graduate catalog for half-time status definition and related policies.

Full-time Certification

The Office of Graduate Studies may certify students as full-time even if they are not registered for 9 credits, under any of the following circumstances:

• If a master's thesis registration is included in a prior semester, an additional semester (maximum of two semesters) with only a master's thesis registration is acceptable. The student must be in good academic standing.
• Students have fewer than 9 credits remaining for completion of all degree requirements and are registered for all credits needed to complete the degree. This certification can only be given for one semester.
• Doctoral candidates who completed all required course work and meet the minimum dissertation registration requirements as per NJIT’s outlined policy (see below).
• Students originally registered for 9 credits but have substantial extenuating circumstances that require a reduction in course load. Normally this certification applies only in cases of medical or similar emergencies that incapacitate a student for a significant part of a semester. Improper course registration, failure to seek proper advisement, inadequate academic progress, or risk of earning a weak or failing grade are not extenuating circumstances. Inability of an international student who had earlier filed a financial attestation to pay tuition and fees, is also not an extenuating circumstance.
• Students on a full-time cooperative education assignment are registered in a graduate co-op work experience or equivalent course. The Office of Graduate Studies should be consulted for limits on cooperative education because cooperative education has an influence on full-time certification and allowable time to complete the degree.
• Audited courses and withdrawn courses do not count toward full-time status; ESL (English as a Second Language) courses may not count as one course each.

Half-time Students

For federal, financial aid, and other reporting purposes, half-time graduate student status may be defined for students registered for 6 credits or fewer during a semester. Contact the Office of Graduate Studies for more information.

Grades

The following grades are used for graduate courses:

Grad Grades

Grade	GPA	Significance
A	4.0	Excellent
B+	3.5	Good
B	3.0	Acceptable
C+	2.5	Marginal Performance
C	2.0	Minimum Performance
F	0.0	Failure
I		Incomplete
W		Approved Withdrawal
AU		Audited (no academic credit)
S or U		Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory
P		Passing for Master's Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Grad Grades

(Unlike undergraduate courses, there is no D grade for graduate courses. Assigned grades must be consistent with the level of the course and not the matriculation level of the student in the course. Grades used in GPA calculations (A, B+, B, C+, C, and F) are not to be used as grades for dissertation research (790), pre-doctoral research (792), master's thesis, 0, 1/2, and 1 credit seminars, co-op, teaching methods, and ESL courses. Incompletes are not assignable for these courses with the exception of co-op as described later.)

Grades in MS Project, MS Thesis and Doctoral Dissertation

Grades for these courses are S or U until completion. Students who do not complete a thesis or dissertation in a semester, regardless of accumulated credits, must register again for 3 credits of thesis, or at least 1 credit of dissertation (per program requirements) in the following semester.

Effective Fall 2020, the allowable grades in the 700B MS Project are S or U (for federated departments and joint programs with other universities, the allowed MS Project grades may differ).

The final grade for a completed and approved thesis or dissertation is P. Thesis and dissertation work requires a successful defense before a thesis or dissertation committee as well as submission of the final thesis or dissertation documents to the Office of Graduate Studies, after which the P is assigned by the Graduate Studies Office.

Semester and cumulative GPA calculations by the Registrar only include courses for which a letter grade is given. Letter grades cannot be given for work not submitted. Receipt of two U grades for project, thesis, dissertation, or pre-doctoral research can result in dismissal from the program.

Special Topics

Regular letter grades are assigned for special topics courses.

Independent Study

Regular letter grades are assigned for Independent Study (normally numbered 725 and 726) courses.

Incomplete

A grade of I (Incomplete) is given when courses cannot be completed because of special circumstances. Students on academic probation are not permitted a grade of Incomplete without permission from the Office of Graduate Studies. Required course work may be finished at the discretion of the instructor, no later than the end of the subsequent semester. Receipt of an I does not require or suggest attendance in the course in the following semester. A letter grade must be assigned by then or a grade of F will be automatically assigned. Students nominated for financial awards must have I grades resolved by the fourth week of the subsequent semester to allow a determination of their eligibility for the award. The new grade cannot be changed.

