Enrollment Policies

Dual Enrollment in Ph.D. & M.S. Programs
Dual Credit for Multiple Programs
Accelerated Master’s Programs
Change of Program
Applying Credits from Outside Institutions
Applying Undergraduate Level Credits Toward an Advanced Degree
Applying Graduate Level Credits Taken as an Undergraduate Toward an Advanced Degree
Non-degree Seeking Graduate Students [Special Graduate Students]

Dual Enrollment in Ph.D. & M.S. Programs

Concurrent enrollment in a Ph.D. program and an M.S. program in the same department/program is encouraged, if allowed by the department/program. Concurrent enrollment in a Ph.D. program and an M.S. program in a different department/program is normally not allowed. 

Exception Policy:

A student who seeks an exception to the above policy must follow the procedure set forth below. Students must be aware that exceptions to this policy will be granted only under extraordinary circumstances.

1. The Ph.D. student must obtain prior written approval for this dual-degree plan from his/her major professor and the head/coordinator of the relevant Ph.D. program.
2. If approval is granted in Step 1, then the Ph.D. student must obtain written approval for the M.S. degree plan from the head/coordinator of the corresponding M.S. program.
3. If approval is granted for Step 2, then the student will need to establish a second graduate student advisory committee (thesis option only) and file a separate program of study (required for all thesis and non-thesis students) for the M.S. degree with the Office of Graduate Education.
4. The dean of graduate education will have authority to either approve or disapprove this second program of study.  
5. The first 2 semesters of the dual program will be considered probationary.  The second program of study can be terminated based on recommendations of the Ph.D. committee and/or M.S. committee to the dean of graduate education.
6. A student who is granted dual enrollment in 2 departments/programs according to the procedure listed above may petition to use all graduate credits earned at SDSM&T toward both the MS and PhD degrees, within the constraints of the program and other graduate education policy, and subject to approval by the graduate committees for each program and the department head/program coordinator.

A student who is not dually enrolled, but who has fulfilled the requirements of an SDSM&T non-thesis M.S. degree en route to a Ph.D., may petition to receive the M.S. degree by submitting a valid Program of Study for the M.S. This petition must be made before the student is admitted to Ph.D. candidacy.

All graduate credits earned at SDSM&T are eligible for use in M.S. and Ph.D. degrees granted by SDSM&T, within the constraints of the program and other graduate education policy, and subject to approval by the graduate committees for each program and the department head/program coordinator. However, undergraduate credits used for an accelerated MS degree may not be used a third time toward a second graduate degree.

Dual Credit for Multiple Programs

Up to 12 credit hours that have been used, or are being used, to satisfy requirements for one M.S. degree at SDSM&T may be applied toward another M.S. degree from this institution, with the separate approval of the relevant advisors, programs and departments for each degree. In no cases can double-counted credits (either double-counted MS/MS, or BS/MS) be triple counted toward a third degree (BS, MS, MEng or PhD).

Accelerated Master’s Programs

Accelerated M.S. degree programs enable students to complete both the B.S. and M.S. degrees in as little as 5 years. These accelerated programs are selective programs to which a student must apply. The details for a particular program can be found in the program information section of the catalog. Accelerated options are currently available in most programs, although not all programs may choose to participate in the accelerated option.

Students desiring to participate in an accelerated program are encouraged to apply at the end of their junior year. A minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required at the time the student applies to the program. Programs may impose additional GPA requirements; see program information for further details. Programs may grant exceptions to the minimum GPA requirement under situations approved by the dean of graduate education.

Up to 12 credits applied toward the B.S. program may be used to satisfy graduate credit requirements. See individual programs for the number of credits allowed by the program and other program-specific restrictions.  Students applying to an accelerated BS/MS program must fill out an Accelerated BS/MS Advising Plan and find an interim advisor or major professor prior to admission to the BS/MS program.  Students are not formally admitted to the graduate school until they have completed their undergraduate degree.  Note that it is South Dakota Board of Regents policy that undergraduate students are not permitted to take 700 level and 800 level classes. The Accelerated BS/MS Advising Plan can be revised at any time, with the concurrence of the interim advisor or major professor and the department/program head or coordinator.  The following restrictions apply:

1. The courses must be taken at the 400/500/600 level as an undergraduate. Courses taken at the 400 level are subject to the other requirements listed in this catalog pertaining to undergraduate level courses.
2. Only courses taken at SDSM&T are eligible for dual credit.
3. No transferred courses from other institutions will be allowed to count toward the accelerated master’s degree.

Additional rules concerning application of other credits toward a MS degree, that are not used for the student’s undergraduate degree, are listed below.

