| |  | | Master’s Degree
The master's degree is awarded in recognition of academic accomplishment as demonstrated by a coherent program of coursework, passing of the required examinations, and preparation of a thesis or project(s).
Plans for the Master's Degree—The Graduate School offers the master's degree under three different plans:
- Plan A, requiring a thesis; and
- Plan B, which substitutes additional coursework and special projects for the thesis; and
- Plan C, the Coursework Only master's, which provides an alternative structure for degree completion, such as a culminating experience in the form of a capstone course and/or paper.
Minimum Graduate School requirements, including the 30-credit minimum, time limit for degree completion, double counting of credits, transfer coursework, and GPA apply to all plans. Individual major fields have the option of setting higher/more stringent requirements; students should be familiar with any special requirements in their major field. For plans offered in each major, see Degree Programs and Faculty in this catalog.
Registration Requirement for the Master's Degree—Master's degree students are required by the Graduate School to complete at least 60 percent of the coursework for their official degree programs (excluding thesis credits) as registered University of Minnesota Graduate School students; individual major fields may require a higher percentage. With approval of the adviser, director of graduate studies in the major (and director of graduate studies in the minor, if the courses are for a designated minor), and the Graduate School, transfer coursework may make up the remaining 40 percent (maximum) of the degree coursework (see Transfer of Credits for the Master's Degree below).
Master's Plan A students must enroll for a minimum of 10 thesis credits (8777) before receiving the degree.
Double Counting—Students may have a maximum of 8 credits in common between two master's-level degrees.
Transfer of Credits
for the Master's Degree—Unless otherwise specified under a student's major in Degree Programs and Faculty, the following rules apply to transfer of credits.
Master's degree students are required by the Graduate School to complete at least 60 percent of the coursework for their official degree programs (excluding thesis credits) as registered University of Minnesota Graduate School students. With approval of the adviser, director of graduate studies in the major (and director of graduate studies in the minor, if the courses are for a designated minor), and the Graduate School, the transfer of up to 40 percent of the degree program coursework from any combination of the following is permitted.
- Graduate-level coursework completed at other accredited graduate institutions
- Graduate-level coursework taken as a non-admitted U of M student—students
may be able to register for graduate credit when not admitted to the Graduate
School. Non-admitted students interested in taking graduate-level courses must
work with the respective departments (generally the director of graduate studies
or his/her designee) to gain admission to non-degree status. For information
about registering for graduate credit as a non-admitted student, refer to the
One
Stop Web site.
- Graduate-level coursework completed through other University of Minnesota
units (e.g., College of Education and Human Development, Law School) in pursuit
of graduate-level degrees;
- Adult special, summer session, and College of Continuing Education coursework
completed at the University of Minnesota before spring semester 2001. Any registrations
in these categories during spring semester 2001 or later will not be accepted
towards any Graduate School degree requirement.
In all cases, official transcripts of the work must be attached to the Degree Program Form, unless they have already been included in the student's Graduate School file. Individual graduate programs have the option of specifying a lower percentage of coursework for transfer.
Work to be transferred must be graduate level (post- baccalaureate) and have been taught by faculty authorized to teach graduate courses. It is the student's responsibility to provide appropriate course documentation (e.g., course syllabi, faculty status information) supporting proposed transfer credits to the program.
In the case of a transfer from a non-U.S. institution, the credits must have been earned in a program judged by the Graduate School to be comparable to a graduate degree program in a graduate school of a regionally accredited institution in the United States.
Regarding the transfer of coursework from either a U.S. or non-U.S. institution, if conditions are placed on a student's admission to exclude certain coursework from transfer to a Graduate School degree program, that coursework may not be transferred regardless of the level of the coursework or the status of the school or college in which it was earned.
Credits are transferred by including the courses in the proposed degree program. Credits not accepted as part of a student's degree program cannot be transferred.
Courses taken before the awarding of a baccalaureate degree cannot be transferred.
Time Limit for Earning the Master's Degree—All requirements for the master's degree must be completed and the degree awarded within seven years. The seven-year period begins with the earliest coursework included on the official Degree Program Form, including any transfer work. The graduate faculty in a specific program may set more stringent time requirements.