A grade of I cannot be given for thesis, project, dissertation, seminar, pre-doctoral research, or English as a Second Language (ESL) courses. Students in joint programs or cross-registered from Rutgers-Newark should note that NJIT has a different and much earlier deadline for resolution of I's before they automatically become F's. Some departments may assign an initial I for co-op courses, which may be changed to an S or U based on submittal of a report by the student to the co-op advisor. Students continuing for a second consecutive registration period in co-op with the same employer will have an I assigned as a grade for the first registration. This will be changed to S or U, based on co-op performance and evaluation by the co-advisor at the end of the second registration period.

Satisfactory and Unsatisfactory

The grades S and U report progress in project, thesis, dissertation, and pre-doctoral research courses. These also can be final grades in project, seminar, co-op, teaching methods and ESL courses. The grade of S is given for satisfactory progress and U is given for unsatisfactory progress. Students who fail to meet with the instructors of these courses or do not satisfy relevant attendance requirements will receive a U grade. Credits for courses in which U is received cannot count toward a degree.

Grade Reports

The Registrar no longer issues grade reports. Grades may be viewed using a confidential password and identification number at http://www.njit.edu/registrar, the registrar's home page.

Grade Changes

Grade change requests will not be accepted after the end of the subsequent semester. Students should carefully monitor their records and contact the Registrar about any missing or incorrect grades no later than the end of the following semester.

Grade Disputes

Students are expected to resolve disputes about grades with their instructors. If they cannot reach a satisfactory settlement with their instructor, students are permitted to request the intervention of the chairperson of the department. NJIT's grade appeal policy is available at the Office of the Provost's website.

Course Repetition

A maximum of two course repetitions are allowed in matriculated graduate study; if necessary, this will allow a student to repeat a course two additional times. The grade received in a repeated course is calculated in the cumulative GPA, but the first grade still appears on the transcript. If a course is repeated two additional times, all grades will appear on the transcript, while the first and second attempts associated with the course will be excluded from the cumulative GPA calculation.

Students may not repeat a course without prior approval from the department. Non-matriculated students, including certificate students, are allowed to repeat only one course once. Students who receive an F in a course will be required to repeat that course.

The academic advisor may contact the Vice Provost for Graduate Studies if the course is no longer offered or not applicable to the student's current program, or other extenuating circumstances are believed to exist.

Progress Toward Degree

Academic Performance and Satisfactory Progress Policy

Students must maintain satisfactory progress in working toward a degree. Federal and state regulations governing financial aid and awards require that students receiving aid from government agencies must meet academic performance and progress requirements defined by the university and approved by the appropriate government agencies.

NJIT reviews the academic standing of all graduate students at the end of each semester. To have satisfactory academic standing, students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, must have a GPA in two consecutive semesters of 3.0 or higher, must meet all university requirements and must be making satisfactory progress toward a degree. Students who do not have satisfactory academic standing are subject to academic warning, academic probation or academic dismissal.

Academic Warning

Students who have completed at least one full-time semester (or its equivalent of 9 credits) and do not have satisfactory academic standing should meet with their graduate advisor to review their academic record.

Academic Probation

Students who have completed at least 9 credits and do not achieve satisfactory academic standing may be placed on academic probation or be subject to dismissal. Conditions for continuing graduate study at NJIT are sent to students on academic probation. The academic advisors will work with students to determine approaches toward successful program completion. Academic probation is noted on the permanent academic record. Students on probation for two consecutive semesters are subject to dismissal from the graduate program. 

Dismissal

Students may be dismissed from graduate studies for cause at any time. Cause shall include, but is not limited to:

• Failing to meet the conditions of admission.
• Failing to maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 after completing one semester or attempting at least 9 credits.
• Failing to make satisfactory progress toward a degree.
• Failing to meet the requirements for graduation.
• Failing a required or repeated course more than once.
• Failing to satisfy requirements for project, thesis, or dissertation within the required time limits.
• Failing doctoral qualifying examination for the second time.
• Not completing a PhD program milestone (qualifying examination, proposal defense, final dissertation defense) within the prescribed time limit.
• Professional conduct offenses as defined in the NJIT Code of Professional Conduct.
• Making a false representation relating to admission, registration, or the awarding of financial support.
• Failure to pay all tuition, fees and other charges within the required time limits.

