Master's Plan C/Professional Degree Requirements

Policies and Procedures

Note: The academic policies on this page are referenced from the School of Graduate Studies Catalog. The catalog is the official text. While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of this page, the catalog is the authoritative source of information for graduate degree completion and graduation requirements.

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NOTE: The information below is cited from Section 8 of the School of Graduate Studies Catalog.

The following is what students are required to complete per University and School of Graduate Studies policy.
Due to the variability of each graduate degree, a program may have additional steps, forms or specific requirements not listed below.
Students should contact their Graduate Program Coordinator to make sure they are aware of all program requirements, required forms, timelines, and for official degree completion guidance.

Master’s Plan C/Professional Option:

The Master’s Plan C/Professional may be required to enroll in research credits, but thesis credits are not accepted on a Program of Study or applied towards a degree.
Additionally, the School of Graduate Studies does not require Plan C/Professional students to have a supervisory committee or to submit a Supervisory Committee Approval Form (SCAF).

Credit Hours Requirement:

The minimum requirement for a master’s degree is 30 semester credits. Certain programs may have higher credit requirements for some master’s degrees.

Residency Requirement:

The School of Graduate Studies does not have any academic residency requirements for graduate students, but departments and colleges may impose residency requirements in their programs as they see fit.

Finalize and Submit a Program of Study

Purpose

The Program of Study outlines a graduate student’s approved coursework and must meet degree-specific credit and level requirements.

Credit Requirements

Minimum 18 credits at the 6000-level or above.

Coursework Restrictions

Courses below 5000, undergraduate prerequisites, and audited courses cannot be included.
Continuing graduate advisement, individual home study, and military science credits are not acceptable.

Creating the Program of Study

Students work with their GPC to create the POS in DegreeWorks, entering planned coursework in the Plans tab.

Submission Deadlines

While Plan C/Professional students are not required to submit an official Program of Study (POS) form, Plan C students must have a program of study created in their DegreeWorks by the end of the 2nd semester.
Plan C students are not required by the School of Graduate Studies to submit a SCAF form.

Revisions

All changes require a formal POS revision.
Students should work with their Graduate Program Coordinator, who updates DegreeWorks and submits the revision through ServiceNow.
The major professor and department head must approve revisions.

Approvals Required

Major professor
Department head
Committee Members
School of Graduate Studies

To view required forms by degree type, please see the Academic Forms page.

NOTE: Students should not wait until their final semester to submit required forms, as doing so may delay graduation. Timely submission of all required forms is essential to ensure all degree requirements are met without complications.

Master’s Degree Time Limit

A master’s degree must be completed within six years of entering the degree program.
Additional time may be requested by the student’s committee and submitted to the Vice Provost of Graduate Studies for review.