William J. Dore’, Sr. School of Graduate Studies

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George Mead, Interim Dean

McNeese State University was established to bring to Southwest Louisiana an institution of higher learning which would provide students with equal opportunities to receive the education and training needed to participate fully and wisely in the intellectual, economic, and social life of our democratic society. The purpose of the Doré School of Graduate Studies (DSGS) is fourfold:

Professional training, for increased competency in specialized fields. Research, to further the development of students in techniques and methods of scholarly research. Knowledge, to develop broader and deeper understanding of human knowledge. Preparation, to stimulate and encourage students to prepare themselves for further graduate study.

Administration. The Dean of the Graduate School serves as the chief administrative officer for graduate programs at the University. The Graduate Dean administers and coordinates graduate programs and makes final decisions regarding admissions, changes in degree status, admission to candidacy for the degree, certification of candidates for graduation, and all other aspects of graduate studies. Graduate instruction is supervised by the appropriate deans, department heads and graduate faculty under policies set forth by the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors and McNeese State University.

The Graduate Council consists of one representative from each college. The Dean of the Graduate School serves as Executive Secretary, and the Vice President for Academic Affairs and University President are ex officio members. A student member is selected by the seated Council and appointed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

The Graduate Council acts in an advisory capacity to the Dean of the Graduate School and to the administration. The Council is responsible for the approval of new courses, course changes, and the modifications of existing degree programs. In addition, the Graduate Council reviews credentials and nominates faculty to teach graduate-level courses. The Graduate Council also hears and acts on graduate-student petitions or grade appeals.

Graduate Faculty. The graduate faculty consists of those members of the teaching faculty who have been so designated by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, upon recommendation by the Dean of the Graduate School acting upon appropriate nominations by the Graduate Council. The graduate faculty is composed of two types of membership: Member and Temporary Member, as defined in the Faculty/Staff Handbook. Each graduate faculty appointment will be reviewed by the appropriate department head, dean, and the Graduate Council when the faculty member applies for continuing membership in the graduate faculty. Graduate faculty are marked with an asterisk in the faculty section of this catalog.

General Regulations. Graduate students are responsible for being fully acquainted and complying with all requirements for Graduate School and for the respective degree programs. When a particular situation is not covered in the Graduate School section of the catalog, graduate students should refer to the Academic Regulations section.

* McNeese is a member of the Intercollegiate Consortium for a graduate professional education leading to a Master of Science in Nursing. Information may be obtained from the College of Nursing.

Graduate Assistantships. A limited number of graduate assistantships for teaching assistants, laboratory assistants, non-teaching assistants, and research assistants are available to qualified graduate students. Graduate students pursuing at least six hours of graduate work, enrolled in a graduate degree program, and in good academic standing may be eligible for a graduate assistantship. Assistantships shall be awarded for one semester only with a maximum of 1-1/2 assistantships per student. Students enrolled in thesis in progress only may be awarded an assistantship for a maximum of three semesters. Duties of the assistants are assigned according to the nature of the appointment, and the stipend varies with ability and preparation of the student and with the nature of the service.

Applications for assistantships should be addressed to the head of the department in which the student will do the major work.

Graduate students who are employed through the McNeese Human Resources Office to work as graduate assistants are allowed credit for half of the tuition portion of their fees and, if applicable, an out-of-state fee waiver.

ADMISSION TO GRADUATE SCHOOL

Admission to Graduate School does not imply admission to a graduate degree program. Applicants must meet the necessary departmental requirements to be admitted to a specific degree program. For departmental requirements, refer to the section of the catalog detailing the specific degree program.

Admission of New Graduate Students

1. An applicant for admission into Graduate School must submit the following:
   
   1. An application for admission. An applicant may apply at www.mcneese.edu/admissions/application-forms .
   2. Official copies of transcripts from each college attended. Transcripts should be sent directly to the Office of Admissions and Recruiting by the institutions attended.
   3. Official copies of the required standardized test scores (GRE or GMAT). Official test scores should be sent directly from the testing agency to McNeese and cannot be more than five years old at the date of submission and application for admission.
      