Dismissal is noted on the permanent academic record.

Decisions relating to a graduate student's academic status are made in accordance with regulations approved by the faculty and the Provost’s office. 

PhD students cannot appeal dismissal decisions that relate to PhD program milestones (exceptions may be made based on personal or health matters by contacting the Dean of Students office). Students may appeal their academic dismissal by the process outlined in their dismissal notification. In the process, the student tries first to resolve the issue with their academic advisor who may then appeal on their behalf to the associate dean of the college

Readmission if Dismissed

Students dismissed from NJIT for academic reasons may apply for readmission to another degree program after at least one calendar year has passed.

Dismissed students who seek readmission should apply to the Office of University Admissions at least two months before the date of intended readmission. These students must complete, in full, the application for admission and provide all requested documentation, regardless of previous applications. Readmission is treated as a new application. Readmits compete against all other applicants for admission that semester. The circumstances and conditions of the dismissal will be considered in the readmission process.

Students dismissed for professional conduct offenses or for making false representation will not be readmitted to NJIT.

Students who reapply should also include supportive material to justify readmission. Such material may include, but may not be limited to, scores obtained in the GRE or GMAT, grades obtained in graduate level work at other institutions, letters of recommendation, and a statement by the applicant. A non-refundable fee must accompany applications.

General Graduate Degree Requirements

Graduate degree candidates must achieve a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 in all graduate-level courses (500 level and above) and satisfy other academic and non-academic requirements. These include financial obligations to the university. Students whose programs require a thesis or dissertation must complete these within time limits and policies prescribed by the Office of Graduate Studies. Master's theses and doctoral dissertations must be submitted for final approval to the Office of Graduate Studies. Master's projects need to be submitted only to the advisor.

At least three program approval signatures are required for master's theses; at least five are required for doctoral dissertations (at least four signatures are required for the Urban Systems program). Fees that must be paid include, but are not limited to, the copyright fee.

Grade Point Average Calculation

GPAs are calculated for each semester and cumulatively for the entire graduate record. In order to obtain a graduate degree, candidates must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 when considering all graduate-level courses. All 500 level (500G for Architecture) or higher graduate courses are included in the cumulative graduate GPA. Only the initial grades for graduate courses that have been repeated (with a maximum of two allowed) are excluded from GPA calculations. Undergraduate credits taken by graduate students are not counted. Some programs also may require a 3.0 GPA in designated core course requirements.

In addition, the cumulative GPA for all courses counted for the degree must be 3.0 or better. The passing grade for the master's project is S. Successful completion of a master's thesis or doctoral dissertation, along with defense, will be assigned a grade of P for passing. The P grade is for the thesis or dissertation credits taken in the student's final semester.

Graduation Certification Course Exclusion

Under extenuating circumstances, the graduate student’s academic advisor may suggest the exclusion of specific courses for the calculation of the student’s GPA. These courses will not count for graduation certification and degree requirements. Prior approval of the Vice Provost for Graduate Studies is needed. The required form may be requested only by the advisor by contacting the Office of Graduate Studies and justifying the request.

For students transferring between graduate programs, the advisor must submit the Graduation Certification Course Exclusion form within a month after the student enrolls in the new program.

Theses and Dissertations

Theses and dissertations submitted for graduate degrees must follow a prescribed university format. The approved format is based on the Estrin/Roche manual: Guidelines for Scientific and Professional Theses. The Office of Graduate Studies provides seminars, guidance documents and continuing assistance for students. The office or its website should be consulted for more information.

Degrees cannot be certified until the Graduate Studies Office receives and approves the final thesis or dissertation documents with all related requirements completed.  The Graduate Studies Office assigns the final grade of P in the last semester after satisfactory submission of the thesis/dissertation documents to Graduate Studies. Arrangements can be made for a specified period to sequester a completed thesis or dissertation for proprietary or patent reasons, if requested by the student and the advisor.

Special Topics

Special Topics courses are occasionally offered by departments to present new areas of high demand where rapid developments in the field have not allowed time for formal approval of such courses. These are announced by the departments in time for registration and are typically well-enrolled. They may be at the master's or doctoral level. There is no university limitation on the number of special topics courses that may be taken.

