Master’s Degree Requirements

This section gives the general and common requirements for the traditional degrees of Master of Arts and Master of Science. The school and college chapters of this catalog give specific requirements for these degrees in the programs they offer. Schools list requirements for the professional master’s degrees they offer.

Program Time Constraints

Normal expectations are that most master’s degrees (excluding some professional terminal degrees) should be completed in two years of full-time study. Master’s degree students are allowed seven years for completion of all degree requirements. In cases in which compelling reasons or circumstances recommend a one-year extension, the Graduate Division, on recommendation of the department/committee, has authority to grant the extension. In cases where more than eight years are requested, the appropriate appeals body of the school considers petitions for further extensions and, where evidence of continuous progress, currency of knowledge, and other reasons are compelling, may grant them. Some departments may have more stringent rulings about time restrictions. Students should ask about the policy in effect in the department in which they plan to study.

M.A. and M.S. Degrees

A Master of Arts or a Master of Science degree requires at least one year of graduate work or its equivalent. Stated in terms of hours of credit, the standard master’s program requires 30 hours, though some degrees, especially in professional areas, may require as many as 36 or 40 or more. With permission of the department (or in the case of interdepartmental programs, permission of the joint program committee) and of the Graduate Division, it is sometimes possible to complete a 30-hour master’s degree with as few as 24 hours if the student enters the program especially well prepared and maintains a superior grade-point average. Work for a master’s degree is concentrated in the major area, with only a minimal amount of work (usually no more than 6 hours) that is completed at KU permitted outside the major department. Each master’s program must contain a research component, represented either by a thesis (usually for 6 hours of credit) or by an equivalent enrollment in research, independent investigation, or seminars. Within these requirements and well-founded practices, departmental master’s programs may be flexible enough to meet the particular needs of individual students.

In a few cases, the degree is offered through two schools and administered by joint committees from the two faculties. The Master of Arts degree in speech-language pathology and the Master of Arts degree in audiology are administered by an intercampus committee drawn from the Department of SpeechLanguage-Hearing: Sciences and Disorders in Lawrence and from the Department of Hearing and Speech of the School of Allied Health in Kansas City.

A final general examination or defense of the thesis in the major subject is required of all candidates for the Master of Arts or Master of Science. The degree program and the Graduate Division should ascertain that the graduate student is in good academic standing (3.0 or higher grade-point average) before scheduling the final general examination or thesis defense. At the option of the department, the examination may be oral or written, or partly oral and partly written. In some departments, passing a written examination is a necessary preliminary to taking the oral examination by which success or failure is judged. Master’s examinations are administered by a committee of at least three members of the Graduate Faculty. The examination is held during the semester of the student’s final enrollment in course work. The thesis defense should be held when the thesis has been substantially completed. The department’s request to schedule the general examination must be made on or before the date set by the Graduate Division, normally a minimum of two weeks before the examination date. Students earning a master’s thesis degree must have completed at least 1 hour of thesis enrollment before the master’s degree may be awarded. See www.graduate.ku.edu for information and requirements for submitting the thesis electronically.

All graduate students enrolled in master’s graduate programs must be enrolled the semester they complete master’s degree requirements. Master’s students who complete degree requirements during the first week of summer session or within the first two weeks of the fall or spring semester are not required to be enrolled for that term unless they were not enrolled during the previous semester.

M.A. and M.S. with a Major in Special Studies

Only superior students admitted and enrolled in a graduate program at KU whose proposed studies require direction not available in any single department are considered for admission to a special studies program. Before seeking acceptance, an applicant must assemble a graduate faculty advisory committee headed by a faculty member authorized to direct doctoral research and dissertations and prepare, in conjunction with the committee, a proposal for the course of study. The proposal must provide a rationale for the particular mix of disciplines, demonstrating how each contributes to a central theme or focus. It must also show that the proposed program cannot be achieved through an established master’s program.

The proposal is submitted for approval to the Graduate Division of the school or college housing the proposed program. If the proposed program involves substantial contributions from more than one school or college, it must be submitted for approval to the Graduate Division of each. If the proposal is accepted, the student may pursue the program, subject only to the degree requirements specified therein and the general requirements. Specific information may be obtained from Graduate Division offices.

Combined Medical and Master’s Degrees

Graduate students in the basic medical science departments in the School of Medicine are enrolled, for the most part, only in graduate programs. Outstanding medical students, however, are allowed to participate in work leading jointly to the M.D. degree and a graduate degree. A student admitted to both schools may enroll concurrently in courses in the respective schools, provided the regular medical course load is reduced to compensate for the added graduate work. The student should discuss concurrent enrollment with the chair or graduate adviser of the basic science department; departmental policies vary. All requirements for the degrees must be met, but within these limitations, superior students may be able to complete the joint degree program in less time than the total required for the two degrees to be earned separately. For the master’s degree, a student must complete graduate work equivalent to at least one academic year in addition to the time spent on the medical curriculum. A structured joint degree program between the M.D. and Master of Public Health is offered.