      1. GRE test scores are required of degree-seeking applicants and regular non-degree-seeking applicants as well as those seeking a graduate certificate or certain post-baccalaureate certificates. Applicants for the MBA degree program are required to submit GMAT or GRE test scores.
         1. Regular non-degree-seeking applicants may be admitted on a provisional basis for one term of enrollment while in the process of obtaining GRE test scores. Registration for subsequent terms will be prohibited pending receipt of GRE test scores.
      2. GMAT test scores may not be substituted for GRE test scores. 
      3. Proof of a master’s degree may waive the GRE requirement; however, the GRE waiver is at the recommendation of the academic department head and approval by the Dean of the Graduate School.
      4. Information about the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) can be obtained from the Office of Admissions and Recruiting, the Graduate School, the Office of Scholarships and Testing, or from Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 955, Princeton, New Jersey 08540 (http://www.ets.org/).
   4. Proof of immunization. According to Louisiana law, students entering McNeese for the first time who were born after 1956 must provide proof of immunization against preventable and/or communicable diseases, including measles, mumps, rubella, and tetanus-diphtheria (MMR, Td) prior to admission. The Proof of Immunization form may be obtained from the Office of Admissions and Recruiting or the University’s Web site at www.mcneese.edu/admissions/application-forms.
   5. A non-refundable application fee of $20.00 (check or money order).
   6. Proof of Selective Service registration. Males 18-25 years old, entering McNeese for the first time, are required to register for the federal draft under the federal Military Service Act and must submit proof of their registration with the Selective Service System.
2. All records submitted become the property of the University and cannot be returned to the applicant or any other party.
3. Applications and records should be on file at least 30 days prior to registration. Applications are accepted after this, but the student should contact the Graduate School office for further information.
4. Falsification of any information when applying for admission may result in the refusal of the applicant or dismissal from the University.
5. No applicant shall be denied admission to McNeese University on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, race, creed, or national origin.
6. Individual academic departments have their own standards for admission. These standards incorporate both qualitative and quantitative criteria which are more specific than those established by the University. Therefore, admission into Graduate School does not guarantee admission into specific degree programs.
7. Students may be admitted on a provisional basis for one term of enrollment while in the process of obtaining required credentials; however, academic transcripts are required prior to admission. Students, who are admitted provisionally and subsequently are ineligible for admission, may have their registration cancelled with no refund of fees. Additionally, any student whose admission records are incomplete 30 days after the first day of classes may have his/her registration cancelled with no refund of fees and future registration blocked.

Readmission of Former Graduate Students

1. A former graduate student who has not been enrolled at McNeese during the preceding calendar year or who has graduated with a degree from McNeese must submit, at a minimum, an application for admission and a non-refundable application fee of $20.00.
2. Additionally, a former graduate student must meet all admission requirements in effect at the time of readmission.

Admission of Transfer Graduate Students

1. To be admitted to Graduate School at McNeese University, transfer students must meet all admission requirements for New Graduate Students.
2. Applicants must be eligible for readmission to the Graduate School of the college or university from which they are transferring.
3. Applicants who have graduate grade point averages below 3.0 but not lower than 2.0 with no grades of “D” or “F” may be admitted on probation upon the recommendation of the applicants’ prospective major professor, department head, and Dean of Graduate School.
4. Applicants with an extant grade of “I” from another school will be denied admission or readmission to Graduate School.

Admission of International Graduate Students

Admission to Graduate School does not imply admission to a graduate degree program. Applicants must meet the necessary departmental requirements to be admitted to a specific degree program. For departmental requirements, refer to the section of the catalog detailing the specific degree program.

1. International students must submit the following application materials before eligibility for admission can be determined:
   
   1. Application for admission. The international student application may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar or the University’s Web site at www.mcneese.edu/international/.
   2. A non-refundable application fee of $30.00 (check or money order). Checks must be drawn on a U.S. bank.
   3. Complete and official college transcripts depicting all undergraduate and graduate courses taken and all grades received. All documents must be properly attested by either the Registrar, Attestation Officer, or Controller of Examinations. Transcripts must be in English or accompanied by an official line-by-line English translation.
   4. An official course-by-course evaluation of credentials for all college or university academic credit earned from foreign institutions. Transcripts must be evaluated by Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (www.ece.org) or World Education Services, Inc. (www.wes.org). Detailed instructions for ordering a credential evaluation can be found on each evaluator’s website. The credential evaluation must be sent directly from the evaluation service to the institution.
   5. English language proficiency as demonstrated by ONE of the following:
      