Students who are unable to complete the degree within the seven-year limit may petition the Graduate School for an extension of up to one additional year. Extensions beyond one year are considered only in the most extraordinary circumstances. To ensure timely consideration, petitions should be filed early in the term in which the time limit expires.
If a petition is approved, the student is notified of the expectations for progress and completion of the degree. If the petition is denied, the student is terminated from the graduate program.
Students who have been terminated under such circumstances may apply for readmission to the Graduate School; however, readmission under these circumstances is not assured. The faculty in the major field and the Graduate School set any readmission conditions on the student's resumption of work toward the degree, such as registering for additional coursework, retaking written examinations, completing the degree within a specified time period, or other appropriate terms.
For more information about the master's degree time limit and petitioning procedure,
visit www.grad.umn.edu/current_students/forms/masters.html.
Official Degree Program Form—At the time of publication
of this catalog PDF, Degree Program Forms were being filed in paper format. However,
filing and tracking of Degree Program Forms will, be changing to an electronic
system. Updated information about the filing and tracking of these forms will
be made available by the Graduate School, 316 Johnston Hall, and on the Graduate
School's Web site.
The Graduate School expects master's students to submit an official degree program
by filing a Degree Program Form (available online)
by the time they have completed 10 credits, but no later than one term prior
to completion of the degree; however, individual graduate programs may establish
their own deadlines for submission of the degree program to the Graduate School.
Graduate School approval of the degree program as submitted on the form is required
prior to obtaining the master's graduation packet, taking the master's final
examination, and/or degree clearance. Students are strongly encouraged to plan
ahead to avoid unexpected delays.
The official Degree Program Form lists all coursework, completed and proposed, that the student will complete in fulfillment of degree requirements, including transfer work (see Transfer of Credits for the Master's Degree). If a foreign language is required for the degree, it must also be specified on the Degree Program Form. The members of a student's final examining committee (who are the thesis reviewers for Plan A) are appointed by the vice provost and dean of the Graduate School on recommendation of the faculty in the major field at the time the student's official degree program is approved.
The minimum credit requirements for the program are specified under the Plan A and Plan B sections below.
A Degree Program Form must be on file and approved by the Graduate School before reviewers report, examination, or graduation forms can be released to the student.
Changes in Approved Program—Once approved, the degree
program must be fulfilled in every detail to meet graduation requirements. Changes
to the degree program should be requested by completing a Graduate School Petition
Form. The Petition Form is available from the Graduate School, 316 Johnston Hall,
or online.
Minimum Grade Requirements—The Graduate School requires a minimum GPA of 2.80 (on a 4.00 scale) for courses included on any official master's Degree Program Form. Courses with grades of A, B, C (including C-), and S may be included in the official degree program, but grades of S are not calculated in the GPA. Students pursuing a Plan A master's degree are required to register for thesis credits (8777); these registrations are not graded and therefore cannot be used to meet course credit requirements. At least two-thirds of the course credits included on any Degree Program Form must be taken A-F.
Individual major fields have the option of setting higher grade requirements and specifying more stringent requirements regarding the application of S-N courses to a degree program; students should be familiar with any special requirements in their major field.
Language Requirement—See Degree
Programs and Faculty to determine the language requirement, if any, for a
specific major field. The Graduate School monitors the fulfillment of language
study when a major field requires a language. Information on how to demonstrate
proficiency, and on conditions under which proficiency is recorded on the official
transcript, is available from the Graduate School, 316 Johnston Hall, or online.
More Information—Students who have questions about the
master's degree after reading this entire section (including the following on
Plan A and Plan B) may review online
information or contact the Graduate School by e-mail at gsmast@umn.edu.
Note: Many commonly used forms are available on the Graduate
School Web site.
Plan A: Master's Degree With Thesis
Minimum Credit Requirements—Students must complete an approved program of coursework consisting of a minimum of 14 credits in the major field and a minimum of 6 credits in one or more related fields outside the major. All credits included on the official Degree Program Form must be in graduate-level courses. Courses included on the official Degree Program Form cannot be used to meet both major and outside credit requirements. A 2.80 minimum GPA must be maintained for all courses in the degree program. Students must also register for a minimum of 10 master's thesis credits (8777); these registrations are not graded and therefore cannot be used to meet course credit requirements.
