Graduate Academic Policies

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Graduate Academic Policies and Procedures

1. About the College of Graduate Studies

History

The College of Graduate Studies was instituted in the fall of 1960 with the offering of the Master of Arts degree. In 1962, graduate degrees were begun for the Master of Science, Master of Engineering, and Master of Education. In 1965, the Master of Business Administration was initiated. Our first doctoral degree was authorized in 1970 in the College of Engineering. The Master of Engineering Management degree was begun in 1983. A Doctor of Education in Deaf Education was approved in 1993. The Doctor of Audiology degree was approved in 2003, the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership in 2004, and the Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering in 2005. In 2007, the College of Education and Human Development initiated its online Academic Partnership degree program. A complete list of graduate degrees offered at ﾃﾛﾌﾒﾊﾓﾆｵ University appears below.

Mission

The College of Graduate Studies promotes high-quality graduate education at ﾃﾛﾌﾒﾊﾓﾆｵ University by recruiting, admitting, and enrolling qualified students and ensuring requirements are met.

Vision

The College of Graduate Studies provides leadership, vision, and support services to enhance graduate education at ﾃﾛﾌﾒﾊﾓﾆｵ University. We encourage the establishment, growth, development, and continuous improvement of graduate programs in targeted disciplines where needs exist and faculty capabilities are or can be employed.

We will achieve our mission and vision by

-increasing the awareness of graduate educational opportunities within the university and the local and global communities.
-recruiting qualified graduate students.
-ensuring requirements are appropriate and satisfied by each student.

Objectives

The objectives of the College of Graduate Studies are as follows:

Advancement of knowledge through research.
Intensification within a student's chosen field of specialization and allied areas.
Development of the student's skill in the methodology of research.
Promotion of the power of independent thought by teaching students to take charge of their own intellectual advancement.
Introduction to the profession and its organization and protocols.

Degrees Offered

See Section 2, Degrees and Programs.

Degrees in Italics are offered entirely online.

Master of Arts in

English, History

Master of Business Administration in

Accounting, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Experiential Business and Entrepreneurship, Financial Management, General Business, Healthcare Administration, Leadership, Management Information Systems, Nursing Administration (dual degree), Service Management and Marketing

Master of Education in

Educational Administration, Counseling, Educational Technology Leadership, Teacher Leadership, Special Education

Master of Engineering or Master of Engineering Science in

Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering

Master of Engineering Management

Master of Music

Master of Public Administration

Master of Science in

Accounting, Applied Psychology, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Criminal Justice, Deaf Education, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Studies, Family and Consumer Sciences, Health Promotion, Kinesiology, Mathematics, Nursing, Speech-Language Pathology

Doctor of Audiology

Doctor of Education in

Deaf Education, Educational Leadership

Doctor of Engineering

Doctor of Philosophy in

Chemical Engineering

2. Regulations and Policies

Student Responsibility

It is the responsibility of each student to know the regulations of the Graduate College and the major department, to enroll in the appropriate course work to complete the degree plan, and to maintain the standards of the university, the College of Graduate Studies, and specific departments and programs.

Health Insurance

Health and accident insurance is required of all international students, residence hall occupants, and participants in intramural sports. Any registered student taking six or more credit hours (three hours during the summer sessions) is eligible for enrollment in an affordable insurance plan offered by an independent insurance company. This supplemental policy covers a portion of the costs for inpatient and outpatient medical services not available at the health center. Except in emergency situations, students are required to seek treatment at the Student Health Center first, where off-campus referrals will be issued if deemed necessary. Students enrolled in the plan may also insure their dependents; however, non-student dependents are not eligible to use the health center.

Premiums are due at the time of enrollment and are available per semester or on an annual basis. Detailed information and enrollment forms are available through the Student Health Center, the offices of Student Engagement or Residence Life, L.I.T. Student Services, or through the health center web site.

3. Academic Policies of the College of Graduate Studies

All graduate students are expected to be familiar with the policies and regulations of the College of Graduate Studies.

