Policies for Students

How Credits Count

The VIP program is multidisciplinary by nature, attracting students from schools and departments across campus. The credits typically count as free or technical electives, but some departments allow VIP to count as within-major electives, Junior Design, and Senior Design, with policies specific to each department. Some policies require a minimum number of semesters or credits with the same VIP team, and/or they pre-approve which teams can fulfill the requirement. If you do not see your program listed below, check with your advising office to find out how VIP credits count towards your degree.*

College of Computing

Computational Media
  • 3-4 VIP credits can count as Design Project course credit.
  • After these 3 credits are used for Project Course credit, additional VIP credits can count as free electives.
  • Students completing VIP for their junior design requirement are required to complete at least three semesters of VIP on the same project, with a minimum of 5 hours, and LMC 3403. Typically, students sign up VIP 1 (1 hour) + VIP 2 (2 hours) + VIP 3 (2 hours) = 5 hours of VIP credit, and LMC 3403 (3 hours) is taken either during their last semester of VIP or after completion of VIP. VIP 2 and 3 (minimum 4 hours) must be at the 3000/4000 level.
    • 1st semester-VIP 1 (1 or more hours)
    • 2nd semester-VIP 2 (2 or more hours)
    • 3rd semester-VIP 3 (2 or more hours) + LMC 3403 (3 hours) = 8 hours (minimum)
Computer Science
  • 3-4 VIP credits can count as Design Project course credit.
  • After these 3 credits are used for Project Course credit, additional VIP credits can count as free electives.
  • Students completing VIP for their junior design requirement are required to complete at least three semesters of VIP on the same project, with a minimum of 5 hours, and LMC 3403. Typically, students sign up VIP 1st semester (1 hour) + VIP 2nd semester (2 hours) + VIP 3rd semester (2 hours) = 5 hours of VIP credit, and LMC 3403 (3 hours) is taken either during their last semester of VIP or after completion of VIP. VIP 2 and 3 (minimum 4 hours) must be at the 3000/4000 level.
    • 1st semester-VIP 1 (1 or more hours)
    • 2nd semester-VIP 2 (2 or more hours)
    • 3rd semester-VIP 3 (2 or more hours) + LMC 3403 (3 hours) = 8 hours (minimum)
Computer Science – MS
  • Students can take a maximum of 6 credit hours at the 4000-level and/or with a subject code other than CS or CSE (this is where VIP would fall).
  • There are exceptions for project-option and thesis option students.  Please see your academic advisor for more information.
College of Design

Architecture
  • Up to 3 credits can be used as Design/ARCH Electives.
  • Remaining credits can be used as free electives.
Building Construction & Facility Mgt – MS Industrial Design
  • Up to 3 credits can be used as an Approved Professional Elective.
  • Beyond those 3 credits, additional credits be used only as approved by the academic advisor.

Industrial Design
  • Up to 3 credits can be used as ID Electives.
  • Remaining credits can be used as approved electives.
Music Technology
  • Participating in the same VIP team for five or fewer credits results in that many free-elective credits.
  • Participating in the same VIP team for 6 or more credits results in 3 credits that are counted as upper division Music Technology electives and 3 credits that are counted as free electives.
  • Any additional credits count as free electives.
  • Any VIP team is eligible for this pathway. No approval is required by an academic advisor in music technology.
College of Engineering

