Campus Students

Academic Resources

MCommunity

MCommunity is a directory of people and groups at the University of Michigan.

Libraries

U-M students have access to a wide range of resources through the U-M library system, including an extensive online database of books, journal articles, and more through Mirlyn.

ISD students have specific librarians they can contact with questions about library resources and services, purchase requests, and library research assistance. Find your librarian below.

  • Paul Grochowski: Automotive Engineering; Global Automotive + Manufacturing Engineering; Manufacturing; Systems Engineering + Design
  • Leena Lalwani: Design Science; Energy Systems Engineering

Books and Course Packs

Most College of Engineering textbooks can be purchased at the Pierpont Commons Bookstore on North Campus or at the other University of Michigan bookstores.

Textbooks for classes taken through the Ross School of Business can be purchased through local bookstores. For Ross School of Business course packs, your instructor will give you the course pack link on the first day of class.

You may also be able to purchase textbooks at the websites below:


Canvas

Canvas is an advanced web-based course and collaboration environment. Canvas helps instructors, researchers and students create and manage course websites, using a variety of tools and apps to meet their instructional needs. Students will have permanent access to their course materials/resources unless the student is removed from the participant list by the instructor or the instructor removes the courses.


To learn more about the features Canvas provides to supplement and enhance teaching and learning, please read the detailed student guides at Canvas’ student guide center.

Computer Access, Email, and Purchasing Hardware and Software

Information Technology Central Services (ITCS)
All general computing links and information can be found on the ITCS website.

Computer Aided Engineering Network (CAEN) Computer Access
CAEN offers a comprehensive set of information technology services and resources that are available to all students, faculty, and staff in the College of Engineering.

Once you are registered for a class, you can obtain your CAEN account here. Please note that this account is in addition to your ITCS/UMICH account. The CAEN account will give you access to many computer labs across campus.

Email
Learn about accessing email here.

On-Campus Students: How to Get Started

Upcoming Events

2019 Engineering Orientation for Graduate Students
Wednesday – August 28, 2019 
Hill Auditorium (Central Campus)
825 University Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI  48109
12:30 pm – 1:00 pm – Check in at the Hill Auditorium
1:00 pm Program Welcome by Mary-Ann Mycek, Associate Dean for Graduate Education
1:15 pm Change it UP! Bystander Intervention Training
2:45 pm Remarks from Dean Gallimore
3:00 pm – 3:45 pm College Resorces and Services for Graduate Students
3:45 pm – 4:30 pm Ice Cream Social

Please review the links below to get started!

  1. On-Campus Students: Living in Ann Arbor
  2. Umich account and uniqname.
  3. On-Campus Students: International Student Resources
  4. Plan of Study
  5. On-Campus Students: Registering for Classes
  6. Review the remaining pages on this Student Resources site. This site can be a great tool throughout your time as an ISD student!

Creating Your Umich Account

You will create your account online through Wolverine Access using a uniqname and Kerberos password. All new incoming students must follow the links below for instructions on how to obtain a uniqname and password.

Use of Umich Account

All university correspondence will be sent to your umich.edu email account. If you wish, you can have your umich.edu email forwarded to any email account you choose. To learn about forwarding your email, please visit this page on the Information and Technology Services (ITS) website.

Student Mcard

The Mcard includes identification, library borrowing privileges, building access, and meal plans all on one card. All members of the university community are required to have a valid Mcard. The eight-digit UMID number printed on the front of each Mcard is the cardholder’s university number or UMID (e.g., student number). 

After you have your uniqname and password, you will need to take your photo ID (Driver’s License) to the Entrée Office to obtain your Mcard. You will receive your card at the Entrée Office within 10–15 minutes.

Entrée Office Locations 

North Campus
Pierpont Commons
2101 Bonisteel
Lower Level Room B-430

Phone: (734) 763-6294

Monday–Friday
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Central Campus
Student Activities Building
515 E. Jefferson Street
Room 100

Phone: (734) 763-4632

Monday–Friday
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

On-campus Students: Living in Ann Arbor

ISD Student Space in the School of Information-North

Join your fellow students on the 2nd floor of the School of Information-North (SI-North). ISD students have access to common study areas 24/7. SI-North is also the location of your graduate coordinator’s office, select ISD faculty offices, and most ISD events, including the ISD Graduate Student Advisory Committee meetings.

