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Registration and Courses

Student officially admitted to The Graduate School (TGS) may register for courses through CAESAR. Only courses authorized by TGS are approved for graduate credit.

See Master’s Degree Requirements and PhD Degree Requirements for a full overview of necessary procedures to complete your degree.

EXPLORE COURSES

Registration

Students should be aware of the registration polices, including the continuous registration policy and requirements for full-time study.

Students register online through CAESAR by deadlines published in the Academic Calendar. For help registering through CAESAR:

Late registration requests

Change of registration is permitted through the “last day to add a class or change a section” deadline listed on the University academic calendar, typically five business days after the start of the quarter. Students are not permitted to add classes or change sections after the deadline, except in the case of unusual and extraordinary circumstances. To request registration changes after the change of registration period, students must complete a Late Registration Petition form.

Course overload requests

Students who wish to register for more than four units in a quarter are required to complete a course overload petition form. The petition should include: 1) the academic rationale for the overload; 2) the course subject, catalog number, and class number; and 3) signatures from the student’s adviser and director of graduate studies. Students should email the completed form to gradservices@northwestern.edu. Please note: master’s students incur additional tuition if enrollment exceeds 4.0 units in a term.

Course withdrawal

A student may request permission from The Graduate School to withdraw from a course or courses after the published drop dead-line. See the course withdrawal policy for additional information and the procedure for submitting a request.