      • Minimum TOEFL* score of 525 on the paper-based exam, 195 on the computer-based exam, or 71 on the Internet-based exam (www.ets.org/toefl);
      • Minimum IELTS* band score of 6.0 (www.ielts.org);
      • Completion of the advanced level of the ESLI University Language Center program (located on the McNeese campus); OR
      • Baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited U.S. institution.
   6. Affidavit of financial support. This form may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar or the University’s Web site at www.mcneese.edu/international/. A bank statement or letter must accompany the affidavit of financial support and must reflect the minimum balance required as determined by the Office of Admissions. (This requirement only applies to applicants seeking to enroll with an F-1 visa status.)
   7. Official GRE or GMAT test scores which, combined with the appropriate undergraduate grade point average, meet the admission formula for the intended program of study. The official score report must be received by the University directly from the appropriate testing agency.
2. Items listed above must be on file by the following dates in order for the student to be considered for admission:
   
   • March 15 for the summer semester
   • May 15 for the fall semester
   • October 15 for the spring semester
3. International applicants who meet all Regular Admission status requirements except for the grade point average requirement may be admitted to Graduate School on a conditional basis. To qualify for Conditional Admission, international applicants must have earned a minimum overall undergraduate grade point average of 2.0 and a minimum upper division grade point average of 2.5.
4. Applicants will not be considered for admission by the Office of International Student Affairs Office (ISAO) until all required documents, including the official credential evaluation, are received. Admission of international students is considered on an individual basis by the International Student Affairs Office and the appropriate department head or graduate faculty advisor. International students must meet all University and departmental requirements for Degree Status. McNeese State University reserves the exclusive right to determine whether the documentation provided meets the minimum criteria necessary for the admission of international students to Graduate School.

ADMISSION STATUS

The categories of admission to Graduate School are Degree Status and Non-Degree Status.

Degree Status

Degree Status includes all graduate students intending to pursue a graduate degree or certificate. There are two categories of Degree Status: Regular Admission and Conditional Admission.

Regular Admission. Applicants for Regular Admission into degree programs must meet admission requirements, in addition to those of the individual departments. To be eligible for regular admission, applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. Satisfy general admission requirements for entry into Graduate School.
2. Hold a baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited U.S. institution or its foreign equivalent.
3. Have earned a minimum grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale on all undergraduate work attempted or a minimum grade point average of 2.75 on all upper division course work attempted.
4. Have earned satisfactory scores on the standardized tests required by the individual degree programs.
5. Have met all other requirements for admission into individual degree programs.
6. Have satisfactory academic standing at the last institution attended.
7. Be recommended in writing by the department head or graduate faculty advisor for acceptance into the individual degree programs.
8. Be approved for Regular Admission status by the Graduate Dean.

Conditional Admission. Applicants who meet all Regular Admission status requirements except for the grade point average requirements may be admitted on a conditional basis.

1. To qualify for Conditional Admission, an applicant must have earned a minimum grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale on all undergraduate work attempted or a minimum grade point average of 2.5 on all upper division course work attempted. Additionally, the applicant must meet the departmental grade point average requirement specified for Conditional Admission.
   
   1. International applicants seeking conditional admission must have earned a minimum overall undergraduate grade point average of 2.0 and a minimum upper division grade point average of 2.5.
2. To remain in Conditional Admission status, a student must: (1) maintain a minimum graduate cumulative grade point average of 3.0; (2) earn no more than one grade of “C”; and (3) earn no grade lower than “C”. If a student fails to meet the requirements for conditional status, the student’s status will be changed to nondegree.
3. Conditional Admission status will be changed to Regular Admission status when a student earns 12 semester hours of graduate credit with at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average, no more than one grade of “C”, and no grade lower than “C”. At the time a student completes 12 semester hours of graduate credit, if he/she is not eligible for Regular Admission status, the student’s status will be changed to non-degree.
4. No more than 12 graduate hours earned by a student in Conditional Admission status may be used toward a graduate degree, provided the credit is recommended for approval to the Graduate Dean by the appropriate department head.

Non-Degree Status

Non-Degree Status includes graduate students not intending to pursue a graduate degree or certificate. There are two categories of Non-Degree Status: Regular Non-Degree and Special Non-Degree.

Regular Non-Degree. Regular Non-Degree status includes graduate students seeking to enroll exclusively in graduate courses or in a combination of graduate and undergraduate courses.