Academic Year. The university divides the academic year into two long semesters (fall and spring) and two summer terms of six weeks each.
Time Limit for Degree Completion. All course work applied toward a given master's or doctoral degree at ﾃﾛﾌﾒﾊﾓﾆｵ University must be completed within a period of six (6) years or ten (10) years, respectively. The timeline commences with the first semester of graduate enrollment. These time limits apply to all work at the graduate level, including work transferred from other institutions. At the discretion of the program faculty, course work taken outside these time windows may be recertified and counted toward the degree based upon a specific, objective, written plan filed in the department, college, and College of Graduate Studies offices and posted on their web sites. Time spent in active military service is not included in the six, eight, and 10-year limits. Due to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (US CIS) regulations, a shorter period of time may apply to international students. Note: A longer period of time may be needed for doctoral programs requiring more than 60 semester hours beyond the baccalaureate degree.
Maximum Semester Course Load. The maximum course load for graduate students during spring and fall semesters is 15 hours per term. Nine hours is a minimum full-time load. The maximum course load for graduate students for any one summer term is six semester hours, or seven hours if a lab is taken. These maximums apply even when the graduate student is enrolled in a combination of graduate and undergraduate courses.
Definitions of Full and Part-Time. A full-time graduate student is defined as a student taking at least nine semester hours of graduate work during fall or spring semesters. After completing the course work for a graduate degree, students who are enrolled in a thesis, dissertation, or field-study course may be considered full-time even though they are enrolled in as little as three semester hours. In the summer, full-time is three hours per term. Students taking fewer than nine hours in the fall and spring semesters and fewer than three hours in the summer sessions are considered part-time. Full-time status may be required for certain fellowships and scholarships.
Deferring Graduation. International students who wish to defer graduation by taking additional course work after their original degree plan has been completed must meet one of the following conditions: (1) admission to the new program must be granted by the new major department, and a new Form I-20 must be issued indicating the new major program of study and the length of time for completion of the second degree; or (2) the student must be enrolled full time (nine hours in long semesters and three hours in each summer semesters), and permission must be given in writing by the major department as well as the department where additional course work is to be taken stating that said course work is required for the original degree. All additional course work must be taken for credit, and a grade must be earned. Students may not petition for "no-grade" (NG).
Permission for an Undergraduate Student to Enroll in Graduate Courses. Reservation of Work by Undergraduates for Graduate Credit. An undergraduate student who is within 12 semester hours of graduation may take a maximum of six semester hours of graduate courses that may be applied toward a master's degree. Both the chair of the intended graduate program and the graduate dean must approve, and the total academic load may not exceed 15 semester hours. The G-11 form, available in the Graduate Office (219 Wimberly), on the Graduate Studies website and in departmental offices, is used to obtain permission.
Dual Degrees. Graduate students wishing to take dual degrees must apply to and be accepted by both major departments. It is not required that completion of both major degree plans occur simultaneously. In addition, international students must comply with all Immigration and Naturalization Service federal regulations governing enrollment and employment opportunities. It is the student's responsibility to keep both major departments informed of continuing dual-degree status and to be aware of how this may affect any financial assistance from one or both of those departments. A dual-degree candidate is still subject to all the academic policies listed herein.
Transfer of Graduate Credits to ﾃﾛﾌﾒﾊﾓﾆｵ University. With the approval of the chair of the major department and the graduate dean, a student may transfer up to six semester hours of graduate work completed at another institution, and these transferred credits may be applied toward a graduate degree at LU. Only courses with grades of "A", "B" or "S" (satisfactory) that were accepted as graduate credit at the institution where the work was taken may be considered for graduate transfer. Transfer courses must not be more than six years old when applied to a master's degree and ten years old when applied to a doctoral degree. Transferred credits are not considered in the computation of the graduate grade-point average at ﾃﾛﾌﾒﾊﾓﾆｵ University.
Application of Institute Hours toward a degree. A maximum of six semester hours of work done in institutes may be approved for graduate credit toward a degree. Institutes are defined as graduate courses of less than three weeks' duration.
Application of Credits from One master's degree toward a Second degree. A maximum of six semester hours taken for one master's degree may be counted toward a second master's degree with the approval of the department in which the second degree is sought. Coursework must be not be more than six years old.
Use of Advanced Undergraduate Courses toward a Graduate Degree. Undergraduate courses, even if senior-level, may not be applied toward a graduate degree.
Grade Replacement Policy. Students may replace a graduate course grade by repeating a course for up to three graduate-level courses (nine semester hours). If a student repeats a course , the last grade recorded will be considered the official grade and used in calculating the GPA , although all grades remain on the student’s transcript. A grade once earned and entered on a student’s transcript cannot be removed. Special topics courses that have the same course number are not considered to be the same course if the topics differ. The repetition of a course taken at another institution will not replace a grade in the GPA calculation of the ﾃﾛﾌﾒﾊﾓﾆｵ University course. This policy does not apply to courses repeated before the fall of 2014. If a student earns a D or F in a course required for his/her graduate degree, the course must be repeated, and a passing grade of A, B, or C must be earned . Once a degree has been conferred, a student may not use the Grade Replacement Policy for any courses used to award the degree or to recalculate the GPA. A Grade Replacement Form can be found under Forms on the College of Graduate Studies site.
