departments & programs academic departments adult & higher education general grad school policies Department of Adult & Higher Education
General Graduate School Policies for Master's Programs
Graduate Advisor and Graduate Advisory Committee
Post Baccalaureate Studies (PBS)
Comprehensive Final Oral Examinations
Please note: The graduate catalog is available online at the following
URL: http://www.fis.ncsu.edu/grad_catalog/catalog.htmPlan of Graduate Work
The student's program of study is planned so as to provide a comprehensive view of the major field of interest and in related areas of knowledge, sometime constituting a minor. As great a latitude is permitted in the selection of courses as is compatible with the well-defined major and, in many cases, supporting courses or a minor. In general, it is expected that at least two-thirds of the credits will be in the major. If there were credits in a minor or supporting areas, they normally would not exceed one-third of the total. Since there are many possible combinations of course work, a specific Plan of Graduate Work is developed by the advisory committee with the student. The course work to be taken by the student and the thesis topic, where applicable, must be approved by the student's advisory committee and the Director of Graduate Programs in the student's department or program. This should be done prior to completion of one-half of the credits on the plan.
Graduate Advisor and Graduate Advisory Committee
All students in master's programs must have a graduate advisor who is a member of the Graduate Faculty in the student's major department or program. In addition, all students, except those in Option B program, must have a graduate advisory committee. The advisory committee is composed of at least three members of the Graduate Faculty. The graduate advisor serves as chair or co-chair of the committee. If the student has a minor, then one of the committee members must be from the minor department or program. At the time of the request for a permit to schedule the final oral examination, the Graduate School verifies that the committee is constituted properly.
Credits
A minimum of 30 semester credit hours is required for all masters' degrees; however, many programs require more than thirty. Also, many students, in order to gain the breadth desired in their program or to make up deficits in their undergraduate degree, will actually take more credit hours than the minimum required by the program. At least 20 semester hours must come from 500-800-level courses. No more than two credit hours of departmental seminar may be included in the minimum 30-credit program. Programs that require a thesis may include no more than six hours of research credit (695) in the minimum 30-credit-hour program. Research credit is not appropriate in the non-thesis programs. Non-thesis programs may include no more than six hours of independent study credits in the minimum 30-credit program. Courses at the 400 level counted toward the minimal 30-hour requirement may not come from the major field.
Post Baccalaureate Studies (PBS)
The Post-Baccalaureate Studies (PBS) classification is designed for U. S. citizens who wish to undertake academic work beyond the baccalaureate degree but who are not currently admitted to a degree program. This classification is not open to international students with the exception of the spouse of a regularly enrolled NC State student. In special cases where students are sponsored by an agency of the U. S. government for specialized, non-degree study, the Graduate School for registration in the Post-Baccalaureate Studies classification may give approval. The following policies apply to students who wish to register for PBS:
1. All must have baccalaureate degrees from accredited institutions of higher education. Registration is through the Division of Lifelong Education http://www2.ncsu.edu/acp/acpsite/lifelong.htm
2. All classes taken for credit by PBS students will be graded in the usual manner that applies for the particular course (A+ through an F or S/U). All courses taken at NC State will show on the student's transcript.
3. If the student is admitted as a graduate student,. the first nine hours of course work taken at the graduate level in the PBS category may be accepted toward degree requirements unless a request for some other combination of nine hours is made by the student's advisory committee and approved by the Graduate Dean.
Transfer Credit
No more than 6 hours of the minimal 30-hour requirement will be accepted from other institutions. A graduate course which has been completed with a grade of "B" or better may be considered for transfer to a master's program provided that it has been completed in a graduate or post-baccalaureate classification at an accredited graduate school. Exceptions are allowed for transfer from foreign institutions if the department or program provides the Graduate School with adequate documentation that the course is relevant to the degree with appropriate content and level of instruction. Said documentation should verify that the student competencies are at least comparable to those of students taking the equivalent course at NC State and that the course was taught by faculty who are qualified to teach at the master's degree level. Transfer credit may not be used to fill the 20-hour 600-800-level requirement. Credit accepted by extension reduces the amount of credit that may be transferred from other institutions.
