Frequently Asked Questions

How do I register online?

Online registration is available at https://patriotweb.gmu.edu/. You log in using the G number and password assigned to you by the Graduate Admissions Office. Under Student Services and Financial Aid, you will find a Registration link. This link takes you to a menu of registration related services.

You can register in one of two ways. If you already know the 5-digit CRN of the class that you wish to add, go to Register, Add, or Drop Classes, select the appropriate term, enter the 5-digit number into one of the boxes at the bottom of the screen, and click Submit Changes. If the class has been properly added, the screen should refresh itself, listing the class under your Current Schedule.

If you do not know the CRN, or the first method is not working with the CRN that you have, go to Search for Classes. You will be asked for the term you wish to search, then given a list of search criteria. If you want to see all of the graduate Economics classes, select Economics under Subject and Graduate under Course Level. When you submit this search criteria, the system should return a list of all of the graduate courses offered. You can register for a course by checking the box to the left of the course listing and clicking Register at the bottom of the list. Classes that have a C rather than a box to the left of the listing are full or have controlled registration. You may add yourself to the waitlist by writing down the CRN and entering it into the Register, Add, or Drop Classes worksheet.

When is the last day to register without incurring a late registration penalty?

You must register for at least one class prior to the first day of classes in order to avoid the $250 late registration fee. Any initial registration taking place on or after the first day of classes is considered late registration. You may add and drop classes on or after the first day of classes without penalty, as long as you were registered for at least one prior to the first day of classes.

When is my tuition due?

Tuition is due on the first day of classes for all courses added to your schedule prior to the first day of classes. For classes added on or after the first day of classes, tuition is due within 5 business days of the date the class was added.

I registered for classes, but I have decided not to enroll this semester. Will I be automatically dropped from classes if I don’t pay or attend?

NO! If you register for classes, then decide not to attend for the semester, you must drop all of your classes through patriotweb no later than the last day to drop without tuition penalty (consult the current schedule of classes for the exact date). If you fail to drop your classes and do not attend, you will be given a grade of FA for each class, which is the academic equivalent of an F.

The class that I want to take is closed. Is there a way for me to get into the class?

If the class is closed, you should add your name to the wait list (see the first question above) and check patriotweb every two days to see if you can get an automatic override. When you receive your override, you will need to then manually add the class following the instructions listed on the Registration Status and Time Ticket screen. If it is imperative that you take the class during the current semester (i.e.-this is your last semester of course work, the class will never be offered again and you need it for a field exam, etc.), you should contact the Economics Graduate Studies Office as soon as possible to see if it is possible to get a manual override.

If you do not receive an override before the first day of classes, you may be able to force add the class if the instructor agrees. You can get a force add slip from the Economics Graduate Studies Office in Enterprise Hall. Take the force add slip to class on the first night and ask the instructor for a signature. If the instructor feels that there is enough room in the class for an extra student, he/she will sign the force add slip, which you must take to the Registrar’s Office for processing.

Please note that being added to a wait list is not the same as being registered for a class, so a late registration fee will be assessed if you are not fully registered for class (not wait listed) prior to the first day of classes. See the information above regarding the late registration penalty.

The cross-listed class that I want to register for is closed, but it appears that there are still seats available. Why am I not able to register for the class online?

In the class search on Patriotweb, the three columns after the class time indicate the number of seats available in the class, the number of students registered for the class, and the number of remaining seats. This information applies only to that course number and section. Cross-listed classes, however, are also listed under at least one additional course number and section. The last three columns before the name of the instructor indicate the number of seats available, the number of students registered, and the number of remaining seats in the other section(s) of the cross-listed class. You should refer to those last three columns when attempting to determine whether or not space is still available in the class. Some cross-listed classes may allow you to add yourself to the wait list (see wait list instructions above).

How do I register for an Independent Study or Directed Reading class?

The terms Independent Study, Individualized Study, and Directed Reading are used interchangeably in the Economics Department. The course number for all of these types of registration is ECON 896, and each student is given a separate section number. If you wish to do an independent study/directed reading with a faculty member, you must first secure the permission of the faculty member in writing.  You can secure this written permission in person or via email. This written permission should include the number of credit hours and the title of the course (must be 30 characters or less, including spaces and punctuation).

Once you have secured permission you must go online to the LAHS Dean’s Office website to download and print out the required form. The form is called the Individualized Section Form, and it is available at http://chss.gmu.edu/grad/forms.php. Please make sure to print the information clearly so that it can be easily read and entered by the Registrar’s Office.

Attach the written permission from the instructor to the Individualized Section Form, and submit them to the Economics Graduate Studies Office for processing. The program administrator will secure the required signatures and forward your request to the Registrar’s Office.

Individualized Section Forms must be submitted at least 5 business days prior to the last day to add for the semester. Late forms will not be processed.

How do I register for ECON 998 Dissertation Proposal credits?

Course registration numbers (CRNs) for ECON 998 are available in the Economics Graduate Studies Office. These numbers change every semester, so dissertation proposal students must request a new code each semester. To request a code, you must email econdiss@gmu.edu with the following information: full name, G#, dissertation advisor, and number of credit hours requested. Students who have not completed a Program of Study will not be given CRNs for ECON 998 until it has been submitted to the Economics Graduate Studies Office.

How do I register for ECON 999 Dissertation Research credits?

Course registration numbers (CRNs) for ECON 999 are available in the Dean’s Office. These numbers change every semester, so dissertation research students must request a new code each semester. To request a code, you must email chssdiss@gmu.edu with the following information: full name, G#, discipline (Economics), dissertation advisor, and number of credit hours requested. Students who have not advanced to candidacy are not eligible to register for ECON 999.

Other important information about ECON 999 registration is available on the dean's office website. It is highly recommended that you familiarize yourself with this information prior to registering for ECON 999.

What is Special Registration and how does it work?

Special Registration is reserved for those students who intend to graduate during a semester in which they are not required to register for classes. This mainly applies to two types of students: masters students who have finished course work but need to complete a comprehensive exam, and dissertation students who submitted a dissertation to the library after the deadline for the previous semester but prior to the first day of classes for the current semester.

Special Registration forms are available on the Graduation website. The special registration procedure requires that students prepay the $45 special registration fee. Only after Student Accounts has received the $45 registration fee will the Registrar’s Office add the special registration to the student schedule.

It is recommended that students complete their program requirements according to the guidelines in the Program Notes, as doing so should negate the need for special registration.

I didn’t enroll for two or more consecutive semesters, and I am not able to register. What should I do?

The first semester that you do not register for classes, the ITU Office will deactivate your email account unless you have contacted them to request otherwise. The second semester that you do not register for classes, your registration status becomes inactive, which prevents you from registering in the future. If you decide to return to the program after such a break, you must be reenrolled in your program.

In order to reenroll, you must first complete the Graduate Reenrollment form available on the Registrar's website. Once completed, this form should be submitted to the Economics Graduate Studies Office for signatures. When the Registrar’s Office receives the signed reenrollment form, they will reactivate your registration status, which will allow you to register. If you fail to register during the semester for which you requested reenrollment, your status immediately reverts back to inactive after the last day to add classes for that semester.

Please note that your time clock keeps ticking, even if you don’t register for classes. This is true, even if you have informed the department that you are taking time off from your studies. Students who must take a significant amount of time off for personal or professional reasons and do not feel that they will finish within the required time limits should contact the Economics Graduate Studies Office for information on requesting an extension of time limits.

If your question has not been answered on this page, please email the Economics Graduate Studies Office.