1. Regular Non-Degree categories include, but are not limited to:
   
   1. Extended Studies. For students seeking graduate or a combination of graduate and undergraduate credit, but who do not intend to pursue a degree.
   2. Visiting or Transient. For students admitted to a graduate program at another institution who wish to take courses at McNeese for transfer credit.
   3. Master’s Plus 30. For students who already have a master’s degree. These students are not admitted into any particular degree program.
   4. Teacher Certification. For students seeking a non-degree path for initial or add-on certification and intending to enroll in graduate courses only or a combination of undergraduate and graduate courses.
2. Applicants for Regular Non-Degree status must meet the following requirements:
   
   1. Satisfy admission requirements.
   2. Hold a baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited U.S. institution or its foreign equivalent.
   3. Have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale on all undergraduate work attempted or a minimum grade point average of 2.5 on all upper division course work attempted.
   4. Have GRE scores sent directly to the University from the testing agency.
   5. Have satisfactory academic standing at the last institution attended.
3. Students in Regular Non-Degree status may enroll in graduate or undergraduate courses for which they have the appropriate prerequisites.
4. Admission as a Regular Non-Degree student does not imply that the student meets requirements for any graduate degree program.
5. No more than 12 graduate hours earned by a student in Regular Non-Degree status may be used toward a graduate degree, provided the credit is recommended for approval to the Graduate Dean by the appropriate department head.
6. Students in Regular Non-Degree status wishing to change to Degree status must re-apply for admission.
7. Students in Regular Non-Degree status are not eligible for Special Non-Degree status.

Special Non-Degree. Special Non-Degree status includes graduate students seeking to enroll in undergraduate courses only.

1. Special Non-Degree categories include, but are not limited to:
   
   1. Extended Studies. For students seeking undergraduate credit only who do not intend to enroll in graduate courses or pursue a graduate degree.
   2. Teacher Certification. For students seeking a non-degree path for initial or add-on certification and intending to enroll in undergraduate courses only.
2. Applicants for Special Non-Degree status must meet the following requirements:
   
   1. Satisfy admission requirements, except for the test score requirement.
   2. Hold a baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited U.S. institution or its foreign equivalent.
   3. Have satisfactory academic standing at the last institution attended.
3. Students in Special Non-Degree status may enroll in undergraduate courses for which they have the appropriate prerequisites.
4. Students in Special Non-Degree status may not enroll in graduate-level courses. If a student in Special Non-Degree status enrolls in a graduate-level course, that student will be dropped from the course without prior notification.
5. Students in Special Non-Degree status wishing to change to Regular Non-Degree status or to Degree status must re-apply for admission.

ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND POLICIES

Student Responsibility. Students are personally responsible for completing all degree requirements established by the University, the college, and the department. Students are responsible for informing themselves of these requirements. Students’ major professors may not assume these responsibilities and may not substitute or waive established requirements or academic standards.

Course Load

1. Full-time graduate students are those registered for at least 9 hours in a regular semester or for at least 6 hours in a summer session.
2. Full-time graduate students may enroll for up to 16 hours in a regular semester or for up to 9 hours in a summer session.
   
   1. Students whose cumulative grade point average is 3.6 or better may enroll in 3 additional semester hours with prior approval of the major professor, the department head, and the Dean of Graduate School. This regulation applies to graduate students taking only graduate courses or a combination of graduate and undergraduate courses.
3. The maximum course load for which a student may enroll during an interim (between semesters) period is three semester hours, or one hour of graduate credit for each week of the session.

Probation. Graduate students whose graduate cumulative or term grade point average falls below 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. Once on academic probation, a graduate student will continue on probation until he/she earns a graduate term and cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher.

Suspension. Graduate students on academic probation whose term grade point average falls below 3.0 will be suspended from further graduate studies. Students who earn a grade of “F” in any graduate course will also be suspended from further graduate studies. A grade of “I” will be converted to an “F” if it is not removed by the designated date during the next regular semester in which the student is enrolled at the University (see University Calendar) or within one calendar year if the student does not enroll.

Readmission of Suspended Students. Suspended graduate students may be readmitted on probation only upon the recommendation of their academic department head and with the approval of the Dean of Graduate School. Suspended graduate students may enroll in undergraduate courses without seeking approval for readmission to Graduate School. A suspended student intending to enroll in undergraduate courses only must notify the Registrar of his/her intent. At that time, the student’s status will be changed to Special Non-Degree.

