1.	Take appropriate admissions exam.	SI	Six to eight months prior to registration.
2.	Apply for assistantships, financial aid, if applicable.	Financial Aid Office/DC	Long semester prior to semester of registration.
3.	Apply for admission.	CD	At least 30 days prior to initial registration.
4.	Become familiar with general regulations and appropriate master's degree section of Graduate Catalogue.	SI	Before registration.
5.	Meet with graduate advisor assigned by /Department Chair to plan course of study for first semester.	DC CD	Before initial registration.
6.	Establish Advisory Committee;prepare degree plan.	GA & DC CD	Before second semester registration.
7.	Apply for admission to candidacy (must have removed all conditional admission requirements).	DC & CD as applicable for degree	After the completion of 9 semester hours, no later than completion of 15; additional requirements for MFA
8.	If thesis is required, submit thesis proposal.	ADCom DC & CD	14 weeks prior to graduation.
9.	Apply for degree	R	See deadline in Academic Calendar.
10.	Written and/or oral comprehensive exam.	ADCom	During semester of anticipated graduation.
11.	Submit 3 approved final copies of thesis.	ADCom DC & CD	By established deadline.
12.	Arrange for cap and gown at University Bookstore	SI	Approximately two months prior to graduation.

NOTE: Each student is responsible for determining the specific dates each term in which the steps summarized above occur.

APPLICATION FOR A DEGREE

Prior to the semester or summer school in which the degree is to be conferred, a formal application and payment of the diploma fee of $18 must be made in the Registrar's Office. The Academic Calendar which is located in the current catalogue and in the Schedule of Classes indicates the deadline for making application for a degree. A student who is completing the last semester of course work at an institution other than the University must provide the Registrar with an official transcript of this course work no later than one day prior to the graduation date. Diplomas will not be released to students who have a financial indebtedness to the University.

ATTENDANCE AT COMMENCEMENT

Should a degree candidate be unable to attend commencement, a written request for the award of the degree in absentia should be directed to the Office of the President of the University. The degree candidate should indicate the address to which the diploma is to be mailed and should enclose $3.00 ($8.00 for diplomas to be sent to foreign countries) in check or money order to cover the mailing of the diploma. Checks should be made payable to Sam Houston State University.

CHANGE OF SCHEDULE (ADDING AND DROPPING COURSES)

1. Students may make schedule changes by accessing SamInfo at https://www.shsu.edu/saminfo.

2. No schedule changes may be made after the deadline specified in the Academic Calendar. A course dropped after the stated deadline is entered on the student's permanent record with a grade of F.

CORRECT ADDRESSES

It is necessary to have on file with the University a correct residence address. A student who changes an address after completing registration should immediately report this address to the Registrar's Office. The University assumes no obligation for failure of a student to receive communications.

NAME CHANGE

Appropriate documentation which substantiates a legal name change for a student must be submitted to the Registrar prior to the student's next registration. Registration under a name different from that used in the student's last enrollment cannot be accomplished without the above certification, which becomes a part of the student's permanent file. All grade reports and transcripts are issued under the student's legal name as recorded in the Registrar's Office.

OFF-CAMPUS COURSES

Courses taught at locations away from the main campus carry residence credit but are denoted on the transcript with "OC" after the course title. Students may register for off-campus courses on the Sam Houston State University campus during the regular schedule of registration periods. If it is not convenient for students to register on the campus at these times, they may register during the first organizational meeting of the class at the place and time it is held. Off-campus tuition, fees, and procedures for resignations, "Adds" or "Drops", are the same as for students attending classes on campus. See the current Schedule of Classes for a complete listing of courses and their locations.

Sam Houston State University has approval from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to offer various degree programs at the University Center-North Harris Montgomery County Community College District at Montgomery College. Courses completed as part of these programs carry residence credit and will not be denoted OC on the transcript.

RESIGNATIONS

To resign (officially withdraw) from the University, a student must report to the Registrar's Office (113 Bobby K. Marks Administration Building) and process a Resignation Request. The Resignation Request must be in writing and becomes effective on the date received by the Registrar's Office. The effective date of the Resignation Request, as received by the Registrar's Office, is the date which is used for determining any refund. The student is responsible for clearing all debts owed to the University.

Students who resign after the first nine weeks of a regular semester or after the first two weeks of a summer session receive a mark of WP (withdrew passing) or WF (withdrew failing) for each course for which they are enrolled. Students who resign from the University while enrolled in a course whose duration is less than a normal term will receive a mark of WP or WF if they resign after one-half of that course time has been completed. The mark of WP or WF is the responsibility of the student's instructors.

TRANSCRIPTS

A currently enrolled student or a former student of the University may obtain a transcript of his/her completed work from the Office of the Registrar. All requests for transcripts must be in writing and must be accompanied by the individual's signature. A fee which, according to state law must be paid in advance, will be charged for each copy. The fee for each transcript is $4. Transcripts will not be released to students who have a financial indebtedness to the University. Checks should be made payable to Sam Houston State University.

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