We want you to excel in your studies at UIS. We understand that sometimes you may need help with a course or an academic skill. So, please visit our Learning Hub for peer tutoring; supplemental instruction; online, on-ground, and in-class workshops; walk-in assistance; and additional support materials hosted on its website.

Classes fill up, and admission over the class limit is never a sure thing. We may be able to add extra classes if we know early enough. The registrar will send you a note indicating when you will be able to begin registering for classes. This note is referred to on the site as a "time ticket." Current students get first access, then new students. To ensure you get the classes you need, please register as soon as possible.

Two weeks before summer and fall registration, which opens the first week of April, is an excellent time to ask for permission for classes requiring special approval. For the spring semester, the time to consider asking for permission is the last two weeks in October because registration opens the first week of November.

Before registering, you must establish or know your NetID and Password.

Students of our various programs should visit the following pages for degree planning information and trackers:

• Bachelors of Public and Nonprofit Administration program plans and advising sheets
• For Master of Public Administration, Joint MPA-MPH, and Graduate Certificates see the MPA program plans and advising Sheets page
• Master of Public Policy program plans and advising sheets
• MA in Human Services program plans and advising sheets

Students should consult with their Advisors and their program's section of the University Catalog for all degree requirements, programmatic policies, and a listing of courses.

The AA/AS – BA in Public Administration completion option offers students with a traditional transfer-oriented associate's degree the opportunity to attain a baccalaureate degree intended to help prepare them for management and supervisory positions in public service and nonprofit organizations. Upon transfer into the BA in Public Administration program, the student with a 60+ semester hour associate's degree from an accredited institution must complete at least 60 hours at UIS for the BA in Public Administration. As part of their general education courses for their Associate's degree, students should take the equivalent of the following courses: ECO 201 Introduction to Microeconomics, PSC 242 Statistics for Social Studies or other approved Math or Statistics course, and PSC/LES 201 Introduction to the American Political System. These courses satisfy 9 hours of the BPA program core. University ECCE hours also need to be completed in the 60 UIS hours taken after the transfer (10 more hours). However, several of the PA elective courses are also ECCE-approved courses and will satisfy these requirements.

Transfer students are encouraged to complete their Associate's degree before transfer. Students who do not choose to complete their Associate's degree should try to complete their IAI* general education core courses. If they do not, they can complete their general education courses after transfer to UIS.

For more information, students should contact Andrew Nicol, Undergraduate Program Student Advisor.

Students with graduate credits from another university may petition to have up to 12 hours of those credits transferred to UIS and credited to the MPA/MPP/MA in HMS degree. To qualify for consideration:

• you must have taken the courses at an accredited institution;
• you must have enrolled for the course at the graduate level;
• you may not have used the course for any other degree you hold;
• you must have earned at least a straight B in the course; and
• you must have completed the course within five years of your first term of Graduate Program admission.

To apply for transfer credits from another university, students must ensure the UIS Office of Admissions has their official transcripts from all former colleges or universities attended.  Since this is a requirement for admittance, this doesn't generate extra steps when requesting transfer credit. If transcripts are submitted by mail or in person, the files must not have been opened. Electronic copies should be sent to incomingtranscripts@uis.edu.  

The Office of Admissions will evaluate prior graduate course work to determine which courses may be eligible for transfer. The student and their assigned advisor may consider any credits indicated as suitable on the Admissions report for application to a core or elective course. Suppose the transfer is for a core course. In that case, the advisor will check with a tenure-track faculty member who teaches the core course to ensure the transfer's appropriateness.

Only hours earned with a grade of B or better and accepted by the program will also be accepted by UIS. Request to transfer credit for courses bearing a grade such as P (pass) or CR (credit) must be supported by a certification from the institution or instructor that the work was of at least B quality.

Time Limit on Transfer Credit: All transfer credit to be applied to a master's degree must have been earned within five years of the first graduate course taken at UIS in pursuit of that degree. Programs may grant exceptions on a case-by-case basis.

Use this degree audit system to view an unofficial degree report. This audit will include all completed courses as well as those in progress.

The degree audit is a report generated by Banner on request. It is an excellent tool for checking classes completed, those in progress, and those courses still needed for the degree. But while it aids students in planning and reviewing progress, it is only as good as the material entered, which is why it is an unofficial copy. This audit does NOT take the place of regular academic advising sessions. For questions, omissions, or mistakes regarding your audit, contact your advisor or email the department at spmp@uis.edu

Undergraduate Students: All credit earned at UIS to be applied toward completing a bachelor's degree must be taken within seven consecutive years of the first course taken at UIS in pursuit of that degree.

Master's Students: All graduate credit earned at UIS to be applied toward completing a master's degree must be taken within six consecutive years of the first graduate course taken at UIS in pursuit of that degree. This limitation does not include transfer credit earned before the first term of graduate enrollment, credit granted for prior learning, and prerequisites; however, it includes closure requirements. Degree programs may grant exceptions on a case-by-case basis, and programs may also grant leaves of absence.

Doctoral Students: All credit earned at UIS to be applied toward completing a doctoral degree must be taken within eight consecutive years of the first doctoral course taken at UIS in pursuit of that degree.  This limitation does not include prerequisites; however, it does include closure requirements.  The degree program may grant exceptions on a case-by-case basis, and the program may also grant leaves of absence.

We will process requests in the order in which they are received. If the class becomes full, we will keep your request in the queue. If someone withdraws from registration, we will notify you promptly that a space is open, and you can register. You can fill out the special approval form online.

When a class requiring special approval is full, you can still complete the special approval form and be placed on the waiting list. The department will notify you if your name comes up for a spot in the class, and then you can register. Sometimes there are special circumstances where the department may not follow the list order. Usually, this happens when a student needs a class to graduate in the current semester.

Suppose a class is full and there are exceptional reasons you need it this semester. In that case, you can email the instructor and ask if you can get an override into the class. We try hard to keep classes small enough for good instruction, so only exceptional reasons will be considered by instructors. If the instructor allows the override, ask them to email the SPMP Office indicating their decision. The Office will check for prerequisite requirements and then let you know you can register.

In the event you are unable to enroll in the waitlist, it means the list is full. We only provide as many spots as is likely to succeed. Five seats are the usual number of waitlist seats. This limit prevents waiting on a class that may not open. Suppose a class and waitlist are full, and there isn't an overriding reason. In that case, we recommend taking the next available class on your degree plan.

Online core courses are held for online program students as follows: Fall/Summer – May 30 and Spring – December 10

Classes that do not fill up with online students before the date they are held for online students will open to on-ground students in the normal registration system to the schedule above.

As an on-ground student, you can ask for special approval for the online class at any time. Asking for special approval gets you on the "waitlist" for the class. So when the class opens up to on-ground students, if there are still seats available, you may get a seat.

Most online and on-ground electives are open to everyone from the first day of registration. Some classes have class seats held for certificate students for three weeks after priority registration begins.

Students who wish to change programs should fill out a Change of Curriculum form.

Requests for a change of program will typically be considered along with new applications to the program. So students should include a written statement indicating why they want to change programs.

Before filling out any petition, students should know who their advisor is, or the form will not go through. Contact the program office if no advisor is assigned or if the assigned advisor has left UIS for some reason.

Find forms Appeals of Academic Suspension, Student Petitions, Transcript Requests, Graduation and Degree Completion, and more on the Registrar forms page.

The Military and Veterans Affairs Office is your home base on campus for questions, issues, or opportunities unique to veterans and those currently serving in the military.

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