Change of Degree Program. Graduate students wishing to change degree programs, to change from non-degree to degree-seeking status, or to change from degree-seeking status to non-degree status must submit a completed application for admission to the Office of the Registrar. Changes requested after the last day of late registration for a particular term will be processed for the next term of enrollment.

Privilege to Graduating Seniors 

1. Graduating seniors who have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.2 on all undergraduate work attempted and lack no more than 30 semester hours to complete baccalaureate degree requirements may be allowed to register for graduate credit.
2. Students pursuing this privilege must obtain approval from their academic department head, their academic dean, and the graduate dean. An approved form verifying that no more than 30 semester hours are lacking to complete baccalaureate degree requirements and confirming a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.2 must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar.
3. Students may earn no more than 12 graduate credit hours while completing baccalaureate requirements.
4. Courses taken for graduate credit cannot be used to satisfy undergraduate requirements.
5. Students retain their undergraduate status until they receive the baccalaureate degree.
6. While in the concurrent undergraduate/graduate status, students all maintain a minimum cumulative graduate grade point average of 3.0.
7. Because the GMAT/grade point average admission formula must be met, this privilege does not apply to credit offered through the MBA program.
8. This arrangement is to be considered a special privilege to outstanding graduating seniors and does not imply admission to the Doré School of Graduate Studies.

Second Master’s Degree. Upon the recommendation of the major professor and department head, a student seeking a second master’s degree may, in individual cases, be allowed to apply from a previous graduate degree a maximum of one-half the credits required for the second degree. These credits must have been earned within six calendar years from the time the student first enrolled in the program. A student may receive only one degree under a single major.

Transfer Credit.

1. Upon the recommendation of the major professor and department head and with the approval of the Dean of Graduate School, a student may, in individual cases, transfer a maximum of one-third of the credit hours required for the degree from another accredited college or university to McNeese provided that:
   1. The grade in each course accepted is “B” or better.
   2. Each course is comparable to a required course on the degree program at McNeese State University.
   3. The credit has been earned within six calendar years from the date the student is first enrolled in the program.
2. No more than six credit hours of core courses may be transferred in to the MBA Program.
3. Credits earned through a Louisiana multi-purpose resident center, as designated by the Board of Regents, may be considered for transfer if the student has been accepted in a degree program and has earned a minimum of 12 hours toward the degree. Petition for this credit is made to the Dean of Graduate School.
4. Correspondence or extension courses taken for graduate credit may not be used to fulfill graduation requirements in any degree program offered by Graduate School.
5. Transfer credit will not reduce the minimum residence requirements.
6. A student shall make application on the proper form for transfer of credit.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

Change of Degree Program. To be eligible to receive an advanced degree, graduate students must abide by all regulations and satisfy all requirements of the major department, the Graduate School, and the University. A graduate student must assume full responsibility for knowledge of these regulations and requirements.

Candidates for advanced degrees must file an application for degree by the current deadline as listed in the University Calendar. This should be done at the time of registration for the semester or the summer session in which the candidate completes degree requirements. All candidates who are to receive degrees are to be present at the commencement exercises unless written approval to be absent is given by the Dean of Graduate School.

Graduating candidates must be eligible for the degree, complete degree requirements in a specified time period, meet residence requirements, complete master’s thesis (if applicable), and successfully pass a comprehensive examination.

MASTER’S DEGREE

Eligibility for Degree. The minimum credit requirement for the master’s degree is 30 semester hours of graduate work. Only 500- and 600-level courses can be used toward a graduate degree. One-half of the total number of hours required for the degree, excluding credit for the course titled “Thesis”, shall be in graduate courses numbered in the 600 series.

Specific requirements for degrees must be understood to be minimum; therefore, the University reserves the right to require any additional work and the passing of any qualifying or validating examination that it deems necessary to assure a scholastically mature graduate.

If a thesis is not written, the student may be required to demonstrate acceptable research proficiency and reporting, as prescribed by the major department.

To be approved for graduation, the student must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0. No grade lower than “C” may be counted toward the degree. No more than six semester hours of “C” work may be counted toward the degree.

Time Limitation. All work applied toward the master’s degree must be completed within six calendar years from the date the student is first enrolled in the program. All work applied toward the Master of Arts in Psychology (Counseling Psychology Concentration) must be completed within eight calendar years from the date the student is first enrolled in the program.

The time limit begins with the semester/term in which the student takes the first course to be applied toward the degree requirements.