Change of major. Except in the College of Business, changes of major must be approved by the chair and/or the graduate advisor in the new graduate program and by the graduate dean. In the College of Business, changes must be approved by the associate dean and by the dean of the College of Graduate Studies. New international students may begin the process of changing majors during their first semester but may not actually make the change until their second term. Obtain forms for changing majors (G-16) at the Graduate Office (219 Wimberly). Caution: financial assistance provided by an academic department is usually not transferable to other departments. Students who change their major and transfer from one department to another may lose financial assistance.
Enforced Withdrawal or Course Drop. A graduate student may be required to drop a course or courses or withdraw from the university temporarily or permanently if the student's academic work is below the standards of the College of Graduate Studies (see discussion of probation/suspension below), or if the student is found to have engaged in academic dishonesty or misconduct. In those programs that provide clinical training or student teaching (e.g., audiology, speech-language pathology, nursing, education and human development), a student can be removed from practicum and/or the program if the student is found (through due process) to be a threat to the well-being of patients, students, clients, etc.
Academic Dishonesty, Misconduct, Discipline Code. Student conduct regulations, as found in the ﾃﾛﾌﾒﾊﾓﾆｵ University Student Handbook, apply to all graduate students. These regulations include policies relating to academic dishonesty, plagiarism, university disciplinary code, and student rights and responsibilities. It is the responsibility of all graduate students to read the Student Handbook and to abide by all university regulations.
Grading System. The grading system for graduate students is "A" (superior), "B" (good), "C" (marginal), "D" (poor), "F" (fail), "I" (incomplete), "S" (satisfactory), "U" (unsatisfactory), Drop, and Withdrawal. Credits applicable to graduate degrees are given only for the grades A, B, C, and S. Although C grades earned at ﾃﾛﾌﾒﾊﾓﾆｵ University may be counted toward the requirements for a graduate degree, C grades are not considered acceptable graduate-level performance. Courses in which a student earns only a D or F may not be counted toward a graduate degree, although such grades are calculated in determining the grade-point average. Grades of C, D, or F must be compensated for by the necessary hours of A if the student is to have the 3.0 grade-point average required before awarding the degree. In computing grade-point averages, an "A" is valued at four grade points, a "B" three, a "C" two, a "D" one, and an "F" zero. An overall grade point average (GPA) of "B" (3.0) on all graduate work attempted is required for graduation. Thesis students must receive an "NG" for thesis courses until the thesis is approved. At that time, six semester hours credit are awarded with a grade and are included in the computation of grade point averages. Incomplete course work that is not finished during the next long semester (spring or fall) will be credited with an "F." International students must receive an "NG" for courses (such as Graduate Projects) that have not been completed and should not receive an "I" in any course. With compelling justification, the graduate dean may grant an extension of the time limit for the completion of incomplete course work.
Grade Change. After a degree has been conferred, no transcripted grade may be changed except those assigned to graduate students in their final semester. Such changes require the approval of the Provost or Senior Associate Provost.
Additional Departmental GPA Requirements. A department or graduate program may impose GPA standards for its majors that exceed those of the Graduate College when approved by the dean of the academic college.
Admission of Faculty to Graduate Degree Programs. ﾃﾛﾌﾒﾊﾓﾆｵ University faculty will not be permitted to work toward a graduate degree within their own department. To pursue a graduate degree in another department, faculty must have the approval of the Graduate Dean.
English Proficiency Required of International Students for Graduation. International students whose first language is not English are required to pass an English proficiency test before they may be admitted to candidacy for a graduate degree. The test is not used as an admissions requirement to the Graduate College and is taken after the student is admitted and arrives at ﾃﾛﾌﾒﾊﾓﾆｵ University. International students who do not pass the test are required to enroll in an English as a Second Language (ESL) course until they pass the test.
Rule Changes. The university reserves the right to change any of its rules, regulations, or course requirements without notice.
Waiver of Regulations. Graduate students have the right to file a petition for exemption from any academic regulation of the Graduate College. Petitions for exemption are considered by the Graduate Appeals Committee, which makes recommendations to the graduate dean. Decisions of the graduate dean may be appealed through administrative channels (i.e., to the provost, the university president, the system chancellor, and finally to the Board of Regents).
Open Records Policy. Student records, which generally include information concerning the student and the student's individual relationship to the educational institution, are available on request to ﾃﾛﾌﾒﾊﾓﾆｵ University personnel who have an educational interest in the records. Individual records are also accessible to the student in question. Without written consent of the student, records are not released except as noted above.
Recertification of Out-of-Date Graduate Credit. At the discretion of the program faculty, academic credit granted outside the time limits established for graduate degrees (six years for master's degrees and either eight or 10 years for doctoral degrees) must be recertified by examination or other appropriate means before the work can be applied toward the requirements of a degree program. Course(s) to be recertified must have been completed at ﾃﾛﾌﾒﾊﾓﾆｵ University or be acceptable as transfer credit in lieu of ﾃﾛﾌﾒﾊﾓﾆｵ University courses. In order to recertify out-of-date course(s), the student must receive the permission of his/her graduate committee, the chair of the department, and the dean of the college. The form "Request to Recertify Out of Date Course(s)" (G-20) shall be used to record student and course(s) information, means of recertification, and approvals. This form along with a memorandum from the department chair describing the method of recertification must be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies for final approval by the graduate dean.
Quality of Work Required: Probation/ Suspension Regulations. The graduate student must maintain a 3.0 grade point average on all courses that receive graduate credit, whether or not they are to be applied toward a graduate degree. Leveling and elective courses taken for graduate credit are included in the computation of the grade point average. A student whose GPA in graduate work falls below 3.0 must make up the deficit, either by repeating courses in which the grades are low or by completing other graduate courses with grades high enough to bring the GPA up to 3.0.

