Auditing a Class

[michigan girl]

When should a master's or doctoral student ever audit a class?

 

I found a course that is very related to my academic interests, but it is taught at the undergraduate level (400s). In my program, only courses at the 500 level and higher can receive credit. Since my graduate program doesn't offer coursework related to the undergraduate topic, Is this a good reason to audit the class?

 

Has anyone ever successfuly created a graduate-level independent study out of an undergraduate course in order to receive credit for their work?

[aberrant]

if you are planning to audit a class, why does it have to receive credit? i thought auditing is simply the same as sitting-in a class = "go into a classroom, listen to the lecture, and bounce whenever you want".

 

i have yet to sit-in at any classes as a grad student, but I did that a lot as an undergrad. -- both undergrad and grad level coursework. and I didn't just sit-in for 1 or 2 classes, I sit-in the most, if not the entire course (10 weeks), took midterms and etc.

[michigan girl]

abberant, I am the type of person that prefers to receive credit for my work, especially if the cours will enhance my knowledge and skills about a topic in my area of interest.

[crossedfingerscrossedeyes]

At my university, you can either do an informal audit and come to the lectures, or you can officially audit, in which case it appears on your transcript as a "read" course and the instructor has to approve your "R" non-grade. Could you do something like that, Michigan girl? I did it for an undergrad class much like you described.

[michigan girl]

Thanks for your insight, crossedfingerscrossedeyes. I contacted the academic records department, and it seems the 400-level course that I want to take also counts as graduate credit! My university allows some 400-level courses to count for undergraduate or graduate credit. So no petition paperwork is needed. I am relieved!

[waragle1]

Yes