Campus Maps

An interactive campus map can be found here. U-M is made up of four campuses. ISD classes are on North Campus. Some ISD students may also have classes on Central Campus. North and Central Campuses are very close to each other and students can easily take buses back and forth between the two campuses.

Meal Plans and On-campus Dining

Michigan Dining is comprised of eleven on-campus cafés and eight markets, seven residential dining halls, a line of Blue to Go foods, and the Michigan Catering unit. Learn about which plan is right for you.

Housing

There are many housing options in the Ann Arbor area. Often students ask whether they should live near North Campus or Central Campus. Most engineering classes are held on North Campus; however, ISD students may have classes on Central Campus, especially if they take classes in the Ross School of Business. The U-M bus system has frequent buses that travel the two-mile distance between the campuses year-round, making it very easy for students to live near either campus.

Central Campus is close to the vibrant downtown of Ann Arbor. There are many restaurants, boutiques, bars, museums, and concert venues downtown, particularly the South University Ave and Main Street areas. Students interested in living in a busy, friendly urban community will enjoy living near Central Campus.

North Campus is a much quieter suburban section of Ann Arbor, with over 800 acres of land and abundant wildlife. The College of Engineering, the School of Art & Design, the School of Music, Theatre & Dance, and the Taubman College of Architecture & Urban Planning are all located on North Campus. North Campus is close to several city parks, the Huron River, and a variety of shopping plazas. Students interested in a quiet, suburban experience will love living on or near North Campus.

Explore the sites below to learn more about your housing options:

Transportation

U-M Parking and Bus Services
University of Michigan Parking & Transportation Services (PTS) provides parking and transportation services. PTS runs a vast network of bus routes on campus, which are particularly important for students on North Campus. Go here for bus route information. Parking information can be found here. Most parking spaces on the University of Michigan campuses require parking permits.

Ann Arbor Bus Services
The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (The Ride) operates public transportation services in the Ann Arbor area community. Students with active Mcards can use The Ride for free.

Duderstadt Center

Located on U-M’s North Campus, the James and Anne Duderstadt Center houses the Art, Architecture, and Engineering Library, the College of Engineering Computer Aided Engineering Network (CAEN), the Digital Media Commons, and the Millennium Project. The Mujo Cafe provides a space for refreshment and social interaction.

U-M Computer Showcase

Registered students can purchase computer hardware and software at substantial educational discounts from the U-M Computer Showcase. There are two locations: one at Pierpont Commons on North Campus and another in the lower level of the Michigan Union on Central Campus.

Student Clubs, Community, Recreation, and Athletics

The U-M community offers a variety of clubs, recreational sports, and other activities to supplement student life outside of the classroom, including:

  • U-M Maize Pages: directory of the hundreds of student clubs at U-M
  • The Michigan Daily: U-M’s student-run newspaper
  • U-M Recreational Sports: includes several campus gyms, group fitness classes, club sports, and more
  • U-M Athletics: one of the most competitive and prestigious college athletics departments in the nation; learn how to buy tickets for sporting events and get ready to cheer on the Victors!


Explore Ann Arbor

Consistently ranked among America’s Top 10 most livable cities, Ann Arbor boasts countless festivals, entertainment venues, cultural destinations, and dining hotspots.

Check out these links to learn more:

Wellness

At ISD, we believe your number one priority as a student should be taking care of yourself so that you are able to do your best in the classroom, in industry, and everywhere in between. Below are some resources to help you navigate your time as an ISD student.

Resources

University Health Service (UHS)
UHS is an on-campus clinic that offers comprehensive medical care. UHS is available for U-M students from all campuses, alumni, faculty, staff, and retirees. Most services are free for students.

Counseling and Psychlogical Services (CAPS)
CAPS is available for enrolled U-M Ann Arbor students. Students have access to therapists, social workers, psychiatrists, and many other staff. CAPS supplies information, services, and tools to help students with a variety of needs. There is no cost for CAPS services.

U-M Psychiatric Emergency Service
Located next to the Emergency Medicine unit at the University Hospital, anyone seeking emergency psychiatric care can visit the crisis center or contact the crisis line.

Crisis Line: 734-996-4747 or 734-936-5900
Location:
University Hospital
1500 East Medical Center Drive
Reception: Emergency Medicine
Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD)
The SSD office is available to provide support services and academic accommodations to students with disabilities. It is not uncommon for a student to discover a disability for the first time during college and/or graduate school. SSD is available to help students navigate the process of identifying a disability, applying for accommodations, and more.