Change of Program

A student who wishes to change programs should request the change using an intent to transfer form.  The current program must be notified prior to seeking the transfer. Approval from the proposed new program is required.  If admittance to the new program is not granted, the possibility of a discontinuation from study in any area at SDSM&T is possible.  Upon favorable recommendation from the new program, the dean of graduate education will issue a letter of transfer and notify the appropriate offices and the student of the change.

Applying Credits From Outside Institutions

A minimum of 60% of the credit hours in the graduate degree program must be completed from the institution granting the degree. 

Transfer credits. Credits for graduate level coursework taken at another institution are eligible to be transferred and applied to the requirements for a degree at SDSM&T. A maximum of 12 coursework credits may be transferred to a M.S. degree and a maximum of 24 coursework credits may be transferred to a Ph.D. degree.  Students wishing to request transfer credits must use the appropriate transfer of credits form found on the graduate education website.

Reduction of credits. Ph.D. candidates already holding an M.S. degree awarded by an institution other than SDSM&T may request up to a maximum of 24 semester credits of appropriate M.S. coursework credits and up to a maximum of 6 credits of acceptable M.S. research credits to apply to the Ph.D. credit requirement.  Students wishing to make such a request must use the reduction of credits form found on the graduate education website.

All requests for transfer credits or reduction of credits are subject to approval by the student’s graduate committee. The final list of courses that may be applied to the M.S. or the Ph.D. is established at the time that the student’s program of study is approved.

Domestic graduate transfer courses and transfer grades are recorded and evaluated by SDSM&T, calculated into grade point averages according to the South Dakota regental grade scheme, and recorded on the student’s academic transcript only if these transfer courses are equivalent to a specific graduate course at SDSM&T, or a course approved by the program coordinator or department head.  International transfer courses will appear on the transcript along with the number of credits earned, but no grade will appear or be calculated into grade point average. See PhD Degree Requirements for additional details.

Such credit from institutions external to the South Dakota regental system must be reviewed and approved by the student’s committee and by the dean of graduate education.  The dean of graduate education shall notify the registrar and director of academic services in writing of the credits to be accepted and placed on the student’s transcript.  An official transcript received directly from the issuing institution to support the request is required.  The transferred course number, title, and semester hours will be entered on the student’s transcript.

Applying Undergraduate Level Credits Toward an Advanced Degree

Undergraduate-level credits (300 or 400 level) taken as a graduate student are automatically placed on an undergraduate transcript and may not be used toward a graduate degree except under the following circumstances:

1. The courses must be approved by the student’s graduate student advisory committee and by the department head or program coordinator.
2. The student must have earned a B grade or better in any 300 or 400 level course which is to be credited toward advanced degree requirements. (See also individual department restrictions on 300-400 level courses.)
3. The student cannot apply any credit hours or grades for 100 and 200 level courses (which are usually taken to overcome academic deficiencies) toward advanced degree requirements.  If, in the opinion of the student’s advisor, major professor and graduate student advisory committee, progress in these courses is unsatisfactory, additional work may be required to demonstrate proficiency.
4. The number of undergraduate credits not used to fulfill requirements for the undergraduate degree that may be applied toward a master’s degree is limited to 9 hours.

Applying Graduate Level Credits Taken as an Undergraduate Toward an Advanced Degree

1. Graduate level credits taken as an undergraduate and used to fulfill requirements for the undergraduate degree may not be used toward a graduate degree unless the credits were taken as part of an approved accelerated master’s program at SDSM&T.
2. Up to 12 semester hours of graduate level credits taken as an undergraduate and not used to fulfill requirements for the undergraduate degree may be used toward a graduate degree only after the courses in question are approved by the graduate student advisory committee.

Non-degree Seeking Graduate Students [Special Graduate Students]

An individual who holds a baccalaureate degree and wishes to pursue further study without a commitment to an advanced degree may apply to the Office of Graduate Education for admission as a special student at the graduate level.  The applicant must provide evidence of the baccalaureate degree.  Upon admission as a special student, he/she will be subject to Office of Graduate Education policies.  A maximum of 12 credit hours may be accumulated, after which a special student must either apply for admission as a degree seeking student or must petition for a variance from this policy.  A course with a grade of incomplete counts toward the 12 credit maximum.  Graduate students classified as special students are not eligible for assistantships.  If a student is granted admission to a program as a degree-seeking student, a maximum of 12 credits taken as a special student may be applied toward the degree.

Application of Credits Taken as an Undergraduate Student or Special Graduate Student Toward an Advanced Degree

The maximum total number of SDSM&T credits, taken as an undergraduate student or special graduate student, which were not applied to an SDSM&T degree and that can be used toward a graduate degree, is 12.   Note that these credits are in addition to any “doubly counted” credits associated with Accelerated Master’s programs.