Frequently Asked Questions

The following is for MGEN’s Information Systems, IS Bridge, Software Engineering Systems, and Data Architecture & Management programs.

When emailing an administrator, academic advisor, co-op coordinator, etc. please include your NAME, NUID, and CAMPUS to the subject line.

Registration

To contact the program, please email mgen-programs@coe.northeastern.edu. If you have any questions regarding your course registration, Banner, SEVIS contact related item, etc., please contact the Graduate Student Services directly: coe-mgen-gradadvising@northeastern.edu .

Please join the waitlist. If the waitlist is full (max 15 students), please watch the waitlist but do not plan on taking the course. Please register for another course that meets your degree requirements. Students will not be overridden into a full class under any circumstances.

No. Courses have seat/registration limits for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to classroom size, professor-student ratios, etc. Please select a course with seats available.

No. The days and times of courses cannot be changed to accommodate specific student registration conflicts. Classes are scheduled at particular times for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to classroom availability, instructor availability, etc. Additionally, the days and times of courses each semester may and will vary semester to semester.

You must be enrolled as a full-time graduate student to comply with a J1 or F1 Visa or Study Permit.  See OGS information on maintaining status.

If you are in your last semester and have one course to complete your degree requirements, you can enroll in 4 semester credit hours. See OGS information on the final term.

Full-time students should be enrolling in 8 semester credit hours in the Fall and Spring terms. Students may be eligible to take three courses in their FINAL semester if they meet department-specific academic requirements. Please contact your academic advisor to discuss the requirements and eligibility.

Students can ONLY register for two courses (8 semester credit hours) during the summer sessions, not taking more than 4 semester credit hours in either Summer I or Summer II.

No. You are only permitted to take courses approved by your program. For Information Systems, Software Engineering Systems, Data Architecture & Management, and IS Bridge you can only enroll in courses from the codes INFO, CSYE, and DAMG. Please review your degree’s applicable catalog (i.e. program, year, etc.)

If you have available space in your final term, you can take classes depending on availability. International students taking courses that do not count towards your degree requirements or are considered “extra” courses could impact your visa status. Please contact Graduate Student Services for any questions: coe-mgen-gradadvising@northeastern.edu.

Prerequisite and Test Score: If you have not taken the required prerequisite for the course, you must take that course FIRST.

Additionally, you may not have received a qualifying grade for the prerequisite. If you do not meet prerequisite and registration requirements, overrides will not be allowed. If you are enrolled in a class for which you do not meet the prerequisites and registration requirements, you will be required to drop the course. Any courses dropped after the drop deadline will result in you receiving a ‘W,’ and you will be held financially responsible.

Closed Sections: The course is full. You can join the waitlist if there is a seat.

Semester Credit Hours Exceeded: You are attempting to register for more semester credit hours than is allowed for your program of study. Learn more about Registration Error Messages. Please contact Graduate Student Services for any questions: coe-mgen-gradadvising@northeastern.edu. Also, be sure to review the university’s academic calendar for any and all applicable deadlines.

Yes! You must have fulfilled that requirement to enroll in the course. No exceptions are made. The MGEN department does not waive prerequisites under any circumstances. If you do not meet prerequisite and registration requirements, overrides will not be allowed. If you are enrolled in a class for which you do not meet the prerequisites and registration requirements, you will be required to drop the course. Any courses dropped after the drop deadline will result in you receiving a ‘W,’ and you will be held financially responsible!

If you do not meet prerequisite and registration requirements, overrides will not be allowed.  No courses transferred or taken outside of your program degree will meet prerequisite requirements for courses. All prerequisites and registration requirements must be fulfilled as listed on Banner/in the catalog. No courses transferred, taken outside the department, or completed as part of your undergraduate degree will count towards your graduate studies. You still need to take the prerequisite course listed during your graduate studies. Overrides will not be approved. Please review your degree’s applicable catalog (i.e. program, year, etc.)

No. Any requests will be denied. If you receive an email from a University entity after the add deadline about enrolling in a course, per department policy, you will not be permitted to register. Please review the university’s academic calendar for any and all applicable deadlines.

During the summer sessions, students can ONLY register for two courses (8 Semester Hours), not taking more than 4 Semester Hours in either Summer I or Summer II. Students cannot enroll in 3 courses  (12 Semester Hours) during any summer sessions and are not required to register in summer classes as it is considered an optional semester for international students.

Below you will find the possible enrollment options that the department approves:

  • Option 1: One Full Summer course (4SH) & One Summer I (4SH)
  • Option 2: One Full Summer course (4SH) & One Summer II (4SH)
  • Option 3: One Summer I course (4SH) & One Summer II (4SH)
  • Option 4: Two Full Summer courses (4SH, each)
  • Option 5: One course in either Summer I, Summer II, or Full Summer
  • Option 6: No registration

No, MGEN does not allow students to audit courses.

No, if you wish to enroll in a Livecast or on-ground course, they must be offered on your designated campus. Please refer to the courses’ attributes as listed in the Dynamic Schedule.

No. When a student is on co-op their co-op job should be their main priority and focus. There are very limited exceptions to this policy. See the Master’s Co-op page for more information.

