Please read these instructions carefully! If you have questions about the registration procedure, please email robyn.lynch@austin.utexas.edu
What you need to know about taking graduate courses
- Qualified undergraduates are very welcome.
- The qualification to take mathematics graduate courses is, typically, excellent performance in advanced undergraduate mathematics courses, especially in courses related to the subject matter of the graduate course.
- Talk to your academic advisor and/or a current instructor about whether a graduate course is right for you.
- The mathematics prelim courses are harder and faster-paced than anything in the undergraduate catalog. Set aside plenty of time to grapple with challenging homework problems.
- If you are planning on applying to graduate school in mathematics, but don’t have excellent grades in undergraduate mathematics courses, the best choice may well be to take further undergraduate courses, aiming for strong grades. Mediocre grades in graduate courses will not strengthen your graduate-school applications.
- We strongly recommend that, in your first semester of graduate-level mathematics, you take only one graduate course.
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Plan ahead! If we find you’re not qualified for a particular course, we won’t grant permission (and it is not in your interests to take the class). If that’s a week into the semester, this will be inconvenient. Handle this early.
Registration procedure
- This procedure is only for graduate courses in Mathematics, and only for students with a declared major in the College of Natural Sciences or School of Engineering. If you are in a different UT college/school, you will need to obtain the appropriate paper form from that college.
- Complete the request form on this page (one form per course). You will need to detail relevant courses you have taken.
- The course instructor will review your request. If the the instructor needs further information, he/she may ask you to get in touch directly.
- If the course instructor approves, the Mathematics Graduate Advisor will review your request. If the Graduate Advisor needs further information, he/she may ask you to get in touch directly.
- If your request is approved, it will be emailed to the appropriate Dean’s Office (CNS or Engineering), and you will be notified.
- Important note: If you want your course to substitute for another required course, you will need to fill out a separate petition. Talk to your academic advisor.
For faculty
- If you are teaching a graduate course, you will receive an email notification when an undergraduate requests enrollment. Click on the link in the email, review the student’s qualifications, and check the box indicating your decision.
- If you need more information, or would like to meet the student, select on the “More information needed” and write a short message in the adjacent box (the student will see this).
- If you approve the request, it will be sent to the Graduate Advisor for review. If the Graduate Advisor also approves, these approvals will be conveyed to the relevant Dean’s Office.
