Starting as a Non-matriculated Student

The Graduate School allows you to take nine semester hours of credit before matriculating. That usually means three full courses, or an equivalent combination of three-credit courses and one-credit seminars. The graduate credits you earn as a non-matriculated student apply toward your Master's degree if you later matriculate, providing that your grade in each course is "B" or better.

Course Registration for Non-matriculated Students

Taking a course as a non-matriculated student is quite simple. All you have to do is to send in a pre-registration form indicating which course(s) you want to take. Then go to the first meeting of the class. Course registration materials and all necessary information will be distributed at that time.

• Course Schedule
• Registering for Courses

Advantages to Matriculating Later

There are several advantages to matriculating later—after taking one, two, or three Temple graduate courses. First, you will have had a chance to get to know the curriculum, the faculty, and the other graduate students before you commit yourself to the degree program. You will be able to make a more informed decision about matriculation.

Second, if your undergraduate grades were below a B average, non-matriculated status allows you to establish a stronger academic record before you file for admission. In addition, your TUJ professors will be able to write recommendation letters on your behalf to the Graduate School.

Finally, if you plan to take more than three years in completing your master's degree, there is an advantage to delaying matriculation: the University considers your date of matriculation to be the official beginning of your tenure in the program, rather than the date of your first course. This gives you more time to complete the requirements for the degree.