Master’s Degree and Graduate Certificates
All coursework, including transfer credits, offered in fulfillment of the minimum credit-hour requirement for the degree/certificate, all comprehensive exams, and thesis (if required) must have been taken within the six-year period immediately preceding the date on which the last requirement is completed.
Doctoral Degree
All post-master’s coursework, including transfer credit, must be taken within an 11-year period.
Matriculation to Doctoral Candidacy
Doctoral students shall be granted a six-year period to successfully complete the general examination and acquire candidacy status.
Doctoral Candidacy to Final Dissertation Copy
Doctoral candidates will have five years from the acquisition of candidacy status to file the final dissertation copy. Failure to meet this time frame will result in cancellation of the candidacy. With the approval of the dissertation advisor and the College Graduate Studies Committee, the student may take a supplemental general examination to reacquire candidacy. If the student passes the supplemental general examination, he or she is readmitted to candidacy and must complete the dissertation within two years. The supplemental general examination may be repeated once.
In special cases, with appropriate justification by the student, the dean of The College of Graduate Studies may grant an extension of the coursework time limit upon the written request of the department chairperson or program director.
Courses approved upon entering a graduate program remain active for the length of time the student remains current in their program.