Graduate students who do not meet the academic standards of the Graduate College will be placed on probation or suspended. Students on probation may enroll in graduate courses but may not apply for graduation. Suspended students may be temporarily or permanently denied permission to enroll in graduate courses. In computing graduate academic status, all graduate work taken during the previous six years, except thesis and field study courses, applies. Graduate work taken at another institution will be included in the computation of semester hours toward a degree only when that work is applied toward a degree in progress at ﾃﾛﾌﾒﾊﾓﾆｵ University. Transferred credits will not be used in the computation of the graduate grade point average at LU.

Minimum Academic Performance. A graduate student with a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.0 or higher is in good standing. A student with a CGPA below 3.0 will be placed on probation, suspended, or expelled.
Probation. Students with full graduate admission status who fail to achieve and maintain a CGPA of 3.0 at the completion of nine semester hours of graduate enrollment will be placed on academic probation (P1). A P1 student who earns a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.25 on all graduate courses in the next enrolled semester and whose CGPA is below 3.0 will be placed on (P2) probation. A P1 student who fails to earn a 3.25 GPA in the next enrolled semester and whose CGPA is less than 3.0 will be suspended. Students on probation may enroll in courses but may not apply for admission to candidacy or for graduation. The probationary status applies whether or not the student receives a letter of notification from the Graduate Office.
Suspension. A graduate student who has been placed on (P2) probation and who fails to raise his/her CGPA to at least 3.0 in the next enrolled semester will be suspended. Suspended students may enroll in graduate courses in the summer and undergraduate courses during spring, fall, or summer semesters; however, students must receive recommendation from their department chair, college dean, and approval from the graduate dean in order to enroll. Undergraduate grades are not used in the computation of the graduate CGPA. Suspension for the fall semester may be removed if the student raises the graduate CGPA to at least 3.0 during the summer term. The first academic suspension (S1) shall be for one long semester (fall or spring). A graduate student who has been suspended (S1) and who fails to raise his/her CGPA to at least 3.0 in the next enrolled semester will be suspended again (S2), and the second suspension (S2) will be for two long semesters. An S2 student who fails to raise the CGPA to 3.0 or higher in the next enrolled semester will be expelled.
Transfers to New Major Departments by Students on Probation/Suspension. Suspended students may be admitted to another department only after they have completed their suspension, provided that they meet the admission standards of the new graduate major. Students on probation may transfer to a different graduate program with the approval of the chair of the new program but will remain on probation and must raise their overall CGPA to at least 3.0 within the next nine semester hours of graduate course work. A student on probation may transfer to a new major department only once.
PB and PG Students and Probation/Suspension. Post-baccalaureate and Pre-graduate students taking graduate course work are not subject to probation or suspension until they have been admitted to the graduate college and a graduate degree program.
Grades Earned in Deficiency, Leveling, or Background Courses. A CGPA of 3.0 must be maintained for all undergraduate courses assigned as deficiency, leveling, or background courses by the student's major department. If the GPA earned on these courses is below 3.0, additional undergraduate courses will be required or courses with grades of "C" or lower will be repeated until the GPA earned on all deficiency, leveling, or background courses is 3.0 or higher. Such courses must be repeated if grades of "D" or less are received.
Additional Departmental Regulations. A department, with approval from the appropriate academic dean, may require its majors to meet additional standards with regard to probation, suspension, and expulsion. These may be found in the appropriate departmental section of this catalog.