Students who wish to complete a designated minor (which is certified on the transcript—unlike the related fields option, which is not) must complete 6 or more credits in a single field. A designated minor must be approved by the director of graduate studies in the minor field. Minors generally are declared when the Degree Program Form is filed; they must be declared prior to the final examination.
For majors in clinical branches, the minor or related fields must be in nonclinical fields that will serve as a basis for the proposed clinical specialization. This fundamental work should be taken early in the program. Familiarity with those phases of the nonclinical disciplines essential to proficiency in the major specialty is required.
Thesis Credits—Students must enroll for a minimum of 10 master's thesis credits (8777) before receiving the degree. Students cannot include thesis credits in the total program credits when determining maximum transfer allowed (see Transfer of Credits for the Master's Degree). In addition, they cannot transfer thesis credits from other graduate institutions, double-count thesis credits between two master's degrees, or use thesis credits to meet the minimum major and related field coursework requirements for the degree.
Master's Thesis
Students must demonstrate familiarity with the tools of research or scholarship in their major field, the ability to work independently, and the ability to present the results of their investigation effectively by completing a master's thesis.
Language of the Thesis—Theses must normally be written in English or in the language of instruction. If a thesis is to be written in a foreign language, including a language of instruction other than English, a letter should be attached to the degree program when it is submitted to the Graduate School. This letter should confirm that the recommended thesis reviewers (including the outside reviewer) are qualified to read, comprehend, and criticize a thesis in the foreign language.
Published Work Included as Part of the Thesis—The thesis may include materials
that students have published while University of Minnesota graduate students,
provided the research was carried out under the direction of the graduate faculty
and approved by the adviser for incorporation into the thesis. Such publication
is welcomed as the best demonstration of quality in a student's research, and
the Graduate School encourages the practice. The adviser should notify the Graduate
School in writing of the intention to publish part of the thesis material, but
the Graduate School's approval is not required.
In cases where the thesis research is to be presented to the examining committee in the form of one or more articles that have been published, or are in a form suitable for publication, the student should contact the Graduate School (gsmast@umn.edu; 316 Johnston Hall) for information on accommodating such a presentation to the required thesis format.
Thesis Reviewers—The thesis is read by the entire examining committee, which is appointed by the vice provost and dean of graduate education on recommendation of the faculty in the major field at the time the student's official degree program is approved. This examining committee consists of at least three members: two representatives from the major field and one from the minor or a related field. Committee members cannot represent more than one field simultaneously.
To permit faculty to allocate sufficient time to read the thesis and decide whether it is ready for defense, students must notify their adviser and other members of the final oral committee at least two weeks in advance that the thesis will be delivered on a particular date. All members of the examining committee must then have at least two weeks to read the thesis after it has been delivered. These are minimum standards; individual programs may establish other standards for their students.
The entire committee must be unanimous in certifying that the thesis is ready
for defense, as indicated by their signatures on the Thesis Reviewers Report
Form. Students request this form, part of the graduation packet, online,
or in person at 316 Johnston Hall. The form will be released to the student only
if she or he has a Degree Program Form approved by and on file with the Graduate
School and has maintained active status (see Registration Requirements under
Registration). When the signed Thesis Reviewers Report Form is returned to the
Graduate School, 316 Johnston Hall, the student is provided with the Final Examination
Report Form.
Final Examinations—Candidates for the master's degree, Plan A, must pass a final oral examination; a final written examination may also be required at the discretion of the graduate faculty in the major field. If both a written and an oral examination are specified, the written examination must precede the oral examination. The final examinations cover the major field and the minor or related fields, and may include any work fundamental to these fields. The final oral for the master's degree is conducted as a closed examination, attended by only the student and the examining committee.
Final examinations are coordinated by the chair of the student's examining committee. All committee members must be present at the examination; the absence of any member results in an invalid examination. The results of the examinations are reported to the Graduate School on the Final Examination Report Form. A majority vote of the committee, all members present and voting, is required to pass the examination. A student who fails the examination may be terminated from the graduate program or may be allowed, on unanimous recommendation of the examining committee, to retake the examination, providing the reexamination is conducted by the original examining committee.
