Reminders

Program Cards

Must be filed no later than the end of your first semester. You are responsible for obtaining the forms from your department or the College of Graduate Studies website. After completing both sides of the form, it should be signed by the advisor and returned to the office of the Graduate Dean (Virginia Hall, Room 203).

Note: Students must maintain a 3.00 GPA throughout their program (in the major as well as the cumulative grade point average to remain in the program. Doctoral students must maintain a 3.3 GPA.

Admission to Candidacy

Admission to graduate school does not imply admission to candidacy for a degree. Admission to Candidacy may be applied for as soon as you have: (1) Completed all requirements for unconditional admission to the College of Graduate Studies; (2) A minimum of 12 semester hours of graduate level courses in an approved program of study with a minimum grade point average of B (3.00); (3) Meet any foreign language or other departmental requirement needed in your major; Evidence of proficiency in the use to English language; and (5) Approval of the major professor and of the minor professor where applicable.

Reinstatement

Students who fail to maintain a 3.0 GPA must be reinstated by the Committee for Policies and Petitions and Graduate Dean before continuation of his/her program.

Transfer Courses

Transfer credit is counted after admission to candidacy is attained. Transfer courses cannot be over six years old at the time of completion. Transfer courses are not eligible for an extension of time.

Premature Enrollment

Do Not Enroll in either research and thesis or master’s project comprehensive until you have achieved admission to candidacy (see #2 heading above.

Registration in Thesis/Dissertation Course. Project Course of Comprehensive Examination

The culminating experience for all students is either to write a thesis, do a project, or take an oral/written comprehensive examination. You must register in the thesis, project, or comprehensive course every semester until you have completed and defended it. Students who have satisfied all course requirements except completion of the thesis/dissertation will be charged for the course and must be paid by the student at registration. The thesis topic must be registered at least six months before you expect to graduate. Thesis Topic Cards, the Application for Defense of the Master’s Project and Application for the Comprehensive Examination are available on-line. Also, a Guide for Master Theses and Dissertations is available on-line.

Certification of Hours/Completion

Only the Graduate Dean is authorized to certify to an employer the number of hours completed (which can be done only after candidacy is approved) or to certify the completion of degree requirements.

Completion/Graduation

A prospective graduate student must complete a graduation application to be signed by his/her Advisor, Chairperson, and Graduate Dean. Please ensure that the required fee of $60.00 is paid to the Cashier’s Office. The deadline to file the Application for Graduation in December (last Friday in September), July (last Friday in April), and May (last Friday in February).

Application for Graduation

A candidate, who fails to file an application for graduation or meet requirements by the designated date for each graduation, automatically voids his or her candidacy for the particular graduation.

Grades for Theses/Dissertations

Grades for a thesis or dissertation should not be submitted until the thesis/dissertation has been completed and accepted by the Graduate Dean.