4. General Degree Requirements

Students must earn the number of semester hours of graduate credit specified by their major departments. Specific details may be found in the departmental sections.
Any student who writes a thesis must defend it orally before his/her committee. Students who do not write theses must pass a comprehensive assessment, which may be oral, written, or a combination of both. Please consult the departmental section of this catalog for specific details.
The student must meet the specific requirements as set forth in this catalog for a particular degree program.

Master of Arts

Meet all general degree requirements.
If writing a thesis, complete 30 semester hours of graduate work: 18 in the major field, six in thesis, six in an approved minor or six additional hours in the major.
If not writing a thesis, complete 36 semester hours of graduate work approved by the graduate committee.
Except for the non-thesis option in history, candidates for the M.A. degree must present evidence of a reading knowledge of at least one foreign language. This requirement may be satisfied by examination or by submitting college credit equivalent to that required for the degree of Bachelor of Arts at ﾃﾛﾌﾒﾊﾓﾆｵ University. Candidates for the M.A. without evidence of a reading knowledge of a foreign language must take the non-thesis options.

Master of Business Administration

Meet all general degree requirements.
Complete 30 hours of second-year M.B.A. courses specified under College of Business degree requirements if a thesis is written, plus any first-year M.B.A. courses required.
If a thesis is not written, complete 36 hours of second-year M.B.A. courses as specified under College of Business degree requirements, plus any first-year M.B.A. courses required.

Master of Education

Meet all general degree requirements.
Complete 30 semester hours of graduate work if a thesis is written or 36 semester hours if a non-thesis program is selected.
Meet the specific requirements listed in the College of Education section of this catalog for each degree program.

Master of Engineering

Meet all general degree requirements.
Complete 36 semester hours of graduate work or complete 30 hours of graduate work plus a three-hour design project.

Master of Engineering Science

Meet all general degree requirements.
Complete 30 semester hours of graduate work, including six semester hours in thesis.
Meet the specific requirements listed in the College of Engineering section of this catalog.

Master of Music

Meet all general degree requirements.
Performance Track. Complete 30 semester hours of graduate work: 12 hours in the applied major, six in music literature, six in music theory, and six in music education.
Special requirements in addition to the above: a formal public recital and a research paper OR a lecture recital.
Education Track. Complete 36 semester hours of graduate work: 18 in music education, six in music literature, six in music theory, and six in thesis.
Exceptions: six additional hours in music education may be substituted for the thesis, and six hours in applied music may be substituted for music education courses.