Independent Study

Independent study is for students who want highly specialized study with a specific faculty member in areas in which specifically titled courses are not normally available. Students should see their advisors regarding independent study options. For students in doctoral programs, a maximum of two independent study courses may be used to partially satisfy the 700-level course requirement. Enrollment in independent study may be as low as one student under a faculty section number.

Expiration of Credit

For all degrees, credits expire seven years after completion of the semester in which they are earned. Expired courses cannot be used to fulfill degree requirements and must be replaced by current credits. Exceptions can be made by the Vice Provost for Graduate Studies after receiving an appeal from the student's academic advisor.

Degree requirements must be generally completed within seven years of original admission. For Ph.D. students entering the program after August 2015, the limit is six years of attendance. Approved leaves of absence do not count against these limits although the validity of individual courses may still expire during the seven-year period. Requests for waivers of the seven-year limit for extenuating circumstances, other than mere failure to register, are made to the Vice Provost of Graduate Studies after receiving an appeal from the student's academics advisor. The technical content and remaining currency of courses is considered in evaluating these requests. The majority of courses in rapidly changing fields are not likely to be accepted after seven years.

Awarding of Degrees

Degrees are awarded three times each academic year: August, December and May. The university conducts its commencement ceremony once per year, normally in May. Students who have not completed all requirements for the degree cannot participate (walk) in the May commencement.

Deadline Waiver

Advisors of applicants for the August, December or May degree dates whose master's thesis or doctoral dissertation is substantially complete, but who are unable to submit it in final form by the specified date, may request a deadline extension from the Vice Provost of Graduate Studies. Such students may then apply for the next scheduled graduation without having to pay for additional thesis or doctoral dissertation credits. Advisors should contact the Office of Graduate Studies for further information.

Students who do not meet the deadline waiver will be required to register for master's thesis or doctoral dissertation in the subsequent enrollment period to allow formal completion.

Master's Degree Requirements

NJIT offers Master's degrees in a variety of disciplines through the five degree granting colleges and schools: Newark College of Engineering, Jordan Hu College of Science and Liberal Arts, Ying Wu College of Computing, Martin Tuckman School of Management, and College of Architecture and Design. NJIT also offers master's degrees in interdisciplinary areas that may include coursework from a number of colleges or schools.  The programs are flexibly arranged to allow new specializations and to allow new programs to  be developed in response to changing needs.  All current programs are listed in another section of the catalog.  Students seeking more than one Master's degree should consult the Office of Admissions and the Office of Graduate Studies.  There are options available that can reduce the time and number of credits for completion of  the second degree.

Most master's degree programs require a minimum of 30 credits to complete.   Some master's degree programs, particularly those in professional areas, require additional credits beyond 30 credits.  Specific program sections of the catalog describe these requirements.  In general, courses for master's programs must be numbered at the 600 level or above; some programs will allow up to two courses numbered 500-599.  Some programs may also require a master's thesis or a project.

Up to 9 credits from outside NJIT, subject to approval by the advisor and the Graduate Studies Office and based on NJIT transfer credit policies described elsewhere, may be applied to master's degrees.  Generally, NJIT does not allow transfer of credits already used as part of the credit requirements for a prior degree awarded by another university.   However, students who have completed a master's degree elsewhere that includes more than the typical 30 credits for a master's degree and are considering an NJIT master's degree that also includes much more than the typical 30 credits, such as an MBA or an MArch degree, will be considered for a block transfer of up to 12 credits from the prior degree toward the NJIT degree.  These types of transfer will require approval of the advisor and the Vice Provost for Graduate Studies.

Bridge Program

Students who seek a master's degree in an academic discipline different from that of the bachelor's degree may be admitted to a master's degree program but may be required to complete appropriate undergraduate and/or graduate prerequisites in addition to the normal graduate degree requirements of the program. The program of courses will be individually designed in consultation with their graduate advisor. Bridge courses must be completed before 9 credits of graduate degree courses are earned. Bridge courses are not counted as degree credits but do count in graduate GPA calculations if the course is numbered 500 (500G for Architecture) or higher.

