Try a Course!

Curious about a specific CCAPS graduate program? Missed the application deadline? Not ready to commit to an entire degree? 

For those with a bachelor's or another post-secondary degree already in hand, taking a single graduate-level course is a great way to decide if that CCAPS graduate program is right for you. 

Completing one of these courses can also support your application to a CCAPS graduate degree or certificate. If admitted, you may have up to 3 nondegree credits apply towards a CCAPS graduate certificate or up to 10 nondegree credits apply towards a CCAPS graduate degree program, if you earn a B- or better.

Three steps: first one says Nondegree Course, the second one says CCAPS Graduate Certificate, and the third says CCAPS Gradute Degree

Your Course Options

The graduate-level courses below are open to nondegree students (you must have a bachelor's degree or another post-secondary degree to register). 

Course NameCreditsNumberCan Be Applied To
Foundations in Addiction Studies2ADDS 5011MPS in Addictions Counseling (required), MPS in Integrated Behavioral Health (required)
Introduction to Evidence-Based Practices and the Helping Relationship3ADDS 5021MPS in Addictions Counseling (required), MPS in Integrated Behavioral Health (required)
Foundations of Co-occurring Disorders2ADDS 5071MPS in Addictions Counseling (required), MPS in Integrated Behavioral Health (required)
Multicultural Foundations of Behavioral Health3ADDS 5081MPS in Addictions Counseling (required), MPS in Integrated Behavioral Health (required)
Supervision Models and Methods in Integrated Behavioral Health3IBH 6227MPS in Integrated Behavioral Health (elective)
Course NameCreditsNumberCan Be Applied To
Perspectives in Integrated Applied Sciences3ASCL 6001MPS in Applied Sciences Leadership (required)
Finance for Nonfinancial Managers 3ASCL 6312MPS in Applied Sciences Leadership (required), Leadership for Science Professionals Certificate (required)
Data for Decision Making3ASCL 6313MPS in Applied Sciences Leadership (required), Leadership for Science Professionals Certificate (required)
Leading Projects and Teams3ASCL 6314MPS in Applied Sciences Leadership (required), Leadership for Science Professionals Certificate (elective)
Legal and Ethical Issues in Business Sciences3ASCL 6315MPS in Applied Sciences Leadership (required), Leadership for Science Professionals Certificate (required)
Transformational Leadership in an Intercultural World3ASCL 6316MPS in Applied Sciences Leadership (required), Leadership for Science Professionals Certificate (elective)
Course NameCreditsNumberCan Be Applied To
Trends and Impacts in Arts and Cultural Leadership and Management3ACL 5211MPS in Arts and Cultural Leadership (required)
Creative Entrepreneurship and Resource Development3ACL 5221MPS in Arts and Cultural Leadership (required)
Ethical Dilemmas and Legal Issues for Cultural Leaders3ACL 5231MPS in Arts and Cultural Leadership (required)
Financial Management for Arts Nonprofits, Community Organizations, and Artists (3 cr)3ACL 5241MPS in Arts and Cultural Leadership (elective)
Courageous Imagination in Action: Art and Culture as Forces and Resources of Change3ACL 5251MPS in Arts and Cultural Leadership (elective)
Culture, Place, and Equitable Communities: Ways of Living Together in the 21st Century3ACL 5261MPS in Arts and Cultural Leadership (elective)
A Multiplicity of Ways: Epistemologies in the 21st Century1ACL 6001MPS in Arts and Cultural Leadership (required)
Reimagining Cultural Leadership3ACL 6201MPS in Arts and Cultural Leadership (required)
Course NameCreditsNumberCan Be Applied To
Biochemistry3BIOC 6021-090Master of Biological Sciences (required)
Scientific Literature Workshop1MBS 6101Master of Biological Sciences (elective)
Course NameCreditsNumberCan Be Applied To
Facilitating Community-Driven Leadership3CIVE 6311MPS in Civic Engagement (required)
Finance for Nonfinancial Managers 3CIVE 6312MPS in Civic Engagement (required)
Data for Decision Making3CIVE 6313MPS in Civic Engagement (required)
Leading Projects and Teams3CIVE 6314MPS in Civic Engagement (required)
Course NameCreditsNumberCan Be Applied To
Conservation at Botanic Gardens1APS 5104MPS in Horticulture (elective)
Where People and Plants Meet: Social Science Dimensions of Horticulture3APS 5105MPS in Horticulture (elective)
Course NameCreditsNumberCan Be Applied To
Finance for Nonfinancial Managers 3ASCL 6312Leadership for Science Professionals Certificate (required), MPS in Applied Sciences Leadership (required)
Data for Decision Making3ASCL 6313Leadership for Science Professionals Certificate (required), MPS in Applied Sciences Leadership (required)
Leading Projects and Teams3ASCL 6314Leadership for Science Professionals Certificate (elective), MPS in Applied Sciences Leadership (elective)
Legal and Ethical Issues in Business Sciences3ASCL 6315Leadership for Science Professionals Certificate (required), MPS in Applied Sciences Leadership (required)
Transformational Leadership in an Intercultural World3ASCL 6316Leadership for Science Professionals Certificate (elective), MPS in Applied Sciences Leadership (elective)
Course NameCreditsNumberCan Be Applied To
Regulatory Affairs for Food Product Development and Market Entry3ASCL 6212Regulatory Affairs for Food Professionals Certificate (required)
Regulaatory Affairs for Food Production and Distribution3ASCL 6213Regulatory Affairs for Food Professionals Certificate (required)
Regulatory Affairs for Food Claims and Labeling3ASCL 6214Regulatory Affairs for Food Professionals Certificate (required)
Landmark Food Cases Shifting Regulatory Policy3ASCL 6215Regulatory Affairs for Food Professionals Certificate (required)
Course NameCreditsNumberCan Be Applied To
Foundations of Human Sexuality3HSEX 6001MPS in Sexual Health (required), Human Sexuality Certificate (required), Sex Therapy Certificate (required)
Policy in Human Sexuality: Cutting Edge Analyses3HSEX 6011MPS in Sexual Health (required), Human Sexuality Certificate (required)
Perspectives and Practices in Sexual Health Education3HSEX 6013MPS in Sexual Health (required), Human Sexuality Certificate (required)
Sexual Pleasure and Intimacy3HSEX 6015MPS in Sexual Health (required), Human Sexuality Certificate (required)
Health Care for Transgender and Gender Diverse Adults3HSEX 6311MPS in Sexual Health, Transgender Health Certificate (required), Sex Therapy Certificate (required)
Intersectional and Decolonizing Approaches to Transgender Health3HSEX 6312MPS in Sexual Health, Transgender Health Certificate (required)