Master of Science in Nursing

Meet all general degree requirements.
Complete 37 semesters hours of graduate work: 15 hours of graduate nursing core courses, 13 hours in the track (Nursing Administration or Nursing Education), and 9 hours of support courses.
Complete at least 4 hours of Advanced Role Practicum in the selected track.
Meet the specific requirements listed in the College of Arts and Sciences, JoAnne Gay Dishman Department of Nursing section of this catalog.

Master of Public Administration

Meet all general degree requirements.
Complete 36 semester hours of graduate work as specified for the degree in the Department of Political Science section of this catalog.
Pass both oral and written comprehensive final examinations.

Master of Science

Meet all general degree requirements.
Complete 30 semester hours of graduate work: 15 to 18 semester hours in the major field, six in thesis, and six to nine semester hours in the minor field. With the approval of the head of the major department, a student may elect to take all work in the major field.
If a thesis is not required, complete 36 hours of approved course work.
The graduate degree in psychology requires 36 hours in approved course work and six hours in thesis.
Students applying to the computer science program must satisfy the depth and breadth requirements as defined by the graduate faculty of the Department of Computer Science as stipulated in the department's section of this catalog.

Doctor of Audiology

Complete 86 semester credits of didactic coursework required by graduate faculty.
Complete 66 semester credits of clinical practicum.
Satisfactorily complete an approved Candidacy Research Project
Satisfactorily pass a comprehensive examination
Satisfactorily complete a one year full time externship in the student's fourth year of the program.

Doctor of Education in Deaf Education

Obtain credit for all courses required by the student's doctoral committee. The number of these courses will depend upon the student's pre-doctorate educational preparation, previous experience, and specialization emphasis during the program. Students must complete a minimum of 60 hours of coursework and six hours of dissertation.
Satisfactorily pass preliminary written and oral examinations after the completion of 18 semester hours.
Complete a four semester (one calendar year) residency requirement.
Obtain admission to candidacy by completing all coursework required for the degree, complete six hours of dissertation credit following admission to candidacy, and successfully defend the dissertation prior to graduation.

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership

Complete 60 semester hours: 33 hours of core courses, 15 hours in research and 12 hours in dissertation. All coursework, including successful defense of the dissertation, must be completed within 10 years.
Obtain credit for all courses required by the student's doctoral committee. The number of these courses will depend upon the student's pre-doctorate educational preparation, previous experience, and specialization emphasis during the program.
For admission to candidacy, complete student proficiency assessment comprised of a portfolio, synthesis paper, and oral presentation.
Following admission to candidacy, complete six hours of dissertation courses and defend dissertation proposal. Complete six additional hours of dissertation and successfully defend dissertation.

Doctor of Engineering

Obtain credit for all courses required by the student's doctoral committee. The number and extent of these courses will depend upon the student's diagnostic examination, engineering experience, and educational objectives. In general a minimum of 30 semester hours of 5000- and 6000-level course work, excluding ENGR 6601 and ENGR 6602, beyond the equivalent of a master's degree will be required.
Complete a residency of one year.
Satisfactorily pass candidacy examinations as required by the student's doctoral committee.
Complete a field study, normally 30 semester hours, involving some technological innovation.
Submit and defend a formal engineering report on the field study.

Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering

Ph.D. candidates must complete a minimum of 70 credit hours of coursework beyond the bachelor's degree.
Complete direct action items.
Select the advisory committee adhering to requirements of the department.
Pass a written qualifying exam.
Select an advisor within one semester after passing the written qualifying exam and submit a degree plan within one year.
Complete dissertation proposal, prepare dissertation and pass dissertation defense.

For special conditions, see the College of Engineering portion of this catalog, Section 11.

5. Candidacy Requirements for Degrees

New graduate students do not have an advisory committee and are advised by the chair of the major department or a member of the graduate faculty designated as the initial advisor. Graduate students are not considered to be candidates for a degree until they have completed a specified set of graduate courses and have proven their academic capability. In some programs students must pass a qualifying exam before being admitted to candidacy. Students who have been admitted to candidacy are assigned an advisory committee, and the committee establishes a graduation plan.

