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Current Students' Frequently Asked Questions


Questions


Master’s Thesis and Graduation:

  1. What is the deadline for submitting my Thesis Topic Approval form or final thesis?
  2. What do I need to turn in with my thesis?
  3. How long should my abstract be?
  4. Where can I find thesis-related forms online?
  5. How will I know if my thesis has been approved?
  6. I’ve turned in my thesis—is there anything else I need to do in order to graduate?
  7. When can I graduate?
  8. Can I participate in Convocation if I haven’t completed all of my graduation requirements?
  9. How can I change my graduation date?

Registration

  1. How do I register for courses?
  2. Why is Draper’s fall registration period later than those of other GSAS programs?
  3. I’m a returning Draper student—do I need to have an academic advising appointment?
  4. When is registration for the fall, spring, or summer semesters?
  5. Can I get access codes early?
  6. How do I register for Maintenance of Matriculation?

Program Policies and Procedures

  1. How many classes do I need to take to be considered a full-time student?
  2. What is half-/full-time equivalency? Do I qualify for it?
  3. I took an ‘Incomplete’ in a course—how long do I have to complete the remaining work?
  4. What is an 'extension of incomplete,' and how do I apply for this?

Answers



Master’s Thesis and Graduation:

  1. What is the deadline for submitting my Thesis Topic Approval form or final thesis?

    Due dates for Master’s Theses and Thesis Topic Approval forms are the same every year:


    For a Degree Conferred in:

    Topic Approval Form Due:

    Final Thesis Due:


    January


    August 16


    December 16


    May


    December 16


    April 16


    September


    April 16


    August 16

    **When the due date falls on the weekend, theses and forms will be due on the following Monday. Please note that theses must be received by the deadline. Any theses received after this date will be considered for the following term’s graduation.**
  2. What do I need to turn in with my thesis?

    Your thesis must include a cover sheet signed by your advisor, a brief abstract, two reader sheets (one signed by your advisor) filled out with your student information, and a Draper Exit Questionnaire. Forms can be picked up at the Draper Office or downloaded from our Web site: http://www.draper.fas.nyu.edu/page/forms. Please read Draper’s thesis guidelines for more information:  http://www.draper.fas.nyu.edu/object/draper.program.thesisguidelines.html.

  3. How long should my abstract be?

    There is no length requirement for the thesis abstract. Generally, it should be about 1-2 paragraphs.

  4. Where can I find thesis-related forms online?

    Thesis guidelines, a sample cover page, and all related forms can be downloaded from Draper’s Web site here:     http://www.draper.fas.nyu.edu/page/forms

  5. How will I know if my thesis has been approved?

    Once your thesis has been approved by your second reader, Draper will mail you a letter of confirmation. Please make sure that Draper has your current mailing address on file when you submit your thesis.

  6. I’ve turned in my thesis—is there anything else I need to do in order to graduate?

    When you have completed enough credits to be considered for graduation, the Registrar’s Office will send you a ‘Graduation Check Sheet.’ This form will indicate if there are any existing requirements that you need to take care of before you will able to graduate. Please note, however, that these forms are printed in advance, and may not reflect pending credit transfers or waivers. Once you have confirmed that you have completed all the necessary graduation requirements, please call TorchTone (212.995.4747) to apply for graduation. More information on applying for graduation--including important deadlines--can be found on the Registrar's Web site at http://www.nyu.edu/registrar/. 

  7. When can I graduate?

    Degrees are conferred three times a year: in January (fall), May (spring), and September (summer). Convocation only happens once a year (in May), but students who have received their degree at any point during the academic year may participate in the ceremony.

  8. Can I participate in Convocation if I haven’t completed all of my graduation requirements yet?

    Only students who have completed *all* degree requirements by the end of the spring semester may participate in GSAS Convocation and the University-wide commencement ceremony. Students who have not met the thesis submission deadline and/or have outstanding coursework will not be permitted to walk in either ceremony.

  9. How can I change my graduation date?

    You can change your graduation date on TorchTone (212.995.4747) as necessary.

Registration

  1. How do I register for courses?

    You can register for courses online through your NYUHome account using Albert—NYU’s student information services Web site. More information on this process can be found at: http://www.nyu.edu/registrar/registration/albert-registration.html.

  2. Why is Draper’s fall registration later than those of other GSAS programs?

    New Draper students are still being admitted in the late summer months. Draper does not begin registration until August so all students have equal access to courses.

  3. I’m a returning Draper student—do I need to have an academic advising appointment?

    All students who will be enrolling in credit-bearing courses *must* have a registration appointment before they receive access codes. Students who have completed their coursework and will be maintaining matriculation do not need to come in for an advising appointment.

  4. When is registration for the fall, spring, or summer semesters?

    Registration dates can be found on Draper's 'News and Events' page at: http://www.draper.fas.nyu.edu/page/newsevents.

  5. Can I get access codes early?

    No—students will not receive access codes before they have had their advising appointments.

  6. What is Maintenance of Matriculation (MM) and when do I need to register for it?

    GSAS policy requires that students maintain continuous matriculation while they complete their degrees. This means that for any fall or spring semester that the student will not be enrolling in credit-bearing courses, he/she must register for Maintenance of Matriculation (MM). Doing so allows the student access to NYU resources (such as Bobst Library) and faculty. Students do not need to register for MM during the summer semester.

  7. How do I register for Maintenance of Matriculation?

    Students register for Maintenance of Matriculation (MM) through Albert, as they would for any other course. MM always carries the course number G47.4747, but will have different call numbers from semester to semester. Please refer to the current list of Draper courses for the correct call number.

Program Policies and Procedures

  1. How many classes do I need to take to be considered a full-time student?

    Students who are taking 12 credits in a semester are considered ‘Full-Time.'    '

  2. What is half-/full-time equivalency? Do I qualify for it?

    Students who are not registered for either 12 credits (full-time), or 6 credits (half-time), but are completing other academic work simultaneously (such as thesis research) can apply for equivalency. Equivalency indicates that the time a student is investing in academic work each week is the same as the time that would be spent completing a full or half-time credit load. Draper students may normally have full-time status for no more than 4 semesters. Note: not all students will qualify for equivalency. Come by the Draper office for more information and to fill out an equivalency application form.

  3. I took an ‘Incomplete’ in a course—how long do I have to complete the remaining work?

    With the approval of the course instructor,  you may have one year from the *beginning* of the semester in which the course was taken to complete the work and receive a final grade. If the course work is not completed within this time,  the ‘I’ will convert to an ‘F.’ If you require more time to finish your incomplete work,  you must apply for an ‘extension of incomplete’ within the initial period of the incomplete. Grade changes from ‘I’ after one year will not be allowed unless an extension has been granted. Please note that the course instructor may stipulate a shorter time in which you must finish the outstanding work.

     

    For more information regarding incompletes and grade changes, please see Section 3.6 in the GSAS Policies and Procedures Manual.

  4. What is an 'extension of incomplete,' and how do I apply for this?

    If you want additional time (see above) to finish your incomplete course work, you must request an ‘extension of incomplete’ before the term of the incomplete ends or your grade will convert to an ‘F’ (see Question 3). Once a grade has been converted into an ‘F,’ grade changes will not be allowed.

    To request an extension of incomplete, you must be in good academic standing and you must obtain the approval of the course instructor and the associate director. Draper will submit the appropriate paperwork for the Vice Dean’s consideration, and notify you once a decision has been made.

    For more information regarding the extension of incomplete grades, please see Section 3.6 of the GSAS Policies and Procedures Manual.