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MFA Design: Registration, Professional Quarter, Thesis and Graduation

Registration

Your Graduate Program Advisor will consult with the Design Program Head to plan your classes and register you for each academic quarter. However, each student is responsible for ensuring their registration is correct and that they are registered full time each quarter. Once you are registered, the Graduate Program Advisor will confirm your registration by email. Please sign into MyUW to ensure you are registered as planned.

Independent Study or Registration for Additional Coursework

If you are interested in taking classes outside of your area, outside of the department, or you are interested in pursuing an independent study separate from the registration plans determined by your area head, please consult with the Head of Design first and also communicate your plans with your Graduate Program Advisor.

Professional/Internship Quarter
and Going On Leave

A 10-week internship is required in your third year. In your internship ("professional") quarter, you may request Graduate On-Leave Status, so that you are not responsible for the cost of tuition. Your professional quarter will be arranged for summer or, more commonly, autumn of your third year of study.

You can request on-leave status up to two weeks before the quarter begins. This request is done in MyGrad Program. There is a $25 fee for your on-leave quarter. If you do not go on-leave, there is a $250 reinstatement fee you must pay to come back.

Going on Leave and Financial Aid

If you are receiving financial aid, please consult with Student Financial Aid about your plans to go on leave. You should apply and pay for going on-leave no later than the second Friday of the quarter. Students who are officially on-leave by the 2nd Friday of the quarter will have their on-leave status reported to the National Student Clearinghouse.

F-1 Visa Considerations for the Professional Quarter and Going on Leave

Generally, international (F-1 visa) students cannot go on leave in autumn quarter, if they are not enrolled full-time for summer quarter. Please consult with International Student Services about your options for going on leave. Alternatively, it may be possible to register for credit to support your internship/professional quarter.

F-1 Students Engaging in Off-Campus Work/Internship and CPT (Curricular Practical Training)

If an international student chooses to engage in an off-campus work opportunity or internship in any quarter, they need to consult with International Student Services about obtaining off-campus work authorization, usually in the form of CPT (Curricular Practical Training). Remember, F-1 students are responsible for maintaining visa status during their entire time in the US on an F-1 visa.

Design MFA Thesis

Graduation

Applying for your masters degree

Review the Graduate School’s Preparing to Graduate for more information about graduation requirements. You can submit a Master's Degree Request in MyGrad Program beginning the first day of instruction for the quarter in which you will graduate. Master's Degree Requests can be submitted up until the last day of the quarter. However, if you are graduating in Spring, please submit your Master's Degree Request by April 15, if you wish to be included in the UW Commencement program.

NOTE: In MyGrad, you will be asked if you're in a thesis program. Please indicate that you are NOT in a thesis program.

Registration Waiver Fee: If you miss the master's degree request deadline

It is possible to file for your degree after the last day of your final quarter. However, in this case, you will be responsible to pay a Registration Waiver Fee for the late filing of your master's degree request. If you will file late for your degree, you will have until the last day of the quarter following your graduation quarter to submit a new Master's Degree Request in MyGrad and you will be required to pay the Registration Waiver Fee of $250. This process will also delay the posting of your master's degree.

Commencement 

Commencement registration starts in early May. See the UW Commencement web site for information about ordering academic regalia,  signing up to walk in the ceremony, reserving tickets for guests, etc. Commencement is entirely different from filing for your degree. You must submit a Master's Degree Request by April 15 (or the Friday of the third week of Spring Quarter) to be listed in the UW Commencement program, and you must submit a Master's Degree Request to participate in the ceremony. 

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