Initial Advisement. For the first 12 hours of graduate work, students are advised by the chair of the major department or a member of the graduate faculty who has been designated by the chair as the initial advisor. In the College of Business, all graduate students are advised each semester by the associate dean.
Timing of Admission to Candidacy. Admission to the Graduate College does not imply admission to candidacy for a graduate degree. Students seeking a graduate degree must be admitted to candidacy after completing a minimum of 12 semester hours of graduate study and before their last nine semester hours.
Restrictions and Prohibitions to Admission to Candidacy. Graduate students may not be admitted to candidacy if they a) are on probation, b) are suspended, c) have not removed all undergraduate deficiencies, and/or d) have not completed at least 12 hours of recommended graduate courses. International students required to pass the LLI Writing Test to indicate English proficiency must do so before they can be admitted to candidacy.
Procedure for Applying for Admission to Candidacy. The student is responsible for initiating the process for admission to candidacy by submitting the G-2 "Application for Admission to Candidacy for master's degree" to the chair of the major department. The form is available on the graduate studies website and in departmental offices. Students must submit the form after completing 12 graduate hours but before enrolling in their final nine hours.
Recommendation of Advisory Committee and degree Plan. After receiving the G-2 "Application for Admission to Candidacy for master's degree" form, the departmental chair or the designated graduate advisor will submit, in a timely manner, a recommended degree plan and suggested graduate committee to the graduate dean by filing a G-3 "Recommendation for Admission to Candidacy for master's degree" form. If these recommendations are approved, the student is admitted to candidacy. The graduate dean has the option of appointing additional members to an advisory committee.
Composition and Roles of the Advisory Committee. The advisory committee will include a member of the graduate faculty designated as the supervising professor, along with a minimum of two other members of the graduate faculty. For interdisciplinary or collaborative research, a co-supervising professor may be designated, and must be approved by the graduate dean. Either the supervising professor or the co-supervising professor must be from the student's home department and must have full or initial graduate faculty membership. An additional non-graduate faculty member may be included in the committee, subject to the approval of the graduate dean. The committee will assist in monitoring/supervising the remainder of the student's program, including revision of the degree plan; supervision of research; writing and approval of the thesis, field study report, or dissertation; and administration and evaluation of the final comprehensive examination.
Candidacy Examinations. In the process leading to admission to candidacy, an academic department may require a passing score on a standardized or locally-produced examination.

6. Advisory Committees - Appointment and Modification

Members of a student's advisory committee are appointed by the graduate dean upon recommendation by the chair of the student's major department at the time the student is admitted to candidacy. After admission to candidacy, but before the date of the final examination or the oral defense, the student may request a change in the committee composition with the approval of the student's current committee members, new committee members, the department chair, and the college dean. If the department chair or college dean does not approve a request for a committee change, the student may request the graduate dean to appoint a three member Review Committee. In the event the Review Committee fails to effect an agreement between the student and the department chair (and/or the advisory committee), a new committee may be selected for the student by the graduate dean, the dean of the student's academic college, and two members of the graduate faculty of the student's academic college chosen by the graduate dean. The time period should not exceed 10 class days from the date of receipt by the graduate dean of a written request for review and arbitration by the student and the appointment of a new committee.

7. Thesis and Other Requirements

A thesis is required for the Master of Science degrees in chemistry and psychology and for the Master of Engineering Science degree. It is not available in programs leading to the following degrees: Master of Public Administration, Master of Music, Master of Education in Counseling and development, Master of Education in Educational Administration, Master of Engineering Management, Master of Science in Environmental Engineering, and Master of Science in Environmental Studies. A thesis is optional in all other degree programs. Students who write theses must follow the procedure below.