Biomedical Engineering
  • For 5 or fewer VIP credits, credits count as free electives.
  • For 6 or more VIP credits with the same team, up to 6 credits can be used as depth elective credits.  Any credits over 6 must be used towards free electives.
Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
  • If 5 or fewer VIP credits are earned, the credits can only be used as free electives.
  • If 6 VIP credits are earned:
    • 3 credits can be used as CHBE Technical Electives.
    • 3 credits can be used as free electives.
Computer Engineering
  •  If four or fewer VIP credits are earned, VIP credits count as free electives.
  • If five VIP credits are earned with the same team, two credits count as free electives and three credits count as ECE electives.* Any additional credits count as free electives.
Electrical Engineering
  • If four or fewer VIP credits are earned, VIP credits count as free electives.
  • If five VIP credits are earned with the same team, two credits count as free electives and three credits count as ECE electives.* Any additional credits count as free electives.
Electrical and Computer Engineering – MS
  • VIP can be taken for 1, 2, or 3 credits per semester.  A zero-credit option is available for students who are supported by the instructor.
  • The first 3 credits of 6000-level VIP courses can count as Group III (electives)
  • The next 3 credits of 6000-level VIP courses can count as Group II OR Group III, and students must submit a publication-quality paper.  All six credits must be with the same VIP team.
Industrial Engineering
  • At least three but no more than four credits of VIP coursework must be taken with the same project over 2 consecutive semesters (with exceptions for summer and co-op/internship semesters).
    • View list for a list of projects already approved or denied. If the project in which you are interested is not on this list, please submit the Course Substitution Form to request that ISyE reviews it for consideration as a Group 2 Engineering Elective.
    • Upon completion of at least 3 credit hours of VIP with the same project and in 2 consecutive semesters (with exceptions for summer and co-op/internship semesters), please contact your assigned academic advisor to have the credits moved to Engineering Electives Group 2.
    • VIP counts for free elective if not used for Engineering Elective.
    • After earning those three credits, another four can count as Senior Design if criteria are met.
Mechanical Engineering
  • Six credits of VIP as free electives.
  • Six credits of research/special problems courses (2699, 4699 & 4903) as free electives.
  • Nine-credit limit towards free electives if taking both VIP and research/special problems courses.
  • VIP classes cannot be used as an ME elective.
College of Sciences

Applied Physics
  • Up to six credits in any combination of undergraduate student research and VIP can be counted as (physics) technical electives, provided that the research/VIP course involves at least one faculty member or adjunct faculty member from Physics.
  • Other VIP classes may be approved for physics elective credit upon review by the School’s Undergraduate Committee.
  • All credits beyond six are free electives.
Biology
  • Up to six credits of 3XXX-4XXX level VIP coursework can be counted towards Biology breadth electives (as detailed in the student handbook for BIOL 4695, 4697, 4699), provided that the VIP course(s) involves at least one faculty member or adjunct faculty member from the School of Biological Sciences.
  • VIP classes without a Biology faculty member may be approved for Biology elective credit upon review by the School’s Undergraduate Committee.
  • Additional VIP credits beyond six are free electives.
Chemistry and Biochemistry

Chemistry:

  • VIP courses count as free electives or as the chemistry research requirement (at least 2 hours required) with pre-approval of the Associate Chair for Undergraduate Programs or their designate.

Biochemistry:

  • VIP courses count as free electives.
Physics

For School of Physics students:

  • Up to six credits in any combination of undergraduate student research and VIP can be counted as (physics) technical electives, provided that the research/VIP course involves at least one faculty member or adjunct faculty member from Physics.
  • Other VIP classes may be approved for physics elective credit upon review by the School’s Undergraduate Committee.
  • All credits beyond six are free electives.
Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts
International Affairs

IAC/INTA students can use:

  • Six credits of VIP as free or non-major cluster electives.
  • Six credits of research/special problems courses as free or non-major cluster electives.
  • Nine-credit limit towards free or non-major cluster electives if taking both VIP and research/special problems courses.
  • VIP classes cannot be used as an INTA elective
Scheller College of Business
Information Technology Management

The ITM area will allow 3 hours of concentration Group B credit for long-term participation in selected VIP projects in which the role played by the ITM student reinforces the educational goals of the ITM concentration.

Students who earn 6 hours of VIP course credit with a grade of “C” or better in projects approved for the ITM Concentration may use 3 of those hours to fulfill 1 Group B elective in the ITM concentration. Hours earned below 3 or greater than 3 may not be applied to the Group B requirement. However they may count as non-business electives toward the BSBA degree or as free electives. Note: Students involved in VIP projects for 2 or more years will normally apply 3 or more VIP course credits to the non-business elective or free elective requirement for the BSBA.

