CONTENTS:
3.1     GRADUATE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
3.1.1  ACADEMIC
3.1.2  ADMINISTRATIVE
3.2      UNIVERSITY RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS
3.2.1  DOCTORAL DEGREE
3.2.2  MASTERS DEGREE
3.3     REQUIRED CREDIT HOURS
3.3.1  DOCTORAL DEGREE
3.3.2  MASTERS DEGREE
3.3.3  COURSES AT OTHER INSTITUTIONS
3.3.4  COURSE LEVELS
3.4     CANDIDACY EXAMINATION
3.4.1  DOCTORAL DEGREE
3.4.2  MASTERS DEGREE
3.5      DISSERTATION AND THESIS REQUIREMENTS
3.5.1  DOCTORAL DEGREE
3.5.2  MASTERS DEGREE
3.6     TIME LIMITS TO GRADUATION

3.1. GRADUATE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

The University faculty recommends the granting of degrees. To receive a graduate degree from the University, students must meet the minimum requirements set forth by the SUS and the University and the specific requirements established by the degree program. (See also Section 8.) The following minimum conditions are required to receive a graduate degree. Additional requirements may be set and must be specified in policies and procedures manuals of each individual degree granting program.

3.1.1. ACADEMIC

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

Students must meet residency requirements, where applicable, and time limits for degree completion. Students also must  satisfactorily complete all University and program requirements including:
     maintenance of acceptable grade requirements as defined in Section 4.2.1.
     successful completion of all required examinations
     successful defense of a dissertation for doctoral students or a thesis, if required, for masters students

3.1.2. ADMINISTRATIVE

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

The student must complete the application for graduation. The faculty of the degree granting program, the department chairperson and the academic dean recommend awarding the degree. The Dean of Graduate Studies certifies that all academic and administrative requirements have been met.

3.2. UNIVERSITY RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS
3.2.1. DOCTORAL DEGREE

Effective: January 10, 2001

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

The University has no residency requirements for the doctoral degree programs but individual degree programs may have such requirement. If such requirements exist, they must be specified in the policy and procedures manuals for those programs.

3.2.2. MASTERS DEGREE

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

The University has no residency requirement for masters degree programs but individual degree programs may have such requirements. If such requirements exist, they must be specified in the policies and procedures manuals for those programs.

3.3. REQUIRED CREDIT HOURS

3.3.1. DOCTORAL DEGREE

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

Programs leading to a doctoral degree require at least 90 credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree. These shall include a minimum of:

     30 credit hours earned in academic courses which are part of the doctoral program (See Section 2.4.1.)
     24 dissertation credit hours taken at this University

3.3.2. MASTERS DEGREE

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

Programs leading to a masters degree will normally require at least 30 credit hours of non-thesis course work.

3.3.3. COURSES AT OTHER INSTITUTIONS

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

Following admission to the University, admitted students may take a maximum of 6 credit hours at other institutions. Courses taken within the SUS or affiliated programs may exceed this limit, provided the student has the prior approval of the program director and the academic dean.

3.3.4. COURSE LEVELS

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

Doctoral programs normally make use of courses at the 6000 level and above. Courses at the 5000 level may be included in a
doctoral degree program in appropriate cases.

Masters programs normally make use of courses at the 5000 and 6000 levels. A maximum of 6 credits of advanced undergraduate courses (4000 level) may be included in a masters degree program if they are needed in order to fulfill program requirements. No course counted toward a student's undergraduate degree may be included in that student's masters degree program.

3.4. CANDIDACY EXAMINATION

3.4.1. DOCTORAL DEGREE

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

Every doctoral degree program must require each student to pass a candidacy examination written and/or oral before he or she may be admitted to candidacy for the doctoral degree. This examination generally is taken after all course requirements have been completed, but the student's Research Committee may make exceptions consistent with Section 6.2. (See Section 6 for detailed candidacy procedures.)

3.4.2. MASTERS DEGREE

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

The University has no requirement for candidacy or candidacy examinations at the masters level. However, individual programs may require comprehensive oral and/or written examinations. If such requirements exist they must be specified in the catalog and the policies and procedures manuals for those programs.

3.5. DISSERTATION AND THESIS REQUIREMENTS
3.5.1. DOCTORAL DEGREE

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

A dissertation is required of all candidates for a doctoral degree. (See Section 7.)

3.5.2. MASTERS DEGREE

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

If a thesis is required as part of a masters program, this requirement must be clearly stated in the catalog and the policies and procedures manual for the degree program. In such cases all of the University policies and procedures governing theses apply. (See Section 7.)

3.6. TIME LIMITS TO GRADUATION

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

At the doctoral level all requirements, including the successful defense of a dissertation, must be completed within nine years of first enrollment in the doctoral program.

At the masters level all requirements, including the successful defense of a thesis where required, must be completed within six years of first enrollment in the masters program.

Page last updated:   July 9, 2001
Page Content: Dennis Wiedman
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