Master's Thesis Advisor, Committee, and Defense

A master's thesis committee should be formed at the start of the second semester of thesis registration (or at the start of the first semester if a single semester completion seems certain). The committee must have at least three members. All members of the committee must hold faculty rank.

The chair of the committee must be a tenured or tenure track faculty member in the department or program offering the degree. At least one other member of the committee must be a member of NJIT’s Graduate Faculty. The Guidelines for Graduate Faculty membership at NJIT must be when forming a committee. Approval of the committee is made by the program director and reported to the Graduate Studies Office on a standardized thesis committee appointment form.

The thesis defense must be defended in a public forum. Successful defense of the thesis is determined by vote of the thesis committee. The committee members must be present at the defense. Every member of the thesis committee must sign and date the approval page of the final thesis document. A report on passage, conditional passage, or failure of the defense is completed by the thesis committee chair, signed by the thesis committee members, and sent to the Graduate Studies Office on a standardized form.

Ph.D. Degree Requirements

Detailed descriptions of the degree requirements for specific degrees or degree/discipline combinations may be found in the Degree Programs section of this catalog.

PhD degree requirements for students entering a Ph.D. program after August 2015

1. Ph.D. coursework registration requirements

Ph.D. students with a recognized Master’s degree or equivalent are required to take four 700-level 3-credit courses (12 credits).  Ph.D. students with a recognized Baccalaureate degree are required to take eight 600-level or 700-level 3-credit courses (24 credits) of coursework beyond the Baccalaureate degree as well as four additional 700-level 3-credit courses (12 credits), for a total of twelve 3-credit courses (36 credits).  Master’s project (course 700), Master’s thesis (course 701), or more than two independent study courses (courses 725 and 726) cannot be used to satisfy these coursework requirements. A Ph.D. student may substitute a 600-level course for a 700-level course only after the academic advisor appeals on behalf of the student to the Office of Graduate Studies and receives approval. A Ph.D. program may define an additional set of required courses that must be pre-approved by the academic college (multiple colleges may be involved for interdisciplinary programs). Whether or not a program requires additional courses above the aforementioned minimum requirements, a Ph.D. student's dissertation committee may ask the student to take additional courses.

2. Ph.D. dissertation registration requirements

• Ph.D. students who pass the Qualifying Examination (QE) must then register for 3 credits of pre-doctoral research (792B) per semester until they defend successfully the dissertation proposal.

• Ph.D. students who defend the dissertation proposal successfully must then register for the 1-credit dissertation course (790A) each semester until they complete all degree requirements.

• Students may take courses simultaneously with the 790 or 792 course as per Ph.D. program guidelines or dissertation committee recommendation.

• Students who do not meet the following deadlines will be dismissed from the Ph.D. program.

  • The required coursework for the Ph.D. program and the (major part of the) QE must be completed successfully by the end of the second year in the program.

  •  The dissertation proposal must be defended in a public forum successfully either by the end of the third year in the Ph.D. program or four semesters after registering for the first time in the 792 pre-doctoral research course, whichever occurs earlier.

  • The dissertation must be defended successfully by the end of the sixth year in the Ph.D. program.

(Note: The credit requirements for any joint Ph.D. program, for which the names of multiple universities appear on the diploma, follow the explicit requirements of the joint program.)

• For both entry levels; baccalaureate or master's start-point, at least 12 credits of course work at the 700 level; no more than two independent study courses may be used to satisfy this requirement. master's project or thesis cannot be used to satisfy this requirement.
• Seminar attendance each semester or as required by the program. Nominal credit values, if any, for registration in seminar do not count toward fulfillment of overall credit requirements.

Students who wish to complete a master's degree while pursuing a doctorate in the same field must be approved for this by the doctoral department, the Associate Provost for Graduate Studies, and the director of graduate admissions, and satisfy all requirements for the master's degree, including any thesis or project requirement. In general, such permission is given only after passage of the research proposal exam or if the student is near completion of the doctorate. Students in doctoral programs initially, who terminate their studies at the master's level, will lose further eligibility for support.

