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Current and Former Rackham Students

Change of Program

From subsection 2.9 of the Rackham Graduate School Academic Policies

Students may apply to change from one graduate program to another within the Graduate School. This change requires full consideration by the new program’s admissions committee. The student must submit a new full application and should contact the new program for information about the supporting materials that may be needed. International students must supply documentation of additional funding if a change of program will result in the issuance of new immigration documents.

While doctoral students who receive a master’s in their field on the way to the doctorate do not need to apply for this degree, students who wish to change from one degree program to another within the same field of specialization, such as from the master’s program in economics to the doctoral program in economics, must apply for a change of program following the new full application procedures described above. Candidates applying to another doctoral program will revert to precandidacy status.

Change of Status

Eligibility

If you are a current Rackham student seeking one of the following program changes you must submit a Change of Status Application.

Eligible Scenarios
Scenario Example
You are enrolled in the PIBS program and require a change to a specialized Rackham doctoral program. PIBS students should contact the PIBS Office for their specific Rackham doctoral program codes. A PIBS student needs to change to the Rackham doctoral program in Pharmacology.
You are enrolled in a Rackham Ph.D. program and need to change to a Rackham master’s program in the same department. A Ph.D. student in the mechanical engineering program needs to change to the master’s program in mechanical engineering. The master’s program is a terminal degree not a master’s earned on the way to a doctoral degree.
You are enrolled in a Student-Initiated Degree Program (SIDP) and are required to change to a single Ph.D. program in one area of specialization. A student in an SIDP between anthropology and history needs to change to the Ph.D. program in history.
You are enrolled in a Rackham degree program and are required to change to another Rackham degree program at the same level and in the same field of specialization (requires preapproval by Rackham Admissions and the proposed graduate program). A student in the master’s in educational studies program needs to change to the master’s in higher education. The master’s in higher education program and Rackham Admissions must approve the use of the Change of Status Application.

If You Are Not Eligible

Rackham students seeking a program change that is not eligible for the Change of Status process must submit the full Rackham Graduate Program Application.

Application Deadlines

Deadlines vary by program. Check with your program’s graduate coordinator or look up your program’s deadline in our Programs of Study.

Application Submission

The Change of Status Application is available online. Students must use their uniqname and password to access the application. No application fee is required.

Begin the Change of Status Application

Contact

Please contact Rackham Admissions if you have questions about the Change of Status Application.

Readmission

Eligible Applicants

Former Rackham students who seek to re-enroll in a Rackham certificate, master’s, or Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.), pre-candidacy level, program after not registering in the program for more than 12 months.

Example of an Eligible Applicant

  • A Rackham student enrolls in the M.S. program in statistics in the fall of 2008.
  • The student discontinues attendance in the program at the end of winter 2009 without receiving the M.S. degree.
  • The former student seeks to return to the same Master of Science in statistics program in the fall of 2012.
  • This former student submits the online Application for Readmission for the fall 2012 academic term.

For more information refer to Section 2.3.3 of the Graduate School Academic Policies, Readmission to a Master’s or D.M.A. Program.

Exceptions (applying for readmission is not required to re-enroll)

Application Deadlines

Deadlines vary by program. Check with your program’s graduate coordinator or look up your program’s deadline in our Programs of Study.

Application Submission

The Readmission Application is available online. Students may apply for readmission once per twelve months. Be prepared to complete or include the following:

  • A uniqname and password which are required to apply for readmission.
  • Readmission Application (there is no processing fee).
  • Admissions Conduct Code.
  • Narrative responses to questions about discontinuing enrollment and returning to active status in a Rackham graduate program of previous attendance.

Dual Admission

The Dual Admission Application (formerly called Add a Degree or Certificate Application) is only appropriate for current Rackham students who are seeking dual admission by adding a Rackham master’s degree or certificate to their current Rackham program on the Ann Arbor campus.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Must be a current Rackham master’s or doctoral student to apply.
  • Will have completed at least one academic term in the current Rackham program with a cumulative GPA equal to or above a 3.0 before the proposed term of application.
  • Must meet with your current program advisor or graduate coordinator prior to submitting the application to add a degree or certificate.
  • Must complete the Pre-Approval Form for Dual Admission and obtain a signature of approval from the authorized signer in your current graduate program before you apply. Without approval and an authorized signature on the form, your application will not be processed. You will be required to upload the completed and signed Pre-Approval Form in the online application.
  • If you are applying to graduate during the current term and it does not appear as a choice in the dual application, consult with the graduate coordinator in your proposed program on how to apply.

For more information, refer to Section 6. Dual Degree Programs of the Rackham Graduate School Academic Policies.

Examples of Eligible Applicants

  • A Rackham student enrolled in good standing in the master’s program in creative writing in the fall of 2019 seeks to add the Rackham master’s in educational studies in winter 2020.
  • A Rackham student in good standing in the doctoral program in sociology in the fall 2019 seeks to add the master’s program in computer science and engineering in the winter of 2020.
  • A Rackham student in good standing in the doctoral program in sociology and the master’s program in computer science and engineering in the fall 2019 seeks to add the certificate in computational discovery and engineering in the winter 2020.

Application Deadlines

Deadlines vary by program. Check with the graduate coordinators of the current and proposed programs or refer to our Programs of Study for deadlines.

Graduate Program Requirements

Applicants should check with the current and proposed Rackham programs to determine program-specific requirements.

Application Submission

Current Rackham students complete the Dual Admission application using an ApplyWeb account. Be prepared to include the following documents in the online application:

  • The required $10 application fee payable via Visa or MasterCard. (A very small number of graduate programs offer a fee waiver, check with the proposed graduate program).
  • You must meet with your current program advisor or graduate coordinator prior to submitting the application for dual admission. Upload the completed and signed Pre-Approval Form for Dual Admission in the online application.
  • Program specific information on page four of the online application—if required by program
  • Dual/Joint Degree Election Form—if required by the proposed program.

Other Situations

If your situation is described below, follow the specific instructions.

  • If you are a current Rackham student seeking a single Ph.D. across two Rackham programs, complete the Student Initiated Doctoral Program Application. Please email Rackham Academic Records and Dissertations or call 734.763.0171 if you have questions about the form or process.
  • If you are a current Rackham student seeking admission to a non-Rackham program, you are required to submit the appropriate non-Rackham application and application fee. Example: adding an M.B.A. to your current Rackham program.
  • If you are a current Rackham student in a Rackham master’s or certificate program seeking to add a Rackham doctoral program, you must submit the online Rackham Graduate Program Application and application fee in order to provide full application materials to admission committees.
  • If you are a current Non-Rackham student at the University of Michigan, seeking admission to a Rackham degree or certificate program, you must submit the online Rackham Graduate Program Application and application fee.