Major Professor/Advisor. A graduate faculty member will be assigned as the major professor/advisor to each graduate student upon admission to a graduate program. The Dean of Graduate School, upon recommendation of the head of the department in which the student is enrolled, will appoint the student’s major professor.

Master’s Thesis. Some programs leading to the Master of Arts and Master of Science degrees require a thesis. The thesis subject is selected by the student and approved by the major professor and the student’s examining committee no later than the close of the semester preceding that in which the student is planning to complete degree requirements. If degree completion is planned for a summer session, the thesis subject must be approved no later than 60 days after the first day of classes in the spring semester.

The thesis should demonstrate the student’s capacity for creative expression, research, ability to organize and interpret data, and ability to report research in an acceptable style. The thesis shall be in the form prescribed by the Graduate Council. An instruction booklet for thesis writing should be obtained from Graduate School.

The student must register for departmental Thesis courses during each semester the thesis is in progress and for each semester or term in which the student receives faculty assistance and/or uses University facilities and resources. The student must be enrolled for Thesis the semester the thesis is completed and approved by the examining committee.

At the end of each semester in which the thesis is in progress, a grade of “IN” (in progress) shall be assigned to the student. After final approval of the thesis by the examining committee and by the appropriate authorities, after the examining committee certifies the student has passed the defense, and after all copies of the thesis have been approved by the Graduate School office, a final grade of “P” shall be assigned to all thesis courses; however, only six (6) hours of thesis credit are applicable to the master’s degree.

The acceptance of the thesis lies with the student’s examining committee, and its defense becomes a part of the final comprehensive examination. The thesis must be in the hands of the major professor at least four weeks before the commencement date. The original, with the certificate of approval signed by all examining committee members, must be given to the Graduate School for review at least two weeks before the commencement date. The original, corrected thesis, the signed title page, and all copies must be submitted to the Graduate School no later than the Wednesday before commencement. At this time, the student must pay the necessary binding fee. The original thesis will be cataloged in the Lether E. Frazar Memorial Library. The first copy will be given to the major professor by the student, and the second copy will become the student’s property. One additional copy of the thesis may be a departmental requirement.

EDUCATION BEYOND THE TRADITIONAL MASTER’S DEGREE

Eligibility for Degree. The minimum credit requirements for a degree beyond the traditional master’s degree is 60 semester hours of graduate work.

A minimum of one-half of the total semester hours required for the Master of Fine Arts degree must be in courses open to graduate students only. Each candidate for the Master of Fine Arts degree is required to demonstrate creative writing skills by writing a thesis (novel or collection of short stories or poems). The thesis shall be in a form prescribed by the Graduate Council.

To be approved for graduation, the student must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0. No grade lower than “C” may be counted toward the degree. No more than six semester hours of “C” in course work may be counted toward the degree.

Time Limitation. All work applied toward the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing must be completed within eight calendar years from the date the student is first enrolled in the program. The time limit begins with the semester/term in which the student takes the first course to be applied toward the degree requirements.

Comprehensive Final Examination

Each candidate for the master’s degree (except MBA) will be required to pass a comprehensive final examination covering areas of the student’s major and minor fields of study. If a thesis is written, the comprehensive examination will include a defense of the thesis. The examination may be oral, written, or both, as designated by the examining committee, and will be conducted at least two weeks before the date on which the degree is conferred. A student on probation will not be allowed to take the comprehensive final examination.

On a comprehensive final examination, an examining committee’s decision to pass or fail must be unanimous; otherwise, the student is informed of the conditions that must be met prior to re-examination. If the committee reports that the student has failed, there will be no re-examination. A re-examination will be required to remove any conditions that the examining committee imposes upon a student; only one such re-examination will be permitted. This examination will be permitted no sooner than the following semester or summer session. The Dean of Graduate School will set the time for the re-examination upon the recommendation of the major professor. On a re-examination by the original committee, the decision to pass must be unanimous; otherwise, the student is failed.

Upon written petition by the student, the Dean of Graduate School may augment the examining committee or appoint a new committee for the re-examination of the student; this committee shall consist of no more than five members. The decision to pass must be a majority; otherwise, the student is failed.

Examining Committee

The Dean of Graduate School, upon recommendation of the major professor, will appoint the student’s examining committee. This committee will consist of the major professor as chairperson, two additional graduate faculty members representing areas of the student’s concentration, and others as deemed appropriate.

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