Qualifying Examination

Students must pass a qualifying examination within two years of being admitted into a doctoral program. Students are only permitted to take the examination twice. The passage of qualifying examinations is reported to the Office of Graduate Studies on the Qualifying Examination form. Each department determines its own policies with regard to format, grading, and review of examinations by faculty and students. Students are, at their request, permitted to view their examination papers in the presence of a designated faculty member and to see correct examination answers.

Dissertation Advisor, Dissertation Committee and Research Proposal

Doctoral students with a prior master’s degree must choose their dissertation advisor(s) by the fourth semester in the program at the latest. Students without a master’s degree must make the decision by the end of the fifth semester. (Different program requirements may apply for Ph.D. programs offered jointly with other universities.)

The department chairperson or doctoral program director is responsible in the student's department/program for approving originally the formation of dissertation committees. The committee must be finally approved by the Vice Provost for Graduate Studies.  The Guidelines for Graduate Faculty membership at NJIT must be followed when forming a committee. ( The committee consists of a minimum of five members (four for the Urban Systems program), one of whom is external to the student’s academic program or to NJIT. The majority of the committee members are tenured or tenure-track faculty from the student's program or department having research experience or developing research interests related to the dissertation research. The dissertation committee chairperson typically is the doctoral candidate's dissertation advisor, but other faculty may be selected, provided they are from the student's program or department. The dissertation committee chair must be a tenured or tenure-track faculty member in the program. Two committee members, including an external member, may serve as co-advisors. The advisor or at least one of the co-advisors must be a tenured or tenure-track faculty member from the program. Faculty with joint appointments are considered internal committee members when serving on dissertation committees in their secondary department. 

Former students of any committee member, who are less than four years beyond doctoral completion, are specifically excluded from membership. The external committee member should either have appropriate faculty rank elsewhere or have sufficient research expertise to warrant inclusion on the dissertation committee.

Part-time doctoral students pursuing the doctorate with industry collaboration (i.e., collaborative Ph.D.) may have at least one dissertation committee member from the participating industrial partner whose research credentials would otherwise be appropriate for a member of the university faculty. Committees for joint doctoral programs with other universities shall either follow these policies or the specific policies for the joint program consistent with the program approval and related documents.

Each doctoral program has specific requirements for preparing, presenting and accepting proposals. The dissertation defense is expected to be presented in a public forum. Research is expected to investigate or develop a unique contribution to science and technology. Research may be experimental, analytical, applied, or theoretical, provided it satisfies this criterion and is approved by the dissertation committee. It should be of a quality to warrant scholarly presentation or paper submission to reputable journals in accordance with program practice.

Residency

Doctoral candidates must spend at least one academic year in full-time residence. This requirement is sometimes waived with the approval of the dissertation committee and the Vice Provost for Graduate Studies. Such waivers are granted when a candidate's dissertation research requires use of research facilities at an approved off-campus site. A typical example for residency requirement waiver would apply in the case of students in the collaborative doctorate option.

Doctoral Candidacy

Doctoral candidates are doctoral students who have completed all other requirements for the degree except the completion of the dissertation and the defense. This includes, as a minimum, passage of the doctoral qualifying examination, approval of the research proposal and completion of all course work. Status as a doctoral candidate does not imply candidacy for the degree. A degree candidate will be both near degree completion and have made a formal degree application for a particular graduation date.

Dissertation and Defense

The dissertation should be a scholarly publication of the quality to warrant conference presentation or paper submission to reputable journals. The dissertation must be defended in a public announced oral defense. Successful defense of the dissertation is determined by vote of the dissertation committee. All members of the committee must be present to hear the defense.

In regard to dissertation format, the standard reference is the latest edition of the Estrin/Roche Manual: Guidelines for Scientific and Professional Theses. Office of Graduate Studies policies on number of copies, document submission deadlines, fee payments, information documents, and grade submission for acceptance of the final dissertation and for doctoral degree certification are to be followed. The Office of Graduate Studies provides guidance and assistance to students working on formatting their dissertation. Students should contact the office for appointments early in the final semester. The review of format should proceed well in advance of final document approval and dissertation defense.

The dissertation defense must be defended in a public forum. Successful defense of the dissertation is determined by vote of the dissertation committee. The committee members must be present at the defense. Every member of the dissertation committee must sign and date the approval page of the final dissertation document. A report on passage, conditional passage, or failure of the defense is completed by the dissertation committee chair, signed by the dissertation committee members, and sent to the Graduate Studies Office on a standardized form.

