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Registering for Classes

  • Advising & Class Search: Contact your interim advisor(s) or the M.A. Program Director to discuss the classes you will be taking in your first semester.  Search for classes in the PATH registration platform (tip: use MSCI to search by keyword and select term, or use the  advanced search feature) to view up-to-the-minute course offerings.
  • Registration: New student registration begins August 1 (for Fall admission) and January 2 (for Spring admission). Register for classes in the PATH registration platform during the new student registration period. Additional registration resources are available in the SMS Student Handbook.
    • All full-time, degree-seeking students must register for a minimum of 9 credit hours (full-time credit hour requirement) for each fall and spring semester, and all M.S. and Ph.D. students must also register for 3 credit hours each summer. 
    • Students in their first semester of matriculation are anticipated to register for seminar (MSCI 515) for zero credit.
    • PATH How-To Resources - W&M has compiled instructional documents and videos on how to navigate the PATH registration platform.
    • Additional information is available on expanding your curricular options.
  • Course Exemptions or Transfer Credit: With the exception of MSCI 503, students who have had comparable coursework elsewhere may either petition for -- 1) an exemption from, or 2) receive transfer credit for -- any of the SMS core courses. Prior undergraduate level coursework is only eligible for an exemption, not transfer credit. Please refer to the policies in the SMS Graduate Catalog for details. Interested students should contact the [[v|registrar,SMS Registrar]] to submit the required paperwork 14 days in advance for inclusion at the next Academic Status and Degrees Committee (ASDC) meeting. The committee meets at the beginning of each semester in August, January, and June.
  • Tuition Bills: After you register for classes, tuition and fees for the upcoming semester as well as the W&M student health insurance premium (if applicable) will be charged to your student account. View your eBill in Banner.
  • Final Official Transcripts: If you haven't done so already, please submit final official transcripts from degree awarding institutions (verifying completion and conferral of previous degrees awarded and sent directly from your prior institution) to VIMS Admissions, email: admissions@vims.edu or mail: Graduate Admissions, Office of Academic Affairs, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, 1375 Greate Rd., Gloucester Point, VA 23062.
  • Got Questions? Contact the SMS Registrar at 804-684-7106 for registration/transcript-related questions or the Office of Academic Affairs at 804-684-7105 for tuition-related questions.

Last updated by J. Hay on June 10, 2024.