Trinity College

Men and women who hold a Bachelor's degree may apply to enroll in graduate courses for which they are qualified even though they do not intend to matriculate for the Master's degree at Trinity College. All applicants must provide official transcripts of their previous academic records, the completed one-page non-matriculated application, and the one-page writing sample by the registration deadline. Enrollment for graduate courses is completed only through the Office of Graduate Studies. The registration deadline is one week prior to the beginning of the semester. Students may register by mail or in person. Graduate registration forms may be mailed to:

The Office of Graduate Studies
Trinity College
300 Summit Street
Hartford, CT 06106-3100

All classes are limited in size, so early registration is encouraged. Courses that do not meet minimum enrollment numbers may be canceled at the discretion of the professor.

All applicants must submit full tuition payment, the registration fee, and the one-time Trinity transcript fee payable at the first enrollment, along with the registration form. An application to enroll is not complete until all required materials, including vouchers issued by employers, have been received and all fees have been paid. A confirmation of enrollment will be mailed to each student.

All bills must be paid in full by cash, check, or credit card prior to registration. Registration forms from students not complying with this requirement cannot be processed.

Students who are employed on a full-time basis, whether or not they are candidates for the Master's degree, usually do not register for more than one course in their first term. In subsequent semesters, a limit of two courses is suggested. These guidelines are established to ensure that students do not undertake more work than they can accomplish successfully. Each course requires extensive advanced-level reading and research, and most courses include the preparation of a culminating paper or report.

Persons who do not wish to receive credit for specific courses may, with permission of the instructor and the approval of the Office of Graduate Studies, register as auditors. They will receive neither credit nor a grade. Although they need not always fulfill the prerequisites of the course, and are not required to take examinations, the auditors must meet the instructor's attendance requirements. Auditors are required to pay the auditing fee, as well as registration and transcript charges. The fees for auditing are explained in the Tuition and Fees section.

A student who is ready to write the Master's thesis should obtain a copy of the "Instructions Regarding the Preparation and Submission of Master's Theses at Trinity College" booklet from the Graduate Studies Office, and must also consult the department chairperson to learn of the particular procedures required by the department. After obtaining approval of the thesis outline, the student should register for course 954, Thesis Part I, and pay for the first credit of the two-credit thesis. A student who is completing the thesis enrolls in course 955, Thesis Part II, and pays for the second credit in the final semester of the two-credit project. English Master's candidates are required to enroll in Thesis Colloquium: Thesis Part I (ENGL 954) that is offered annually in the Fall Semester.

Although the College expects that graduate students will complete the thesis in two consecutive semesters, it also recognizes that students are sometimes unable to do so. During any interim semester that follows the initial thesis registration and precedes the final registration, such students must enroll in Thesis-In-Progress, course number ADMN 955, and pay the $25 registration fee until the thesis is completed. Commencing with the third semester following the initial thesis registration and before registering for Part II, a Thesis extension fee will be assessed. Currently the Thesis extension fee is $75.

A working knowledge of the scholarly collections of the Raether Library and Information Technology Center is fundamental for Master’s thesis research. Introduction to the library and research instruction is available in a variety of ways:

Appropriately, most departments arrange an evening’s instruction on scholarly research skills and discipline specific resources. Please check with the graduate faculty directors regarding the dates of these instruction sessions.
Trinity librarians have created a range of online subject specific Research Guides. At the Library homepage under the Research section, click on “Research Guides & Tutorials” and then choose the appropriate discipline and level. The upper level guides have been created with thesis writing graduate students in mind.
Once graduate students have begun their research, individual appointments with subject specialist librarians are encouraged. From the Library homepage under the Research section, click on the “Get Help” link and fill out the request form. A librarian will contact you to set up an appointment.
Thesis writers may charge out materials for an entire semester. There is a form on the Library homepage that must be signed by the faculty adviser and returned to the Library.

Requests for transfer credit for course work to be taken after acceptance into the Master's program must be submitted on the Transfer Credit Application form to the Office of Graduate Studies, and must be accompanied by a complete course description. Such requests should be approved by the Graduate Adviser prior to enrollment in the class. At the conclusion of the course, the student should request that an official transcript of the grade be sent to the Office of Graduate Studies. No grades below "B-" (80) will be accepted in transfer to the Master's degree. A maximum of two course credits may be transferred.

Each year, the College offers a range of graduate courses during the summer term. The summer term, which comprises two six-week sessions, is conducted with the same rigor as an academic semester at Trinity College.

Generally, but not always, summer courses serve as electives, not the core courses required for the degree. Due to the compressed schedule and the varying demands of the courses, students are usually permitted to enroll in no more than two summer courses. For information about the graduate programs of summer term, contact the Office of Graduate Studies.

In the fall and spring semesters, Trinity undergraduates who are entering their junior or senior year and who have maintained outstanding academic records may be permitted to enroll in graduate-level courses for undergraduate credit (except those courses numbered at the 900 level). Undergraduates admitted to these courses are expected to complete the same requirements as those that apply to graduate students. Eligible students must have the prior written approval of their undergraduate adviser and the instructor of the course. Undergraduate tuition applies.