Petitions requesting up to a 3 year extension to the 6-year rule would be reviewed and approved at the college level (i.e., with appropriate signatures by the student's advisor, department chair, and graduate director or dean). If the petition is denied at the college level, the student may have the option of petitioning the Graduate Petitions Committee. If approved, the student would be granted an extension for the entire academic year. To reduce the number of repeat petitions, students who seek a multi-year extension are encouraged to submit only one petition indicating the total number of years they need included in their extension. However, the body that approves the petition at the college level (i.e., the student's advisor, department chair, and graduate director or dean), may decide to grant an extension of fewer years than that which is requested by the student. Please see the request to accept coursework outside of the six year time limit (pdf - 67.4 KB).
Petitions requesting extensions that exceed a three year period (i.e., course work completed more than 9 years before the conferring of the degree) must be approved by both the college (i.e., with appropriate signatures by the student's advisor, department chair, and graduate director or dean) and the Graduate Petitions Committee (a subcommittee of Graduate Council). The student's advisor, department chair, or graduate director or dean must provide sound justification for supporting the student's request in writing (addressed to the graduate petitions committee). Please visit the Graduate Petitions Committee instructions for preparing and filing petitions (pdf - 746 KB).