Credit by Extension
A maximum of six semester credits taken prior to admission to a graduate program and earned through NC State extension study may be applied toward the minimal 30-hour requirement provided that the courses are graduate-level and taught by members of the NC State Graduate Faculty. If a student has been admitted to the Graduate School, six additional semesters credits earned through NC State extension study may be used to meet the minimal 30-hour requirement. No graduate credit will be allowed for courses completed by extension at universities other than NC State. Credit accepted by extension reduces the amount of credit that may be transferred from other institutions.
Thesis
The thesis prepared by a candidate for the Master of Science must present an original investigation into a subject that has been approved by the student's advisory committee and the Director of Graduate Programs in the student's major. Three copies of the thesis, in final form as approved by the advisory committee and, each signed by the members of the advisory committee, must be submitted to the Graduate School by a specific deadline in the semester or summer session in which the degree is to be conferred.
As of July 10, 2002, all graduate students must submit their theses and dissertations electronically. The schedule for upcoming Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD) Workshops can be accessed from the Graduate School's website. If you have any questions, please contact the Grad school.
Comprehensive Final Oral Examinations
Candidates for master's degrees, except those in Option B programs, must pass a comprehensive oral examination to demonstrate to the advisory committee that he/she possesses a reasonable mastery of the subject matter of the major and supporting fields and that this knowledge can be used with promptness and accuracy. This examination may not be held until all other requirements, except completion of the course work in current registration during the final semester, are satisfied. A request for a permit to schedule the examination may be filed with the Dean of the Graduate School after the above conditions are met. The Graduate School will check to determine that the advisory committee and the courses taken by the student meet Graduate School requirements. If all requirements are met, the permit to schedule the final examination will be forwarded to the Director of Graduate Programs within 20 days of receipt of the request. Upon receipt of the permit, the student may proceed to schedule the exam at a time that is convenient to all members of the advisory committee. In those programs which require the thesis, the thesis must be submitted in complete form, except for such revisions which may be necessary as a result of the final exam, to all members of the advisory committee at least two weeks prior to the exam.
A unanimous vote of approval of the advisory committee is required for passing the oral examination. Approval of the examination may be conditioned, however, upon completion of additional work to the satisfaction of the advisory committee. A formal reexamination will not be required in this case. Failure of a student to pass the oral examination terminates the student's graduate work at NC State unless the graduate advisory committee unanimously recommends a reexamination. Only one reexamination will be given. The Director of Graduate Programs forwards a form, signed by all members of the advisory committee, to the Dean of the Graduate School. This form certifies the date the exam was taken and the results of the examination. A student may appeal all committee actions according to the Board of Trustees Policy 41-04, Uniform Student Grievance Procedure, following the NC State University Administrative Regulations on Grievance Procedures for Students.
Oral examinations for master's degree candidates are open to the Graduate Faculty by right and to the University community by unanimous consent of the advisory committee and the student being examined. Discussions and decisions regarding the student's performance are private to the advisory committee.
Students in Option B Master of Education program are not required to take a final oral examination. nstead, these students author a Capstone Paper under the direction of the major advisor.
Time Limit
All requirements for the master's degree must be completed within six calendar years, beginning with the date that the student registers for courses carrying graduate credit applicable to the degree program, unless a more restrictive time limit has been has been established by the student's department.
Residence Requirement
For the Doctor of Education degree, the student is expected to be registered for graduate work at an accredited graduate school for at least six semesters beyond the baccalaureate degree. The basic University residence requirements are defined below. However, academic colleges/schools have the prerogative of establishing more restrictive requirements within the respective schools. (The College of Education requires a minimum of one academic year of full-time resident study.)
At least two residence credits, as defined below, must be secured in continuous residence (registration in consecutive semesters) as a graduate student at the University. Failure to take work during the summer does not break continuity; however, summer work may be used in partial fulfillment of this requirement.
Residence credit is determined by the number of semester hours of graduate work undertaken during a given term. During a regular semester, residence credit is calculated in the following manner:
Semester Credit Hours for Residence Credits:
9 or more = 1
6-8 = 2/3
less than 6* = 1/3
* (including registration for "Dissertation Preparation" or "Dissertation Research")
The residence credit for a six-week summer term is equal to one-half of the corresponding amount for a regular semester. For example, six semester hours taken during a summer session will earn one-third of a residence credit; less than six credit hours will earn one-sixth of a residence credit.
