Graduate School Bulletin

The Degrees of Master of Arts, Master of Business Administration, Master of Fine Arts, Master of Music, and Master of Science

Overview

These policies apply to the Degrees of Master of Arts, Master of Business Administration, Master of Fine Arts, Master of Music, and Master of Science, which are all advanced degrees requiring the acquisition of knowledge and skills beyond those needed for a baccalaureate.

Masters degree(s):

• may be taken en route to a doctoral degree or terminal.
• imply the recognition of their holders as skilled practitioners of their disciplines.
• recipients must demonstrate a grasp of advanced knowledge through coursework, and the ability to learn independently, and communicate effectively.

Masters Culminating Element

The requirement for the masters culminating element is specific to each program. Culminating elements can include satisfactory completion of a thesis, comprehensive examination, masters project, or other appropriate professional experience. Specific information can be found within the individual program sections of the Graduate Bulletin.

For students completing a thesis, the student is responsible for confirming with their program if it is required to file the thesis with the Graduate School. If a thesis is to be filed with the Graduate School, it must be prepared according to the Guidelines for the Preparation of Theses and Dissertations and submitted by the posted deadline. Multiple authorship of a thesis is not permissible.

Time Limit

The following guidelines apply to all first-time matriculated students enrolled in the Graduate School.

• Full-time students must complete all masters degree requirements within three years.
• Part-time and School of Professional Development students must complete all degree requirements within five years.

In exceptional cases where the program cannot be completed within these periods, students may petition for an extension of the time limit after obtaining approval from the student’s advisor and graduate program director. Requests for a time-limit extension must be filed before the limit is exceeded and must contain a significant justification. The final decision rests with the Dean of the Graduate School, who may impose additional requirements.