Local Urgent Care Facilities
See below for a list of local urgent care clinics. Students are responsible for payment for any medical care received outside of University Health Services, including emergency room and ambulance services. Those services are not covered by the health service fee.

IHA Urgent Care-Domino’s Farms
734-995-0308
4200 Whitehall Dr
Suite 150
Ann Arbor, MI 48105

Ann Arbor Urgent Care
734-769-3333
1000 E. Stadium Blvd
Suite 1
Ann Arbor, MI 48104

St. Joseph Mercy Maple Health Building
734-327-3933
501 N. Maple Rd
Ann Arbor, MI 48103

Dental Faculty Associates (DFA) Clinic
Faculty members at the U-M School of Dentistry operate a clinic on Central Campus. Patients have access to all of the same services they would find in a private practice with the additional benefit of the collaborative teaching and learning environment found at the School of Dentistry.

734-764-3155
School of Dentistry
First Floor, Room 1340
1011 North University Ave
Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Student Caregivers
An excellent resource for U-M students who are acting as caregivers for children or unwell family members can be found at the Students with Children website.

Health Insurance and University Health Services (UHS)

Why Students Should Have Health Insurance

  • In case you are ill or injured: Students are responsible for payment of costs not covered by the health service fee, including medication, emergency room visits, hospitalizations or ambulance service, and any services outside UHS. If you do not have insurance, consider purchasing an insurance plan.
  • In case you experience a health problem while traveling: The university offers a plan that can reduce the impact of health problems on study, work, volunteer, and travel abroad. For more information, see UHS’s page about travel abroad health insurance.

Health Insurance for International Students
If you are an F-1 or J-1 international student or a J-1 visiting scholar whose Form I-20 or DS-2019 was issued by the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, you are required to have health insurance coverage for yourself and any F-2 or J-2 dependents while at the University of Michigan. Health insurance coverage is coordinated through the U-M International Center. Find out more information here.

On-campus Students: International Student Resources

The University of Michigan is an international community of scholars from around the world. We appreciate and celebrate our diverse global community and have a variety of resources to help you navigate and make the most of your experience at U-M and ISD.

International Center

The U-M International Center provides a variety of services to assist international students, scholars, faculty, and staff at the University of Michigan. Please note it is your responsibility to keep your international records up to date and maintain proper visa status while you are a student here. The International Center offers the following services:

  • Advises international students, scholars, their dependents, and university departments on compliance with U.S. immigration laws and regulations related to F and J visa categories
  • Recommends and approves immigration benefits
  • Verifies, tracks, and submits visa status notifications through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), as required by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
  • Advises on adjustment to U.S. society and American culture, academic concerns, and community resources
  • Processes DS-2019s, I-20s, travel signatures, and letters needed for travel, employment, maintaining status, social security numbers, and other immigration related matters.
  • Conducts workshops and orientation sessions for international students, scholars, and U-M departments

Resources for New International Students

Two great resources for new students include:

International Center
Location and Hours of Operation

1500 Student Activities Building
515 E. Jefferson Street,
Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Monday–Friday
8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

CPT and OPT Information

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT) are defined as types of employment directly related to a student’s field of study. CPT is the correct option for students who are currently enrolled in courses and OPT is the correct option for students who seek temporary employment after they have finished their degree.

Language Support Services for International Graduate Students at U-M 

The English Language Institute (ELI) is U-M’s department providing language and academic support to students who speak and write English as a second or additional language. The ELI offers a full range of credit courses and non-credit language resources designed to help students achieve their scholarly, instructional, and professional goals before and after they begin their ISD program. 

SUMMER: ONLINE PRE-ARRIVAL COURSE

Preparing for Graduate Success is an optional four-week online summer course which prepares you to succeed in your academic program and participate in life on campus. You will learn about the academic language specific to graduate study and research at the University of Michigan and explore campus culture in and outside the classroom. 

The course is highly-interactive. You will receive extensive individualized feedback from the instructor and make friends before you arrive on campus. Asynchronous course design lets you complete course assignments on your own time, anywhere in the world. 

If you choose to participate, the course fee is $450. Some departments offer funding to attend PGS; please check with your home department for details. Course sizes are small so space is limited. Visit the ELI website for more information or to register.

