FAQ's

Who is my Graduate Program Coordinator?

Would my Graduate Program Coordinator be located in the Office of Graduate Admissions & Support Services Office?

Do I have a choice between a comprehensive exam and a thesis?

What is a work program?

What is the difference between deferred, conditional and full matriculation status?

What do I need to know about parking on campus?

How long can I take to complete my degree?

Do I need to establish a mail.Montclair.edu e-mail account?

Is there a health center that I could visit on campus?

Do I need to receive immunizations in order to register for classes?

Do I need to purchase Montclair State's Health Insurance?

Do I need to have an MSU Identification card?

What college/school do I belong to?

How do I know when to register?

How many credits can I register for?

How many credits can I transfer to Montclair State University?

Is housing available for graduate students?

Who is my Graduate Program Coordinator?

The Graduate Program Coordinator is a critical partner in your graduate school experience. Students are encouraged not only to meet with their Program Coordinator for course selection, but also to discuss overall curriculum planning, research opportunities and career goals. Contact the Office of Graduate Admissions & Support Services (973) 655-5147 for more information, including the names of Graduate Program Coordinators by program, or visit the following website for a listing of Graduate Program Coordinators: http://www.montclair.edu/graduate/adviserlist.shtml

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Would my Graduate Program Coordinator be located in The Graduate Admissions & Support Services Office?

Graduate Program Coordinators are not located in the Office of Graduate Admissions & Support Services Office. Graduate Program Coordinators are located within the department which they represent. You may contact the department of your graduate program in order to find out your graduate Program Coordinator's office hours. You may visit the following website for a list of department phone numbers: http://www.montclair.edu/graduate/adviserlist.shtml

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Do I have a choice between a comprehensive exam and a thesis?

All doctoral and master's degree programs have comprehensive experience requirements. These include: comprehensive examinations (written and oral), theses, written projects, treatises, capstone courses, culminating activities, fieldwork, field projects, and internships. Some programs may require more than one comprehensive experience (e.g. comprehensive examination and written project). It is the responsibility of the student to be familiar with the comprehensive experience requirement(s) of the program of study. The comprehensive exam is open only to fully matriculated students in good standing and is usually administered once in the fall semester and once in the spring semester. Students should check with their departmental graduate Program Coordinator to determine the date and time of the exam. Those required to write a thesis must obtain a copy of the Thesis Guidelines from the Office of Graduate Admissions & Support Services or their major department, and consult the graduate Program Coordinator before beginning any part of the process. For more information on your program's specific requirements, please refer to the Graduate Catalog at http://www.montclair.edu/catalog/graduatecat.html or speak with your graduate Program Coordinator.

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What is a work program?

A work program is a list of courses that you will need to take for your major, and in most cases, your work program will list courses in the order in which you must take them. If you are matriculated, you should have received a work program by your graduate Program Coordinator. If you have any questions concerning your work program, please contact your graduate Program Coordinator.

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What is the difference between deferred, conditional and full matriculation status?

Students who are fully accepted into a degree program will be formally matriculated and given an official work program developed in conference with the graduate Program Coordinator. The student will receive official notification of matriculation from the Office of Graduate Admissions & Support Services.

Applicants with borderline qualifications may be admitted on a conditional matriculation basis with the understanding that eligibility for full matriculation will be established in a manner prescribed by the department in which the student intends to matriculate. Course work and other study undertaken to demonstrate the ability to do graduate-level coursework may be in addition to the regular program requirements.

Applicants with inadequate undergraduate preparation may be admitted to study on a deferred matriculation basis with the understanding that eligibility for matriculation will be established in a manner prescribed by the department in which the student intends to matriculate. Course work and other study undertaken to remedy the ability to do graduate-level coursework may be in addition to the regular program requirements.

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What do I need to know about parking on campus?

