Graduate students register by submitting a form indicating the courses they intend to register into. The form is linked below.

Important Information

Graduate students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with their program requirements and ensuring the completeness and accuracy of their registration. Students may not take coursework that is outside of the calendar requirements or, where program approval is required, that have not been approved by their supervisor or Chair.

Students who have been admitted conditionally will not be able to register until all outstanding documentation is received. The deadlines for documentation are as follows:

• August 15 for a September start
• December 1 for a January start
• April 15 for a May start

Continuous Registration Requirement

• All graduate students are required to maintain continuous registration for the duration of their program with the exception of students in course-based programs without course offerings in the Spring semester.

Course-Based

• Course-based programs are those terminating in a 3 credit capstone (comprehensive exam, major research paper, major paper, portfolio or 3 credit practicum).
• If you are finishing your capstone in the May semester (comprehensive exam, major research paper, major paper, portfolio or 3 credit practicum), you will need to register.
• If you are uncertain whether or not you need to register, please speak with your program.

Thesis, Project or Dissertation

• Students in a thesis, project or dissertation are required to register in the September, January and May semesters continuously unless on an approved leave. If you are completing a thesis, project or dissertation and are not taking courses in a semester, you should be registering in your capstone (a thesis, dissertation, project).
• If you are not in a course-based program without a summer offering of coursework, you must apply for a leave of absence to have a break in registration.
• If you wish to take a leave from your program, you will need to apply for a leave of absence.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know what I should register in?

You should be working closely with your supervisor or, where no supervisor is assigned, your program Chair for guidance on course selection.

The most current degree requirements can be found online here. Students must meet the graduation requirements in place at the time of their admission unless they have received approval to change their curriculum. Archive calendars can be found online here and the Office of Graduate Administration can assist you with any questions you might have (grad-office@unbc.ca).

Most programs require a program approval form. The deadline to submit this form is typically by the end of the first semester of study but you can start using it immediately as a planning tool. This, combined with the graduate calendar, is your guide for how you will complete your program. Your program of study is used in the final audit to determine whether or not you have met your degree requirements. Therefore, it is essential that this document is up-to-date. Failure to adhere to an approved program of study can mean that you will not meet your degree requirements and this will impact your ability to graduate.

Some programs do not require a program approval form. For those programs, the calendar outlines the courses you need to complete for your degree.

I will be entering my first semester of study and have not completed a program of study. How do I know what to register in?

If you have an assigned supervisor, you should reach out to your supervisor for assistance in course selection. It is very important to work closely with your supervisor to plan your program.

If you are in a course-based degree program, the Program Chair can assist you with any questions you may have.

I don’t have a copy of my program approval form. How can I obtain one?

Students are required to retain a copy of all paperwork submitted to the Office of Graduate Administration. Our office will confirm that the Dean has approved your submitted form by email and this is your confirmation that the approval form has been processed. Please check for this prior to contacting our office.

If you cannot find your program approval form or confirmation of processing, please email grad-office@unbc.ca.

Note that the following programs do not require program approval forms if the student is not deviating from the calendar requirements for degree completion. If additional courses are required or substitutions to required courses are made, a program approval revision form must be submitted. Taking unapproved coursework may impact your ability to graduate.

• Master of Business Administration
• Master of Science in Nursing: Family Nurse Practitioner (unless adding courses or changing required courses)
• Master of Engineering in Integrated Wood Design
• PhD in Natural Resources and Environmental Studies (unless adding courses or changing required courses)

What is the deadline to submit registration?

The registration form must be submitted to registration@unbc.ca prior to the first day of classes. Submitting your form early will lessen the likelihood of a delay due to processing time. We highly encourage submission of the registration form at least two weeks prior to the start of the semester.

How can I review my academic record?

Unofficial transcripts may be viewed and printed through UNBC Student Online Services. To view your unofficial transcript, please log into your Student Online Services. Then, click on Student Online Services, Student Records, and Unofficial Transcript. You should be able to print one off from that page (just from your browser, there is no printer button) for your purposes.

Where can I find a list of the courses offered for the semester?

The course schedule can be found online here.

How do I register in a directed reading, directed study or independent study course?

Registration in a directed study, independent study or directed readings course does still require approval by the instructor, your supervisor (where assigned) and the Program Chair. There is a new form that supports that approval process and this signed form should be included with your registration form. The form can be found here (Independent Study Request Form).

How do I drop a course?

Provided you are seeking to revise registration before the deadline, you can do so via the registration form. If you are attempting to revise your registration after the deadline, please reach out to grad-office@unbc.ca for guidance.

There are two deadlines for revising registration. The first, called the add/drop date, allows you to revise registration with a refund of tuition. This removes the course from your transcript. The second date is to permit withdrawal. No refund of fees is given and the course will remain on your transcript with a W in place of the grade. You can find these dates here.