ACADEMIC ENGLISH COURSES FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS

ELI offers advanced academic English courses for graduate students in the following areas:

  • Writing
  • Listening + Speaking
  • Pronunciation
  • Interactive Communication
  • Reading + Vocabulary
  • GSI Preparation: English for teaching

We offer in-person and online course sections to accommodate students’ busy schedules. You can register for ELI courses via Wolverine Access along with your other courses:

  • No extra course fees—ELI courses are included in full-time tuition
  • All courses are credit-bearing
  • Graded pass/fail—grades do not affect GPA
  • Most courses meet once a week
  • Visit the ELI WEBSITE for details about all our course offerings

NON-CREDIT LANGUAGE RESOURCES

The ELI offers other types of language support for graduate students:

  • Language Clinics
  • Workshops
  • Online self-study tools
  • Conversation Circles

ELI ACADEMIC ADVISING

ELI’s academic advisor is available to provide information and guidance on ELI courses and other resources.

ELI advising appointments are currently being held online. You can sign-up online now for an individual appointment for the spring/summer/fall:

If nothing fits your schedule, contact us directly to schedule an appointment at ELIadvisor@umich.edu.

Additional Resources

On-campus Students: Registering for Classes

Important Tips

  • We recommend that if you are a new full-time student, you should enroll in no more than 9 credits and ensure that you focus on courses that meet your degree requirements.
    • Students who take 9-12 credits a semester towards degree requirements will complete a 30-credit master’s program in 12-18 months.
  • If you are taking courses at the Ross School of Business, please refer to this webpage.
  • If you are in the dual-degree Manufacturing + MBA program, please contact Kathy Bishar (kbishar@umich.edu) for registration directions.
  • As an on-campus student, you will use Wolverine Access to register for classes. To learn how to use Wolverine Access for registration, please refer to the Student Business Help Menu.
  • You will be issued an enrollment appointment, which indicates when you are able to officially register. Note this is not a physical appointment—registration is done entirely online.
  • You must be enrolled in at least one course before the first day of classes or you will be charged a late registration fee.
  • If you are a recently graduated U-M undergraduate, do not use your undergrad enrollment appointment time; you must wait for your new graduate enrollment appointment.
  • For important registration dates, including deadlines on making changes to your schedule, see the Office of the Registrar’s calendars.
  • It is possible to have classes on North Campus and Central Campus on the same day. Buses frequently run between the two campuses. Allot an hour of time between classes on North and Central Campuses.
  • A credit hour (semester hour) generally represents one hour of lecture per week for a term, or two for a half term. Preparation for each credit hour normally requires a minimum of three hours of study per week. Generally, one period of laboratory work is considered equal to one credit hour.

Waitlist, Override, and Audit Policies

  • Every department has different policies and procedures for class permissions.
  • If you wish to audit (visit) a class, you must receive instructor permission. We encourage you to keep audited courses to a minimum. Audited courses will not count towards your program requirements.
  • It is common for some classes to be full and to require you to register for the waitlist. Be certain to attend the first day of class in the event that a space opens for you. Spaces often do become available, but it is not guaranteed.
  • ISD students may not have priority for non-ISD classes. If you would like to take a non-ISD class that requires instructor or department permission, we encourage you to reach out to the department and politely ask for further instructions.
  • You may need to find and enroll in alternative classes while you are waiting to find out if you may take a restricted or waitlisted class.
  • You are not guaranteed an override.
  • More information on waitlist and override processes may be found here.

Important Deadlines

  • Backpacking (picking out classes and creating a tentative schedule)
    • Fall and Spring/Summer Terms
      • New students: May
      • Returning students: late March
    • Winter Term: mid-November
  • Enrollment (officially registering for classes)
    • Fall and Spring/Summer Terms
      • New students: early June
      • Returning students: late March/early April
    • Winter Term: late November
  • Add/drop deadlines (deadlines to make changes to your schedule)

Steps for On-campus Registration

  1. Refer to your program’s Plan of Study and course descriptions and complete the necessary steps. You must have your Plan of Study approved before registering.
  2. Visit the Wolverine Access website.
  3. Log in using your uniqname and password.
  4. To create a schedule, refer to the Backpack and Schedule Builder sections of the Student Business Help Menu.
  5. First you will use the Backpack function to review official class offerings for a given term, and save the classes in which you are interested.
  6. Once your enrollment appointment occurs, you will go back into Wolverine Access and formally enroll.
  7. To view your class schedule, refer to the Class Schedule page in the Student Business Help Menu.

Technical Requirements Specifications

Michigan Engineering IT Recommendation for Personal Computer Requirements.