The University maintains several parking lots for use by students. These are designated on all campus maps. Parking decals are required of everyone and are available from Standard Parking at 30 Normal Avenue. Parking services can be reached at (973) 655-7580. Decals must be displayed on all cars parked on campus. Shuttle buses are available to take people to and from parking lots and classroom buildings, and MSU police will provide an escort to students who would prefer one (x5222). Students who fail to obey parking rules, including parking in lots that are not designated as student lots, may receive either a municipal or University summons and their cars may be towed. (Montclair State assumes no responsibility for cars or their contents while parked on University property).

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How long can I take to complete my degree?

Students in master's degree programs (except MBA and MFA) have six years to complete their degree program. Students in the MBA program have eight years. Students in the MFA must study full-time and should complete their degree in two years. Doctoral students have ten years to complete their degree program. Post baccalaureate / Post Masters Certification must be completed within five years of the date of matriculation. Students in the certificate program have three years to complete their program.

If you need an extension, you must request this in writing to the Office of Graduate Admissions & Support Services. Under certain circumstances, a one-time extension of one year may be granted.

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Do I need to establish a mail.Montclair.edu e-mail account?

Montclair State's e-mail system ends in the suffix mail.Montclair.edu. Students are strongly encouraged to establish and check this e-mail system often for notices from the University that may affect them. Mail.Montclair accounts will serve as the primary point of contact for correspondence with the University. All current MSU students are eligible for a mail.Montclair account. This free e-mail account, which can be accessed through a Web browser from any computer with an Internet connection at http://webmail.montclair.edu, provides students with all typical e-mail services including sending and receiving mail, exchanging attachments, organizing mail and even managing a mailbox. For students without MSU-ISP accounts, setting up a mail.Montclair account will automatically create enrollment in the MSU-ISP. Mail.Montclair accounts facilitate registration by allowing students to log on to Web Enrollment Services at http://wfs.montclair.edu. If you would like to have your mail forwarded from your mail.Montclair account to another e-mail account, you can follow these instructions:
Once you've set up your MSU e-mail account, go to
http://webmail.montclair.edu/ and login

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Is there a health center that I could visit on campus?

The Health & Wellness Center is located on the first floor in Blanton Hall with other facilities located on the lower level in Panzer Gymnasium. The Center offers services for treatment of short-term illnesses, injuries, alcohol and drug treatment, conditioning, gynecological services for women and a variety of referral services as needed. Advice on health and wellness issues, local specialists and other off-campus health services is also available. Confidentiality is assured for all services, treatment and consultation provided by the Center. For hours and further information, call (973) 655-4361.

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Do I need to receive immunizations in order to register for classes?

Yes. All new or continuing full- and part-time undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in a program of study leading to an academic degree at any 4-year public or independent institution of higher education in NJ are required by law to provide evidence of immunization as a prerequisite to enrollment.

A student may be registered on a provisional basis for the first term if the required immunization documentation is not available at the time of registration. Prior to registration for the second term, a student shall either present documentation of immunization, proof of immunity, or be re-immunized.

Documented proof of immunity must be submitted to the Health and Wellness Center. Forms for this purpose are available from the Admissions Office, the Health and Wellness Center, and online at http://www.montclair.edu/graduate/ssoformspol.shtml. Failure to submit the required documentation will result in a hold being placed which will prevent you from registering for classes. You can send or fax original documentation signed by a licensed health care provider, or the completed and signed MSU Immunization Information form to the Health and Wellness Center in Blanton Hall. Telephone: (973) 655-4361 Fax: (973) 655-4159.

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Do I need to purchase Montclair State's Health Insurance?

In accordance with New Jersey law, all full-time undergraduate and graduate students are mandated to have accident/sickness insurance. Additionally, part time students or dependents of students may enroll in the plan by completing the appropriate enrollment card that is available in the Student Accounts Office, CO 218.

This is a basic accident/illness policy with minimal coverage. Students covered by this policy are encouraged to seek care at the Health and Wellness Center PRIOR to using outside services to reduce out of pocket expenses.

Students who currently have health insurance under another plan may have the plan waived and the premium deducted from the tuition bill by completing a waiver card and returning it to the Student Accounts Office, College Hall, Room 218. Claim forms for Bollinger Fowler coverage are available at the Health and Wellness Center.