Degree Requirements

No. You are only permitted to take courses approved by your program. For Information Systems, Software Engineering Systems, Data Architecture & Management, and IS Bridge you can only enroll in courses from the codes INFO, CSYE, and DAMG. Please review your degree’s applicable catalog (i.e. program, year, etc.)

For IS Bridge students admitted from Fall 22 and forward, you can ONLY enroll in the following courses in your first semester: INFO 5001- Application Modeling and Design and INFO – 5002 Introduction to Python for Information Systems. A grade of a B- or higher is needed in INFO 5001 – Application Modeling and Design and INFO 5002 – Introduction to Python for Information Systems. If you received a grade below a B- in either INFO 5001 or INFO 5002, please contact your Academic Advisor as soon as possible to discuss next steps in your registration. Please refer to the degree program requirements as outlined on the IS Bridge program and catalog for additional degree requirements.

Program

To enroll in an independent study or thesis, you must have a project with a professor associated with MGEN programs. If you are working with a professor and have a project solidified, then please have the professor associated with MGEN programs reach out to Erin Macri (er.macri@northeastern.edu) with you in CC to help with the next steps.

The department makes no special accommodations for late arrivals. Students are responsible to contact their instructors if unable to attend class. Students are expected to attend their classes as noted in their schedules and are responsible for completing all work as assigned. Students who do not attend class during the first week of the semester may risk being dropped from the course. Course instructors are not expected to make accommodations for students who arrive after the first day of classes. Please refer to the Academic Calendar for important dates and reach out to your Academic Advisor with any questions.

For newly admitted students, please contact coe-gradadmissions@northeastern.edu to review the policy for intercampus transfer between campuses in the US. The current policy is for US campuses only, and transfer to Canadian campuses is currently unavailable but under development. Students who received a network campus scholarship will no longer have that scholarship apply to their tuition if they transfer to another network site. Please keep this in mind as you consider the possibility of transferring campuses.

View the current course catalog. As a reminder, please follow the catalog for the year and program for your admitted term (see archived catalogs).

To find the courses being offered, please refer to the Dynamic Schedule. For new students, please review the registration guidance that can be found on the New Student Registration page.

The syllabus page is NOT the registration page. The purpose of the syllabus page is to help students better understand the course content and make appropriate study plans. Actual course offerings in a semester can be found on the registration page and Dynamic Schedule.

Please refer to your applicable catalog (year, program of study) and you can track the progress towards your degree requirements with the Degree Audit tool found in the Student Hub. If additional help is needed, please contact Graduate Student Services with your inquiry.

To enroll in any INFO, CSYE, or DAMG courses, you must fulfill all prerequisites and meet all program restrictions. The department does not approve any registration overrides.

For students who did not achieve a ‘B -’ grade or higher in INFO 5100, or their respective programs’ core class, the department strongly encourages you to retake the course as it impacts your ability to fulfill prerequisites for other courses and to improve your comprehension of foundational material. For Information Systems – Bridge students, you must obtain a ‘B -’ or higher in INFO 5001 and INFO 5002 to progress to INFO 5100. No prerequisites will be waived.

Please review the COE Co-op FAQs for all co-op related questions. For any additional questions, you can contact the MGEN Co-op team at MGENCoop@northeastern.edu.

MGEN Grade Appeal Committee Overview

The Grade Appeal Committee for the Multidisciplinary Graduate Engineering unit (MGEN) is comprised of both faculty and staff and is led by members appointed by MGEN’s Executive Director. The primary purpose of this committee is to investigate any discrepancies associated with final grades issued in MGEN-supervised courses. It serves the following programs within the Multidisciplinary Graduate Engineering unit: Information Systems, Information Systems-Bridge, Software Engineering Systems, Data Architecture & Management, Telecommunications, and Cyber Physical Systems. The MGEN Grade Appeal Committee convenes monthly to review appeals that have been submitted.

Review Process:

Recognizing that disagreements over grades may occur, the MGEN Grade Appeal Committee is dedicated to upholding the integrity of academic standards while ensuring a fair and just process for all final grade petitioners. The MGEN Grade Appeal Committee undertakes a thorough, individualized assessment of all petitions, ensuring an equitable evaluation for each request. Please take a moment to thoroughly examine the outlined steps and guidelines below.

Guidelines Adherence:

Students submitting appeals should be cognizant that, even in cases where the MGEN Grade Appeal Committee may empathize, it is bound to adhere strictly to the published university/college guidelines and those set forth by Office of Student of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution (OSCCAR).

Committee Discretion:

The MGEN Grade Appeal Committee retains the discretion to determine when a petition warrants an exception to standard procedures. This discretion is exercised in consideration of the unique circumstances presented in each appeal.