 Only pre-approved projects will be allowed for ITM Group B credit. No project will be considered retroactively.

First, if a student is interested in a specific project, they should verify that the team is seeking business students as members. Currently over 20 teams are seeking business students. Team information is at: http://www.vip.gatech.edu/teams.

Second, if the student identifies a team they are interested in joining, they should contact the ITM faculty member who is managing the area’s participation in the program to be sure that the team’s project is eligible. Otherwise the project will be ineligible for consideration for ITM credit. Faculty member contact information is at: https://www.scheller.gatech.edu/degree-programs/undergraduate/courses-curriculum/curriculum-itm.html.

Third, once approval for a particular project and role is given by ITM, the student must apply and be accepted to the team that is working on the project of interest.  The form for doing this is at: https://secure.ece.gatech.edu/vip/apply/undergrad.php

Fourth, if accepted to a project, register for the appropriate VIP course. VIP course numbers indicate the year (2..4) and the credit (01..02). Each VIP project is indicated by a section identifier of a VIP course for the appropriate level and credit. There are 5 VIP courses that ITM students may enroll in for Group B Credit (approved sections only):

·         VIP 2601: VIP Project Team (1 hour credit)

·         VIP 3601: VIP Project Team (1 hour credit)

·         VIP 3602: VIP Project Team (2 hours credit)

·         VIP 4601: VIP Project Team (1 hour credit)

·         VIP 4602: VIP Project Team (2 hours credit)

Note: If the student is not interested in ITM Group B credit, they can join any VIP project that invites them, regardless of the role they would play, and count all the hours as non-business or free electives.

*Note: We do our best to keep this page up to date, but we recommend checking with your advising office for the most up to date policies. Faculty and staff, please send updates or corrections to vip@gatech.edu.

Credit Hour Policies

Undergraduates

Undergrads may take VIP for 1-2 credits, though exceptions can be made for long standing undergraduates on a team to take VIP for 3 credits. Students can begin taking VIP starting in sophomore year. However, exceptions can be made for first year students with sophomore standing via credit hours starting in second semester of their first year. Because first year students are still developing expertise in their areas of interest, we ask that they wait until at least second semester to join a VIP team. Other students (including transfer students) may register as follows:

  • Sophomores: can take VIP for 1 credit per semester
  • Juniors and Seniors: can take VIP for 1-2 credits
  • ONLY undergraduates who meet all four of the following criteria: can take VIP for 3 credits (This option can be used only once)
    • the student is In their third or later semester with the same VIP team
    • the student is In their final semester with the team
    • the student was enrolled with the team immediately prior to the 3-credit semester (excluding summer)
    • the student has instructor approval
  • Indispensable undergraduate students who have used up the number of credits they can use towards their degree: for pay and register for 0 credits
Photo of Executive Director Julie Sonnenberg-Klein tabling for VIP at the Undergraduate Research Symposium in 2025. She talks to students standing next to a large VIP banner.

PURA

Faculty can use President’s Undergraduate Research Awards (PURA) to pay long standing and indispensable undergraduate students on their VIP teams. Check the Office of Undergraduate Education and Student Success Website for details.

Learn More

Graduate Students

Graduate students are welcome to participate in VIP both as research assistants and as enrolled students. If graduate students are looking to enroll in a VIP team not managed by their faculty advisor, we recommend they check with their advisor before signing up. Some departments have established policies on how VIP credits can count toward degree requirements, while others count VIP as out-of-major courses without additional policies.

  • Paid graduate students (i.e. GRA’s embedded in the research of the team): Register for 0 credits
  • Other graduate students: can take VIP for 1-3 credits

Time Conflicts

Note that ONLY returning students may register with a time conflict and ONLY with approval from the faculty advisor of their team. Each team has different policies for time conflict students, so check with your faculty advisor for time conflict policies on your team.

Switching Teams

Because students benefit most when they can take advantage of the leadership opportunities available to returning students on a VIP team, the VIP Program does not allow students to freely switch from team to team. As a disincentive, students must take a one-semester break (summer does not count) if they choose to switch teams.