Register for the departmental thesis course with the approval of the student's graduate advisor. The first registration is for Thesis 5390; all subsequent registrations are for Thesis 5391. No grade will be entered for Thesis 5390 or Thesis 5391 until Thesis 5391 has been completed. All students are expected to register for Thesis 5391 until the thesis has been completed, and all students must be registered for Thesis 5391 at the time of their graduation. Thesis 5390 and 5391 should not be taken in the same semester. However, a student enrolled in the masters of Engineering Sciences program may register for ENGR 5699 in lieu of ENGR 5390 and ENGR 5391 with permission from his/her committee. NOTE: No academic credit is given for thesis courses until the thesis has been approved and accepted by the major department and the College of Graduate Studies. At that time, six semester hours credit will be awarded with a grade determined by the supervising professor.
Attend a thesis workshop given by the College of Graduate Studies in the student's graduating semester. Thesis workshops are held every semester and are designed to give the student an idea of accepted formats and styles. Students will have the opportunity to ask questions of the Graduate Office staff who oversee the thesis process.
Write a thesis under the direction of the supervising professor. The form and style of the thesis must follow the thesis guidelines that are available on the Graduate Studies website.
After the thesis has been proofed for content, grammar, and form by the supervising professor and members of the advisory committee, the student will submit a preliminary electronic copy of the thesis in final form via email to the College of Graduate Studies. Check the Graduate Studies website for deadline dates.
Defend the thesis orally at least 10 days before the date of graduation at a time and place specified by the supervising professor. The student’s supervising professor should use the G-5 form to notify the Graduate Office of the time and place of the defense at least 10 days before the defense is to be held. Once the defense is complete, the supervising professor will use the G-7 form to report the results of the defense to the College of Graduate Studies within two working days.
Submit the final copy electronically on or before the deadline set by the Graduate Office (see the website for deadline and instructions). The following must also be submitted to the Graduate Office on that date:
- The approval memo signed by the graduate college editor.
- One copy of the signature page with all original signatures except the graduate dean’s.
Students must also pay for printing/binding (invoice provided by the Graduate Office). The costs are as follows: $0.07 per b/w page, $0.17 per color page, and a flat rate of $8.20 per book for binding (blank pages included in total count). The Graduate Office requires at least three copies. Of the three required copies, two are for the library and one is for the supervising professor. If desired, additional copies for department, professors, and students should also be ordered at this time. Note: Some departments require a certain number of additional theses, so please check with your department before ordering your copies.

8. Non-Thesis Requirements

Each candidate for a graduate degree who does not write a thesis may be required to pass a comprehensive final assessment during the last semester of attendance and at least 10 days before the conferral of the degree. The requirement to take and the form of the comprehensive final assessment will be determined by each individual program.
A student must register for the comprehensive assessment by completing and submitting the required form to the chair of his/her major department at the same time he/she applies for graduation to the College of Graduate Studies. Applications must be filed before the deadline established by the Graduate College. Those deadlines are: For December graduation, first Monday in October; for may graduation, first Monday in March; for August graduation, first Monday of Summer Term I. Specific dates will be found in the Academic Calendar.
If all requirements for graduation except successful completion of the comprehensive assessment have been completed, the student may complete the assessment during a later semester without being enrolled in the College of Graduate Studies.
All assessments taking the form of oral examinations must be scheduled in the Office of the graduate dean at least 10 days prior to the date of the examination. The dean may attend or may send a representative to attend. Written comprehensive assessments will be administered in accordance with the following schedule: fall term, first Thursday in November; spring term, first Thursday in April. NOTE: Written comprehensive assessments will be given only once during the summer: on the last Monday of the first summer term. If this date conflicts with the July 4 holiday, the assessments will be given on the last Monday in June. For specific dates, please consult the official calendar or call the Graduate College for details.
Failure to pass a comprehensive assessment in three attempts will result in permanent suspension from that degree program. The assessment may be taken only once each term. Students suspended under this provision may be admitted to another degree program if they meet the required standards and are accepted by the new degree program.
A department may prescribe additional academic requirements for its majors with the approval of the dean of the College of Graduate Studies.

9. Special Topic Projects

A Special Topic Project may be required for some degrees. Those taking Special Topic Projects will be required to be continuously enrolled in the course until completion. If a student is unable to complete this course in one semester, a "no grade" (NG) will be given, and the student must re-enroll in this course until completion.

10. Graduation Procedure

Students who intend to graduate at the end of a particular semester must apply for graduation through Self-Service Banner on or before the official deadline for application as established by The College of Graduate Studies.

Participation in commencement exercises is not required for the receipt of a graduate degree, though participation is strongly recommended. Graduating students who elect not to attend graduation exercises should notify the Graduate Office.

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