How to Register for Courses

Updated Spring 2023

For a list of currently offered History graduate courses, please reference the "Courses" option in the gold navigation bar above or consult the official Schedule of Classes. 

Announcement: 

GMU graduate students are eligible to participate in coursework at local partner institutions under the Consortium of Universities cross registration initiative. For the full info sheet, please see the pdf in the right content block.

 

There are three major types of graduate course enrollment in the History PhD program:

 

  • general registration

  • controlled/restricted course registration

  • individual section course registration

 

*HIST 999 has a unique registration process outlined at the bottom of this page.

 

  1. General Registration:

applies to all regularly scheduled courses with open registration. This means that any active student can register themselves via Patriotweb using the Schedule of Classes as a reference for finding the CRN or special code for each course.

 

  1. Controlled/Restricted Registration:

refers to courses that students cannot register for without prior approval. On the Schedule of Classes, the course information will list the appropriate contact person for gaining approval for a restricted course. Examples of restricted courses include HIST 696 and HIST 810.

 

Courses are designated as controlled or restricted so that the department can ensure that enrollment in such courses are reserved for the appropriate student audiences. For example, HIST 697 Clio Wired is controlled so that first year History PhD students and ARTH MA students can be guaranteed enrollment space. Clio Wired is a required course for these two degree programs. Therefore, students in these programs have priority for enrolling first.

 

 

To gain access to a controlled course:

 

Simply email the applicable contact person.  This contact will create a registration override on your student file to allow you to register yourself for the course via Patriotweb.

 

Be sure to include your G number in requests to enroll in a restricted/controlled course.

 

 

  1. Individual Section Courses:

are courses for which students must sign up individually to enroll under a general course number. For example, HIST 804 and 803’s, and 998 (among other course numbers) are designated for individual enrollment.

 

 

To sign up for an individual course section,

 

Students must complete an Individual Section Request Form—including the supervising professor’s signature for approval.

 

The professor’s approval is necessary in order to verify that a professor has willingly and intentionally signed on to teach an individual course.

 

When completed, the Individual Section Request form should be submitted to the graduate coordinator.

 

 

Registering for HIST 999:

Dissertation Hours

 

To graduate with the PhD, History students must complete a minimum of 15 credits of HIST 999.

 

For full time student status, you must maintain at least 9 credits of 999 (or 6 credits for students with a GA fellowship) per semester (until you complete the required 15 credits of 999).

 

After you complete at least 15 credits of 999, you may register for less than 6 credits (1 credit minimum to maintain active student status). If you need full time student status for employment benefits (or other reasons), you can petition for full time status with as little as one credit registration using the Full Time Equivalency form.

 

Template to Request 999 Hours:

 

This is the template for 999 registration. The request must be emailed to the graduate coordinator at Lburges5@gmu.edu.

 

Students must be advanced to candidacy to request 999 hours.

 

  1. Student's Name:
  2. G#:
  3. Student's Program:
  4. Dissertation Advisor:
  5. Intended Credits:

 

Did you know that you can fulfill your History PhD coursework requirements at other local universities?

 

By cross registering through the Consortium of Universities, you can access relevant coursework at any of the partnering institutions in the Consortium. More information here.