For more information, call the Bollinger Fowler Company at 1-800-526-1379, or visit their website at www.BollingerFowler.com/MSU.

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Do I need to have an MSU Identification card?

Students, faculty and staff are required to have a University-issued Photo Identification Card (I-card). This card must be shown to borrow books or copies of tapes from the Library; to use a book on Library reserve; to use computer labs; to use the field house; and to participate in various activities sponsored by the Student Government Association and Montclair State University. In addition, the student identification card allows students remote access to Sprague Library's online resources, including the card catalog, electronic journal bank and other search engines for research purposes

All new students must have their photos taken at the I-card office, located in the Student Center,1st floor. Students are encouraged to obtain their I-card as soon as possible. All students already holding photo I-cards will receive validation labels in College Hall, Office of the Registrar, CO-204, or Cash Control, CO-216, or the I-card office at the start of each semester. There is a $10.00 charge for replacement cards.
For further information, please call (973) 655-4147.

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What college/school do I belong to?

Montclair State University (MSU) is organized into five primary colleges and schools: (1) College of Education and Human Services, (2) College of Humanities and Social Sciences, (3) College of Science and Mathematics, (4) School of the Arts and (5) School of Business. Each graduate program at Montclair State University is part of one of these colleges or schools. As a graduate student, you should know the college or school in which your graduate program resides. The list that follows will provide you with this information. If you have any questions regarding the college/school that you belong to, please contact the department that pertains to your program.

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How do I know when to register?

Each semester, students may pick up the Schedule of Courses booklet at either the Student Center Information Desk or outside of the Registrar's Office, located in College Hall, Room 204 (booklets are not mailed to students). Available courses and priority registration times and dates are also listed on the web through Web Enrollment Services for Students (WESS) at http://wfs.montclair.edu or through the Schedule of Courses booklet online at http://www.montclair.edu/pages/registrar/schedulebook
For course descriptions, please refer to the Graduate Catalog, which may be viewed online at: http://www.montclair.edu/catalog/graduatecat.html

Registration is processed through a telephone Voice Response system which is reached at (973) 783-4008, or through Web Enrollment Services for Students (WESS) at http://wfs.montclair.edu. Registration procedures, regulations, and deadlines can be found in each semester's Schedule of Courses book, obtainable from the Office of the Registrar.

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How many credits can I register for?

Nine or more semester hours constitute a full-time course load. Six or less semester hours constitute a part-time load. A student may register for a maximum of 15 credits in one semester. Only under extreme circumstances may a student be granted permission by the Office of Graduate Admissions & Support Services and by the department to take more than 15 credits. Graduate assistants are required to carry six semester hours for full-time status. Graduate assistants may register for a maximum of 12 credits in one semester. Graduate assistants are not permitted to take more than 12 credit hours without filing a course overload form. Under no circumstances may a graduate assistant course load be approved for more than 15 credit hours in one semester. International students must register for a minimum of 9 credits to maintain their Visa.

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How many credits can I transfer to Montclair State University?

A maximum of six semester hours of graduate credits (12 credits for the MFA) may be accepted for transfer from any accredited college or university including Montclair State University prior to full matriculation. If prior written approval is obtained from the Office of Graduate Admissions & Support Services prior to taking the course, then a maximum of six semester hours of credit completed at another institution may be transferred after matriculation. Grades below B are not accepted for transfer credit, nor are courses below graduate level in the originating institution. Grades earned at other institutions are not included in the MSU cumulative grade point average.

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Is housing available for graduate students?

The Office of Residence Life provides housing for graduate students in the Clove Road Apartments complex, and on a limited basis in the six traditional residence halls. The new "Residential Village" apartments will also be open to graduate students, and will be opening in September of 2003. Montclair State University does not discriminate with regard to age in making housing assignments. While the Clove Road Apartments are the most popular with graduate students, they are welcome in all of Montclair State's other facilities. For further information, call (973) 655-5188.

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