Residency Policy for International Students

During the academic year, all international students are required to live within commuting distance to campus, at the local address that they have reported to NJIT. Exceptions to the rule are:

1. A student is on a trip when the school is not in session (e.g. spring or summer breaks).
2. A student is away for academic reasons and with the permission of the student’s advisor.
3. A student has received NJIT’s official approval for out-of-state CPT and is registered in the CPT course.

Graduate students: NJIT considers dissertation and thesis credit classes to be face to face. When graduate students are taking only dissertation/thesis credit with full time certification, they must report to their advisors regularly.

If international students must travel for an extended period of time or live outside of commuting distance to NJIT in order to conduct research or gather data, the students' advisors (dissertation or thesis advisor in the case of doctoral and Master’s students) must be able to, upon request from the Office of Global Initiatives, describe the academic reasons for the students' distance. Writing drafts of dissertation/thesis are not considered academic reasons. If international students must travel internationally to conduct research or gather data, they must report this to the OGI since this can affect their F-1 status. 

International students who do not have regular face to face meetings with their advisors can be in violation of their F-1 status and therefore are at risk of having their SEVIS records terminated.

Graduate Certificate Requirements

The awarding of a graduate certificate requires the successful completion of a minimum of 12 program-specified credits with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75. Students enrolled in a certificate program are allowed only one (1) course repetition to improve their GPA.

Students wishing to apply all credits earned in the certificate program toward a relevant master’s degree must achieve a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA and must enroll in the master’s degree program within seven (7) years of receiving the certificate. Those with a certificate GPA between 2.75 and 2.99, who enroll in a relevant master's program within seven years of receiving the certificate, may apply certificate coursework with a B grade or higher to their master's degree.

 Students pursuing a master's degree who also seek certificates may apply a maximum of six (6) credits completed during their masters program before enrolling in in the certificate program. Masters students seeking a certificate must apply for the certificate program no later than the last day of the add/drop period in the semester they wish to receive the certificate. 

Students who obtain a graduate certificate whether before or during enrollment in an MS degree can earn additional certificates by completing a minimum of nine (9) additional credits (equivalent to three courses) per certificate.

Student Privacy Concerns

Consistent with the Family Educational Rights to Privacy Act (FERPA), NJIT allows for the release of directory information, which includes a student’s preferred name.  If a student does not want their directory information disclosed to external organizations or persons, they can select "Do NOT show my profile". 

Students may also request to withhold disclosure of directory information altogether. New Jersey Institute of Technology assumes that failure on the part of any student to specifically request in writing preventing the disclosure of directory information indicates individual approval of disclosure.

NJIT Policy for Recording Classes

https://www5.njit.edu/registrar/njit-policy-recording-classes/

Preferred Name Statement

New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) is committed to creating a campus environment that is inclusive of everyone’s culture, identity, and background. This commitment fosters an institutional culture where all members of the community feel welcomed and a sense of belonging.

With a strong commitment to creating an inclusive campus community, NJIT embraces the diversity of all students, faculty and staff who wish to use a preferred name in all university settings. We strive to ensure all members of the campus community respectfully use an individual’s preferred name in all university settings and support an individual to self-identify however they choose.

NJIT defines preferred name as the name by which a person wishes to be known and to have appeared in university systems, and marketing and communications, except where legal name is required. A Legal Name is defined as the name that is recorded on legal identification and used on formal legal records and documents. Preferred names are individual choices and should always align with NJIT’s Core Values.

Using self-service through Banner, at any time, a student, faculty, or staff member may update their preferred name. It may take several days for the preferred name to appear on university systems, documents, and records. You may request a new ID card by visiting the Photo ID office. Per the requirements of law and/or certain legal identification purposes, an individual’s legal name may be used for legal records and documents, including transcripts and diplomas.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a preferred name?

A “preferred name” is the name other than ones legal name that the student has indicated the desire to be identified by.  A “legal name” is the name recorded on the student’s legal identification (i.e., passport, birth certificate, Social Security card) and used on official NJIT records.