Changes in the Examining Committee—Substitutions on the examining committee may be necessitated by such circumstances as a faculty member's temporary absence on leave from the University. The adviser or the director of graduate studies must request the Graduate School's approval of such substitutions well in advance of the examination. Substitutions for an oral examination that are necessitated by emergency situations must also be approved in advance. In such cases, the adviser should consult with the Graduate School staff before the start of the examination.
Preparation and Submission of the Thesis—Two unbound copies
of the thesis must be submitted to the Graduate School. The student's adviser(s)
must sign the thesis to confirm that it is complete and satisfactory in all respects
and that all revisions required by the final examining committee have been made.
Instructions for the preparation of the thesis, including format specifications
and adviser's signature requirements, should be obtained from the Graduate School,
316 Johnston Hall, or online.
Plan B: Master's Degree Without Thesis
Minimum Credit Requirements—Students must complete an approved program of coursework consisting of a minimum of 14 credits in the major field and a minimum of 6 credits in one or more related fields outside the major. The balance of credits to be completed to meet the 30-credit minimum requirement for the degree is chosen by agreement between the adviser and the student, subject to whatever restrictions the graduate faculty in the major field may place on that choice. Courses included in the student's official degree program cannot be used to meet both major and outside credit requirements. All credits included in the official degree program must be earned in graduate-level courses. A 2.80 minimum GPA must be maintained for all courses included in the program.
Students who wish to complete a designated minor (which is certified on the transcript—unlike the related fields option, which is not) must complete 6 or more credits in a single field. A designated minor must be approved by the director of graduate studies in the minor field.
Plan B Project(s)—Students must demonstrate familiarity with the tools of research or scholarship in their major field, the ability to work independently, and the ability to present the results of their investigation effectively, by completing at least one Plan B project. The graduate faculty in each major field may require as many as three such projects.
The Plan B project(s) should involve a combined total of approximately 120 hours (the equivalent of three full-time weeks) of work. The graduate faculty in each major field specifies both the nature and extent of the options available to satisfy this requirement, and whether the requirement is to be satisfied in conjunction with, or independent of, the courses in the student's program.
Final Examinations—The Graduate School requires a final examination for Plan B candidates; this may be written, oral, or both, at the discretion of the graduate faculty in the major field. The final examinations cover the major field and the minor or related fields, and may include any work fundamental to these fields. Students should make the Plan B project(s) available to the examining committee for its review well in advance of the final examination. If a final oral examination is held, it is conducted as a closed examination, attended by only the student and the examining committee. All committee members must be present at the oral examination; the absence of any member results in an invalid examination.
A committee of at least three examiners is appointed by the vice provost and
dean of graduate education upon recommendation of the faculty in the major field
at the time the official degree program is approved. This committee consists
of two representatives from the major field and one from the minor or a related
field. Committee members cannot represent more than one filed simultaneously.
The examination is coordinated by the chair of the student's examining committee.
The results of the examination are reported on the Final Examination Report Form,
which the student must obtain from the Graduate School, 316 Johnston Hall, or
by requesting a graduation packet online before
the examination is held. This form is released only if the student has a Degree
Program Form approved by and on file with the Graduate School and has
maintained active status (see Registration Requirements under Registration).
A majority vote of the committee, all members present and voting, is required
to pass the examination. A student who fails the examination may be terminated
from the graduate program or may be allowed, on unanimous recommendation of the
examining committee, one retake of the examination, providing the reexamination
is conducted by the original examining committee.
Changes in the Examining Committee—Substitutions on the examining committee may be necessitated by such circumstances as a faculty member's temporary absence on leave from the University. The adviser or the director of graduate studies must request the Graduate School's approval of such substitutions well in advance of the examination. Substitutions for an oral examination that are necessitated by emergency situations must also be approved in advance. In such cases, the adviser should consult with the Graduate School staff before the start of the examination.
More Information—Students who have questions about the master's degree
may review online information or
contact
the Graduate School by e-mail at gsmast@umn.edu.
Note: Commonly used forms are
available on the Graduate
School Web
site.
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