Exempted courses do not count toward the 204 units required for graduation. The exact nature of the exemption is at the discretion of individual faculty members, who may require evidence of appropriate previous work or a demonstration of competency in either a written or oral examination. Students who want to take an exemption exam for a required course they previously failed must first receive permission from the Director of the Master's Programs. Exemption forms are available from the Master's Programs Office. Students earn credit and grade points only if they have both registered for and completed a course.
Students are responsible for ensuring they are properly registered for all courses they attend.
If a student has not registered for a course, neither course credit nor a course grade will be processed. If interested in a special topic that no GSIA course covers in depth, students may negotiate an independent study with a GSIA faculty member, and submit it for approval to the Director of the Master's Program. Auditors may participate in class discussion and take examinations, subject to the agreement of the instructor. Auditors are expected to conduct themselves as though they were regular class members. Auditors who do not attend regularly or who do not prepare for class will not receive audit credit, and the course will not appear on their transcript.