How many credits can I take in engineering grad school in one sem?

College Majors Engineering Majors
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<p>I never really considered getting a masters, I always thought that if I went to grad school I'd go for a PhD, but I realized that with all of the graduate courses I'm finishing as an undergrad I'll actually only have 18 credits left for my master's when I graduate...</p>

<p>I'm graduating in the fall, so it makes some sense to stick around for one semester in the spring and finish a masters IF it is humanly possible to take 18 graduate credits in one semester. If I can't do that, I'd have to wait until the following fall because none of the classes I will need are offered in the summer, so it would add an additional year instead of just four months.</p>

<p>I know it's probably insane to take 18 grad credits in one sem... I've heard that 12 is the norm. What do you guys think? Would it be worth it to just give up every bit of my spare time and possibly some sleep for four months to come out with an MS instead of a BS?</p>

<p>Alternatively... I could drop my internship and come out with a BS and an MS but NO internship at all (I have done research, worked as a TA, been involved on-campus, though). Thoughts?</p>

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<p>Actually. 9 credits is considered full-time for grad school.</p>

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<p>Yeah, most schools consider 9 hours as the normal graduate load; 3 classes. I know a few that took 12 hours (4 classes) and it was tough. Those were mostly people getting coursework only masters who took 12 hours. 18 hours (6 classes) would be suicide and may not even be allowed.</p>

4

<p>At Georgia Tech, a minimum of 12 is full-time…
[GT:</a> Registrar: Registration: Graduate Student FAQ](<a href=“http://www.registrar.gatech.edu/registration/gradfaq.php]GT:”>Registration Assistance | Registrar's Office | Georgia Tech)</p>

5

<p>12 credit hours at Georgia Tech may still be just 3 classes. At UIUC, the graduate courses are 4 credit hours each, so GT may use similar credit hour amounts.</p>

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<p>They are 3 credits. See page 9 of the link.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.isye.gatech.edu/academics/graduate/isyegradhandbook.pdf[/url]”>http://www.isye.gatech.edu/academics/graduate/isyegradhandbook.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

7

<p>At my school 8 is considered full time but the “expected” number is more like 12. I’ve met a couple who have taken 15 but they said it was a lot of work. That was also coursework only, they weren’t doing research or GSIing or anything like that.</p>

<p>18 certainly wouldn’t be for the feint of heart, but I think that’s the maximum they will allow.</p>

8

<p>Well standards are definitely higher then!</p>

9

<p>I think a lot of this also comes down to thesis vs. non-thesis. I am really only familiar with the thesis-type degrees, where the OP seems to be on track for a non-thesis degree. You can certainly afford to take more classes when you aren’t doing research concurrently.</p>