Appeal Process

  1. Grounds for Appeal:
    Grade appeals are considered on the following grounds:

    • Procedural irregularities in the grading process.
    • Mathematical errors in calculating the final grade.
    • Demonstrable violation of university grading policies.
    • Other valid reasons as per university guidelines.
  2. Informal Resolution:
    Prior to initiating a formal appeal, we encourage students to discuss concerns with the course instructor. Many issues can be resolved through open communication and clarification.
  3. Documentation: 
    Gather all relevant documentation, including assignments, exams, and communication with the instructor. This documentation will be crucial during the appeal process.
  4. Academic Adviser Consultation: 
    Seek advice from your academic adviser or departmental adviser for guidance on the formal appeal process and to ensure you have a comprehensive understanding of your situation.
  5. Drafting the Appeal:
    Prepare a formal appeal letter that includes:

    • Brief overview of the situation.
    • Grounds for appeal.
    • Supporting evidence.
    • The resolution sought.
  6. Appeal Submission:
    Submit your appeal using the MGEN Student Appeal form within ONE month of the discrepancy occurring. Include any required forms and documentation outlined in the university’s policies. Please send your appeal to Erin Macri, Associate Director of Academic Operations (er.macri@northeastern.edu) for committee review.
  7. Review Committee:
    The designated review committee will thoroughly assess the appeal. This committee may include faculty members, administrators, or other relevant parties
  8. Hearing (if applicable):
    Participate in any hearings or meetings scheduled by the review committee. Be prepared to present your case and respond to questions.
  9. Decision Notification:
    The MGEN Grade Appeal Committee meets regularly (monthly, bi-monthly) to review appeals submitted. You will be notified of the appeal decision within 5 business days of the committee meeting. The decision will be communicated via your Northeastern email address.
  10. Follow-Up:
    If the appeal is successful, any necessary adjustments to your grade will be made. If the appeal is unsuccessful, students are eligible to submit an appeal to the College of Engineering’s Graduate School. Please note: appeals that do not follow the appropriate process and hierarchy outlined will not be considered.

Important Notes:

  • Familiarize yourself with Northeastern University’s specific policies on grade appeals.
  • Adhere to all specified deadlines and submission requirements.
  • Maintain professionalism throughout the appeal process.

The committee is committed to ensuring a fair and just resolution for all grade appeals. If you have any questions or need further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact your academic advisor with any questions you may have on this appeal process.

Forms and Processes

Review the requirements for program extensions and apply for the program extension from the COE Grad Forms page.

Please refer to the GPA Calculator, which is found on the Graduate Students Services Forms Page, under COE forms, Academic Probation.

You will need to speak directly to Student Financial Services to resolve any financial holds.

Student Life

Please refer to the Student Ambassador page.

Registration

Arlington

For questions related to Arlington Visa and OGS regulations, please email ArlingtonOGS@northeastern.edu or visit the OGS website. For additional questions from MGEN Arlington students, please contact Academic Advisor, Colin Dykes c.dykes@northeastern.edu.

Oakland

For questions related to Oakland Visa and OGS regulations, please email OaklandOGS@northeastern.edu or visit the OGS website. For additional questions from MGEN Oakland students, please contact Academic Advisor, Kimberly Wright ki.wright@northeastern.edu

San Jose

For questions related to San Jose Visa and OGS regulations, please email ogsSFSV@northeastern.edu or visit the OGS website. For additional questions from MGEN San Jose students, please contact Associate Co-op Coordinator, Erica Hatzievgenakis at e.hatzievgenakis@northeastern.edu or Academic Advisor, Kimberly Wright ki.wright@northeastern.edu

Seattle

For questions related to Seattle Visa and OGS regulations, please email seattleogs@northeastern.edu and visit the OGS website. For additional questions from MGEN Seattle students, please contact Assistant Director MGEN Co-op, Terri Gu y.gu@northeastern.edu or Academic Advisor, Michelle Foshee m.foshee@northeastern.edu

Toronto

If you have been issued a travel document, such as a visa or ETA, and have a travel-related issue, please send it to: arrivecanada@northeastern.edu.

For questions related to a Toronto study permit and Canadian OGS regulations, please email ogscanadaadvising@northeastern.edu or visit the OGS website. For additional questions from MGEN Toronto students, please contact Asst Coop Coordinator, Farzaneh Irani, at f.irani@northeastern.edu and Academic Advisor, Colin Dykes c.dykes@northeastern.edu

Vancouver

For questions related to a Vancouver study permit and Canadian OGS regulations, please email ogscanadaadvising@northeastern.edu or visit the OGS website. For additional questions from MGEN Vancouver students, please contact Asst Coop Coordinator, Siyi Cheng at s.cheng@northeastern.edu or Academic Advisor, Antonio Fadda a.fadda@northeastern.edu

Additional Questions

Questions related to admissions direct to: coe-gradadmissions@northeastern.edu.

Questions related to the Disability Resource Center – Differently Abled Resources: contact phone at +1.617.373.2675; or email at DRC@northeastern.edu.

Northeastern University We Care office: Assists students experiencing unexpected challenges to maintain academic progress. Contact: wecare@northeastern.edu; or by phone: 617.373.7591.

For Mental Health support twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, please contact Find@Northeastern by phone at +1.877.233.9477 (US) or +1.781.457.7777 (International) to speak with a trained counselor who will listen, offer guidance, and help you set a place.