Are there any Preferred Name restrictions?

NJIT reserves the right to decline or revoke an approved Preferred Name if the preferred name may be used for criminal or misrepresentation purposes may be harmful to the reputation or interests of NJIT, and/or conveys inappropriate or offensive language/meaning.

When/why will NJIT departments/personnel continue to use my legal name?

NJIT departments, offices, and/or personnel often must use appropriate identification of students’ legal name to conduct university business and functions (i.e., sending reports to federal, State, and other government agencies that require legal identity verification). Students utilizing a preferred name should always be prepared to reference their legal name as well as provide university identification when necessary.

How long will it take for my preferred name registration to take effect?

Depending on the time a preferred name application was submitted to the Office of the Registrar, it may take several business days for the preferred name to begin appearing on certain university rosters.  NJIT does not guarantee the preferred name will appear in all locations or in all circumstances. 

What if I’ve already received identification with my legal name only?

Students who have already received identification with legal names only may apply for new identification reflecting the approved preferred name.

Will background checks include preferred names?

Students who register a preferred name must be aware that preferred names are required to be disclosed in certain circumstances, including during background checks and other legal processes.  The university is under a continued responsibility to report such names even after a student has discontinued use of the preferred name.

Cooperative Education and Internships

Cooperative Education (Co-op) and Internship programs offer students the opportunity, prior to graduation, to gain work experience that is related to their major. The Co-op Program provides students with an experiential and applications approach to education. Co-op is available to matriculated students in all majors. The program enhances the education of the student with the introduction of part- and full-time work experiences during which additive or degree credits can be earned. Co-op enables students to examine a professional field through employment in a major-related job. All co-op students earn a salary that can help defray college and other expenses. The co-op course will be for one credit and included in the student’s bill the first time they register. Any consecutive co-op courses will also be for one credit, but no tuition will be charged irrespective of change of employer. Other fees still apply.

International students only: International students who wish to participate in the co-op experience must apply for employment authorization through the Office of Global Initiatives (OGI) and Career Development Services (CDS). The Office of Graduate Studies reviews requests for all Ph.D. students and deliberates on appeals of MS students whose cumulative GPA is below 3.0. Graduate students can be considered full-time during spring and fall semesters if participating in full-time co-op in addition to at least one (1) face-to-face course. A graduate student participating in part-time co-op must maintain full-time status by registering for a minimum of 9 credits in fall and spring semesters.

Please visit the Graduate Studies Office or if you’re a MS student go to this link.  If you’re a PhD student use this link for further details.   

NJIT Policy on Student Absences for Religious Observances

NJIT does not cancel classes for non-federally recognized religious holidays. Students observing such holidays must follow this policy to receive accommodation. The policy ensures that students absent due to religious observances are excused without penalty. Faculty are required to provide students ample time to make up missed assignments, exams, projects, quizzes, or other academic work.

Students must notify their professors in writing of any conflicts between course requirements and religious observances. Faculty must include a reminder on the course syllabus about this notification process. Students expecting to miss classes or exams due to religious observances must submit a written list of dates to their instructors, ideally by the end of the second week of class, but no later than two weeks before the anticipated absence.

Faculty are expected to make reasonable accommodations for missed work, including exams, quizzes, and assignments, due to religious observances. Once notified in writing, professors must ensure that students are not penalized for missed work, as long as it is completed by a new deadline set by the professor, which must fall within the academic term. If the student fails to meet this deadline, the professor will assign an appropriate grade. Missed work may include homework, projects, exams, quizzes, lab work, or out-of-class activities scheduled during the observance.

Faculty should maintain cultural sensitivity and confidentiality regarding a student's religious observance, respecting the student’s beliefs and practices. They are encouraged to consult the NJIT religious holiday calendar to avoid scheduling assessments or major assignments during recognized religious observances, including non-federally recognized holidays. Faculty should also be aware of religious practices like fasting, which may affect a student's ability to focus and complete work.

This policy applies only to absences for religious observances. For other excused absences, students should refer to the policies from the Dean of Students.

For any questions or concerns regarding this policy, please contact the Office of Inclusive Excellence at inclusiveexcellence@njit.edu.