Registering for a Course

The College of Continuing and Professional Studies facilitates registration for courses within CCAPS only (see table above). 

  • To register for a CCAPS course, follow the registration steps on OneStop.
  • CCAPS registration requests will be processed based on the number of available open seats in a course.
  • CCAPS registration requests may not be processed until two weeks before the start of the term.
  • We may request proof of a bachelor's degree before processing registration requests.

Registering for a Course Outside of CCAPS

If you would like to take a non-CCAPS course, contact the department you are interested in to see which courses are open to nondegree students. For example, if you are interested in taking a music course, please contact the School of Music through the College of Liberal Arts (CLA). We do not manage registrations for graduate-level courses outside of CCAPS.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to apply to be a nondegree (guest) student?
No, guest students do not need to apply to the University in order to take classes. For more information on registering as a guest student, go to OneStop.

What is a credit course? Will it show on my transcript?
A credit course is a course in which a student earns academic credit that is recorded on an official University of Minnesota transcript. Credits are important because they are figured into your University grade point average (GPA) and are used to determine progress within degree programs.

Who is my advisor?
Unlike students in degree programs, guest students do not have an assigned academic advisor to work with for course selection. Guest students work with OneStop to register for courses.

I’m an international student. Can I take a class as a guest?
International students should connect with the International Student and Scholar Services office to inquire about academic and visa requirements.

When and how can I register?
Nondegree/guest students can register during open enrollment, which is after admitted and degree-seeking students register. Registration instructions can be found on OneStop.

How do I find a course?
View a complete list of our graduate-level courses available for nondegree enrollment.

Do I need to maintain a certain GPA in credit courses?
All courses taken for credit are calculated into your GPA on your University or Minnesota transcript. If you are admitted into a degree program, your grades earned as a guest student will be calculated into your cumulative GPA. A GPA of 3.0 or grades of B- or better is the expectation for graduate level coursework.

What are the different grading options?
Grade basis options vary by course, although most allow you to choose either A–F or S/N ("pass/fail") grading. 

What if I need to drop a class?
Students can withdraw from a class on their own for most of the term, but be aware of deadlines and refund schedules.

Does the University offer noncredit classes?
The University also offers a variety of noncredit courses for professional development and lifelong learning. Registration for these courses is handled through a separate registration process detailed on the programs websites.

How much does it cost to take a class?
Nondegree graduate students taking CCAPS courses will pay the CCAPS Departmental Master's rate per credit. For more information about costs, visit OneStop.

When and how do I pay?
After you register for a course, you can view your tuition and fee charges in the My Finances section of your MyU portal. There are billing and due dates available for each term. You can find more information about how to pay on OneStop.

Can I get financial aid or scholarships?
Financial aid is typically not available to nondegree students. 

What if I want to earn a degree from the U of M?
If your goal is to earn a degree, explore the program (see list below) you are interested in before enrolling in classes as a guest student. We encourage you to review the application deadlines and reach out to Graduate Enrollment Advisor Steve Wicks if you have any questions.

Will the credits taken as a guest student transfer into a degree program?
Acceptance of transfer coursework is up to the program to which you are applying, however, in many cases, a CCAPS graduate-level course taken as a guest student will count. Steve Wicks can advise you on specific courses. 

Connect with an Advisor 

If you have questions about which courses to take or how to register, contact Graduate Enrollment Advisor Steve Wicks.

Steve Wicks

Or you can give Steve a call at 612-301-6127.