General Requirements

All master’s degree programs require a minimum of 45 graduate credits including thesis (6 to 12 credits) or research-in-lieu-of-thesis (3 to 6 credits). Exceptions to this capstone requirement are specified under the degree descriptions that follow these universal master’s degree requirements.

Graduate Study Program

A regular master’s degree student must complete a plan of study in consultation with an advisor/advisory committee before completing 18 graduate credits. This includes credits reserved as an undergraduate or post-baccalaureate student and credits earned as a post-baccalaureate, graduate non-degree seeking student, or graduate student. Students who wish to transfer credit must submit a Transfer Credit Request form before the end of their first year of study.

The final plan of study must be submitted to the Graduate School at least 15 weeks prior to the date of the student’s final examination.

Time Limit

All work toward a master’s degree, including transferred credits, coursework, and the final exam (capstone project) must be completed within seven years.

Final Exam

Successful completion of a final oral examination is required for all master’s degrees with the exception of students who complete the non-thesis option under the EdM degree. In those cases, non-thesis EdM students must take a final written examination. Some departments also require the student to pass a written exam prior to the oral exam.

When no thesis is involved, not more than half of the examination period should be devoted to the presentation of the research project; the remaining time can be spent on questions relating to the student’s knowledge of the major field, and minor field if one is included in the program. For non-thesis master’s degree programs, the major professor is responsible for directing and assigning a final grade for the research or culminating project. Other members of the non-thesis committee will assess the student’s defense of the project in the final oral examination, as well as the student’s knowledge of his or her field, and vote to pass or fail the student. The examining committee consists of three members of the graduate faculty—two in the major field and one in the minor field if a minor is included. When a minor is not included, the third member may be from the graduate faculty at large.