Continuous Enrollment Policy
Graduate students must maintain continuous enrollment by registering for at least one graduate credit during fall and spring semester until all degree requirements are completed. If applicable, this includes the Graduate College approval of the master’s paper, thesis, or dissertation. Summer registration is required for students holding their oral preliminary examination or final defense during the summer semester.
Additional enrollment policies for graduate assistants and conditionally admitted students are found in the Graduate Catalog.
Individualized Development Plan (IDP): A Roadmap for Success
An IDP is a tool for personal and professional development that allows people to explore career options, identify areas for skill development, and set short- and long-term goals. Identifying the skills needed for career success focuses students attention on their goals so that they make the best use of their time in graduate school.
All students and post docs would benefit from an IDP. Some organizations require them for all employees. An IDP can be used throughout a person’s entire training and employment.
Ideally, the IDP will be developed during the first semester of graduate study, but it is never too late to make one.
How is the IDP use?
Students should use their IDP to guide conversations with their advisor and supervisory committee, coursework choices (e.g., electives & certificates) and professional development choices. Multiple professional development activities are provided for NDSU graduate students through the Graduate Professional Skills (GPS) Academy. Upcoming activities are listed on myNDSU. ().The IDP should be reviewed and updated periodically—aiming for once a semester. People change throughout their training and across the course of their careers. Reviewing at a set time each semester encourages monitoring progress toward goals, and allows for refining and adding to the IDP over time.
IDP Resources
ImaginePhD - Career exploration and planning tool for students in the Humanities and Social Sciences
myIDB - Career exploration and planning tool for students and post docs in the sciences. Includes the option to set reminders
APA IDB Resource - The American Psychological Association has assembled resources helpful to students in a wide range of careers, including tools for self-assessment, IDP examples, and videos explaining the steps of IDP development
Grad Career Consortium - Multiple career resources for a variety of paths