Colleges > College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences > General Degree Requirements
CLASS offers a wide variety of degrees at the master’s and doctoral levels. Due to the wide range of degrees offered, students are advised to consult the Degrees Offered page listing all degrees offered in CLASS and also the departmental sections of this catalog for specific information on degree requirements of particular degrees.
General requirements for master’s degrees:
All departments and some programs in the college offer master’s degrees, which provide in-depth instruction and preparation, beyond the bachelor’s level, in a particular field. All master’s degrees require a significant amount of coursework, and all also require a master’s thesis, comprehensive examination, or other capstone project or experience to attain the degree. For program tracks requiring a thesis, the thesis committee must consist of at least three faculty members, at least two of whom must come from the major department. After these minimum requirements for committee members are satisfied, additional committee members may be approved.
Master of Arts (MA)
Requires a minimum of 30-36 graduate hours in the field, depending on program and track.
Master of Athletic Training (MAT)
Requires a minimum of 57 credit hours of graduate coursework and clinical experiences.
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
Requires a minimum of 42 graduate hours.
Master of Public Administration (MPA)
Requires a minimum of 38 graduate hours.
Master of Public Policy (MPP)
Requires a minimum of 39 graduate hour
Master of Science (MS)
Requires a minimum of 36 graduate hours.
General Requirements for doctoral degrees
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Awarding of the PhD degree signifies that the recipient has acquired a broad knowledge of the discipline and has demonstrated, by successful completion of an acceptable dissertation, research competence meeting the discipline’s national standards. The PhD program requires a minimum of one academic year of full-time residence; coursework (number of required hours varies by program); enrollment in at least six semester hours of dissertation courses; and successful completion of disciplinary examinations and language requirements, at the discretion of the department.
Doctoral students’ dissertation committees must be comprised of a minimum of four members to include three faculty members from the major department and one approved member external to the major department, who is acceptable to the department and the college. After these minimum requirements for committee members are satisfied, additional committee members may be approved.
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