The Graduate School's policy is that all master's-degree programs must require a minimum of thirty semester hours of graduate credits. At least twenty of these thirty hours must be from courses at the 500 or 600 level. No more than six hours of research credits and two hours of departmental or program seminars are allowed in the minimum thirty-credit-hour program. Many departments and programs require more than thirty semester hours of credit for the master's degree. Most Master of Science and Master of Arts degrees also require a thesis.
The Graduate School does not set minimum coursework requirements for doctoral programs. Instead, all doctoral students are expected to demonstrate their ability by writing a dissertation reporting results of an original investigation and by passing a series of comprehensive examinations in a field of specialization and, in some cases, related areas of knowledge.
Graduate degree requirements beyond the University minimum are developed by the departments and programs and approved by the Administrative Board of the Graduate School at the time of degree authorization. Major changes in degree requirements must be submitted to the ABGS for approval. Minor changes in degree requirements are processed in the Graduate School. All departments and programs are required to provide detailed information to students about degree requirements that go beyond University minimum. Dissemination of this information is monitored in the graduate-program reviews [4.2.3.4].
Students in master's programs have six years from the time they take the first course on their plan of work to complete their degree program. Doctoral students have ten years from their initial admission to the doctoral program [4.2.3.2].
Professional courses in the College of Veterinary Medicine are approved by the faculty, college dean, and the Administrative Board of the Graduate School. The Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program requires four years to complete and consists of 150 semester credit hours. Graduates are also required to pass a certifying examination at both the national and state levels before they can practice veterinary medicine [4.2.3.1; 4.2.3.2].
Doctoral students work with an advisory committee of four graduate faculty members appointed by the dean of the Graduate School, based upon recommendations from the director of graduate programs in the student's major area of study. In programs where the student has a minor, one member of the advisory committee must represent the minor area. The student and committee develop a program of study and research. Minimum completion requirements are established by the faculty in the department and conform to the institutional requirements for the doctoral degree. The Plan of Work is to be filed with the Graduate School as soon as feasible after the student has completed twelve hours of coursework [4.2.3.2].
In addition to the four-person advisory committee mentioned above, the dean of the Graduate School appoints a Graduate School representative to each doctoral advisory committee. This person plays a unique role at the doctoral oral examinations. He or she serves as an independent and impartial participant to oversee the integrity and fairness of the examinations and, in general, to contribute to the scholarly atmosphere of the examinations. The representative is a "disinterested person" to whom the dean may turn for judgment and counsel. The presence of the Graduate School representative can occasionally be key to resolving difficult situations that can develop between the student and a member or members of the advisory committee.
The manner in which graduate students are assigned to a major advisor varies. In general, the assignment is based on the student's interest and goals. Selection of the other members of the student's advisory committee is a joint effort between the advisor and the student. Members are selected on the basis of similar interest and expertise in the student's research area or project topic and, when a minor is involved, to assure that appropriate disciplines are represented. The student's advisory committee is forwarded to the Graduate School as a recommendation and approved by the dean of the Graduate School. Should a change in advisor be requested, the director of graduate programs in the department or program assists the student in making the change. If the student's advisory committee has already been appointed by the dean of the Graduate School, the student's director of graduate programs recommends the change to the dean of the Graduate School. The same would be true for any committee changes that are made after the initial committee has been approved by the dean of the Graduate School [4.2.5.9].
